Report: Brandon Sutter, Canucks close to long-term deal

By foxsports
Published

When the Canucks traded for Brandon Sutter Tuesday, they apparently did not intend to keep him for just a short time. According to multiple reports on Twitter, the team and Sutter are close to signing a long-term deal.

Sutter, a 26-year-old center, is entering the final year of a two-year, $6.6 million deal. He will likely fit in on the second line for the Canucks, and Vancouver will hope to see more production out of him than his 33 points in 80 games last season. 

Canucks general manager Jim Benning called Sutter a "foundation piece" during a conference call about the trade Tuesday, an odd term for a player who has never scored more than 21 goals in a season. But Sutter should see more ice time with Vancouver now that he isn't third on a center depth chart behind Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. 

(h/t Twitter)