The Vancouver Canucks celebrated Canada Day by signing hometown defenceman Dan Hamhuis to a six-year contract.
The Smithers native was signed to a $27-million, six-year deal and will make $4.5 million per season. The deal also has a no-trade clause.
"Vancouver seems like a great place to play," said Hamhuis to CTV British Columbia's sports anchor, Kelcey Brade during a Skype interview in June.
"They've got a very competitive team and of course I know from being in the area, it's a big, beautiful city to play in."
Hamhuis, 27, reportedly took a hometown discount to play for the Canucks, as other teams were said to be offering higher pay cheques.
"We did get some different offers from other teams," said Hamhuis. "Some of them were higher in contract value.
"We liked the fit in Vancouver. We liked the opportunity it presented from a hockey perspective and the lifestyle perspective for my family."
The deal has long been suspected to be in the works, with Vancouver fans excited about the prospect of landing a much needed defenceman to help reduce the number of shots Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo faces.
Vancouver was also in need of a defenceman to add some muscle to their lineup. The Canucks suffered from being bullied by the Chicago Blackhawks during their 2010 NHL playoff second round bow-out.
Hamhuis was a coveted unrestricted free agent, on the radar of many NHL clubs, but Vancouver is Hamhuis's final destination.
"We're trying to compete for a Stanley Cup and ultimately players have to do that if they want be in that environment," said Canucks General Manager, Mike Gillis . "We were thrilled he was prepared to come here for less money."
The Philadelphia Flyers landed his rights in a June trade with the Predators before the Pittsburg Penguins traded his rights on June 25.
Hamhuis was the 12th overall pick in the 2001 NHL draft when he was taken by the Nashville Predators.
The 6-1 tall, 203-pound newly signed Canuck has 32 goals, 129 assists and 161 points in his NHL career. He is a plus three rating and has 375 penalty minutes.
Hamhuis has also only missed a total of seven games in five NHL seasons.
"We are expecting a big change as far as being anonymous in Nashville," said Hamhuis whose wife and daughters will watch him play wearing the blue, white and green next season.
Bloodline signing
The Canucks signed Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini's son, Jeff Tambellini to a one-year deal.
The 26-year-old left-winger, comes back to the west coast after playing for the New York Islanders last season.
Tambellini was drafted 27th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings and was traded to the Islanders in his rookie season.
The Calgary native scored seven goals, seven assists and 14 points in 37 games during the 2009-10 season, including his first NHL hat-trick on Halloween last season against the Buffalo Sabres.
Tambellini's father is also a former NHLer who finished his career with the Canucks playing from 1985 to 1988. He later served as the team's assistant general manager working with the franchise until 2008.
Malhotra and Perrault signed
The Vancouver Canucks retooling of its checking lines has started with the signings of forwards Manny Malhotra and Joel Perrault on the first day of the NHL's free agent season.
Malhotra's deal is believed to be worth $7.5 million over three years and includes a no-trade clause.
Malhotra will be relied on for his strong, two-way play and his ability to win important faceoffs.
"We wanted to get more size into our lineup on the forward position," said Gillis. "Manny adds a dimension we didn't have. He's a really good penalty killer.
Malhotra, 30, spent last season with the San Jose Sharks. The checking centre appeared in 71 games, recording 14 goals and 19 assists.
"When you look at the roster, there's an opportunity to win right now," Malhotra said during a conference call. "As a player, you want to be in a situation where you know the team is a good team, it's a competitive team and a team that can go far into the playoffs."
The Canucks will be Malhotra's fifth NHL team. He spent time with the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Columbus Blue Jackets before playing with the Sharks last season.
In 705 career NHL games Malhotra has 90 goals, 140 assists and 385 penalty minutes.
"We talked to a few teams," Malhotra said. "This was the best blend of every aspect, and we had the opportunity to jump on it right away so we took it."
The Mississaugua, Ontario native has a strong connection to British Columbia as he is married to the sister of NBA basketball star Steve Nash and Whitecaps midfielder Martin Nash.
Perrault, 27, is not a proven NHL forward but will be given a chance to earn a third or fourth-line spot with the Canucks.
Perrault has 26 points in 89 NHL games. Last year Perrault only played two regular season games for the Phoenix Coyotes. He is a career minus 17.
With files from CP.
