May 20th, 2025
Isaac Henry
To call the 2024-25 Vancouver Canucks season disastrous would be a fair assessment, if not an understatement.
Beyond missing the playoffs, the team’s core of Demko, Hughes, Hronek, Pettersson, Miller, and Boeser has largely fallen apart. Miller was traded mid-season to the New York Rangers after a fallout with Elias Pettersson that was made a meal of by the Vancouver media and has largely affected the play of Pettersson, whose production has fallen to an alarming level for a player with an $11.6 million cap hit. In net, Demko, coming off a Vezina caliber season, was unable to play consistently and reach his previous levels as he was met with a plethora of injuries. While Boeser and Hronek enjoyed satisfactory seasons, it seems that Brock Boeser testing free agency is imminent, with term seeming to be the issue in contract negotiations.
The one bright spot amidst all of this is Quinn Hughes, who continues to produce at a best defenceman and top 10 player in the league level. But with the captain becoming an unrestricted free agent in two years, having previously expressed an interest in playing with his two brothers (both on the New Jersey Devils), and an unsure franchise direction, fears of the captain departing for free are beginning to creep in. These fears were only exacerbated by the departure of head coach Rick Tocchet, who Quinn Hughes has spoken very fondly of, and a collection of press conferences in which President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford was perhaps overly transparent on how the captain was taking the news of his now former coach’s departure. Adam Foote has since been promoted from within to take Tocchet’s spot at the helm but with replacements for Miller and Boeser looming as well as decisions to make on other UFAs like the emergent Pius Suter, as well as decisions to be made on a variety of high-level prospects such as Tom Willander, this offseason looks to be a complex one that is difficult to forecast.
With that in mind, as well as the uncertainty of the future look of this franchise, I have decided to do a preview of where current Canucks and prospects will find themselves in 3 years from now (a timeframe deliberately chosen with Quinn Hughes’s contract expiry in mind) rather than my traditional ideal offseason article.
Please note that certain prospects who are largely viewed to have 0 NHL potential whatsoever, as well as older players on Abbotsford who have not found themselves to be regular call-ups, will not be included in the spirit of making sure this article isn’t absurdly long. Additionally, players who split time between multiple teams but play a reasonable amount at the higher level will be listed under the higher level team, even if they are on a 2-way contract signed with the lower level team.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Goalies
Thatcher Demko | Van Canucks | 1 year x $5 mil until UFA | 2014 2nd round | 29 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Tandem Starter. Call me an optimist, but I do believe that Thatcher Demko will return to at least very close to the levels he reached in the 2023-24 season and showed he is capable of in the seasons leading up to it, even if he has to play 40-50 games a year rather than 60. Despite being a UFA, I think Demko will feel he has something to prove in Vancouver, and I believe that management will still see him as the number one guy, even with the $4.5 million contract given to Kevin Lankinen near the end of the season. Speaking of Lankinen…
Kevin Lankinen | Van Canucks | 5 years x $4.5 mil until UFA | Undrafted | 30 years old
San Jose Sharks - Starter. Despite a fantastic season from the Finn, who was undoubtedly an excellent pickup, there is reason to be skeptical of the price of his recent extension. While I believe it to be reasonable initially to play him as a tandem with Demko to relieve injury pressure on Demko, as time goes on I think upwards pressure from the promising goaltending prospects of Silovs, Tolopilo, and Young will cause the Canucks to move on from Lankinen as a result of his cap hit. As I still believe he’ll be an okay starting level NHL goalie and with the salary cap going up, I can see the Canucks trading him for a 2nd or 3rd round pick to a team like San Jose in 2-3 years who will use him for a couple seasons as a goalie who can allow their young core to begin to compete for playoffs before eventually finding their long term solution for the prime years of Celebrini, Smith, and their current 2nd overall pick’s careers.
Arturs Silovs | Van Canucks | 1 year x $0.85 mil until RFA | 2019 6th round | 24 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Tandem Backup. While last season was definitely a step back for Silovs who burst onto the scene with Demko and DeSmith’s injuries in the first three games of the 2024 playoffs, the Latvian international still shows promise in the long run. I project an absolutely dominant season on the horizon in Abbotsford that gives management the confidence to move on from Lankinen and play him as a tandem goalie with Demko, despite the distinction that Demko is clearly the go to guy for the big moments.
