European Club Officially Announces the Signing of a Former Vancouver Canucks Defenseman
Photo credit: Jess Starr Photography.
A European club has officially announced the signing of a former Vancouver Canucks defenseman & British Columbia native just as the 2025-26 season gets underway.
The 2025-26 season is just beginning overseas in Europe, with the KHL being the first league to drop the puck last Friday, while the SHL and Liiga in Sweden and Finland, respectively, started their new campaigns this week.
Vancouver will be well represented in leagues across Europe this season, with some former Canucks leaving North America for the first time in their career for a new challenge, the latest being defenseman Brad Hunt.
Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Brad Hunt signs in Europe for 2025-26 season
On July 1st, veteran defenseman Brad Hunt became an unrestricted free agent and with his future in North America uncertain, he was eventually linked with a move to Europe with teams in the Swedish Hockey League interested in signing him.
After no deal was made between Hunt and any clubs in the Swedish Hockey League, the defenseman kept looking for his new home and earlier this week, a report came out that Vaasan Sport, a team in Finland's top division, were interested in signing him, with the club even teasing the potential pact between the two sides, but only if their Supporter's Group could help raise 75,000 Euros ($121,755 CAD) by Friday afternoon.
Note: the quotes in this story are translated from Finnish
"One of the most significant acquisitions in the club's history is close - take part in the Red Army Supporters' Player campaign!
The Supporters' Player campaign organized by the Red Army Supporters' Association to acquire a player who has played nearly 300 NHL games in his career has been launched. In order to acquire a player who has also won the World Championship, a total of 75,000 euros must be raised by Friday, September 12th at 3:00 PM." Vaasan Sport said."
The Supporters' Player campaign organized by the Red Army Supporters' Association to acquire a player who has played nearly 300 NHL games in his career has been launched. In order to acquire a player who has also won the World Championship, a total of 75,000 euros must be raised by Friday, September 12th at 3:00 PM." Vaasan Sport said."
On Friday afternoon, as the club approached that fundraising deadline, they officially announced that they agreed to terms on a one-year contract with defenseman Brad Hunt for the 2025-26 season.
"First of all, we have to say a huge thank you to both supporters and partners for this very successful campaign. Without this community-wide campaign, player acquisition would not have been possible for us. This shows what is possible with a community pulling in the same direction and this was a good indication of what a special community we have in Vaasa" sports director Ari-Pekka Pajuluoma said."
Hunt, a native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, has appeared in 288 career NHL games, including 50 with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2021-22 campaign where he registered 17 points (three goals, 14 assists), 12 penalty minutes and was a minus-three.
The 37-year-old could make his Vaasan Sport & Liiga debut as early as Wednesday as the club is set to face Karpat in their fourth game of the season.
Previously on CanucksDaily
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 13 | 682 ANSWERS European Club Officially Announces the Signing of a Former Vancouver Canucks Defenseman Do you think Brad Hunt's stint in Europe will last more than one season? | ||
| Yes | 422 | 61.9 % |
| No | 260 | 38.1 % |
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