The Vancouver Canucks have announced a significant deal that highlights their commitment to building around their promising young core.
The deal carries an average annual value of $3 million, significantly increasing his cap hit as he enters the final season of a two-year, $2.2 million contract.
Last season, the 23-year-old set career highs in games played (80), goals (24), and points (36), boasting an impressive 20% shooting percentage and a +23 plus/minus rating. He made his NHL playoff debut, appearing in 11 games and contributing a goal and an assist.
The Canucks were pleased with Höglander’s performance during training camp and opted for the extension now instead of waiting until the season’s end. Whether this extension proves to be a bargain will depend on Höglander’s performance moving forward. In the previous season (2022-23), he struggled, playing only 25 games and recording three goals and six assists with a shooting percentage of just 10.3%.
Hailing from Bockträsk, Sweden, Höglander is entering his fifth NHL season and has played 221 games for Vancouver, accumulating 50 goals and 40 assists. He has also gained attention for his strong analytics, posting a CF% of 53.1% at even strength last season.
At this point in his career, Höglander may still be developing, potentially making him a valuable asset for Vancouver. However, it’s unlikely he will replicate his shooting percentage from last season, which could affect his goal output. Fortunately for the Canucks, Höglander contributes positively even when he doesn’t score, suggesting he will remain a good value on his new contract regardless of potential fluctuations in his goal-scoring.
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