Nikita Tolopilo | Abby Canucks | Pending RFA | Undrafted | 25 years old
Boston Bruins - Backup. One of the things that could stand in the way of a dominant Silovs season is none other than Nikita Tolopilo who himself has looked very good in his first two seasons in North America. But with a crowded depth chart around him, I see Tolo leaving for somewhere he has a better chance of proving himself and eventually working his way onto an NHL roster as a backup for a lower level team after a good season or two at his new AHL home.
Ty Young | Abby Canucks | 2 years x $0.825 mil until RFA | 2022 5th round | 20 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Starter. Another promising prospect, with significant youth on both Silovs and Tolopilo, I see Ty Young making the most of his opportunities and going on to becoming a solid starter in Abby, as well as someone who is depended on to play 3-5 NHL games a year filling in as a backup when there is an injury.
Jiri Patera | Abby Canucks | 1 year x $0.775 mil until UFA | 2017 6th round | 26 years old
HC Sparta Praha - Starter. Patera, who played 6 NHL games with Vegas as recently as the 2023-24 season only appeared 7 times in Abbotsford in his first year in green and blue. A solid and experienced goaltender at only 26, don’t be surprised if Patera goes home to Czechia and stars with an elite team in his native country.
Defencemen
Quinn Hughes | Van Canucks | 2 years x $7.85 mil until UFA | 2018 1st round | 25 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Top Pair and Captain. Perhaps this is the most biased decision, but knowing that management will do everything possible to make him stay, I have to believe Quinn Hughes will stay, perhaps because of denial and fear of imagining him anywhere else. We know the threat of New Jersey and the prospect of playing with his brothers is very real, but I don’t believe the Devils will be in an amazing place themselves and having seen Quinn’s actions since taking over the captaincy after the Bo Horvat trade, I think he will take ownership and responsibility of helping this team stay competitive himself. As for money, with the cap going up and management knowing that Quinn Hughes re-signing is an absolute necessity to avoid a rebuild (which we all know ownership absolutely loves), I wouldn’t rule out an AAV of as high as $14 million with the term obviously being the maximum of 8 years.
Filip Hronek | Van Canucks | 7 years x $7.25 mil until UFA | 2016 2nd round | 27 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Top Pair. I expect to see Hronek play out the rest of his contract in Vancouver. He seems to like the city, played for a long time in Detroit before being traded here, indicating that he likes to remain settled, and has proven to be a useful option on both the offensive and defensive end, whether acting as Hughes’ accomplice or driving a pair of his own.
Marcus Pettersson | Van Canucks | 6 years x 5.5 mil until UFA | 2014 2nd round | 29 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Second Pair. Pettersson is a favourite of management, indicated by the decision to go out and flip the Miller pick instantaneously to bring him (alongside Drew O’Connor) to Vancouver. I see him remaining and being a solid two-way second-pair defenseman to help one of the young guys flourish as they develop towards their prime, whether that guy ends up being Willander, Mancini, or Elias Pettersson.
Tyler Myers | Van Canucks | 2 years x $3 mil until UFA | 2008 1st round | 35 years old
Retired. The two years remaining on Myers’s contract seem to be the perfect amount of time as the team tries to gradually integrate young prospects in the position. Given he will be 37 by the time it expires and will have spent eight seasons in Vancouver, I think Myers calls it a day and gets a dignifying retirement.
Derek Forbort | Van Canucks | Pending UFA | 2010 1st round | 33 years old
Dallas Stars - Third Pair / Healthy Scratch. There’s a good chance Forbort re-signs for another year, but I don’t think it’s likely we’ll see the big man stay in Vancouver long term. With his experience and defensive quality, he can be a great option to play 55 games for a cup-contending team with a younger d-core such as Dallas.
Elias Pettersson | Van Canucks | 2 years x $0.838 mil until RFA | 2022 3rd round | 21 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Second / Third Pair. It’s hard not to be extremely excited about what D-Petey has shown in his first season in North America. After a strong start in Abbotsford, he took his chance with the big club and kept himself in the lineup with performances that weren’t just good enough but genuinely quality, even ignoring his youthful circumstances. I would expect him to be playing second pairing minutes if it weren’t for him and his namesake Marcus Pettersson both being lefties and his main competitors in Willander and Mancini being righties, therefore I see him slotting into the lineup card on the third pair but playing minutes that more accurately reflect a middle pairing defenceman.
