Derek Dorsett got the long-term deal he wanted from the Vancouver Canucks. Now, he’s looking to build a future for himself, his family and his team.
The winger was pumped Thursday, a day after signing a new four-year contract with an annual salary cap hit of $2.65 million. The contract is the longest of the 28-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native’s NHL career.
“Me and my agents talked about trying to get a long-term commitment and, obviously, Vancouver made that offer,” he said as the Canucks prepared to face the Arizona Coyotes. “So we’re very happy with it and glad to be staying in Vancouver. That’s for sure.”
His previous three contracts ranged from two to three years.
“It means a lot,” he said of the contract length. “The ownership and management group have been nothing but great to me and my family. It’s a first-class organization, and I couldn’t be happier anywhere else. Being in Canada and being in a Canadian market and, obviously, it being a childhood dream to play in a Canadian market, now I get to do it for four years and work towards the goal that everyone wants to accomplish here – and that’s to win a Stanley Cup.”
Dorsett joined the Canucks in an off-season trade from the New York Rangers and has established a strong affection for the city after his son Dylan was born here. He has become a mainstay on a nominal fourth line with rookie centre Bo Horvat and fellow centre Jannik Hansen.
The line has been prominent down the stretch as the Canucks secured a playoff berth after a one-year absence from the post-season.
Before Thursday’s contest, Dorsett had posted single-season career highs in points (25) and assists (18). He was leading the Canucks in hits (163) and his team-leading 169 penalty minutes ranked fourth in the NHL.
“Coming into a locker-room full of guys that you’ve had some pretty good wars against, it can be a little difficult and nerve-wracking,” he said. “But the guys opened the locker-room with open arms. It just shows what kind of leaders are on this team and the character of guys that are in this locker-room. It’s been a lot of fun this year. And, as soon as I got here, (seeing) how welcoming they are to me and my family, it just made me realize that I wanted to be here long-term.”
Dorsett has earned praise from coach Willie Desjardins and general manager Jim Benning for his physical ways and his willingness to stand up for teammates in altercations. In coming years, Dorsett, who has also played for Columbus, which drafted him from the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, also hopes to become active with charitable causes in Vancouver and be more of a mentor to younger players.
“I still remember the first times I walked into an NHL locker-room star-struck at some of the guys that were walking around,” he said. “When I was in Columbus, you had the likes of Sergei Federov, you had Anson Carter, you had Michael Peca and Freddie Modin, guys like that. Walking around, you see them and you get caught in the moment. I can remember times when those guys made me feel welcome and always had time to chat with me; or if I had any questions, to show the way. So (mentoring) is something I take pride in. I hope I can do that for the next four years to some of the young guys. We’ve got some young talent coming up that will help this team win down the road, and it’ll be a fun role to take on.”
But first, there’s a Stanley Cup to play for this season. Dorsett is glad that he won’t be distracted by contract issues as the Canucks chase a championship.
“It’s an important time of year and it’s obviously a relief to get it over with,” he said.
Meanwhile, defenceman Luca Sbisa was also relieved that he could also focus on the playoffs after signing a new deal of his own. Sbisa signed a three-year deal with a yearly cap hit of $3.6 million Wednesday.
“From a personal standpoint, that’s huge,” he said. “(There were) a lot of question marks coming into this year. So it’s good to have the confidence of upper management, the coaches and all that to be here for another three years.”
Sbisa, 25-year-old Swiss product of Italian descent, was acquired from Anaheim at the trade deadline as part of the Ryan Kesler deal. After some early struggles, Sbisa has established himself as a regular. He solidified his spot after helping the defence corps get through a plethora of injuries with a strong run early in 2015.
“Joining a new team, you don’t really know where you fit in and all that, so I think it took me a while to get going,” he said. “The second half of the year, I started to play better. … When those injuries happened on the back end, obviously, that was a bad thing. But at the same time, it was an opportunity for some other guys in the room. I think that’s when I stepped up a bit and started to play better hockey. It’s nice to get rewarded with a contract.”
Benning did not give no-trade clauses to either Dorsett or Sbisa. But they are not going anywhere soon.
Showing posts with label Derek Dorsett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Derek Dorsett. Show all posts
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Canucks sign Dorsett and Sbisa to new deals
Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning had more than just a playoff berth to celebrate Wednesday.
Benning announced that winger Derek Dorsett and defenceman Luca Sbisa have signed contract extensions. Dorsett, a bruising fourth liner who plays way above his limited size, received a new four-year deal through 2018-19. Sbisa, who has emerged as a top-six rearguard, signed a new three-year contract.
