Canucks sign Ohio State defenceman McWard to entry-level deal

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have inked yet another college free agent, signing defenceman Cole McWard to a two-year, entry-level deal on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old McWard joins the Canucks after two seasons at Ohio State University where he had nine goals, 12 assists and eight penalty minutes in 39 games this year.

The six-foot-one, 192-pound blue liner played 149 games with the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League (USHL) before starting his collegiate career, registering 23 goals, 34 assists and 101 penalty minutes.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a release that McWard produced well during his time at Ohio State and excelled in a leadership role while in the USHL.

McWard is Vancouver's latest college free-agent acquisition, coming after the team signed Western Michigan University centre Max Sasson and Minnesota State University defenceman Akito Hirose to contracts last week.

The Canucks also signed 2019 draft pick Aidan McDonough to a two-year, entry-level deal earlier this month after the forward concluded his NCAA career at Northeastern University.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023.