Canucks decline to qualify Ethan Bear amid raft of free company roster selections

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Ethan Bear’s future as a Vancouver Canuck is up within the air.

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The NHL group declined to make the veteran defenceman a qualifying supply on Friday, which suggests he’ll be an unrestricted free agent on Saturday.

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Vancouver had till Friday at 2 p.m. to supply Bear a brand new deal of no less than $2.2 million for one yr; even when Bear didn’t settle for the supply, he’d have been a restricted free agent, limiting his means to signal with different groups.

As an alternative, he can now speak to anybody.

Bear’s agent Jason Davidson declined to touch upon the scenario.

Bear may but re-sign with Vancouver, and he stated on the finish of the season he want to be again in Vancouver, nevertheless it’s doubtless now that must be for a decrease determine than $2.2 million.

Bear underwent shoulder surgical procedure earlier in June after aggravating an present shoulder difficulty whereas enjoying for Canada on the IIHF World Championships in Might. He’s anticipated to be out till December, which might appear to have been an element within the Canucks’ valuation of a contract for subsequent season.

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Bear performed a good bit with Quinn Hughes to begin with, then turned a little bit of a Mr. Repair-It, enjoying generally even on the left aspect, relying on who was within the lineup.

He additionally turned extra assured in his recreation after Rick Tocchet took over as head coach, exhibiting a larger willingness to skate the puck out of his zone.

The opposite think about declining to make Bear a qualifying supply was the veteran defenceman may have taken the Canucks to arbitration if the 2 sides hadn’t been capable of choose a deal past the qualifying supply and given his stable perfromance after arriving from the Carolina Hurricanes in an early-season commerce, he’d have had a stable case to win a elevate.

Whereas Bear continues to be with out a contract, the Canucks did ink one other of Davidson’s shoppers to a deal, signing veteran depth defenceman Noah Juulsen to a two-year, two-way deal.

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Juulsen will make $775,000 whereas on the NHL roster, or $450,000 within the AHL subsequent season. In 2024-25 his AHL wage will bump as much as $475,000.

Davidson stated his shopper was delighted to be staying with hometown group; Juulsen was born in Surrey however performed his minor hockey in Abbotsford.

“He’s joyful,” Davidson stated.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was happy to have Juulsen again within the fold. Allvin’s predecessor Jim Benning picked up Juulsen in a commerce with the Florida Panthers forward of the 2021-22 season, bringing within the hard-edged defender in change for first-round bust Olli Juolevi.

In his first season with the Canucks group, Juulsen received into eight NHL video games however spent many of the season within the minors.

In 2022-23, he once more was a key participant for AHL Abbotsford, but additionally performed 12 NHL video games for Vancouver and confirmed some chemistry as Quinn Hughes’ defence companion earlier than struggling an ankle damage late within the season.

Nonetheless, he made an impression in his brief time within the lineup, throwing 43 hits in his 12 video games, good for sixth-most on the Canucks’ roster.

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The Canucks made qualifying provides to Akito Hirose, Nils Hoglander and Vitali Kravtsov.

Each Hirose and Hoglander are anticipated to be within the combine for NHL roster sports activities subsequent season, whereas Kravtsov’s supply is solely procedural: he’s signed to play within the KHL subsequent season however by qualifying him the Canucks retain his NHL rights, ought to he ever need to return to North America.

Hirose was signed by Vancouver to a one-year deal out of the NCAA late within the season and since he performed video games instantly, his contract went into instant impact. It’s doubtless the phrases on his new deal had been already tentatively agreed upon when he signed with the Canucks, so that is only a procedural transfer forward of finalizing a brand new contract.

Hoglander began the yr within the NHL, however struggled to discover a function below former coach Bruce Boudreau and was re-assigned to AHL Abbotsford mid-season. With Abbotsford he re-discovered his confidence and was one of many group’s finest gamers within the second half and into the playoffs.

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His energetic recreation and forechecking prowess within the AHL was clearly of NHL high quality and he’s anticipated to push for a spot within the NHL lineup within the fall.

Bear wasn’t the one participant to not obtain a qualifying supply: the Canucks didn’t lengthen provides to defenceman Travis Dermott, who struggled with concussions this previous season, and centre Carson Focht, who spent many of the season within the ECHL.

Givent he uncertainty over Dermott’s well being it’s not a shock he’s not being made a qualifying supply, however he informed Postmedia on the finish of the season he remained hopeful the Canucks would convey him again subsequent season.

Focht was a 2019 draft choose and was a succesful two-way centre in junior, however has struggled to discover a function within the AHL and it’s no shock the Canucks look set to maneuver on from him.

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