Vancouver Canucks sign Filip Hronek to long term contract extension

In his first full year with the Canucks, Hronek proved to be an extremely valuable piece to the success of the team. Alongside Quinn Hughes, Hronek played a steady defensive game and was able to put up amazing point totals in the first half of the season. He ended the year with 5 goals and 48 points in 81 games, but had a disappointing playoffs with only 2 points.

At his end of season media availability, things got contentious with a Canucks reporter who pressed him on commanding a high salary while seeing his production decline in the second half of the season. Hronek got defensive, and didn't commit to staying in Vancouver - but it looks like the 8 year offer smoothed things over.

Still only 26 years old, this eight year contract will lock up Hronek for the prime years of his career, until he's 34 years old. It may seem like a steep salary for Hronek now, but in a few years time when the cap increases, this could be a bargain of a contract.

Canucks fans will be happy to see one big piece of offseason business taken care of, and now turn their attention to the myriad of free agents they have left to potentially sign: Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm for starters. With the constraints of the salary cap, it may be difficult to sign even one of those players after the Hronek deal - but the Canucks can still get creative.

Source: Vancouver Canucks