Defenceman Marcus Pettersson has re-signed with the team that traded for him. He has landed a six-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks. The contract has an annual average of $5.5 million.
Marcus Pettersson Re-Signs
Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenceman Marcus Pettersson on a six-year contract extension with a $5.5M AAV. pic.twitter.com/cyafoUM5Xg
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 6, 2025
One of the two major deals the Canucks made on January 31st is a bit more established now. The return for the New York Rangers protected first-rounder was much-needed defenceman Marcus Pettersson.
“In just a couple of games, Marcus has already shown us the type of leadership, poise and character that we want in a top four defenceman,” said general manager Patrik Allvin. “He has a calming influence on the ice, uses his long reach and hockey smarts to break up plays and has a good first pass to help us create more offensively. We are extremely happy to get this deal done and look forward to working with him in both the short term and long term.”
Pettersson isn’t an all-star defender, but he has changed Vancouver’s defence significantly. He doesn’t just have good size, but he’s also a very good skater. He controls the puck well and is very good at getting the puck out of his end.
A legitimate, top-four defenceman is something the Canucks have needed for years. With Carson Soucy‘s mediocre play this season, it was more urgent than ever. Pittsburgh has been playing a two-pair defence all season, and Pettersson has stood up well.
Of course, it makes a difference when your partner is Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang rather than Tyler Myers. The pair worked extremely well together in his first game with the new team, even missing Quinn Hughes. It was a good sign that Pettersson was finding a home in Vancouver.
The Roll-On Effects
As Marcus Pettersson re-signs a longer-term deal, it tells us how he fits into the team’s budget. With the increasing salary cap, his contract is easier to take even with Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s buyout jumping by $2.4 million.
Pettersson scored three times and had 18 points while averaging 22 minutes a night in 47 games in Pittsburgh. In his Canucks debut earlier in the week, he played just under 26 minutes, the second-most on the team. He’s clearly set up to take that second-pair role with the Canucks for at least the next few years.
The post Vancouver Canucks Extend Newly-Acquired Defenceman appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.