Vancouver Canucks sign Tanner Pearson to 3-year, $9.75M extension

The Vancouver Canucks, whose season is on pause amid a coronavirus outbreak on the team, have signed forward Tanner Pearson to a three-year, $9.75 million contract extension, general manager Jim Benning announced Thursday.

The Canucks also announced that No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko will make $25 million on his five-year contract extension. Team owner Francesco Aquilini had confirmed the deal last week without releasing financial figures.

Pearson, 28, offers consistent production, with six goals and five assists while averaging a career-high 16:33 in ice time over 33 games this season. Pearson, who had been set to be a free agent after the season, has never scored 30 goals in a campaign but has scored over 20 twice. He had 21 and 24 assists last season.

He also has 34 playoff games under his belt, winning a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2013-14.

“Tanner is a veteran who’s won a Stanley Cup and leads by example,” Benning said in a statement. “He plays a complete game and provides invaluable leadership experience to our core young players.”

Demko, 25, took over as the No. 1 goaltender for the Canucks after Jacob Markstrom went to the Calgary Flames in free agency. Demko is 12-12-1 with a 2.77 goals-against average and .917 save percentage this season.

Vancouver has not played since March 24 after 25 players and coaches have tested positive for COVID-19 that involves a variant. The NHL hopes the Canucks can play again by the end of next week with hopes of completing their 56-game schedule, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on Thursday.

Demko is among the Canucks players on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.