Canucks Sign Two Players to Whopping $61.5 Million in New Contracts Hours Ahead of Free Agency

The Vancouver Canucks have officially locked up a big part of their core as they have agreed to a three-year, $8.5M AAV contract extension with goaltender Thatcher Demko.

This move comes only a few months after the team signed newcomer Kevin Lankinen to a long-term, five-year deal.

With both Demko and Lankinen in their ranks, Vancouver's goaltending comes out to under $15M per year, setting them up for one of the top duos in the league.

Demko had a 10-8-3 record last season with the Canucks, recording a 2.90 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage.

Demko missed the first two months of the season while dealing with a lower-body injury that he sustained during the 2023-24 playoffs. He also missed 15 games later in the season while dealing with a second injury to his lower body.

The Canucks also re-signed forward Conor Garland to a six-year, $36 million contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million on Tuesday morning.

Garland, age 29, scored 19 goals and 50 points in 81 games with the Canucks last season.

The 5-foot-10 winger is going to be entering the final season of a five-year, $24.75 million contract with an annual cap hit of $4.95 million.

He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, so this extension will kick in next year.