The Vancouver Canucks made a decision to go the full-court press on the NHL’s arbitration process and have yet to be satisfied.
While that may have been a good thing, the Canucks have now taken a major step back.
They have yet have a player who has earned a contract beyond the third season of a rookie deal, and they have a number of players under contract for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2010.
The team has made an unusual move, signing forward Kevin Bieksa, a 6-foot-7 forward who has been a big part of their power play in recent seasons, to a one-year, $4.75 million deal that will take him through the 2017-18 season.
Bieksa’s signing was surprising, but not surprising.
The 28-year-old forward is a former first-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings who played a season in the minors before being released by the team.
He played for the Vancouver Canucks in 2012-13 and the San Jose Sharks last season before signing with the Canucks as a free agent.
The Canucks were able to sign Bieksas to a three-year deal in August.
They paid $4 million to bring him to Vancouver for a second season, and he was signed as a restricted free agent last summer, making him a restricted Free Agent.
Biela has been on a career-high point-per-game pace, leading all Canucks forwards in scoring (26.6 points per game), assists (19), points (33), plus/minus (plus-19) and goals (15).
He also has one goal and five points in seven playoff games.
Biesa, 28, was selected in the second round (70th overall) by the Kings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
He has been productive in his first season with the club, recording 34 goals and 71 points in 82 games with the Kings.
He also recorded 20 goals and 30 points in 58 playoff games with Los Angeles in 2011-12.