The Canucks and Jake Virtanen agree on a new 2-year contract
The Vancouver Canucks and forward Jake Virtanen have come to an agreement on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.5 million.
Just when you thought Jake Virtanen‘s time might be done on the Vancouver Canucks roster, general manager Jim Benning signs him to a two-year deal worth a total of $5 million dollars.
The two sides wanted to avoid arbitration and that is exactly what happened. According to TSN 1040’s Rick Dhaliwal, Virtanen has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal. It’s a team-friendly contract that will see the middle-six forward make $2.5 million a season.
Canucks fans will be jumping for joy in the streets today as “Shotgun Jake” was rumoured to earn at least $3 million dollars a season if he made it to an arbitration hearing. Instead, the 18-goal scorer from last season decided to get the deal done early and secure his spot in the Canucks lineup.
Virtanen has been a long-term project for the Canucks that Benning is yet to give up on. After the 24-year-old performed far below expectations during his first string of playoff appearances, many people figured they’d seen the last of him wearing the Canucks colours. Instead, Benning has given Virtanen a two-year window to become the player this team needs him to be.
Despite the New Westminster native having an up and down season with the Canucks, he actually performed quite admirably on the season as a whole. In 69 games played, Virtanen recorded a career-best 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) and would have likely been a 20-goal scorer if the season never ended early.
With Tyler Toffoli‘s time having already come and gone in Vancouver, Virtanen is in line to get a full-fledged top-six opportunity. Can he live up to the responsibilities of that role? Virtanen will need to come to camp in the best shape of his career and be ready to prove he belongs here.
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What do you think Canucks Nation? Are you happy with the terms of Virtanen’s new contract? Let us know in the comment section below. And as always, keep your eyes on The Canuck Way for all your updates in the world of the Canucks.