Music: {allcanada} Vancouver Canucks Sign Right Wing Jannik Hansen to a 3-Year Contract

Thursday, July 28, 2011

{allcanada} Vancouver Canucks Sign Right Wing Jannik Hansen to a 3-Year Contract

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks avoided salary arbitration with forward Jannik Hansen by signing him to a US$4.05-million, three-year deal on Thursday.

Hansen said the length of the deal was important to him.

"The main thing was to make sure I got a deal that was a little longer," he told reporters during a telephone conference call. "I was looking for something more than one year. Once we figured that one out, it was more a matter of getting the numbers in."

The 25-year-old from Denmark scored nine goals and added 20 assists in 82 games last year. His 29 points was a career high.

In 25 playoff games, Hansen had three goals and six assists.

Hansen went to arbitration last year and was awarded a one-year, $825,000 salary. He likes the security of new deal.

"It's the security of having three years and knowing the team wants you and they are seeing you as part of the organization for a couple of years," he said.

Hansen will make $1.6 million next season followed by $1.35 million in 2012-13 and $1.1 million in 2013-14.

He was scheduled to go to salary arbitration Friday.