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Canucks re-sign Higgins: Four years, $10 million

Chris Higgins

Vancouver Canucks’ Chris Higgins celebrates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the third period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 18, 2011, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

The Vancouver Canucks have had themselves a busy little Tuesday.

Shortly after acquiring Derek Roy from the Dallas Stars, the club announced it had re-signed winger Chris Higgins to a four-year deal.

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston says the contact is worth $10 million all told.

Higgins, 29, was acquired from Florida at the 2011 NHL trade deadline and provided an immediate impact in the Vancouver lineup.

He scored eight points en route to the ’11 Cup final and scored three game-winning goals along the way, tying a franchise record for most GWGs in a single playoff season.

The Canucks rewarded Higgins with a two-year, $3.8 million deal that July, and he’s gone on to post impressive numbers.

In 2011-12, he scored 18G-25A-43PTS in 71 games, finishing fourth on the team in goals.

This year he has 9G-5A-14PTS in 35 games, tied for second on the team in goals.

How Higgins’ new deal affects Vancouver’s financial future remains to be seen. According to Capgeek, the Canucks have nearly $63 million committed to just 15 players next year, with the salary cap falling to $64.3 million.

The team has a number of unrestricted free agents -- Roy, Manny Malhotra, Mason Raymond, Max Lapierre, Andrew Alberts, Cam Barker -- and will need to make decisions on RFAs like Chris Tanev and Dale Weise.

Of course, the club could use one of its amnesty buyouts to relieve some of the financial strain.