Both are completing their first season with the team following off-season trades from the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks, respectively. The new contracts came after the Canucks qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Kings lost to the Edmonton Oilers.
“We have some good, young players that are going to be on our team here in the next few years, so we want to make sure that we surround them with the right type of people and players,” said Benning. “And, I feel, with the decisions that we’ve made today, we’re going in that direction.”
Dorsett, a 28-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native has posted single-season career highs in points (25) and assists (18). He leads the team in hits (163) and his team-leading 169 penalty minutes rank fourth in the NHL. In 408 career NHL games with the Canucks, Rangers, and Columbus Blue Jackets, he has recorded 98 points (38-60-98) and1,024 penalty minutes. He also has one post-season assist, with the Rangers last season as he helped them reach the Stanley Cup finals.
According to Canucks coach Willie Desjardins, he stands out in many ways. He also stands up for his teammates.
“Everybody knows that when he’s on the ice, your back’s covered,” said Desjardins. “There’s no problems. He’s out there. He’ll always come to your aid, and I think players appreciate that.”
“Derek Dorsett has the heart of a lion,” added Benning. “He plays hard every game. Some games, he doesn’t feel good. … But you get the same effort with him every game. That’s what we’re trying to do around here. We want to be a hard-working team every night, and he brings that to our group.”
Sbisa, 25, has recorded 11 points (3-8-11) and 46 penalty minutes. He ranks second on the team in both hits with 149 and blocked shots with 127.
“In this division, we’re playing against L.A., San Jose, Anaheim – big, heavy teams – and he plays his best games against big, heavy teams,” said Benning. “He’s a guy that can separate forwards from the puck, he has his strength, and he’s young. He’s 25 years old. He has one year of restricted free agency (remaining) and then we bought two years of unrestricted with him. So I feel it’s a good deal – for him and for the team.”
Born in Italy and raised in Switzerland, Sbisa has produced 67 points in 340 career NHL games the Canucks, Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him 19th overall in 2008.
“He’s continued to improve all year,” said Benning. “He’s physical, he blocks shots, he’s an old throw-back, stay-at-home, physical defenceman. I like the way he plays, and I think he’s an important guy going forward.”
Benning announced that winger Derek Dorsett and defenceman Luca Sbisa have signed contract extensions. Dorsett, a bruising fourth liner who plays way above his limited size, received a new four-year deal through 2018-19. Sbisa, who has emerged as a top-six rearguard, signed a new three-year contract.
Both are completing their first season with the team following off-season trades from the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks, respectively. The new contracts came after the Canucks qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Kings lost to the Edmonton Oilers.
“We have some good, young players that are going to be on our team here in the next few years, so we want to make sure that we surround them with the right type of people and players,” said Benning. “And, I feel, with the decisions that we’ve made today, we’re going in that direction.”
Dorsett, a 28-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native has posted single-season career highs in points (25) and assists (18). He leads the team in hits (163) and his team-leading 169 penalty minutes rank fourth in the NHL. In 408 career NHL games with the Canucks, Rangers, and Columbus Blue Jackets, he has recorded 98 points (38-60-98) and1,024 penalty minutes. He also has one post-season assist, with the Rangers last season as he helped them reach the Stanley Cup finals.
According to Canucks coach Willie Desjardins, he stands out in many ways. He also stands up for his teammates.
“Everybody knows that when he’s on the ice, your back’s covered,” said Desjardins. “There’s no problems. He’s out there. He’ll always come to your aid, and I think players appreciate that.”
“Derek Dorsett has the heart of a lion,” added Benning. “He plays hard every game. Some games, he doesn’t feel good. … But you get the same effort with him every game. That’s what we’re trying to do around here. We want to be a hard-working team every night, and he brings that to our group.”
Sbisa, 25, has recorded 11 points (3-8-11) and 46 penalty minutes. He ranks second on the team in both hits with 149 and blocked shots with 127.
“In this division, we’re playing against L.A., San Jose, Anaheim – big, heavy teams – and he plays his best games against big, heavy teams,” said Benning. “He’s a guy that can separate forwards from the puck, he has his strength, and he’s young. He’s 25 years old. He has one year of restricted free agency (remaining) and then we bought two years of unrestricted with him. So I feel it’s a good deal – for him and for the team.”
Born in Italy and raised in Switzerland, Sbisa has produced 67 points in 340 career NHL games the Canucks, Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him 19th overall in 2008.
