The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Alexander Edler to a two-year, $12 million contract, general manager Jim Benning announced Thursday.
The 33-year-old Edler, who would have become an unrestricted free agent next month, has been a consistent presence on the blue line in Vancouver for his entire 13-year career.
He is coming off a solid season with 10 goals and 24 assists. The campaign was limited to 56 games due to a February concussion that cost him over three weeks and coincided with the Canucks falling out of playoff contention.
“Alex is important to our team and has played as the cornerstone of our defence throughout his career,” Benning said in a statement. “He’s a leader with tremendous experience, plays important minutes and contributes to every part of our team game.”
The Swede is coming off a six-year, $30 million contract with the Canucks. He has been a vital part of the team from the run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010-11 to the current rebuild.