The Vancouver Canucks have signed center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Quinn Hughes in what were both restricted free agent deals, a source close to the matter confirmed on Friday. These deals come just two weeks before the Canucks got their 2021-22 season campaign underway.
According to the undisclosed source, the 22-year-old Pettersson signed a three-year deal with an average annual value of $7.35 million against the salary cap. Furthermore, Pettersson will remain a restricted free agent at the end of his contract. The 21-year-old Hughes, on the other hand, agreed to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $7.85 million; the highest on the team. He will become an unrestricted free agent during the 2026-27 season.
Since arriving in Vancouver, Pettersson has scored 153 points in 165 games. Last season, he managed to rack up 21 points in just 26 regular-season appearances. Pettersson was the fifth pick overall during the 2017 draft and was named the NHL rookie of the year in 2018-19.
Hughes has managed to amass 97 points in 129 NHL games in his career. He finished runner up to Colorado’s Cale Makar in the race for the award of NHL’s top rookie in 2019-20.
