from Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province,
Fair money. Debatable term.
Brandon Sutter received an expected market-value contract extension Tuesday, a five-year commitment that carries an annual average value of $4.375 million US. It includes a no-trade clause in the year existing on his current contract, a no-trade in the first three years of his extension and a modified no-trade in the final two years.
That says a lot about where the Vancouver Canucks are now and where they hope to be in three, four or even five years after tying up $21.875 million on a centre who could be an old 32 when his new deal expires, especially from matchup war wounds in a brutal Pacific Division.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning labelled Sutter “a foundation piece” and doesn’t foresee any problems with him delivering in a second-line role, regardless of the considerable competition he’s going to face in the next six years. His expiring contract next season carries a $3.3-million salary cap hit.
“I’m comfortable with it,” Benning said Tuesday of the contract term.
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