VANCOUVER Canucks General Manager, Jim Benning announced on Thursday that the club has signed forward Radim Vrbata to a two-year deal.
[TSN reported that the two-year contract is worth an average annual value of $5 million.]
Vrbata, 33, recorded 51 points (20-31-51) in 80 games with the Coyotes in the 2013.14 NHL season. In 792 career games he has scored 215 goals and 249 assists (215-249-464) with 230 penalty minutes. Vrbata established career highs during the 2011.12 season when he scored 35 goals and tallied 62 points (35-27-62) with the Coyotes. He has also played 36 playoff games recording 14 points (6-8-14) and 12 penalty minutes. Vrbata has played for five teams over the course of his career: Colorado, Carolina, Chicago, Tampa Bay and Phoenix.
Internationally Vrbata has represented his native Czech Republic at four World Championships (2013, 2008, 2005 [gold], 2003) and at the 2001 World Junior Championships in Moscow where he helped his team win gold.
The 6’1”, 194-pound native of Mlada Boleslav, Czechoslovakia was originally selected by Colorado in the seventh round, 212th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.