VANCOUVER — Restricted free agent forward Jannik Hansen is back on the Vancouver Canucks’ payroll but there’s no guarantee he’ll be on the NHL roster when regular-season play opens Oct. 1.

Hansen, 23, signed a one-year, two-way contract Wednesday and will earn $550,000 US at the NHL level. He’ll make just $75,000 Cdn if he’s dispatched to the minors, although he does require waivers to be sent down.

Last season, the Canucks carried fringe forward Mike Brown for four months rather than lose him on waivers. They finally dealt Brown to Anaheim for minor-league defenceman Nathan McIver on Feb. 4.

“There is a premium around the NHL for young players,” explained Canuck assistant GM Laurence Gilman. “When you have a player at this point in his career, there is always an element of risk that another team may claim him. But that’s something we will address if and when the time comes.

“I think Jannik proved last year that he is capable of playing in the NHL,” Gilman added. “If he comes to camp prepared, I think he has every chance to make our club. It’s going to be up to Alain Vigneault and the coaching staff to determine what the mix of players will be and what positions they will play within the lineup.”

Hansen began last season on the team’s third unit with Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows but eventually lost his lineup spot after breaking a finger Feb. 19 in Ottawa. A native of Denmark, Hansen collected 21 points in 55 outings. He was a frequent healthy scratch late in the year and dressed for just two of the Canucks’ 10 playoff games.

The Hansen signing moves the Canucks’ salary cap picture to $53.368 million for 22 players and does not include prize prospect Cody Hodgson, who will almost certainly start with the big club because he’s too young, at 19, to play in the minors.

Hodgson’s cap hit is $1.7 million counting bonuses. His base salary is $850,000. Bonuses, if reached, can be carried over to the 2010-11 season.

The Canucks are also expected to add a top-six blueliner which would put them over the 23-man limit and require a deletion from the current list.

“Having too many players falls into the category of problems you don’t mind having,” Gilman said.

Teams are permitted to exceed the cap by 10 per cent during the off-season but must be at, or below, the $56.8-million threshold when the regular season opens.

epap@vancouversun.com