Canucks ink Swedish MVP with plans to make Rodin top-nine forward
WINNIPEG — Nearly seven years after they made him a late second-round draft pick, the Vancouver Canucks have signed Swedish winger Anton Rodin to a one-way contract.
The Canucks announced the one-year, $950,000 US deal on Tuesday and general manager
Jim Benning said he expects Rodin will be a top-nine forward next season for the National Hockey League team.
Rodin, who had 16 goals and 37 points in an injury-shortened 33-game season for Brynas, was recently named the Swedish league’s MVP. He was selected 57th overall in the 2009 draft by then-Canucks GM Mike Gillis.
“We think playing over there the last couple of years he has gotten physically stronger,” Benning said. “Mentally, I think he’s ready now to come over and to have a real good year for us. I just think the timing was right from his perspective and our perspective.”
The 25- year- old Rodin returned to Sweden after playing the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons for Vancouver’s former American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago.
“We think he is going to be a skill guy for us,” Benning said. “He has got a real good release on his shot and he is quick. He is a little bit like Sven Baertschi — he is skilled like Sven and he can shoot the puck. We just felt it is good timing for him and us to add his skill set. I think it is going to be a good fit for both of us.”
Rodin’s season with Brynas was cut short when he suffered a skate cut to a knee during a practice. He was leading the Swedish league in scoring at the time.
“Without putting too much pressure on him, I think he can be a third-line guy for us who is going to score,” Benning said. “He is skilled, so he’ll be able to play the power play for us and be a top-nine forward that is capable of scoring 15 to 20 goals.”
Rodin, who is 5-11 and 180 pounds, is a close friend of Canucks goalie Jacob Mark
strom. The two played together with Brynas.
SHORT TRIP: When the Vancouver Canucks call up a player from the minors, it usually means a full day of travel from Utica, N.Y.
Delta native Nic Petan didn’t have nearly that far to go when he was recalled recently by the Winnipeg Jets.
“I just had to walk down the hall,” Petan said with a smile before Tuesday’s game.
The Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Jets, also play out of the MTS Centre.
Petan, who was selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2013 draft by the Jets, turned 21 on Tuesday and received a nice birthday present from head coach Paul Mau
rice. Petan skated on the Jets’ top line with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. SWITCHING IT UP: Head
coach Willie Desjardins had a couple of his rookies switch positions Tuesday. Jared
McCann, who has struggled mightily in the faceoff circle this season, was moved to the wing and skated with Linden Vey and Emerson Etem.
Fellow rookie Brendan
Gaunce, who had been playing on the wing, was moved to centre on a line with Chris Hig
gins and Alex Grenier.