Victor Mancini | Van Canucks | 1 year x $0.87 mil until RFA | 2022 5th round | 22 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Second / Third Pair. I thought that Mancini has looked really solid since settling in in his albeit limited opportunities, on account of the play of Elias Pettersson. Additionally, in his time in Abbotsford, he has shown the offensive capability he possesses. Despite being a 5th-round pick, there is a reason he was a dealbreaker piece in making sure the Rangers’ Miller package was satisfactory. I think after a few years to continue his development, Mancini will be a regular in the lineup on a second pair with Marcus Pettersson, though he will probably play closer to third pairing minutes overall due to limited defensive and penalty killing abilities compared to Elias Pettersson.
Tom Willander | Boston University | Unsigned | 2023 1st round | 20 years old
New York Islanders - Second Pair. I think it’s inevitable that while chasing at least one top 6 forward through the trade market, the Canucks will move one of Pettersson, Mancini, and Willander. While many speculated the Canucks would move Willander due to not being able to agree on a contract, that has since been taken care of as I expected. Why I do think he gets moved is that he has the highest value of any of the three in terms of the return the Canucks are able to get for him, and he is the least proven of them having not yet played professional hockey in North America. I see management using him as a key piece in a trade to bring in a top-six forward. As for the landing spot, it is hard to know for certain, but with the Islanders firing their GM and winning the draft lottery, are they looking to potentially move some players for assets like Willander that will peak at a time interval closer to their first overall pick? Barzal is a BC boy but has a high price tag, hence a high-level prospect like Willander likely needing to be involved.
Noah Juulsen | Van Canucks | Pending UFA | 2015 1st round | 28 years old
Philadelphia Flyers - Third Pair. Juulsen makes no sense to be re-signed, despite repeatedly being thrust into the lineup when healthy over the past two seasons. It’s clear to see that the player is a favourite of Rick Tocchet and as a UFA my guess is he’ll follow him to his next destination and stay 3-4 years.
Kirill Kudryavtsev | Abby Canucks | 2 years x $0.825 mil until RFA | 2022 7th round | 21 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Top Pair. The former 7th-round pick has shown potential beyond where he went and even made his NHL debut in the last two games of the season. With a crowded d-core ahead of him but young in age, I think Kudryavtsev continues to develop in the farm and plays a dozen games up a year when the injury bug starts to hit.
Guillaume Brisebois | Abby Canucks | Pending UFA | 2015 3rd round | 27 years old
Laval Rockets - Second Pair. The longest serving Canucks skater if Boeser leaves, Brisebois’s time in the NHL has been limited albeit long lasting. Having only played for one franchise, perhaps the pending UFA prefers a change of scenery, maybe somewhere closer to home.
Sawyer Mynio | Calgary Hitmen | 2 years x $0.838 mil until RFA | 2023 3rd round | 20 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Top Pair. Mynio appears to be a solid find in the third round and a player who could potentially make the league at some point. He isn’t a good enough player to force himself in immediately, though. Expect him to continue growing in Abbotsford on a top pair with Kudryavtsev.
Cole McWard | Abby Canucks | Pending RFA | Undrafted | 23 years old
Charlotte Checkers - Second Pair. Despite having played 6 NHL games, at 23 and without an appearance since November 2023, I don’t know if he ever will again. I see him playing middle pairing AHL minutes in a new destination 3 years from now.
Akito Hirose | Abby Canucks | Pending UFA | Undrafted | 26 years old
Milwaukee Admirals - Top Pair. At 26, Hirose is probably more of a longshot to add to his 10 NHL games than McWard. I do believe he’ll try to though, moving to an AHL affiliate of a weaker NHL team.
Christian Felton | Abby Canucks | Pending RFA | Undrafted | 25 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Second Pair. Felton is a late bloomer at 25 after coming out of college but he seems to be a solid piece for Abbotsford to keep around for the near future.
Aiden Celebrini | Boston University | Unsigned | 2023 6th round | 20 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Second Pair. It’s perhaps too early to forecast Aiden’s future, however he wouldn’t be a bad guy to keep around if it has any sort of impact on his brother sometime down the line.
