Report: Canucks don't intend to issue qualifying offer to Hutton

Ben Hutton appears to be headed toward unrestricted free agency.

The Vancouver Canucks are not planning to qualify the defenseman, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

As a player with arbitration rights, Hutton's salary was going to jump out of Vancouver's comfort zone, adds Friedman.

Hutton, a pending RFA, would become a UFA if the Canucks don't tender him a qualifying offer.

The 26-year-old produced 20 points over 69 games in his fourth NHL season and ranked second on the club in average ice time, logging 22:21 per contest.

He's coming off the second campaign of the two-year, $5.6-million extension Hutton signed with the club in November 2016.