Alexandre Grenier, the Canucks’ third-round pick (90th overall) in last year’s NHL entry draft, has signed a one-year contract to play next season in Austria’s top professional league.
The Canucks, who made Grenier a contract offer to retain his rights for another year, are onside with the move and see it as a better option for the 20-year-old right winger.
Grenier will play for high-profile EC Red Bull Salzburg, who are coached by former NHL coach and GM Pierre Page.
“He had an opportunity to go to Europe and play against men and to play for a really good hockey man in Pierre Page,” said Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman on Thursday. “We supported that wholeheartedly and we’ll continue to track him there.”
Gilman said playing for Salzburg is a better fit for Grenier than the East Coast Hockey, where he would begin his professional career if he stayed in North America.
Grenier, a big (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) player with good offensive skills who is a classic late-bloomer, had a solid first full season of major junior with Halifax Mooseheads. He collected 25 goals 64 points in 64 games in the regular season and four goals and 16 points in 17 playoff games.
But just as Grenier showed soft hands and an affinity for the power play, he also needs work on playing in traffic and cutting down on turnovers.
“He’s a late-bloomer, an intriguing prospect, that’s why we drafted him in the third round,” said Gilman. “If things go well this year, we would look at signing him next year.”
With Friday being the deadline for signing players drafted in 2010, the Canucks opted not to offer contracts to goaltender Jonathan Iilahti (175th overall) and defenceman Sawyer Hannay (205th overall), and will no longer own their rights.
