With speed, size, some grit, an elite penalty kill and enough skill to score 21 goals in 53 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, Mikheyev has everything the Canucks wanted. But the 27-year-old winger from Russia had a premium: $19 million over the next four years. Until his breakthrough, Mikheyev’s previous career high was eight goals. His average cap hit of $4.75 million represents most of the roughly $6.4 million the Canucks had available in free agency. The team also signed natural depth center Curtis Lazar to three years at $1 million per year and formalized the one-year, $950,000 contract previously negotiated for Kontinental Hockey League free agent Andrei Kuzmenko. “Tenacity, speed, size, versatility — I think he’s going to help us here for the next four years,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said of Mikheyev. “(He’s) one of the best PK guys in the league as well, and hopefully he’ll get a chance here to play in a more attacking role. “Definitely, we think we’ve improved our team here.” On his first day of free agency as an NHL GM, Allvin also signed center Dakota Joshua, who split last season between the St. Louis Blues and their American Hockey League team, and Chicago Blackhawks minor league goaltender Collin Delia and defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk. The Canucks are investing a lot of faith, as well as money, in Mikheev. The speedy winger is a formidable playmaker and, combined with Kuzmenko and Lazar, makes Vancouver stronger up front. But the opportunity cost of spending the bulk of their spare change on a forward is that the Canucks’ defense, in need of long-term upgrades on the right side, will have to improve through means other than free agency. Canucks president Jim Rutherford told Sportsnet earlier this week that the team simply didn’t have the cap space to pursue any of the top free agents. Asked if he could afford a mid-range player, around $3-4 million, he said maybe. They went a little further to get Mikheev. But his four-year stint is also a year or two less than he could have received as a fairly coveted, second-tier UFA. Wednesday’s signings not only change the lineup, but reset franchise history, giving the Canucks three Russian players in a market that has been largely devoid of them since Pavel Bure left in 1998. Second-year Canuck Vasily Podkolzin , who has embraced his new home and team in Vancouver, should feel even more comfortable next season with Mikheyev and Kuzmenko around. Relentless in his pursuit of the puck and shutting down opponents, Mikheyev makes the Canucks more difficult to play against. So does Lazar, the 27-year-old former first-round pick from Salmon Arm, BC, who finally found his NHL footing last season as a player for the Boston Bruins, his fourth NHL team. “You just have to realize, you know, it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Lazar told reporters on a Zoom call. “Every kid wants to get to the NHL as fast as you can, whereas I probably could have used some seasoning in the American League. “I took that year in the American League (with the Stockton Heat in 2018-19) a little bit further when a lot of people wrote me off. I loved that year. I found my passion. I had fun and was able to resurrect my career and transform it into something effective and here we are. I’m very proud that I don’t carry, I don’t listen to criticism, I just focus on myself and try to improve every time I step on the ice. It’s just led to opportunities just like this, where I’m really excited to be a Vancouver Canuck.” Lazar grew up a Canucks fan and cited players such as Matt Cook, Rafi Torres, Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler as influences on his playing style. Lazar led the Bruins last season with 186 hits, and his 13.29 hits per 60 minutes would have easily led all Canucks forwards except Will Lockwood late in the season. “I strongly believe we can win here,” Lazar said from his offseason home in Kelowna, where his friends include new teammates Tyler Myers and Luke Schenn. “The strides the team made, especially in the second half of last season, is a great area to build on this year. This opportunity to see myself having a defined role, to really be able to make a difference and be a part of things is what excited me. Not to mention the whole BC boy — it’s the team I cheer for — I mean, it’s pretty special. Allvin said he did not receive calls Wednesday about JT Miller, the subject of speculation and stories almost since the GM was hired in January. After a 99-point season, Miller is entering the final year of his contract and could prove too expensive to keep. “There were teams, you know, kicking tires, checking in,” Alvin said. “It hasn’t gone much further than that. We are really excited to have JT here for another year. I believe he is excited and ready to come back. And who knows; Anything can happen here in the next couple of weeks or months, but we’re happy to have him back.”
