Canucks sign Luke Schenn to two-year contract

The signings continue to come for the Vancouver Canucks.

On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that the team had signed blueliner Luke Schenn to a two year, $1.7 million deal. He will carry an AAV of $850,000 per season.

The Canucks were linked with Schenn for quite some time leading up to the start of free agency, and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli was the first to officially confirm the signing on Wednesday morning. This was followed up by Thomas Drance of The Athletic, who broke down the expected base salaries in more detail.

Schenn is coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup victories with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and will bring a championship pedigree to Vancouver as a result.

During his two years with the Lightning, Schenn played 63 regular season games in a depth role, while scoring three goals and seven assists. He also registered one goal and two assists in 19 playoff games.

Much like contributions in Tampa, it is expected that Schenn will provide some defensive depth for the Canucks. The 31-year-old, who clocks in at 6’2″ and 225 pounds, is a big-bodied defenceman who loves to throw his weight around. He can also effectively block shots, as well as complete accurate passes to his teammates out of the defensive zone.

Of course, Schenn is no stranger to the Canucks.

The Saskatoon native played 18 games with Vancouver during the final few months of the 2018-19 season, after being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks via trade. In return, the Canucks dealt away blueliner Michael Del Zotto.

Schenn was solid and steady during his first stint in Vancouver, and even got a chance to play with rookie Quinn Hughes during his first few NHL games. Schenn didnt look out of place next to Hughes, and was still able to deliver bone-crushing hits and smart defensive plays.

Schenn impressed many media members, including the late Jason Botchford.

If Botchford were still with us today, he’d definitely be telling Canucks Twitter to hop on board the Schenn trade for the next two years.

As of right now, Schenn will likely start the next season in Abbotsford, given the recent signing of fellow right-handed defenceman Tucker Poolman, who is expected to play third-pairing minutes.

However, given the team’s recent injury history on the blueline, as well as head coach Travis Green’s tendency to roll out different defensive pairings, Schenn will eventually get called up to play in Vancouver.

What are your thoughts on the return of Schenn? Make sure to drop a comment below!