After acquiring his rights at the draft from the San Jose Sharks, Francis Perron has signed with the Vancouver Canucks. The prospect has inked a one-year two-way contract with the Canucks. Perron was a restricted free agent but not eligible for salary arbitration.
Perron, 23, was originally selected in the seventh round by the Ottawa Senators five years ago, but ended up shipped out to the Sharks in the Erik Karlsson deal. While at that point he may have just seemed like an underperforming minor league forward that was included as a contract dump, he broke out last season for the San Jose Barracuda and earned himself another NHL deal. Perron had 18 goals and 47 points in 63 games for the Barracuda, good enough for second on the team.
The former QMJHL star will fight for an NHL role on the Canucks in training camp, but will more likely find himself on waivers to start the year. That will give other teams a chance to grab him, but if he clears he can head to the Utica Comets and try to replicate his excellent 2018-19 season. At the very worst, the Canucks have secured another shifty minor league scorer for their AHL club.