“He’s continued to improve all year,” said Benning. “He’s physical, he blocks shots, he’s an old throw-back, stay-at-home, physical defenceman. I like the way he plays, and I think he’s an important guy going forward.”
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Derek Dorsett eager to remain a Canuck
Derek Dorsett admits he “would be lying” if he said he wasn’t worried about being moved at the NHL trading deadline.
The Vancouver Canucks winger had reason to be concerned, because he is a pending unrestricted free agent. In such cases, teams like to get assets at the deadline – in the form of players or draft picks – in order to avoid losing established veterans for nothing in return.
A day after the deadline had passed, Dorsett was relieved that he remained a Canuck.
“Obviously, this is my first time being a UFA going into a deadline,” he said before Vancouver hosted the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. “But it’s out of my control. I’ve learned, over the years. Just go with the day and, obviously, I’d be lying if (I said no.) ... But I don’t beat myself over it. If something happened, something would happen. But, obviously, it’s good to get that day over with. (Management) have shown a lot of confidence in this group, and they want to let us see what we can do, and that says a lot for this group in here.”
Dorsett was acquired in the off-season from the New Rangers for a third-round draft pick. Now, the 28-year-old Kindersley, Sask., who has also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, hopes to remain a Canuck well beyond this summer’s July 1 free agency opening.
“Obviously, I really love it here, and my family really loves it here, too, and I like being back in Canada,” he said. “We’ll see the way things go.”
The Vancouver Canucks winger had reason to be concerned, because he is a pending unrestricted free agent. In such cases, teams like to get assets at the deadline – in the form of players or draft picks – in order to avoid losing established veterans for nothing in return.
A day after the deadline had passed, Dorsett was relieved that he remained a Canuck.
“Obviously, this is my first time being a UFA going into a deadline,” he said before Vancouver hosted the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. “But it’s out of my control. I’ve learned, over the years. Just go with the day and, obviously, I’d be lying if (I said no.) ... But I don’t beat myself over it. If something happened, something would happen. But, obviously, it’s good to get that day over with. (Management) have shown a lot of confidence in this group, and they want to let us see what we can do, and that says a lot for this group in here.”
Dorsett was acquired in the off-season from the New Rangers for a third-round draft pick. Now, the 28-year-old Kindersley, Sask., who has also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, hopes to remain a Canuck well beyond this summer’s July 1 free agency opening.
“Obviously, I really love it here, and my family really loves it here, too, and I like being back in Canada,” he said. “We’ll see the way things go.”
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Dorsett's game against former Rangers club memorable even before face-off
Things just keep getting better for Derek Dorsett in his first season with the Vancouver Canucks.
Dorsett’s 2014-15 NHL campaign improved even before he faced his former New York Rangers team Saturday at Rogers Arena. A day earlier, he became a father for the first time as his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Dylan.
“(She) got pregnant when we were playing in New York, and it just so happens that (she) gave birth when New York is in town,” he said after the Canucks morning skate in advance of the game against the Rangers.
The Canucks acquired Dorsett, a 27-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native, in a June trade which sent a 2014 third-round draft choice to the Rangers. He was scheduled to help Vancouver assistant coach Doug Lidster with some pre-scouting Friday, but plans quickly changed.
“I got to the rink in the morning (for practice) and I was just getting undressed, and my wife called and said it was time to get to the hospital,” Dorsett recalled. “So I ran back home and we (welcomed) our baby in the afternoon. At about 3:30, we brought him into the world. I went back to hospital (later) and my wife was feeding him around midnight and I got her into bed and I then I went back home, got home around 1 (a.m.) and got a good night’s sleep.”
Along with other off-season acquisitions, Dorsett has helped Canucks fans sleep better as he and the team have enjoyed a strong start to the season following the disastrous one-season tenure of former coach John Tortorella, when they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Heading into Saturday’s contest, Dorsett had already exceeded the eight points that he mustered in 51 games with the Rangers last season.
The fourth-liner is on pace for a career high 28 points – and almost halfway there.
“It’s worked out for both sides,” he said. “I didn’t get as much playing time over there. We talked it out and I ended up moving. It’s part of the business that we’re in. I’m happy to be a Canuck now, and I really enjoyed my time as a Ranger.”
Dorsett was dealt to New York in 2012-13 from his first NHL club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted him in the seventh round (189th overall) after he excelled under current Canucks coach Willie Desjardins with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
“I had him in junior for three years,” said Dorsett. “So being familiar with the coach, obviously, has helped.”
The uber-pest helped the Tigers win a WHL championship and reach the Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the host Vancouver Giants in 2007. He was denied a Stanley Cup championship last season with the Rangers as they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the finals. Although he is gone from the Rangers, he still cherishes the finals berth.
