The Canucks have agreed to terms with forward prospect Vilmer Alriksson on a three-year, entry-level contract, general manager Patrik Allvin announced Sunday.
Alriksson will be on his way back to the OHL’s Guelph Storm this season. The 19-year-old played there last year after Vancouver drafted him in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, finishing seventh on the team in scoring with 33 points (17 G, 16 A) in 67 games.
That isn’t particularly promising offensive production for a player in their post-draft year. But if he cracks the NHL roster someday, it won’t be as a goal-scorer – although he does have a decent shot for the minor-league level. The gargantuan Swede checks in at 6’6″ and 214 lbs, projecting out as a fourth-line piece with good defensive instincts in the majors.
Assigning Alriksson to juniors slides his entry-level contract for this season, meaning it won’t kick in until the 2025-26 campaign. As such, he’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry in the summer of 2028. He’ll still earn an $85K signing bonus for this season as part of the deal’s $2.58MM total value, per PuckPedia.