The Vancouver Canucks added some depth to their forward group by signing center Pius Suter to a two-year contract. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $1.6 million with a total value of $3.2 million. The 27-year-old Swiss forward originally went undrafted but has since played in 216 NHL games over the past three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
Currently listed at 5-foot-11, 174 pounds, Suter is known for his strong defensive play. He has played over 135 minutes on the penalty kill in each of the last two seasons, contributing three shorthanded goals during that time. Based on the Canucks’ current depth chart, he is projected to be a key part of their bottom six, as well as the penalty kill, over the next two seasons.
Suter’s 2022-23 Season
Despite having a down year statistically compared to his first two seasons in the league, Suter was able to improve his overall defensive play. The most notable change was that he saw a decrease from 36 giveaways in 2021-22 to just 15 last season. He also threw more hits and had the lowest goals against per 60 (GA/60) at even strength in his career. While his offensive numbers may have suffered a bit, he was able to show that he could be defensively responsible while playing against the opposition’s top lines.
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Looking at his stats shorthanded, Suter was one of the top penalty killers in the league. Out of the 120 forwards that played at least 100 minutes shorthanded last season, he ranked 16th in shots against per 60 (SA/60), 22nd in GA/60 and eighth in high-danger chances against per 60 (HDCA/60). His addition to the lineup should help the Canucks become a stronger penalty-killing team and hopefully reduce the ice times of J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson so they can be fresh at even strength and on the power play.
As mentioned, Suter did have a down year statistically, but a few major factors explain why. In 2021-22, the Red Wings gave him over 100 minutes of power play time on both the first and second units, while this season, he only played 6:14 with the man advantage. The other reason is that this season, he never had consistent linemates or a position, whereas, during the 2021-22 campaign, he spent the majority of the season at center with Robby Fabbri and Filip Zadina. Despite these challenges, he still had the same number of goals per 60 at even strength as the previous season. If he can play with consistent linemates, be given some power play time, and not asked to flip between the wing and center constantly, there is no reason why he can’t have a rebound season from an offensive perspective in 2023-24.
Suter’s Fit With The Canucks
Based on the current depth chart, Suter fits the third-line center role perfectly. This would allow him to play a matchup role while also having a skilled winger that can get him the puck in scoring positions. He may also get some time in the top six this season if injuries occur. While he has shown an ability to play on the wing, the expectation would be that he plays the majority of the season down the middle.
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He should also get ample time on the penalty kill either on the first or second unit. Based on the current roster, his best partner would be Ilya Mikheyev, who is projected to be a big part of Vancouver’s penalty kill. If Suter can not only continue his strong play while shorthanded but improve in the faceoff dot, it will go a long way in making sure the Canucks do not finish near the bottom of the league on the penalty kill once again.
The initial reaction to this deal is positive, as these are the type of moves Vancouver should be making. Signing Suter is a low-risk, high-reward signing that can be rectified if it doesn’t work out. Overall, this is a tidy piece of business by Patrik Allvin and will hopefully produce surplus value over the next two seasons.