“It was a great accomplishment and, obviously, we fell up a little short, but it was a lot of fun,” he said.
According to Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, the winger, and other Vancouver newcomers, are also helping to create a more enjoyable atmosphere in Vancouver just by enabling Desjardins to roll four lines consistently. Although Desjardins juggled his forward trios Saturday for the first time this season, he has stuck to his plan of giving each line a fair share of ice time, and that makes a difference, said Sedin.
“(The atmosphere) was good last year, too,” he said. “We were in a good spot around this time as well, but I think everyone feels important to the team. You have to have the so called third or fourth-liners. They get a chance, each and every night, to make a difference and that’s really good, I think, for a team to have.
“It means, when you come in, you have a good feeling. If you didn’t get a chance to contribute or make a difference, I think it’s tough. But if you come in every day for a practice or a game and you feel that you have a chance to do something good for the team, it’s going to make you work harder.”
That situation also eases the burden on Vancouver’s star players, because everyone feeds of the success of the so called lesser lights.
“Dors and Bo (Horvat) and Jannik (Hansen) and (Shawn) Matthias, they’ve all been great,” said Sedin. “That’s what we need as a team to be successful.”
Dorsett’s 2014-15 NHL campaign improved even before he faced his former New York Rangers team Saturday at Rogers Arena. A day earlier, he became a father for the first time as his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Dylan.
“(She) got pregnant when we were playing in New York, and it just so happens that (she) gave birth when New York is in town,” he said after the Canucks morning skate in advance of the game against the Rangers.
The Canucks acquired Dorsett, a 27-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native, in a June trade which sent a 2014 third-round draft choice to the Rangers. He was scheduled to help Vancouver assistant coach Doug Lidster with some pre-scouting Friday, but plans quickly changed.
“I got to the rink in the morning (for practice) and I was just getting undressed, and my wife called and said it was time to get to the hospital,” Dorsett recalled. “So I ran back home and we (welcomed) our baby in the afternoon. At about 3:30, we brought him into the world. I went back to hospital (later) and my wife was feeding him around midnight and I got her into bed and I then I went back home, got home around 1 (a.m.) and got a good night’s sleep.”
Along with other off-season acquisitions, Dorsett has helped Canucks fans sleep better as he and the team have enjoyed a strong start to the season following the disastrous one-season tenure of former coach John Tortorella, when they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Heading into Saturday’s contest, Dorsett had already exceeded the eight points that he mustered in 51 games with the Rangers last season.
The fourth-liner is on pace for a career high 28 points – and almost halfway there.
“It’s worked out for both sides,” he said. “I didn’t get as much playing time over there. We talked it out and I ended up moving. It’s part of the business that we’re in. I’m happy to be a Canuck now, and I really enjoyed my time as a Ranger.”
Dorsett was dealt to New York in 2012-13 from his first NHL club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted him in the seventh round (189th overall) after he excelled under current Canucks coach Willie Desjardins with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
“I had him in junior for three years,” said Dorsett. “So being familiar with the coach, obviously, has helped.”
The uber-pest helped the Tigers win a WHL championship and reach the Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the host Vancouver Giants in 2007. He was denied a Stanley Cup championship last season with the Rangers as they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the finals. Although he is gone from the Rangers, he still cherishes the finals berth.
“It was a great accomplishment and, obviously, we fell up a little short, but it was a lot of fun,” he said.
According to Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, the winger, and other Vancouver newcomers, are also helping to create a more enjoyable atmosphere in Vancouver just by enabling Desjardins to roll four lines consistently. Although Desjardins juggled his forward trios Saturday for the first time this season, he has stuck to his plan of giving each line a fair share of ice time, and that makes a difference, said Sedin.
“(The atmosphere) was good last year, too,” he said. “We were in a good spot around this time as well, but I think everyone feels important to the team. You have to have the so called third or fourth-liners. They get a chance, each and every night, to make a difference and that’s really good, I think, for a team to have.
“It means, when you come in, you have a good feeling. If you didn’t get a chance to contribute or make a difference, I think it’s tough. But if you come in every day for a practice or a game and you feel that you have a chance to do something good for the team, it’s going to make you work harder.”
That situation also eases the burden on Vancouver’s star players, because everyone feeds of the success of the so called lesser lights.
“Dors and Bo (Horvat) and Jannik (Hansen) and (Shawn) Matthias, they’ve all been great,” said Sedin. “That’s what we need as a team to be successful.”
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