The Canucks have signed forward Ilya Safonov to a one-year, two-way contract.
Shortly after a report from RG Media broke earlier this week, the Vancouver Canucks have officially announced that they have signed forward Ilya Safonov to a one-year, two-way contract. This is the first player signing that new Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson has made since being brought on as GM in May.
“Ilya had a solid year in Russia and a strong playoff,” Johnson said in a press release earlier today. “We like his size and player profile, and he will be given every opportunity to compete for a spot at training camp.”
Vancouver acquired Safonov's rights last season after the 2025 NHL Draft in exchange for future considerations. The forward attended the Canucks' development camp last year before heading back to the KHL for the 2025-26 season. After the KHL season ended this year, reports indicated that Safonov would be seeking out an NHL deal with the Canucks.
In 68 regular season games with Ak Bars Kazan this year, Safonov scored 16 goals and 17 assists. During the post-season, he put up two goals and seven assists in 20 games, with Ak Bars making it to the KHL Final but losing to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in six games.
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