Forwards
Elias Pettersson | Van Canucks | 7 years x $11.6 mil until UFA | 2017 1st round | 26 years old
Vancouver Canucks - First Line Centre. Despite rumours of Pettersson getting moved, I think the prospect is unlikely as it would fully signal a failed era to the dismay of ownership and likely push away Hughes who wants to be on a winning team. Additionally, the return for him would be at an all time low. I don’t think it’s wishful thinking to assume Pettersson returns to his elite level either - this will be his first full season in years without something nagging him and even in this horrendous season he’s had, we’ve seen flashes over two distinct stretches of the player we all know that he can be.
Brock Boeser | Van Canucks | Pending UFA | 2015 1st round | 28 years old
Carolina Hurricanes - First Line RW. The writing seems on the wall that Boeser will be playing NHL games for a team that is not the Vancouver Canucks for the first time next year in his 10th NHL season. While the player has repeatedly mentioned he views Vancouver as home, disagreement with management over term indicates a departure is likely imminent. While the door is not fully shut and both camps could potentially circle back if nothing gets done early in free agency, Boeser has likely earned an 8x8 contract somewhere, especially given the cap increase, making a contract of that sort a lot less daunting. The Canes, looking to replace Marty Necas and now Mikko Rantanen, could look to Boeser as a proven goalscorer alongside Andrei Svechnikov and a player like Sebastian Aho on the first line who can carry more of the defensive burden that Boeser doesn’t.
Jake DeBrusk | Van Canucks | 6 years x $5.5 mil until UFA | 2015 1st round | 28 years old
Vancouver Canucks - First Line LW. DeBrusk enjoyed a solid first season in Vancouver overall, albeit with many hot and cold streaks as is common of the former Boston Bruin. With a shortage of top-six options currently, the recent addition is likely to stick around for a while, presumably on a line beside Elias Pettersson.
Connor Garland | Van Canucks | 1 year x $4.95 mil until UFA | 2015 5th round | 29 years old
Philadelphia Flyers - Second Line RW. Though not heavily speculated, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Canucks move on from Garland after his current contract expires at the end of the year. With the team in need of top-six options and devoting significant chunks of cap to multiple players in the bottom-six, I can see the Canucks trying to devote the cap from Garland (an option for the top-six but not a bona-fide top-six player despite all that he offers to the team) to upgrade on a potential plug in top-six player for the upcoming season given the attempt to bring in two guys in the top-six may be difficult to navigate cap wise. With Tocchet signing in Philadelphia and the two having a great relationship dating back to the Coyotes, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tocchet put in a word to management to try and acquire Garland.
Filip Chytil | Van Canucks | 2 years x $4.438 mil until UFA | 2017 1st round | 25 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Third Line C. I struggled between predicting this or Chytil being a young retiree. The Czech has a horrific history of concussions that unfortunately have followed him to Vancouver in his early days, missing the end of the season after a dirty hit from former Canuck Jason Dickinson in a game in mid-March. I do think Chytil will be able to work through it, though to some degree. Despite the Canucks allegedly trying to flip him for Josh Norris, I don’t see other clubs valuing him highly given the injuries. He should be a great 3C when healthy for the Canucks for the foreseeable future, though the club should be wary of having depth below four centres in anticipation of Chytil’s injuries returning.
Pius Suter | Van Canucks | Pending UFA | Undrafted | 28 years old
San Jose Sharks - Second Line C. Sadly, I think we’ve seen the last of my personal favourite player on the Canucks. Suter’s career offensive year by a large margin, coupled with continued elite defensive play, particularly on the penalty kill, has earned him a deserved contract raise. With the Canucks already tight on cap, the need to bring in a proper second line centre, already having a player like Chytil in competition for the 3C spot, and having more depth options in the position with the likes of Blueger and Raty, I don’t see Suter re-signing in Vancouver. With much of his production coming in an elevated role as a result of injuries, I think Suter signs somewhere like San Jose, where he gets the opportunity to play higher up the lineup and help lead an exciting young team towards their era of contention.
Nils Hoglander | Van Canucks | 3 years x $3 mil until UFA | 2019 2nd round | 24 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Second Line LW. Let me preface this by saying I would not be surprised whatsoever if Hoglander was dealt in the offseason alongside a pick and prospect to acquire an elite top 6 player. He’s shown to be a good NHLer at a young age and able to play up and down the lineup giving him value to other teams, but with his $3 million per year new contract kicking in the Canucks could use shipping Hoglander as a way to both shed cap and add trade value at the same time. I’m almost 50/50 on whether or not Hoglander will stay, however, if he does, I believe he’ll turn into an excellent piece for the team, repeatedly hovering around 30 goals. Hoglander hit a rut of form at the beginning of the year, which overshadowed how good he was to end the season. Still only 24 and having played top-six minutes on and off, I think this season could see a natural opportunity for Hoglander to have an extended stretch in the top-six, and frankly, I think he’ll make the most of it.
