Just a few days prior to their Oct. 9 season-opener, the Vancouver Canucks locked up Nils Hoglander to a three-year extension. The 23-year-old winger will have a $3 million cap hit on that deal starting in 2025-26—he is currently making just $1.1 million against the cap.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announces that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with forward Nils Höglander on a three-year contract extension with a $3 million AAV.

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 6, 2024

En route to the Canucks’ first playoff berth since 2019-20, Hoglander put up career-highs in goals (24), points (36), and plus/minus (plus-23) last season. He did this with a lowly 12:06 of average ice time, so perhaps he’s due for a boost in 2024-25 and once his new deal kicks in.

Hoglander had a positive on-ice impact for the Canucks last season, so keeping him seems like the smart choice. Considering Vancouver’s less-than-stellar wing depth at this stage, it’s possible that the young Swede could work his way into the top six. It’ll be a battle, but that could be the path to making this deal a potential steal down the line.

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A second-round pick in 2019, it took Hoglander a little bit to find his groove, but he seems to have done so last season. Already a 221-game veteran in B.C., does the left-winger have what it takes to produce like a bonafide star?