Canucks, Jets try to narrow gap on Oilers through free agency

EDMONTON -- The Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets are trying to narrow the gap on the Edmonton Oilers.

Vancouver was the most active among the Western Canada teams on the opening day of NHL free agency on Saturday, signing six players, including defenseman Carson Soucy to a three-year contract, $9.75 million contract, defenseman Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million contract, and center Teddy Blueger to a one-year, $1.9 million contract.

Soucy, 28, played the past two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, Cole, 34, played last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Blueger, 28, won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

"One thing that we prioritized was our back end, getting a little bigger and heavier. PK guys in Carson Soucy and Ian Cole," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Saturday. "They're playoff experienced, and Cole had a strong year in Tampa last year, so we were happy."

Vancouver (38-37-7) was sixth in the Pacific Division last season, failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive year. The Canucks finished 12 points behind the Jets for the second wild card from the Western Conference.

Allvin took over as Vancouver general manager from Jim Benning on Jan. 26, 2022, and set about retooling the roster. Allvin bought out the final four years of defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson's eight-year contract on June 16 to make room for Soucy and Cole to join Quinn Hughes and Tyler Myers on the blue line.

Winnipeg is also retooling and was active Saturday, signing goalies Collin Delia and Laurent Brossoit, forward Jeffrey Viel, and re-signing Vladislav Namestnikov, who was acquired in a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 1.

Brossoit, 30, played with the Golden Knights this season and was their starter in the playoffs until he sustained a groin injury in Game 3 of the second round against the Oilers. He returned to Winnipeg, where he played 54 games from 2018-21, on a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

Delia, 29, was the backup in Vancouver this season and signed a one-year, $775,000 contract. Namestnikov signed a two-year, $4 million contract.

The Jets still have All-Star goalie Connor Hellebuyck under contract for another season. Hellebuyck is due to become an unrestricted free agent next year, as is forward Mark Scheifele.

"I don't think the door is closed for an extension, I still think there is an opportunity for an extension on both," Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "When I met with his (Schiefele) representatives at the (NHL Draft) combine, he was open to anything. That was his mantra from the beginning."

Winnipeg (46-33-3) finished fourth in the Central Division and was eliminated by the Golden Knights in five games in the first round.

The Jets traded forward Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings on June 27 in exchange for forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Winnipeg also bought out the final year of forward Blake Wheeler's contract Friday.

"We've changed quite a bit of different aspects and avenues of our organization, so I'm real comfortable where we're at now," Cheveldayoff said. "The summer is long and who knows what happens, but it's certainly something that I'm excited about this group as it sits in front of me."

Calgary, meanwhile, basically stood pat on the first day of free agency, signing defenseman Jordan Oesterle to a one-year, $925,000 contract.

"Going into free agency we knew our situation and we weren't going to be really active in free agency this year," Flames GM Craig Conroy said. "With our cap situation and with all the guys we have signed, we're tight on the cap and like a lot of teams, we didn't have a lot of room. We explored different options, but this is a day were there was a lot of money spent and we didn't have a lot of money to spend."

Calgary (38-27-17) was fifth in the Pacific, two points behind Winnipeg for the second wild card in the West.

All three teams are chasing Edmonton (50-23-9), who finished second in the Pacific, two points behind Vegas (51-22-9). The Oilers lost to the Golden Knights in the second round in six games but still have their core in place, led by Connor McDavid, who won his third Hart Trophy and fourth Ted Lindsay Award last season along with the Art Ross Trophy as leading scorer (153 points) and Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals (64).

Edmonton signed forward Connor Brown on Saturday to a one-year, $4 million contract to play a top-six role.

Brown, 29, who was limited to four games with the Washington Capitals last season because of a torn ACL, will be reunited with McDavid in Edmonton. The two were teammates in junior with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, and according to Brown, McDavid had influence in him signing with Edmonton.

"I think that team is a great spot to get over the hump and compete for the Stanley Cup," Brown said. "Going to a team like that, that is ready to make a push, I'm excited to make an impact. Having Connor (McDavid) there is huge, he's the best player in the League and the reason why the team is so good.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say that wasn't a big factor, but there [are] a lot of other factors in guys like Zach Hyman, who factors in as well. I know the kind of culture they have in that room and it's an environment I want to be a part of."