After a surprisingly drawn-out negotiation, the Vancouver Canucks and Tom Willander have agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract that will begin in 2025-26, the club announced on Wednesday.
Willander, 20, was drafted No. 11 by the Canucks in 2023. The right-shot Swedish defenseman had a pair of successful post-draft seasons with Boston University, which included scoring 24 points in 39 games as a sophomore in 2024-25.
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Vancouver’s prized defensive prospect was initially free to sign an ELC when the Terriers lost the NCAA Frozen Four championship on April 12. Top prospects who are ready to turn pro often sign quickly after their NCAA season is over, allowing them to either burn the first year of their ELC at the end of the NHL season or sign an ELC that begins the following year and sign an amateur tryout in the meantime that allows them to play AHL games.
Willander’s NCAA season ended so late that immediately signing an ELC and playing in Vancouver’s final one or two regular-season games would have been a stretch. However, the idea of him signing an ELC that would begin in 2025-26 and logging significant minutes during Abbotsford’s playoff run sounded appealing.
Instead, this turned into an unusually complicated stalemate. Finally, the two sides have reached an agreement, and Willander will turn pro next season.
The Schedule A bonuses, and what’s next for Willander?
The main point of contention in Willander’s ELC negotiations was Schedule A performance bonuses. The Canucks had an internal structure for ELC bonuses that was below market value, and management seemed to be stubbornly sticking to that.
Vancouver caved to some extent. According to PuckPedia, Willander has $500,000 worth of possible Schedule A bonuses in Year 1, $900,000 in Year 2 and $1 million in Year 3. That’s a significant step up compared to Jonathan Lekkerimäki, whose possible Schedule A bonuses were worth $475,000 across each of the three years on his ELC.
Willander will be a legitimate contender to win an NHL roster spot out of training camp next season. He plays a remarkably polished, efficient two-way game that leans more toward the defensive side. Willander was effective but a little raw and occasionally mistake-prone during his freshman NCAA season, but his second year with the Terriers was a key step forward, even if the offensive point totals don’t reflect growth. The big-bodied, smooth-skating defender excelled as a go-to shutdown option, logging huge minutes in all situations. He had nothing to gain from returning to BU for a third season.
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
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