Vancouver Canucks sign Pius Suter to two-year contract with $1.6 million AAV

The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Pius Suter to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.6 million.

Suter was an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his two-year contract with a $3.25 million cap hit that he signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Suter sees a pay cut of more than half his previous salary, with a comparable cap hit to Columbus Blue Jackets winger Eric Robinson.

Suter is coming off his worst season so far in the NHL, with just 14 goals, 10 assists, and 24 points in 79 games played. All of them were career-lows for the forward, with the next closest being his 14-goal, 27-point rookie season where he only played in 55 games.

Suter, 27, was an undrafted free agent signing, spending a majority of his career after the draft in various Swiss leagues with Zurich SC and the GCK Lions. He signed a one-year entry level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020, and after they decided to not qualify him, he signed with the Red Wings in 2021.

The Canucks have made a few signings of note this offseason, bringing in Teddy Blueger, Carson Soucy, and Ian Cole on the first day of free agency along with Suter, and signing Nils Hoglander to a cheap two-year extension. They currently sit almost $5 million above the salary cap, but have Tanner Pearson’s $3.25 million cap hit and Tucker Poolman’s $2.5 million cap hit as possible long-term injured reserve candidates, although they are reportedly aiming to be ready for training camp.

The Canucks will be looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since their surprise run to the Western Conference semi-finals in the 2020 playoff bubble. They’re coming off a 38-37-7 season in 2022-23 that saw them finish sixth in the Pacific Division, and they ended up 12 points outside of the final wild card spot in the West.