The Canucks forward has spent the majority of the season in Abbotsford, recording 15 points in 15 games.
Prior to making his season debut against the Seattle Kraken, the Vancouver Canucks announced that they had signed forward Nils Åman to a two-year extension. The contract is a one-way deal that carries an annual average value of $825,000. The 23-year-old center will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the contract, with his qualifying offer set at $918,750.
Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2020, Åman signed with Vancouver as a free agent before the 2022-23 season. In 68 games last season, he recorded four goals and 16 points, playing the majority of his time on the fourth line. He has also seen time in the AHL, including the first part of this current season. During his time with Abbotsford, he has played 32 games, recording 12 goals and 24 points.
Now that Vancouver has made a financial commitment to Åman, the question shifts to whether they can find room for him in the lineup. With the team pressed against the salary cap, they could only recall him because the team put Pius Suter and Carson Soucy on injured reserve. A player who deserves to be in the lineup at the NHL level on a nightly basis, Canucks management will need to either make a trade or risk losing a player off waivers to keep him full-time on the roster.