Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vancouver Canucks draft pick Tom Willander puts on his sweater after being selected with the eleventh pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn ImagesDuring his media avaliability on Tuesday, Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford was asked about top prospect Tom Willander. The 2023 first-rounder has yet to sign his entry-level contract, with most reports saying the holdup has to do with "Schedule A" bonuses. Willander, who just finished his second season in the NCAA, was projected to join the Abbotsford Canucks for their 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs run, but instead is over in Sweden particpating in the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
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Rutherford started his answer by explaining the Canucks internal signing structure for draft prospects. He said, "I'm not going to get into too much detail. It's a fool's game to negotiate publicly. But in short, we have a structure for draft picks, and this isn't about just about Tom Willander and his contract. It's about what goes forward. Who are the guys to be drafted after? How do they slot in? How do you pay them? You can't be all over the map to be helter-skelter when you're doing these contracts."
The next part of Rutherford's answer addressed the immediate future of the 20-year-old defenceman. Rutherford said, "At the end of the day, he's going to have a decision to make at some point. Whether he comes to camp and plays, turns pro and makes a few million dollars over the next couple of years, and burns year one or two years of free agency towards being unrestricted, or goes back to college and starts two years from now. I mean, what I just laid out wouldn't make any sense for a player to make that decision. So Émilie (Castonguay) still continues to work on a regular basis on the contract, and we hope to get it done sooner or later. We're fine with him being over at the World Championships. He's playing and he's getting his development time, which is good, but at some point, Tom and his family are going to have to make a decision on some of those things that I just mentioned."
While Vancouver is not in danger of losing Willander's rights, knowing his plan heading into the 2025 NHL Draft is important. If the relationship can't be solved, trading him in a package may be the best option for both the organization and the player. That being said, moving a prospect like Willander due to bonus structure could impact other prospects willingness to sign with the Canucks moving forward.
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