On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks lost the exclusive signing rights to a pair of prospects - Matthew Thiessen and Jack Malone. But it also appears that they've lost the rights to another prospect, who was the captain of his school last season.
Along with Thiessen and Malone, the Vancouver Canucks not longer have the rights to 22-year-old defenceman Jacob Truscott. Reports earlier this year suggested that the Canucks and Truscott weren't going to agree to terms on an entry-level contract, thus making him an unrestricted free agent on July 15th.
Truscott is now free to sign with any of the 31 other franchises in the National Hockey League, but likely won't until next year given that he's returning to the University of Michigan for a fifth and final year. A strong year at the University of Michigan could earn Truscott an entry-level contract next spring.
Next season, Vancouver could have a bit of a logjam on the left side of the blueline in the minors with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks as Elias Pettersson and Kirill Kudryavtsev will begin the season with the team. Because of this and potentially a lack of playing, the Canucks and Truscott parted aways as a prospect in their organization yesterday.
In 41 games last season, the Port Huron, Michigan native registered 16 points (two goals, 14 assists), 41 penalty minutes and was a plus-five.
Do you think the Vancouver Canucks should have signed Jacob Truscott? Let us know what you think in the poll below!
POLL | ||
AOUT 16 | 181 ANSWERS It's confirmed for the Canucks and top prospect Jacob Truscott Do you think the Canucks should have signed Jacob Truscott? | ||
Yes | 45 | 24.9 % |
No | 136 | 75.1 % |
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