Sounds like Vancouver Canucks are making concessions in Willander negotiation
The Vancouver Canucks negotiations with Tom Willander are about to hit a critical junction.
The club and the former 11th overall pick have been unable to agree on an entry-level contract. These deals are usually fairly straightforward, but the two sides disagree over the number of Schedule A bonuses that should be included.
After finishing his NCAA season at Boston University, Willander was originally expected to sign with the Canucks. That didn’t happen, and he returned to Sweden instead, playing for the national team in some warm-up games for the World Championship.
While Willander was eventually cut by Team Sweden for the World Championship, he is back in Europe. With the Canucks negotiations dragging along, he’s going to be pitched by European clubs to stay in the continent and sign with them for next season.
“Keep this in mind, the World Hockey Championship is where teams from all the Euro leagues are there. They’re meeting with agents to try and sign players for the upcoming season. This week will be pivotal for the Canucks-Willander relationship,” said CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal on Sportsnet’s Halford & Brough.
If Willander signs in Europe next year, it’ll be difficult for the Canucks to monitor his development. In addition, the Canucks lose his rights on August 15, 2027. While that’s still far away, the longer he goes without a contract, the more realistic that possibility becomes.
Willander is expected to make a decision on his future and will likely choose to either sign with the Canucks or a professional team in Europe very soon.
“He’s going to turn pro either in Europe or with the Canucks… this time next week we should know where he’s signing. It’ll either be in Europe or… in Vancouver,” continued Dhaliwal.
Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford has said he believes Willander is pro-ready and could step into the NHL next season. He’s one of the club’s most important prospects and plays one of the most valuable positions leaguewide. Despite that, the club still seems unwilling to match his bonus demands, citing an internal structure they want to follow.
However, the Canucks seem to be softening. The two sides do appear to be making some progress from reports that the Canucks increased their offer.
“I don’t even think the gap is that far. The gap is close. The Canucks have gone up,” added Dhaliwal.
The Willander negotiation has been a difficult situation for the Canucks. He’s one of their top prospects and ideally could be sliding into the NHL lineup sometime next season. To make sure that happens, the Canucks need to get him signed and it sounds like next week is the time to do so.