The Vancouver Canucks acquired Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings in 2023 hoping he would break out. Hronek always had offensive talent, but his defense was somewhat questionable. Vancouver banked on the offense meshing well with star defenseman Quinn Hughes at the time of the deal. On Tuesday, the Canucks rewarded Hronek for his efforts.
Vancouver signed Hronek to an eight-year contract extension, the team confirmed. The 26-year-old rearguard will carry a cap hit of $7.25 million through the 2031-32 season when the deal expires. Additionally, he receives a full no-movement clause on July 1, 2025, according to CapFriendly. On July 1, 2028, this becomes a 15-team modified no-trade clause.
The dust has settled a bit on this deal, especially since Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final happened hours after the announcement. But let's take some time to examine this contract from both sides. Here are our grades for the eight-year contract extension signed by the Canucks and Filip Hronek on Tuesday.
Filip Hronek signs with Canucks
Hronek left the Red Wings and received a larger role in Vancouver almost immediately. In 2023-24, he played over 23 minutes a night alongside Quinn Hughes. And he showed that he can contribute offensively at a high level. He set new career highs with 43 assists and 48 points on the season.
It was a successful season in Vancouver, and he gets rewarded nicely. He earns north of $7 million a season, which was unlikely to happen with the Red Wings. Additionally, he secured legitimate long-term stability. This is an eight-year contract, and he has a say in where he goes in seven of those eight seasons. Theoretically, the Canucks could trade the 26-year-old anywhere they want before July 1, 2025.
However, that's unlikely to happen at this stage. So, Hronek does extremely well here. He receives a big-time payday from a team he found a lot of success with. And he figures to be a part of Vancouver's long-term future as they attempt to build upon a surprisingly successful 2023-24 season.
Canucks sign Filip Hronek
As for the Canucks, there are pros and cons to this deal. First, it's undeniable the impact Hronek has had. Even when his offensive production fell off a bit in the second half of the season. He still made a massive impact through his partnership with Quinn Hughes. Hronek was one driving force that helped Hughes turn in a Norris Trophy caliber season in 2023-24.
That said, it is a bit of steep price to pay. Of course, if Hronek maintains this level of play, then Vancouver can certainly live with it. Especially if his defense continues to improve as it did this past season. But if Hronek's second-half offensive struggles become the norm, this is a tough pill to swallow. Even more so with all of the no-movement and no-trade clauses.
In the end, Hronek has received a ton of credit for helping Hughes become a better player. And he has turned into a legitimate power play quarterback in his own right. It's certainly easy to see why the Canucks wanted to get this contract signed before NHL Free Agency on July 1.
Grades and final thoughts
Both the Canucks and Filip Hronek receive high grades for their part in this extension. Hronek turned a career year into long-term stability and a massive raise. Meanwhile, Vancouver locks down an integral part of their team at a cost that, if everything continues trending upward, could be very favorable to them down the line.
