West Central area native Ashton Sautner is heading back to the NHL after a brief stay in Utica playing for the Comets who are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. He got the call on Tuesday as Oscar Fantenberg has been put on IR by the team. Sautner skated in 17 games for the Canucks last season registering a point in those games. Sautner has spent the majority of his career in the minor leagues since signing with the Canucks in 2015. Sautner has played in 22 games in all since signing with Vancouver collecting 3 assists and 4 penalty minutes. Sautner spent his junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings. In four years with the team was very successful winning 2 WHL championships along with the CHL Memorial Cup championship in 2014 beating the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League 6-3 in the final game. Sautner served as team captain in his final season in Edmonton in 2014-15 where he scored 12 goals and 39 assists for 51 points in 72 games.

It will be a nice increase in salary for the West Central native as he will be making $700,000 USD in the NHL compared to only $100,000 USD playing in the AHL. This will be Sautner’s third stint with the club and first this season as the Canucks are planning to carry seven defenceman on their 4 game road trip that began in St. Louis October 17. The Canucks currently sit at 3-2 this season which is good for 5th in the Pacific Division.