VANCOUVER - Markus Naslund says playing in Sweden during the lockout helped convince him that the NHL was where he should be.
''I think playing back here, seeing what it's like, I realized how much I enjoyed North American hockey,'' the Canucks captain said Wednesday during a conference call from Ornskolosvik, Sweden.
''I realized how much better everything is in the NHL, with the refereeing, the type of hockey being played.''
The 32-year-old left-winger spent the lockout season playing with MoDo but yearned for the NHL. That prompted the unrestricted free agent to sign an $18-million US, three-year deal that will probably see him retire as a Canuck.
Vancouver general manager Dave Nonis said with Naslund in the fold, he will focus his attention on signing his restricted free agents. They include goaltender Dan Cloutier, centre Brendan Morrison, twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin, forward Matt Cooke and defenceman Mattias Ohlund.
Also Wednesday, the Canucks traded defenceman Brent Sopel to the New York Islanders. In exchange for the restricted free agent, the Canucks received a conditional draft pick in the 2006 draft.
With Nonis expecting his team's salary to be in the ''high 30s'' - the limit is $39 million - it's unlikely Vancouver will remain in the market for free agent defenceman Scott Niedermayer.
''Unless someone wants to come to play here for a significantly lower salary, I don't think it's hard to add up the numbers,'' said Nonis. ''In terms of making significant changes, I don't see those coming right now. If they do come, I think they will come via trade.''
Currently, the Canucks have six players signed for a total of around $18 million.
''We'll still have our lines in the water with respect to free agency,'' said Nonis. ''Until you have a clear understanding of how much room you have left, if any, it's tough to make any significant moves now.''
On the subject of Todd Bertuzzi, Nonis said he expects to hear by the end of this week or early next when the NHL expects to reinstate the suspended right-winger.
Bertuzzi was banned indefinitely for his on-ice attack of Steve Moore, then of the Colorado Avalanche.
Even though the big power forward missed the final 13 regular season games, the line of Naslund, Morrison and Bertuzzi combined for 74 goals in 2003-04.
Nonis denied rumours Bertuzzi wants out of Vancouver.
''Todd is a member of our club, he's under contract,'' said Nonis. ''Until Todd tells me that's a possibility (wanting a trade), we're preparing for him to play with Markus and Brendan.''
Naslund led the Canucks with 35 goals and 84 points in 78 games in the 2003-04 season. He ranks second all time on the team in goals (265) and points (562).
One of the most popular Canucks, Naslund had been non-committal about returning to Vancouver. There even was speculation he and childhood friend Peter Forsberg wanted to play on the same team.
''There were teams interested,'' Naslund said. ''Waiting to become a free agent you want to see who are the teams that are interested and what they are willing to do. In the end, I would have come back to Vancouver no matter what.
''It was really the only choice for me and my family. We've had the best years of our lives there. I'm very happy to hopefully retire as a Canuck.''
As for playing with Forsberg, Naslund said that was ''not as serious as everyone thought.
''It was something we discussed,'' he said. ''We didn't try to pitch that to teams that we wanted to play together.''
Naslund had eight goals and 17 points in 13 regular season games with MoDo last year.
At five foot 11 and 195 pounds, Naslund's game is built around speed and finesse. He's one of the players that could benefit from the NHL's new rule changes.
''If they are really going to cut down on the clutching and grabbing, I think that's going to be the biggest thing,'' he said. ''(Removing) the red line, I don't know if that is going to make a bigger difference or not. I played without it here in Sweden and I didn't find it that much better.''
Sopel's trade comes a day after free agent defenceman Marek Malik signed with the New York Rangers.
That leaves the Canucks with defenceman Ed Jovanovski signed, and restricted free agents Bryan Allen, Ohlund and Sami Salo.
''We will sign or trade for at last one more defenceman,'' said Nonis.