Canucks sign Horvat, Shinkaruk to entry-level deals

The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that they've signed both of their 2013 first-round draft picks, Bo Horvat and Hunter Shinkaruk, to entry-level contracts.

Horvat was selected No. 9 at the June 30 NHL Draft at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with the pick the Canucks received from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for goaltender Cory Schneider. Shinkaruk was taken with the Canucks' own pick, No. 24.

In 67 games with the London Knights last season, the Rodney, Ontario, native recorded 33 goals and 61 points. Horvat scored a league-leading 16 goals and posted 23 points through 21 games during the 2013 Ontario Hockey League playoffs, tallying the winning goal in Game 7 to clinch a berth in the Memorial Cup and earn MVP honors for the OHL playoffs.

Horvat represented Canada at the 2012 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He recorded two goals and four points in five games, helping Canada win the gold. The 6-foot, 206-pound forward also won bronze as captain of Team Ontario at the 2012 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, where he posted four goals and seven points in six games.

Shinkaruk captained the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in 2012-13 and finished with 49 goals and 86 points in 64 games during the regular season. The Calgary, Alberta, native scored three goals and led his team in playoff scoring with six points in eight games.

At the international level, Shinkaruk tallied a hat trick, including the overtime winner, to help Team Canada capture a bronze medal at the 2012 Under-18 World Championship. He also won gold at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

The Canucks on Tuesday also announced they have re-signed left wing Darren Archibald.

Archibald, 23, split the 2012-13 season between the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League and the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL.

In Chicago, he had 22 points (12 goals) and 47 penalty minutes in 55 games. He had 13 points (six goals) and 29 penalty minutes in 18 games with Kalamazoo.