Canucks: What would be a fair contract for Troy Stecher?

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher is a pending RFA. What’s a fair deal to retain the 26-year-old?

The Vancouver Canucks have a lot of work to do in the 2020 offseason (whenever that takes place) and figuring out Troy Stecher‘s future is one of the top priorities.

Stecher is slated to become an RFA at season’s end, while fellow defencemen Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg are eligible for unrestricted free agency. The blue line has been Vancouver’s weak link for years, but they cannot afford to lose both Tanev and Stecher.

The Canucks simply have to retain one of them.

Last month, I made the case for the Canucks to keep Stecher over Tanev. The former is four years younger (Tanev turned 30 in December), and less prone to injury. The latter has only played 70-plus games once in his career.

So if general manager Jim Benning prioritized Stecher, what would a reasonable deal look like for both sides — assuming that the Richmond native is seeking a long-term deal?

The market for capable top-four blueliners has increased rapidly, and Stecher should seek a raise from the $2.325 million he’s making now. On defence, Vancouver has Alexander Edler, Tyler Myers and rookie star Quinn Hughes to build around for (at least) 2020-21.

But Edler is now 34 years of age, and he’s slated to become a UFA after next season. Jett Woo is Vancouver’s top blue line prospect, but it’s always hard to determine when a defenceman will be ready for the NHL. And of course, there’s no guarantee that he’ll develop into a legitimate top-four rearguard.

So the Canucks have to decide if Stecher is somebody that they believe can hold down a top-four spot for the long run. If they’re confident in that, then they should ink him to a multi-year deal.

Stecher isn’t as sound defensively as Tanev, but he makes up for it with his speed, puck-moving skills and solid offensive game. If head coach Travis Green were to give Stecher more responsibilities, perhaps the latter would grow into a 30-point player.

With that all said, I’d say a four or five-year deal worth around $3.5 million annually would be a win for both sides. Stecher would get the nice raise and long-term contract with his hometown team, and the cap hit would be manageable for the cash-strapped Canucks.

This isn’t to say that the two sides will definitely get a deal done, and Stecher might fetch more lucrative offers if he tests free agency. But if Vancouver is keen on retaining him, the goal should be to ink a long-term extension with a reasonable cap hit.