The Vancouver Canucks made the signing of winger Jack Skille official today.
Skille, 29, gets a one-year, one-way deal worth $700,000. A former seventh overall draft pick of the Blackhawks, he came to Vancouver’s camp on a PTO, saying he was “willing to chew through rope” to make the Canucks.
He then turned heads in the preseason, using his skating and size on the forecheck, hitting defensemen and turning over pucks. He essentially pushed out Emerson Etem, who was lost to waivers today.
Skille played 74 games for Colorado last season, scoring eight goals with six assists.
The Canucks don’t open their regular season until Saturday, when they’re at home to Calgary. It remains to be seen if Skille will be in the lineup against the Flames. He’s a candidate to be the lone extra forward.