Canucks acquire Pouliot from Penguins

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Canucks have acquired defenseman Derrick Pouliot from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Andrey Pedan and a fourthround selection in the 2018 draft.

The Canucks hope the 23-year-old Pouliot will reach his potential under new coach Travis Green after he failed to catch on in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins drafted the 6-foot, 208-pound Pouliot No. 8 overall in the 2012 draft with a pick they received from Carolina in the trade that sent forward Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes. But Pouliot appeared in just 67 games over three seasons in Pittsburgh, with two goals and 12 assists with a rating of minus-11.

Pouliot was a star in junior with the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks, where Green was an assistant coach.

He helped the team capture the WHL championship in 2013 with 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 21 playoff games and was the CHL defenseman of the year in 2014.

Sabres, Eichel agree to 8-year deal

The Buffalo Sabres have reached an agreement to sign their franchise player, Jack Eichel, to an NHLmaximum eight-year, $80 million contract.

The team announced the signing on its twitter account on Tuesday night in a deal reached two days before Buffalo hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener.

Eichel is entering the final year of his three-year entry level contract and only eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer.

Eichel has previously said he’s open to playing this season without an extension after negotiations cooled over the past six weeks. Though both sides have discussed signing an eight-year deal, they have had difficulty agreeing on the deal’s value.

Eichel was the second player selected in the 2015 draft, one spot behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. The Oilers’ captain signed an eight-year, $100 million contract extension in July, making him the NHL’s top-paid player on a per-season basis.