Kiefer Sherwood | Van Canucks | 1 year x $1.5 mil until UFA | Undrafted | 30 years old
Columbus Blue Jackets - Third Line RW. Sherwood has been an absolute revelation in his first year as a Canuck and absolutely unbelievable value at only $1.5 million. Unfortunately, this may turn out to be too good when it comes to trying to keep him in Vancouver after this season. Trying not to sound like a broken record, let me emphasize again that the Canucks already have lots of cap devoted to bottom six players. Sherwood is probably in line for something like the 4 x $3.25 million contract Joshua got after last season, and it just feels like with Joshua breaking out one year earlier, there isn’t room to keep Kiefer around and pay him what he deserves. The Columbus, Ohio native could return to his hometown team, however, I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him go to a more competitive team in a bigger market, given his clear to see passion and energy that has made him a fan favourite here in Vancouver.
Dakota Joshua | Van Canucks | 3 years x $3.25 mil until UFA | 2014 5th round | 29 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Third Line LW. Joshua will almost certainly bounce back after an absolutely brutal season on a personal level that started with a cancer diagnosis was further derailed by injuries. Even with all that in mind, Joshua continued to do the reliable things that make him a great bottom-six player beyond his point production from his breakout year. I don’t see Dak going anywhere.
Drew O’Connor | Van Canucks | 2 years x $2.5 mil until UFA | Undrafted | 26 years old
Ottawa Senators - Third Line LW. Despite O’Connor being a good player and a solid addition to the Marcus Pettersson trade, with other bottom 6 competitors around him he is one of the few Canucks that seems to be somewhat disposable. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him moved for a 4th round pick in the next two seasons as mid-season trade needs come up, nor would I be to see him play out his new contract and move somewhere new after. Ottawa feels like somewhere he could end up in three seasons' time.
Teddy Blueger | Van Canucks | 1 year x $1.8 mil until UFA | 2012 2nd round | 30 years old
Pittsburgh Penguins - Fourth Line C. With Pettersson, Chytil, the emerging Raty, and Aman all in competition at centre, and the possibility that Pius Suter could re-sign (even though he likely won’t), I think it’s unlikely Blueger remains in Vancouver for many years to come despite being exactly what’s been needed since he joined. Getting into the older years of his career, who’s to say a 33-year-old Blueger won’t want to return home to where he’s played most of his time in the NHL, especially with a few of his former teammates due to receive some legendary appreciation as they inch towards retirement.
Aatu Raty | Van Canucks | Pending RFA | 2021 2nd round | 22 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Fourth Line C. Raty has been a late bloomer, taking a long time to develop, but his run in Vancouver down the stretch of the season showed just how good he can be if he continues to develop and reaches his full potential. I forecast Raty to technically be a fourth-line centre, but with his ability in the faceoff dot and Chytil’s injury issues, I think the role he’ll be playing will be one much more flattering than the technical title of being a 4C.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki | Van Canucks | 2 years x $0.918 mil until RFA | 2022 1st round | 20 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Second Line RW. Lekkerimaki was not overly productive in Vancouver in his first year in North America, but make no mistake this does not tell the full story for the 2022 15th overall pick. Despite the fact that he spent many of his 24 NHL games getting bad usage both in terms of minutes and quality of linemates, the real story lies in his AHL numbers. Lekkerimaki put up 19 goals in 36 games for Abby, a spectacular output. Being of a playstyle that typically takes longer to adapt to the physical rigours of NHL hockey, I would read much more into the positives than the negatives of Lekkerimaki’s 2024-25 season. With a few seasons to gradually develop, don’t be surprised to see him in a regular top-six NHL role three years from now, even though he still won’t fully be in his prime yet at the time.
Linus Karlsson | Van Canucks | 1 year x $0.775 mil until RFA | 2018 3rd round | 25 years old
Vancouver Canucks - Fourth Line RW. Karlsson has slowly improved over the years since joining the Canucks organization in 2019. I think he’s a player worth keeping around who can be quite a solid bottom-six player, but likely nothing more. It wouldn’t shock me if he left, but I don’t expect it to happen either.
