Blue Streak
Jäsen
- Suosikkijoukkue
- St. Louis Blues
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Vancouver Canucks restricted free agent forward Peter Schaefer agreed to contract terms with Turku of the Finnish Elite League.
The deal means the 24-year-old Schaefer won't be returning to Vancouver, where he scored 16 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons.
"He's gone," said Schaefer's agent, Ron Perrick, confirming his client left for Europe on Monday evening. "We've had some discussions (with the Canucks) recently, but we weren't able to get anything done."
Perrick said the Canucks wanted to sign Schaefer to a three-year deal, including a team option for a fourth, similar to the ones signed by Matt Cooke and Brent Sopel in the summer. Perrick said that "would have kept him in the bottom three in terms of salary for four years."
According to Canucks assistant general manager Dave Nonis, there have been other offers over the course of the summer, including a $522,000 qualifying offer and a two-year deal that was rejected in July.
The Canucks retain Schaefer's NHL rights next season, and are under no obligation to extend a new qualifying offer. When Schaefer returns, he will still be one NHL season away from arbitration rights.
"When I say it doesn't make any sense, I don't just mean financially. It doesn't make any sense, period," Nonis said earlier of the move to Finland. "Nothing changes next summer at all."
The deal means the 24-year-old Schaefer won't be returning to Vancouver, where he scored 16 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons.
"He's gone," said Schaefer's agent, Ron Perrick, confirming his client left for Europe on Monday evening. "We've had some discussions (with the Canucks) recently, but we weren't able to get anything done."
Perrick said the Canucks wanted to sign Schaefer to a three-year deal, including a team option for a fourth, similar to the ones signed by Matt Cooke and Brent Sopel in the summer. Perrick said that "would have kept him in the bottom three in terms of salary for four years."
According to Canucks assistant general manager Dave Nonis, there have been other offers over the course of the summer, including a $522,000 qualifying offer and a two-year deal that was rejected in July.
The Canucks retain Schaefer's NHL rights next season, and are under no obligation to extend a new qualifying offer. When Schaefer returns, he will still be one NHL season away from arbitration rights.
"When I say it doesn't make any sense, I don't just mean financially. It doesn't make any sense, period," Nonis said earlier of the move to Finland. "Nothing changes next summer at all."