On June 18, the Vancouver Canucks got one of their key players locked up to a long-term deal. 26-year-old right-handed defenseman Filip Hronek received an eight-year extension worth $58 million for an average annual value (AAV) of $7.25 million.
In his 2023-24 season in Vancouver, Hronek scored five goals and 43 assists for 48 points in 81 games. What makes him such a coveted asset for the Canucks?
Hronek Can Help Hughes Shine
One of the biggest pros for the Canucks re-signing Hronek is the fact that his defensive partner of 1,237 minutes at even strength, Quinn Hughes, took his game to new heights in 2023-24. In his first full season in a Canucks uniform, Hronek was alongside Hughes in a season where the latter finished as a Norris Trophy finalist—he is likely going to win it.
Getting Hughes a high-quality defensive partner like Hronek is a huge win. They graded out quite well together and were a big reason why the Canucks had their third 50-win season in franchise history—from top to bottom, the team was exceptional. As long as the two are together, Vancouver should have one of the best first-pairing defenses in the NHL.
Fit with Vancouver
This contract makes Hronek the long-term solution for the Canucks to pair with Hughes, which is a good bet at just 8.2 percent of the overall maximum salary cap ($88 million). As the league-maximum cap space continues to rise, his deal should only look better and better.
Hronek can provide the Canucks with some upside aside from just being paired with Hughes. He was on a tear early in the season points-wise, but his production began to fall as time went on. The 26-year-old is a good offensive contributor with a blistering shot who might be able to reach the 60-point mark sometime soon, which would be great for Vancouver. If he can find some consistency at both ends of the ice, that should help this contract age well.
The Canucks have key free agents like Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Tyler Myers, Sam Lafferty, and Dakota Joshua to sign this offseason—Hronek was just one of their main priorities. With under $18 million to spend, some of their players will have to go—the next couple of weeks should be eventful in Vancouver.