Nils Aman | Van Canucks | 1 year x $0.825 mil until RFA | 2020 6th round | 25 years old
Leksands IF - First Line C. Aman has been solid as a 4C over the last three seasons for the Canucks, but his NHL games total has decreased by 25 and 24 games respectively over the last couple of seasons. With a competitive centre group in Vancouver, I wouldn’t be surprised if Aman jumped back across the pond to his former team back in his home country at some point over the next three seasons.
Max Sasson | Van Canucks | Pending RFA | Undrafted | 24 years old
Toronto Maple Leafs - Third Line C. Sasson was frankly amazing in his first shot at NHL action and has definitely become a personal favourite of mine. I was quite frustrated to see the lack of chances he was given in the latter half of the season, and it leads me to believe he won’t be a long-term piece in Vancouver. At only 24 years old, I definitely think he will have a decent career as an NHL bottom-six player and can see him ending up somewhere like Toronto if he ends up leaving the Canucks.
Arshdeep Bains | Van Canucks | Pending RFA | Undrafted | 24 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - First Line LW. The local boy who went undrafted has shown some promise and produced quite well in Abbotsford, but has a measly 1 point in 21 NHL games despite getting some decent lineup opportunities at times. I don't think Bains will ever be an NHL regular, but I see him as someone who will stick around and continue to play well in Abbotsford while also featuring in a half dozen NHL games each season.
Phil Di Giuseppe | Van Canucks | Pending UFA | 2012 2nd round | 31 years old
Toronto Marlies - Second Line LW. The aging forward has been a good veteran presence with the Canucks throughout his tenure but his NHL opportunities are dwindling and will continue to with the number of younger options on the cusp of NHL action. It may be time for Phil to move on somewhere else that could use him for 30-40 games a year and his veteran leadership, what better fit than the Leafs?
Danila Klimovich | Abby Canucks | 1 year x $0.833 mil until RFA | 2021 2nd round | 22 years old
San Diego Gulls - Second Line RW. Klimovich looked to show some promise in his early days after being drafted in the second round, but hasn’t exactly been spectacular in Abbotsford. I don’t think he’s fully given up on trying to make a career in North America, but a change of scenery does seem in order.
Ty Mueller | Abby Canucks | 2 years x $0.87 mil until RFA | 2023 4th round | 22 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - First Line C. Mueller had a solid first professional season, even getting into 2 NHL games at the end of the year with a depleted centre group. He’s not NHL-ready but is a solid player who I expect to continue to develop in Abbotsford and maybe eventually have an NHL career.
Riley Patterson | Barrie Colts | Unsigned | 2024 4th round | 19 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Second Line C. Patterson has had a couple of solid OHL seasons, hovering around a point per game. A few years from now, he’ll likely be in Abbotsford trying to work his way towards a shot in the NHL.
Vilmer Alriksson | Brampton Steelheads | 2 years x $0.86 mil until RFA | 2023 4th round | 20 years old
Djurgardens - Second Line LW. Alriksson hasn’t been overwhelmingly good in the OHL and probably doesn’t have an NHL future ahead of them. Though only 20, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in Sweden and have a solid career as a SHL top-six forward.
Josh Bloom | Kalamazoo Wings | 1 year x $0.837 mil until RFA | 2021 3rd round | 21 years old
Abbotsford Canucks - Second Line LW. Bloom has split time between Abbotsford and Kalamazoo the last few years and been solid. He had good OHL numbers and should be a solid piece in Abbotsford for many years to come, maybe even pushing for Vancouver at some point.
Anthony Romani | Barrie Colts | Unsigned | 2024 6th round | 19 years old
Michigan State University - First Line RW. Romani recently committed to Michigan State, coming off a season where he was traded to Barrie and played with fellow Canuck prospect Riley Patterson. I predict Romani will finish off his four years in school before pursuing a pro hockey career.
As can be seen, I forecast the Canucks will likely have to shed some of their forward depth and defensive prospects in order to concentrate value into two top 6 forwards that are what this team is missing. As for the holes that are created, they are likely to be filled mostly with guys who are performing well in Abbotsford, taking up bigger roles with the big club. Through this, assuming management is successful in bringing in a couple big guns, I expect this team to be successful through increased production from young guys as they continue to develop into their primes, as well as better luck than the 2024-25 season where it seemed that everything possible that could go wrong did.