Confirmed with Link: Canucks Sign Tom Willander to ELC

[wonton15]

Hughes Willander sounds like it could seriously work like a Makar-Toews style. Then that allows Hronek to run the second pairing with Metey, while D-Petey slots in with Myers.

Probably not how it shakes out to start the year, but the potential is there for a dynamic blue line

 

[arttk]

View attachment 1035834

i think it's principles vs penny pinching. if every time the agent comes to you and you give in just because, then agents will notice and you'll end up paying more for every single contract moving forward.

 

[Vector]

It would be a lot of fun if he was able to step into the line-up next season next to Hughes. I'd imagine it would be similar to the role Schenn and Juulsen had when paired with him rather than be a true top-pairing guy. Would allow for the excellent M.Pettersson-Hronek pairing to continue and push Myers down to a 3rd pairing role with D-Petey.

 

[MS]

It would be a lot of fun if he was able to step into the line-up next season next to Hughes. I'd imagine it would be similar to the role Schenn and Juulsen had when paired with him rather than be a true top-pairing guy. Would allow for the excellent M.Pettersson-Hronek pairing to continue and push Myers down to a 3rd pairing role with D-Petey.

The problem with this is that it would mean that EP2 has to be in the regular PK rotations as a rookie which coaches are absolutely loath to do, and is why two D rookies on the same team at the same time is so rare.

 

[Vector]

The problem with this is that it would mean that EP2 has to be in the regular PK rotations as a rookie which coaches are absolutely loath to do, and is why two D rookies on the same team at the same time is so rare.

I'd imagine they bring in another veteran on (Forbort) and then rotate between Willander, Mancini Forbort, and Pettersson. throughout the season.

 

[Raistlin]

Good news. Can one of the veteran talent scouts on here make the case that this kid has a legitimate shot at playing in the NHL next season? Or is that just fanboy wishcasting?

I cannot see how Willander wont be a day 1 starter. I dont see him immediately playing with Hughes though. I believe Byram played on the bottom pair until he stepped up in the playoffs and played a crucial role in the finals. Similar deployment makes sense for TW, its not like Mancini and EP(D) are chopped liver.

I am still skeptical that hes not tradebait though.... it would be a major coup to find a solid 2C without giving him up.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Nucks showing off their Willy today.

 

[Vector]

Good news. Can one of the veteran talent scouts on here make the case that this kid has a legitimate shot at playing in the NHL next season? Or is that just fanboy wishcasting?

From Harma Dayal's article.

There’s no doubt that Willander’s game is already polished and pro-ready. However, it’s tough to predict whether he’ll be NHL-ready out of the gate in the fall. If I had to guess right now, I’d assume that he’ll split time between Abbotsford and Vancouver next year, with the exact time share hinging on his performance and how badly the club gets dinged by blue-line injuries next season.

 

[Bleach Clean]

that was one of Dahliwal's tweets from a couple of weeks ago, the parties are only like $200K apart. Don't ask me to look for it, I deleted my twitter account because twitter is toxic as f*** and I only read tweets that is posted here.

edit: turns out web search works too. Dhaliwal: ‘Sounds like’ Canucks and Willander are $200,000 apart

Willander's season at BU ended April 12th, 2025. Prospects usually sign within 1-3 days of their season ending.

Dhaliwal's report is from May 9th, 2025.

And so, it is safe to conclude that the two sides were more than $200k apart for almost a month. Why?

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Unless he knocks it out of the park, he likely starts in the AHL to get acclimatized.

Especially if Forbort comes back and with EP2 and Mancini in the fold.

 

[Raistlin]

Unless he knocks it out of the park, he likely starts in the AHL to get acclimatized.

Especially if Forbort comes back and with EP2 and Mancini in the fold.

dont know if he will knock it out of the park, but unless he craps the bed in camp, I think he will make it. They need him to be the all situations stud that he could be ASAP, playing him in Abby is wasting time, IMHO that's why he chose BU over SHL..

 

[Vector]

 

[rypper]

17k was the sticking point? And to be fair I'm calling out both sides.

 

[wonton15]

We could’ve created a HF Boards GoFundMe and filled in at least half of that $17K.

Now it makes sense why they were selling the old seats over the last week

 

[Hansen]

17k was the sticking point? And to be fair I'm calling out both sides.

you could get a sick 2019 Honda Civic for 17k bro

 

[Breakers]

I was guessing $700-$750 bonus range
Buium got $1mill

It’s such trivial amounts in the overall cap

Plus he has to reach them
WHICH IS A GOOD THING

$17k sticking point is insane

 

[arttk]

Willander's season at BU ended April 12th, 2025. Prospects usually sign within 1-3 days of their season ending.

