The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed right-shot defencemen on back-to-back days.
One day after general manager Patrik Allvin re-signed restricted free agent Filip Hronek, he also re-signed unrestricted free agent Mark Friedman.
The two defencemen are obviously at opposite ends of the depth chart, with Hronek on the first pairing and Friedman frequently in the press box, but this is still an important deal for the Canucks. Friedman is an ideal depth defenceman, as he can play on either side of the ice, is reliable defensively in limited minutes, and is a better puck-mover than the typical seventh defenceman.
"Mark’s addition to our group last year gave us some much-needed depth and he is someone we can count on if plugged into our lineup,” said Allvin in a statement. “He is a team-first player and is always ready to step in if called upon. We expect him to come into camp and compete hard for a regular spot this season."
Friedman's contract is also ideal for the Canucks' salary cap situation. He re-signed to a one-year, $775,000 deal, which is right at league minimum for the 2024-25 season.
With Noah Juulsen also at league minimum, Friedman's contract provides maximum flexibility for the Canucks elsewhere in the lineup. The two can be the Canucks' seventh and eighth defencemen on the cheapest possible contracts and still step into the lineup when needed and provide reliable minutes on the blue line.
Friedman has the right temperament to be a depth player. He worked incredibly hard during practices, ensuring that he was always ready to go if and when the Canucks called on him.
"A guy in my role — I'm not 21, I'm 28 now — I understand my role," said Friedman at the end of the season. "You know what you're going to get [from me], whether it's left, right, a couple of shifts at winger, whatever it is. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. That's just me as a player and me as a person."
It's completely understandable that Friedman would want to return to Vancouver. Apart from a four-game conditioning stint with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, he spent the entire season in the NHL, even if he only played in 23 games during the regular season. With so much uncertainty on the blue line, he'll potentially have another opportunity to get into 20+ games next season.
"It's an unbelievable place to play," said Friedman. "The treatment we get here is second-to-none. The guys have been nothing but super welcoming to me ever since I got here, from day one. It's a great group. The coaching staff is unbelievable."
Friedman's signing leaves the Canucks with approximately $19.5 million in cap space with 16 players on the roster.
