Canucks sign Raymond, avoid arbitration
Mason Raymond(notes) has received a tidy little pay hike and in the process has avoided going to an arbitration hearing with the Vancouver Canucks.
The swift-skating 24-year-old forward agreed to a two-year, $5.1-million (all currency U.S.) contract with the Canucks prior to Monday’s scheduled arbitration hearing in Toronto. Raymond, who set career highs in goals (25) and points (53) last season with Vancouver, will receive $2.5-million for the 2010-11 National Hockey League season and $2.6-million the following season. The Cochrane, Alta., native made $760,000 last season.
According to a TSN report, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis met with Raymond’s agent J.P. Barry on Sunday to try and get a deal done before Monday’s arbitration hearing.
With Raymond under contract, the Canucks have now committed approximately $63-million to 26 players for the upcoming season, almost $4.5-million above the league’s $59.4-million salary cap.
