Adding to their defensive core for the 2024-25 NHL season, the Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais away from the Edmonton Oilers on a two-year, $4MM agreement. Additionally, the Canucks have agreed to terms with depth netminder Jiří Patera on a two-year, two-way contract, per a team announcement.
Desharnais has been a late bloomer as the 28-year-old didn’t make his NHL debut until 2022-23 and only became a full-time regular last season. He played in 78 games in 2023-24, picking up a goal and 10 assists to go along with 122 blocks and 135 hits while averaging a little under 16 minutes per game. He took a regular turn for the Oilers on the penalty kill, making him more than just a big (he’s 6’7) third-pairing player. He also got into 16 playoff contests where he averaged more than two hits and blocks per game in just over 17 minutes a night.
Desharnais will be counted on to help anchor Vancouver’s third pairing behind recently-re-signed blueliners Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers. With Nikita Zadorov (Boston) and Ian Cole (Utah) both departing via free agency, he will be asked to help replace some of the physicality that those two brought to the table. After being a full-time minor leaguer just two years ago, this contract represents a nice reward for Desharnais’ decision to stick it out in the minors.
As for Patera, he was one of the more intriguing Group Six free agents from this year’s class. He has eight games of NHL experience under his belt with Vegas but spent most of the year with AHL Henderson where he posted a 2.99 GAA with a .903 SV% in 25 games. It was believed that Vancouver was open to signing a veteran netminder to play behind Thatcher Demko but instead, it looks as if Patera will try to unseat Arturs Silovs for that role with the one not getting the job heading to play at AHL Abbotsford.