VANCOUVER – Pius Suter, the Vancouver Canucks` center who is about to become a free agent, reached a milestone on March 18 by scoring his 20th goal of the season. Canucks coach Rick Tocchet joked that it was a “cha-ching goal,” implying Suter had earned a significant raise.
Daily Faceoff projects Suter`s next contract to be around $3.9 million per year for four years. They rank him 25th among the top 50 NHL players who will be unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Suter expressed his desire to stay in Vancouver in an interview with Sportsnet, although he mentioned that there hasn`t been much discussion between the Canucks and his agent, Georges Mueller.
However, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin stated that assistant GM Emilie Castonguay has been in contact with Mueller.
“It’s a positive sign when players want to play in Vancouver,” Allvin commented. “When both the player and the team are interested, we usually find a way to make it work.”
Allvin praised Suter`s development and professionalism: “Pius has continued to improve, and we are very happy with his performance. His hard work this year is paying off. He is very professional and versatile, always playing well when needed.”
Suter has achieved career highs this season with 22 goals and 42 points in 74 games. He has been particularly productive recently, scoring six goals and 13 points in the last 11 games while filling in as the second-line center due to injuries to other players like Filip Chytil and Elias Pettersson.
“I want to keep improving and demonstrate my abilities,” Suter said. “I’m happy with my progress in that regard. However, we’ve lost too many games recently. But yes, I want to prove myself.”
“I always believed I could score more goals,” he added.
It`s common for players like Suter, who started the season lower in the lineup, to have to wait for contract extensions. Teams often prioritize re-signing higher-profile players first.
However, the Canucks recently re-signed bottom-six winger Drew O’Connor to a two-year, $2.5 million contract, suggesting they value depth players. Suter`s situation might be different given the uncertainty surrounding the future of Chytil and Pettersson.
Tocchet acknowledged Suter’s positive impact: “He’s been a great story this year. He deserves his success because of his hard work. He’s a positive story for us.”
“When we discuss the type of players we want, he’s definitely someone I really appreciate. He’s been a constant presence and helped me in difficult situations, especially with injuries. I always support players like him,” Tocchet said.
Regarding the team’s center needs, Allvin stated, “We are confident with our goaltending and defense, and now we are focused on improving our forwards. We will explore trades and free-agent signings to achieve this. Pius has undoubtedly been valuable to us.”
Signing Suter two summers ago was a smart move by Allvin. They waited until August for Suter`s salary demands to decrease and signed him to a two-year, $1.6 million deal after he left the Detroit Red Wings. Suter`s previous best offensive season was in Detroit in 2022, with 15 goals and 36 points.
Tristan Blackwood