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Canucks’ future looks better and better

  

Garth McLennan

sports editor

  

Mike Gillis may not have been as bold as he
proclaimed he would be when he first arrived as
the Canucks’ GM almost two years ago, but he
sure has been solid.

Gillis has done a more than commendable job of
locking up Vancouver’s core group of players to
long-term deals at very acceptable pay grades.
The Sedin twins were retained for six years at
below market value for $6.1 million per year,
and they have both evolved into 100 point
players.

Alex Burrows is far and away the best bargain in
the NHL at $2 million per season, and that’s for
the next three years. By the way, he could have
35 goals this year.

Roberto Luongo, despite a relatively inconsistent
campaign this year, is still one of the top five
goaltenders in hockey, and he’ll be wearing

a Vancouver sweater for the next 12 years,
assuming he plays that long, with a cap hit of just
$5.8 million. To put it simply, that’s a steal.
Mikael Samuelsson, who’s already topped 30
goals this year, is here for another two years at
$2.5 million.

Last week, Gillis announced one of the final
pieces of the puzzle when he signed one of the
top five two-way players in the game to a six-
year contract worth $29.5 million.

I’m talking of course about Ryan Kesler, Team
USA’s number one center and one of the driving
forces behind one of Vancouver’s best-ever
regular seasons. This has been a breakout year
for Kesler, who was the Canucks’ first round
draft choice, 23™ overall, back in 2003. To put
it simply, he’s been Mr. Everything for the
Canucks.

He leads all Canuck forwards in average ice
time, including Henrik Sedin, has had an NHL-
leading 13 game point streak (which was just
snapped last week) and has racked up 35 points
in his last 35 games, and in that stretch he failed
to record a point in just six outings. Already
this year, Kesler has established career highs in
assists and points.

That’s rock solid for a second-line center.

He found terrific chemistry with the red-hot

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Samuelsson until the Swede injured his shoulder last
week against New York, but is clicking with Michael
Grabner and Pavol Demitra. Beyond the points
though, Kesler just might be the heart-and-soul of
this team. He’s one of the most competitive and fiery
players in the entire NHL, and there are few players
more pissed off when things aren’t going well.
Kesler is a leader, and he’s the type of guy you want

leading the charge when the playoff wars roll around.

Did Gillis overpay for Kesler? I don’t think so. $5
million per year for a 65-70 point player isn’t cheap,
but when you factor in the intangibles Kesler brings

 

to club the price tag is more than fair. His numbers
and salary are comparable to other players around the
league, and there’s no doubt that Kesler would have
been an offer-sheet target this summer as a restricted
free agent, so Gillis probably saved money had he
left the contract situation until the summer.

The Canucks have their core locked up for years to
come, and they are in a good position to be good

for a while. Mason Raymond and the situation on
defence are the only places left for Gillis to address,
but right now, the future of this club looks very
bright.