Report: Boeser seeking four-year, $28-million extension with Canucks

As the RFA market sits at a standstill, Brock Boeser’s agent Ben Hankinson has reportedly asked the Vancouver Canucks for a four-year, $7-million AAV extension for his young client.

Many unsigned players are patiently waiting for comparable contracts this offseason, which haven’t been an afforded luxury in the past few months.

Timo Meier and Kyle Connor have been used as measuring sticks in negotiations with Boeser and the Canucks, and Meier’s four-year, $24-million contract extension with the San Jose Sharks on July 1st is the driving force behind this recent request.

“Those are some of the names we’ve used,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said to The Province on comparisons with Meier and Connor. “Boeser’s camp have been reasonable and we’re continuing to talk to get to some common ground. I’m hopeful to get something done before camp, but we’re not there yet.”

Ben Kuzma of The Province noted that Boeser ranks well with his RFA peers. “If you pro-rate Boeser’s 56 points in 69 games last season over a full campaign. That would amount to 66 points and aligns him with Timo Meier of the San Jose Sharks,” Kuzma added.

“It’s also the same pro-rated point total to match RFA winger Kyle Connor, who like RFA teammate Patrik Laine, hasn’t reached terms with the Winnipeg Jets.”

So, Boeser might not be far from signing a contract that appears to fair in market value. Where the trouble lies is with the contract structure that Meier signed with the Sharks. His final year base salary $10 million, which exposes the club to put up a $10-million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent on expiration.

"That scares me a bit," Benning said, because Boeser would also be a RFA after a four-year deal.

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Kuzma added that Benning would prefer the salary structure of Bo Horvat’s six-year, $33 million extension which is “6.5 million in the first year followed by $7M, $5.7M, $3.5M, $5.7M and $4.4M.”

"We're looking at all of our options and are talking what long and short deals look like," Benning added.

The Canucks have just over $5-million in cap space, so signing Boeser will require some creative manoeuvring before the regular season.

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