Vancouver Canucks: A look at the Right-Handed Defence depth chart
Troy Stecher
Troy Stecher is proving to be a great story for the Canucks. Signed out of the University of North Dakota as a college free agent in 2016, Stecher was one of the few bright spots on a 2016-17 Canucks team that had the second-worst record in the entire NHL.
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In that season, Stecher picked up 24 points in 71 games with the Canucks. Not a bad rookie season for an undrafted defenceman. Although undersized, standing at just 5’9 and weighing186 pounds, Stecher has shown from the moment he stepped onto the ice for the Canucks that he plays bigger than his player bio would suggest.
He is one of head coach Travis Green’s more trusted defencemen, and as I said earlier, as this team continues to improve, Stecher can be a reliable second or third pairing guy for the team. He is someone that you know will give you his all every shift.
Alex Biega
Alex Biega is another player who, like Stecher, takes no shift he is given for granted. Once a fifth-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres back in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Biega has spent the majority of his career in the American Hockey League.
Signed in 2013 by the Canucks, Biega didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2014-15 season, where he suited up for just seven games for the Canucks. He was re-signed on February 28th, 2018 to a two-year contract extension with an annual average salary of $825,000.
He is an ideal seventh defenceman for the team, as he is a good locker room presence and mentor for the Canucks young up and coming players. Nicknamed “Bulldog” by his teammates, Biega doesn’t shy away from throwing his weight around and making his presence felt.