Canucks sign Defenceman Yannick Weber

Vancouver, B.C. (PM) Vancouver Canucks President & General Manager Michael D. Gillis announced today that the Canucks have signed defencemen Yannick Weber, Jeremie Blain and Alex Biega.

Weber, 24, split the 2012.13 season between the Montreal Canadiens and Geneve Servette of the Swiss League. With Montreal, Weber collected two points (0-2-2) and two penalty minutes in six regular season games. The 5’11”, 193-pound defenceman also recorded 21 points (5-16-21) and 40 penalty minutes with Geneve.

He has appeared in 115 career NHL games, notching 32 points (5-27-32) and 52 penalty minutes. He also recorded four points (3-1-4) in six NHL playoff games.

On the international stage, Weber has represented Switzerland on three occasions at the World Junior Championships, serving in the capacity as captain in 2008. He also played for the Swiss national team at the 2009 World Championships and 2010 Winter Olympics.

The Morges, Switzerland, native was originally selected by Montreal  73^rd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Blain, 21, split the 2012.13 season with the AHL Chicago Wolves and ECHL Idaho Steelheads. The 6’2”, 192 lbs. defenceman registered four assists and 40 penalty minutes with the Wolves. In 47 games with the Steelheads, he collected 31 points (7-24-31) to rank second among defencemen on the team in scoring.

The Longueuil, QC, native was originally selected by Edmonton 91^st overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Biega, 25, spent the 2012.13 season with the AHL Rochester Americans, collecting 25 points (5-20-25) in 72 regular season games and adding two assists in three playoff games.

The Montreal, QC, native spent four years with Harvard where he compiled 70 points (15-55-70) in 131 games. While with Harvard, he was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team (2006.07), All-Ivy League First All-Star Team (2008.09) and ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team (2008.09).

The 5’10”, 191 lbs. defenceman was originally selected by Buffalo 147^th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Canucks sign Center Brad Richardson

Vancouver Canucks President & General Manager Michael D. Gillis announced today that the Canucks have signed centre Brad Richardson.

Richardson, 28, appeared in 16 regular season games for the Kings in 2012.13, recording six points (1-5-6) and 10 penalty minutes and played 11 playoff games, collecting one assist.

Over the span of his eight-year NHL career with the Kings and Avalanche, the Belleville, Ontario native registered 105 points (43-62-105) and 183 penalty minutes in 391 games in addition to 10 points (5-5-10) and 14 penalty minutes in 45 playoff games. Richardson was a member of the LA Kings Stanley Cup championship team in 2012.

The 5’11”, 191-pound centre was originally drafted 163^rd overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.