Filip Hronek signed an eight-year, $58 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $7.25 million.
"I'm really excited, obviously," Hronek said Wednesday. "Happy I got a long-term deal and happy to be here for eight more years in Vancouver. ... I think we had a good season and obviously we were hoping for a better ending. But overall I think it was pretty good."
The 26-year-old defenseman had an NHL career-high 48 points (five goals, 43 assists) and was plus-33 in 81 games for the Canucks this season. He also had two points (one goal, one assist) in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Hronek could have become a restricted free agent July 1.
“This was something that we have talked with Filip and his agent Allan Walsh [about] for quite a time here," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said, "and I think although we had his rights for another year, I think this was important for our team knowing his contract number leading forward and also a younger defenseman on the right side that we feel that we can continue to work with.
"I think there is more to come there, so it definitely was important for us to get Filip locked up here. And when he expressed his interest of wanting to stay in Vancouver and be part of this group for long term, we were extremely pleased to get it over the finish line here.”
Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 53) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Hronek has 205 points (35 goals, 170 assists) in 390 regular-season games for the Canucks and Red Wings.
Hronek, acquired in a trade with the Red Wings on March 1, 2023, flourished this season on the first defense pair with Quinn Hughes.
"It's pretty easy to play with him and I would say we have a good chemistry on and off the ice so it helps too," Hronek said. "I'm really excited to keep it going.
"Everything was natural and we see a lot of things same way and we are able to talk about a lot of stuff even off the ice and on the ice as well, so it's pretty easy, actually. It's a really good relationship."
Hronek helped the Canucks (50-23-9) finish first in the Pacific Division. It was their first division title since 2013 and an improvement of 12 wins and 26 points from 2022-23.
"I believe that he has another level to get to and I believe that he's capable of getting to another level and finding his consistency more," Allvin said. "I think he's a very competitive player, skates well. He moves the puck well and he is a guy that fits well in our dressing room here.”
The Canucks also signed Mark Friedman to a one-year, $775,000 contract Wednesday.
The 28-year-old defenseman, who could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1, had one assist in 23 games with Vancouver last season.
Selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (No. 86) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Friedman has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 88 NHL games with the Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Canucks and one goal in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report
