Chance to play for Vancouver Canucks ‘too good to pass up on’ for d-man Oleksiak

VANCOUVER — Jamie Oleksiak didn’t know what to expect as the NHL’s free agency window swung open last week.

Though he’s been in the league for 14 seasons, the veteran defenceman had never been without a contract heading into July 1.

“It was quite the hectic day,” Oleksiak said on a video call on Monday. “The opportunity came to play for the Canucks, and I just thought it was too good to pass up on.”

Vancouver inked the 33-year-old blue liner to a two-year, US$10-million deal last Wednesday.

Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson said at the time that Oleksiak is a “big body who moves very well on the ice.”

“He’s a solid two-way defenceman who isn’t afraid to use his size and strength to his advantage, and we like his reach and athleticism,” Johnson said in a statement. “He competes very hard and has grown into a good leader in the dressing room. Adding him to the mix on the backend will help us in many positive ways.”

Oleksiak is one of three veteran players picked up by the Canucks in recent weeks.

Vancouver acquired 34-year-old winger Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens on June 29, then signed Luke Schenn in free agency, returning the bruising 36-year-old defenceman for his third stint with the team.

Oleksiak comes to the Canucks following five seasons with the Seattle Kraken.

Both the location and team sold him on the deal.

“Playing in a Canadian market for a historic franchise like the Canucks, and obviously living in Seattle, I came to really appreciate the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “I’m excited to explore Vancouver and play in front of the fans there and grow with the team as well. I think it just presented a lot of great possibilities, and it was tough to turn down. So I’m excited.”

The six-foot-seven, 252-pound defender from Toronto is coming off a season where he tallied five goals, 15 points and 36 penalty minutes over 78 games for the Kraken.

The total was down from the career-high nine goals and 25 points he recorded over 75 games in Seattle’s second campaign in 2022-23.

Selected 14th overall by Dallas in the 2011 draft, Oleksiak — older brother of famed Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak — split nine seasons between the Stars and the Pittsburgh Penguins before getting nabbed by the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft.

“The expansion draft, obviously, was very unique, just kind of coming together as a group, guys from all over the league,” he said.

“I think it was a special time I had there in Seattle.”

The experience taught him what it takes to build a culture within a team — a lesson Oleksiak is eager to share with the rebuilding Canucks.

“I’ve been around the league for a while, and I can kind of bring my experiences to the team and just show up every day with a good work ethic, and try and help set the standard, and work with some of these young players, and the veteran guys they brought in as well,” he said.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge, and it’s going to be something that, as athletes, we always embrace. And I’m really looking forward to it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press