Vancouver Canucks Officially Lose Exclusive NHL Signing Rights to Forward Prospect

Jackson Kunz with the University of North Dakota.

Photo credit: University of North Dakota.

The Vancouver Canucks have officially lost the exclusive NHL signing rights to a forward prospect that the club selected during the 2020 Entry Draft.

As the National Hockey League’s offseason continues to roll along, there’s one day every year in August that teams circle on their calendar – August 15th, a date that some NCAA prospects are eligible to become unrestricted free agents if they’re not signed by the team that drafted them.

Vancouver Canucks officially lose NHL signing rights to forward prospect on Friday

On Friday at 2 p.m. PT, a total of 27 drafted prospects were eligible to become unrestricted free agents at the National Hockey League level and among them was forward Jackson Kunz, who the Vancouver Canucks selected in the fourth round (113th overall) five years ago.

Given that the Lincoln, Nebraska native is under contract this coming season, albeit in the American Hockey League, he is eligible to sign with any NHL team of his choosing next summer when his deal with Abbotsford expires.

“The signing deadline for prospects graduating from NCAA programs after four years is August 15th. Assuming they were scheduled to graduate at the end of the current season, the following players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents after August 15, 2025:

VAN Jackson Kunz* 2020 RD4, #113 Overall

* Players who have already signed professional contracts for 2025-26 but remain free to sign an NHL contract with any team.” PuckPedia said.

Kunz, 23, appeared in 36 games last season for the University of North Dakota where he put up 15 points (seven goals, eight assists), 21 penalty minutes and was a plus-seven before going on to add one assist in one contest with AHL Abbotsford while on an ATO.

Previously on CanucksDaily

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Vancouver Canucks Officially Lose Exclusive NHL Signing Rights to Forward Prospect

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