CANUCKS RECALL ASHTON SAUTNER UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS

Mar 24, 2018

Utica, NY – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the Canucks have recalled defenseman Ashton Sautner under emergency conditions from the Utica Comets. In a separate transaction, Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced that the club signed forward Matt Leitner to a professional tryout contract.

Sautner, 23, has recorded 12 points (3-9-12) in 59 games with the Comets this season. The 6-0, 194-pound defenseman shares the team-lead in plus/minus with a +9 rating and ranks second among blueliners with 84 shots on goal. In 156 career AHL games, all with Utica, Sautner has registered 28 points (7-21-28).

A native of Flaxcombe, Saskatchewan, Sautner was originally signed by Vancouver as a free agent on March 14, 2015. He was signed to a two-year, two-way contract extension on March 8, 2018.

Leitner, 27, has skated in 48 ECHL games with Manchester Monarchs this season tallying 37 points (9-28-37) and 18 penalty minutes. The Los Alamitos, California native has appeared in 34 career AHL games amassing nine points (0-9-9) and 10 penalty minutes.

The forward is skating in his third professional season out of Minnesota State University (Mankato).

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