The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenceman Tucker Poolman to a four-year contract with an AAV of $2.5 million. The details of the signing were first reported by Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff.
Hearing #Canucks are closing in on defenseman Tucker Poolman. He’s expected to get a big raise on a four-year, $10 million deal ($2.5m AAV) whenever pen is put to paper.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 28, 2021
@DFOHockey @Sportsnet
The 28-year-old spent the last four years with the Winnipeg Jets organization.
He played in 39 games last season, but managed only one assist. Poolman also registered a goal and one assist in eight playoff games that same year.
Poolman made his NHL debut during the 2017-18 season, after spending two seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. He also played his college hockey at the University of North Dakota, the same university as current Canuck Brock Boeser.
Poolman was selected by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The Dubuque, Iowa native had a tough time solidifying his role at the beginning, and wasn’t able to land a full-time gig with Winnipeg until the 2019-20 season. He has recorded five goals, 14 assists and 26 PIM in 120 NHL games.
According to Sportsnet 650’s Satiar Shah, Poolman’s contract won’t include any trade protection.
Tucker Poolman deal with the Canucks does not include any trade protection, 4 years $10M
— Satiar Shah (@SatiarShah) July 28, 2021
Poolman is big-bodied blueliner, clocking in at 6’1″ and 199 pounds, and should bring size and grit to Vancouver’s third defensive pairing.
During time with the Jets, Poolman dealt with a few injuries, and often struggled when given top four minutes last season. The analytics community also don’t really favour Poolman, as indicated by both charts from JFresh and Micah Blake McCurdy of Hockey Viz.
Tucker Poolman, signed 4x$2.5M by VAN, has struggled quite a bit in his short NHL career. Often played elevated minutes this season. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/nJf9eo1C02
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 28, 2021
Tucker Poolman (4x2.5m with Vancouver) is a third-pair defender. pic.twitter.com/XThAWQveCm
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) July 28, 2021
Given those reports, the Canucks are taking quite the risk, especially with the four-year, $10 million commitment.
Poolman will likely slot in as the right-handed defenceman on the third pairing, either beside Olli Juolevi or Jack Rathbone. Given how he struggled in a top-four role with Winnipeg, it’s unlikely that the Canucks would put him in that same position in Vancouver.
For a player who will be suiting up for only his third full NHL season next year, as well as his nagging injury history and inability to excel on the first or second pairing, this contract is definitely quite the gamble from General Manager Jim Benning. However, the Canucks were in desperate need of right-handed defenceman and, given this year’s UFA market, are making the most of the current situation.
Let’s hope this deal doesn’t come back to bite the Canucks down the road.
What do you think, Canucks fans? Will Poolman fit nicely on Vancouver’s blueline? Make sure to drop a comment below!