Breaking down the Filip Hronek contract with the Canucks: Good for both sides?

One of the hottest topics surrounding the Vancouver Canucks has been the contract of defenseman Filip Hronek. 

Hronek was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1 until Vancouver opted to sign him Tuesday to an eight-year extension worth $7.25 million per year. While this comes in below what many believed the young defenseman would get, is it a true team-friendly deal? Does Hronek come out a winner? Or is it a rare win for both sides that gives Hronek security and term and the Canucks some cap space to use elsewhere? 

Tyler Yaremchuk: Big news yesterday in Vancouver, as Filip Hronek inks the long-term extension with the Vancouver Canucks. What do you think of the number? I think some people thought it came in a little lower than expected, but $7.25 million. Is that fair value or did either side get a win here?

Jeff Paterson: Timing is everything in life. And for Filip Hronek, the timing was perfect. This is a 26-year-old right-shot defenseman coming off a career year. He’s got arbitration rights… He knew he was going to get himself a massive raise… He was second on the Canucks in ice time, third in short-handed ice time, 48 points. The issue with Filip Hronek was he had 29 points in 35 games at Christmas… He had 19 points over the second half of the season. And in the playoffs, next to nothing…

… 26 years of age, they’ve locked him up. He’s really just entering the prime of his career. If he’s healthy, there’s room for him to grow and develop. And he keeps the captain happy. He was the perfect partner for Quinn Hughes… Hughes made Hronek better, but Hronek helped Quinn turbo boost to 92 points. 

Colby Cohen: I completely agree, and I think when we’re looking at this deal in three years, I think it could look really team friendly… You’re basically buying a right-shot defenseman who’s got one of the hardest shots in the league who is a 40-point scorer… I really like the deal for both sides, I think Vancouver ends up taking a huge win on this a little bit down the road. 

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