Hronek, 26, secures eight-year deal from Canucks
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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
One of the biggest questions of the Vancouver Canucks‘ offseason was answered Tuesday with the club announcing it had signed Filip Hronek to an eight-year contract extension.
Hronek’s new deal will see the 26-year-old defenseman earn $7.25 million annually after finishing the season with a career-high 48 points in 81 games. He partnered with Canucks captain Quinn Hughes to establish one of the more formidable top defensive pairings in the NHL.
The contributions Hronek made in the regular season allowed the Canucks to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20 season.
“Filip has fit in seamlessly on our blueline, giving us stability and strength on the right side,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. “His ability to skate, defend and create offense is exactly what you want in from a top pairing defenseman. This season he has shown all of us his desire to compete and a willingness to be a leader on this hockey team. We look forward to seeing him continue to elevate our group and for him to grow both on and off the ice.”
Part of the Canucks’ transformation under Allvin has seen the front office revamp a defensive unit that had previously struggled with consistency. The first part of that plan came during the 2022-23 season when the Canucks used the first-round pick they acquired in the Bo Horvat trade with the New York Islanders to get Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline.
Hronek was still recovering from a shoulder injury, one that would lead to him only playing four games with the Canucks. He used the offseason to fully recover as Allvin and his front office staff continued to retool their roster by adding Ian Cole and Carson Soucy in free agency.
A healthy Hronek and Hughes formed a top pairing that saw the club have a 15-8-1 record going into December.
With the Canucks emerging as another potential legitimate option in a crowded Western Conference landscape, Allvin made another move to strengthen his defense by trading for Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov, before the club made another trade with the Flames at the NHL All-Star break to add center Elias Lindholm.
The Canucks would finish 50-23-9 as they won the Pacific Division title while finishing with the third-most points in the West. From there, they beat the Nashville Predators in six games in an opening-round series and came within a game of advancing to the Western Conference finals before they were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers.
Once their season ended, the Canucks’ attention turned to how they would address their roster needs as they seek to reach consecutive postseason campaigns for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
Hronek was one of the players at the heart of that discussion. He was part of a two-player pending restricted free agent class that also includes goaltender and playoff hero Arturs Silovs.
Even with Hronek under team control, there was still a conversation to be had about how his next deal would impact the Canucks’ plans in what’s slated to be an active offseason.
Cole, Lindholm, Zadorov and defenseman Tyler Myers are part of an eight-player unrestricted free agent class that could force the franchise into some difficult decisions, with CapFriendly projecting the Canucks now have $16.828 million in available cap space.
Four of those UFAs are defensemen, and Hronek’s new contract means he is now one of four defensemen under contract for next season and one of four Canucks who have more than three years remaining on their current deals with the club.
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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