Dhaliwal's report is from May 9th, 2025.

And so, it is safe to conclude that the two sides were more than $200k apart for almost a month. Why?

dude, that was what the agent mouth piece reported and it lines up perfectly with what JR said which is they offered him something in-line with what previous 11OA received. What other 11 OA received and what Willander ultimately signed for is $100K diff.

if your point is that the agent can't be that f***ing stupid to f*** around for only $100K in gains, well yeah that's point I was trying to make. It's so f***ing stupid to start all that drama just for that $100K.

 

[arttk]

ok @Bleach Clean , so its EVEN less than $100K.

 

[Bleach Clean]

dude, that was what the agent mouth piece reported and it lines up perfectly with what JR said which is they offered him something in-line with what previous 11OA received. What other 11 OA received and what Willander ultimately signed for is $100K diff.

if your point is that the agent can't be that f***ing stupid to f*** around for only $100K in gains, well yeah that's point I was trying to make. It's so f***ing stupid to start all that drama just for that $100K.

The point I'm making is that there was a month long delay before they even got to within $200k of each other. Therefore, it's not about any one side standing on a $100k or a $17k difference.

That month is explained by management offering something that was more than $200k apart from what Willander agreed to here.

 

[arttk]

The point I'm making is that there was a month long delay before they even got to within $200k of each other.

I mean that's your assumption based on the lack of reporting in actual numbers. The only thing we know is that at some point they were $200K apart and JR talked about them already offering something on par with 11 OA.

One of the thing that came out of the agent mouthpiece was that they were using Ryan Leonard as a comparable and what he got was like WAY. It could really be that we offered Willander what other 11 OA got and Diamond wanted to get his client money in the 7 OA range and made a giant fuss about it through Dahliwal and now they settled on a slight improvement over what a typical 11OA gets.

 

[credulous]

Good news. Can one of the veteran talent scouts on here make the case that this kid has a legitimate shot at playing in the NHL next season? Or is that just fanboy wishcasting?

i watched him a lot the last two seasons. i don't think ahl time will really help him much. he might need a little time to adjust to the speed of the pro game but he's pretty much a finished product skill wise

i think he'll probably struggle with forecheckers who are bigger and faster than what he saw in the ncaa but he should be fine as a transition defender and a secondary puck mover

i don't think he'll be anywhere near the top pairing though. he simply isn't a good enough passer or shooter to work well with hughes

 

[beachcomber]

No way he slots in ahead of D- Petey.

 

[StreetHawk]

dont know if he will knock it out of the park, but unless he craps the bed in camp, I think he will make it. They need him to be the all situations stud that he could be ASAP, playing him in Abby is wasting time, IMHO that's why he chose BU over SHL..

The roster is:
Hughes/Hronek
M.Pet / Myers
E. Pet / X

Figure, they have a veteran 7D man with a couple hundred NHL games if Dman #6 has limited NHL games.

It's an open competition for that final spot. Mancini playing well in the AHL PO. McWard, it's time to show after 2 AHL seasons. And there's TW. I doubt he's a lock. Still needs to perform. Even D Elias Pete needs to perform well.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I mean that's your assumption based on the lack of reporting in actual numbers. The only thing we know is that at some point they were $200K apart and JR talked about them already offering something on par with 11 OA.

One of the thing that came out of the agent mouthpiece was that they were using Ryan Leonard as a comparable and what he got was like WAY. It could really be that we offered Willander what other 11 OA got and Diamond wanted to get his client money in the 7 OA range and made a giant fuss about it through Dahliwal and now they settled on a slight improvement over what a typical 11OA gets.

We're never going to know the full story. My assertion is based upon the following timeline:

- Willander's season at BU ends April 12.
- Most high level prospects get signed within 1-3 days.
- Management and Willander were locked in a stalemate for a month.
- May 9, Dhaliwal says management increased their offer, are now $200k apart.
- Both sides work in earnest to close a $17k gap. (Shah)
- Willander signs on May 14 to a deal that is only $100k apart from Geekie in total Schedule A bonuses.

If we accept that management increased their offer to get to within $200k, near the May 9 disclosure, and we now see Willander signed to a reasonable deal, then it was management that remained more than $200k apart until early May.

 

[tradervik]

If we believe the 200k gap that Dali reported, the 17k increase from the Canucks looks like a face saving measure for the agent who dropped the ask down by 183k