One of the many burning questions surrounding the Vancouver Canucks this offseason is when will the organization get Tom Willander signed?
The contract negotiation drama between the Canucks and their 2023 11th overall pick continues.
Donnie and Dhali’s Rick Dhaliwal is now reporting that the gap between the two sides may only be $200,000.
“Funny thing is they’re not super far apart,” said Dhaliwal, on Sportsnet’s Halford & Brough Friday morning. “Some say the gap is only $200,000. Cooler heads should prevail and get this kid a part of the Canucks. He wants to turn pro, he was willing to go to Abbotsford. He never ever asked for guaranteed ice time, he’s not even asking for full max bonuses. This is a big piece of your blue line in the future, get the kid signed.”
After completing his season with Boston University earlier this month, Willander was expected to sign his entry-level contract and join the Abbotsford Canucks for their Calder Cup run. Instead, Willander went to Sweden to play with his home country in exhibition games ahead of the IIHF World Championship in May. The 20-year-old defenceman is considered one of the Canuck’s top prospects, coming in at number two on CanucksArmy’s mid-season prospect rankings.
Dhaliwal touted the benefits Willander could see in training with the team in Abbotsford under head coach Manny Malhotra, even if his minutes are limited. He called it “just mind-boggling” that the two sides haven’t come to an agreement, considering it seems like it’s just a case of stubbornness if the disagreement point is really only a couple of hundred thousand.
That being said, there is clearly some drama behind the scenes that is holding this back. At the end of year press conference, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said that they’ve been informed Willander intends to return to college for another year, contrary to reports that he is ready to go pro, including from Dhaliwal.
If Willander does go unsigned into the summer, Dhaliwal said he may end up being a primary asset for the Canucks on the trade market as they look to acquire some top-six offensive talent in the offseason. For now, Canucks fans will have to wait and see if cooler heads prevail to get Willander signed, or if this stalemate cannot be broken.
