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Canucks' Gillis wins two ways by signing Sedins
by MATTHEW SEKERES , The Globe and Mail
For starters, it left salary-cap room, some of which the Canucks used yesterday to sign winger Mikael Samuelsson, a former Detroit Red Wing and a Stanley Cup winner.
Second, it was a coup for Gillis, who is trying to foster a culture where players take less money in order to build a winning team, ? la the Red Wings.
Had Daniel and Henrik Sedin, now Vancouver's longest-serving players and the offensive centrepieces of the team, bolted for greener pastures on Wednesday, it would have been a blow to that philosophy. Gillis would have had difficulty convincing existing players to sign for less, let alone trying to sign free agents for favourable rates.
In Samuelsson's case, Vancouver's three-year offer worth $2.5-million (all currency U.S.) a season was the best financial package. The 32-year-old admitted that yesterday on a conference call from his native Sweden, revealing that he had a bunch of offers and whittled his decision down to the Canucks and Wings.
"It was a bunch of reasons, not only good money," Samuelsson said. "Obviously that was a key, I shouldn't lie. This was a first time for me in free agency. ... I liked it in Detroit and I have no hard feelings toward them. But they came up too short and too late."
Samuelsson, who has played 466 NHL games with five teams, is a versatile forward who logged power-play time on the point in Detroit, and put 257 shots on goal, 24th best in the NHL. But the opportunity to be a larger offensive contributor, and the Swede-friendly culture of the Canucks , were also factors in his decision.
"Hopefully I get a little more ice time and some more opportunities offensively," said Samuelsson, who averaged 15 minutes 22 seconds of ice time a game last year.
Samuelsson said the Canucks suggested he would fit on one of the top-two forward lines, though head coach Alain Vigneault will make that call this fall.
"That's what they said, but that was over the phone," Samuelsson said. "I know I have to deserve it, but at least they have a plan for me and they believe in me.
"If I play good, I see myself as a top two-line forward."
Given the success that the Sedins had alongside right wing Alex Burrows, it seems unlikely that Vigneault will want to mess with that first-line chemistry out of the gate. But with Samuelsson now in tow, Vigneault has plenty of options on the second line.
"We're thinking he might be able to take a step up onto the second line as a right winger, and if he doesn't, we know we have a great seventh forward," Gillis said. "We want a really balanced team, and now we have three scoring lines."
The Canucks concluded the 2008-09 season with Mats Sundin centring wingers Ryan Kesler and Pavol Demitra, when he was healthy. Should Sundin, a free agent, retire or sign elsewhere, both Kesler and Demitra have experience at centre and could slide over to the middle, opening up a wing for Samuelsson or someone else.
But Vancouver has other possibilities on the second line, including third-line centre Kyle Wellwood, who possesses the skill for a scoring role, and top prospect Cody Hodgson, should the 19-year-old prove ready for prime time.
Third-line wingers Mason Raymond and Steve Bernier both have offensive bents to their games, and both could battle for minutes in the top-six should they improve over the summer. Raymond needs to translate his electric speed into goals, and Bernier must improve his finishing after scoring just 15 goals last season, despite scores of great chances.
Gillis has also said that prospect Michael Grabner would find a role on the Canucks only if he proves worthy of a spot on the top two lines. Grabner, a winger with offensive skill, doesn't have the defensive skills to play in a checking or energy role.
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