The Vancouver Canucks have acquired a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty and a 2027 second-round pick.
The Canucks will retain 15 per cent of Mikheyev’s salary as a part of the deal announced Wednesday night.
Mikheyev, 29, had 11 goals and 20 assists in 78 games during the 2023-24 season for Vancouver. He signed a four-year deal with the Canucks in free agency in July 2022 after three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, Lafferty makes a return to the Blackhawks, who signed him to the two-year deal he just completed this season. Chicago traded Lafferty to Toronto in February 2023 before the Leafs moved him to Vancouver in October 2023.
The 29-year-old had 13 goals and 11 assists in 79 games for the Canucks this past season and is now a pending unrestricted free agent.
The NHL free agent signing period begins on Monday.
Also on Wednesday, the Canucks signed a two-year deal with forward Teddy Blueger.
The contract, announced by the team Wednesday, carries an average annual value of US$1.8 million.
The 29-year-old was set to become an unrestricted free agent, with the NHL’s free agency period opening on Monday.
Blueger proved to be an important depth piece for Vancouver last year, chipping in with six goals and 22 assists across 68 regular-season games.
He signed a one-year, $1.9-million deal with the Canucks last July after winning a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The six-foot, 185-pound forward from Riga, Latvia also spent part of six seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and has 41 goals and 85 assists in 336 NHL games.