Vancouver Canucks secure eight-year deal with Filip Hronek - ESPN

One of the biggest questions of the Vancouver Canucks' offseason was answered Tuesday with the club announcing they had signed Filip Hronek to an eight-year contract extension.

Hronek's new deal will see the 26-year-old defenseman earn $7.25 million annually after finishing the season with a career high 48 points in 81 games while partnering with Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to establish one of the more formidable top defensive pairings in the NHL.

The contributions Hronek made in the regular season allowed the Canucks to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20 season.

«Filip has fit in seamlessly on our blueline, giving us stability and strength on the right side,» Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. «His ability to skate, defend and create offense is exactly what you want in from a top pairing defenseman. This season he has shown all of us his desire to compete and a willingness to be a leader on this hockey team. We look forward to seeing him continue to elevate our group and for him to grow both on and off the ice.»

Part of the Canucks' transformation under Allvin has seen the front office revamp a defensive unit that had previously struggled with consistency. The first part of that plan came during the 2022-23 season when the Canucks used the first-round pick they acquired in the Bo Horvat trade with the New York Islanders to get Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings at trade deadline.

Hronek was still recovering from a shoulder injury, one that would lead to him only playing four games with the Canucks. He used the offseason to fully recover as Allvin and his front office staff continued to retool their roster by adding Ian Cole and Carson Soucy in free agency.

A fully healthy Hronek