The Abbotsford Canucks are back at it this weekend, closing out their California swing with one last two-game stop in San Jose.

Their opponents, the San Jose Barracuda, are sitting second in the Pacific Division and riding a 6-2-1-1 stretch over their last 10. As has been the case in most weeks, their position is a sharp contrast to an Abbotsford group that’s still searching for a foothold in a season derailed by injuries, call-ups, and a rotating lineup.

The same two teams met nearly two weeks ago, when the Canucks snapped their 11-game losing streak with a rare moment of relief. The problem? They dropped both games that followed, sliding right back into the pattern that has defined their first quarter of the year.

Now, midway through a six-game road trip, they roll into the Tech CU Arena with a 3-11-0-2 record for a firm hold on the bottom of the Pacific Division. They’re now only a point away from falling to last in the entire league.

So what’s the problem here? The issues run deep. Their 26 goals rank 31st out of 32 teams, while the 68 goals they’ve allowed lead the league by a wide margin. Add it up, and you get a staggering minus-42 goal differential, which tells the story on its own.

Special teams have also played a significant role in their struggles this season. While their power play (23.5%) has been fine, their incredibly inconsistent penalty kill has been a substantial detriment to their score. Sporting a 71.2% for the year, they sit 31st in the league. The silver lining? The only team sitting with a worse percentage is the very team they are facing in San Jose, who sit with a dreadful 65.5%.

But context matters. Injuries have dismantled Abbotsford’s lineup, emergency recalls, and an unprecedented run of bodies shuttling between the AHL and NHL. It’s challenging to build momentum when the roster changes daily, but there are finally signs of reinforcements.

They’re inexperienced, banged up, and lacking confidence.

Nikita Tolopilo is back skating and appears close to returning, though his availability for this weekend remains unclear. On the blueline, the group received a needed boost with Victor Mancini being reassigned from Vancouver. Whether it’s a short conditioning look after missing time or something longer remains to be seen, but any stability on the back end is welcome at this point.

Abbotsford’s blueline has been battered for weeks, so Mancini’s addition gives them a legitimate right-side presence again. His arrival should help settle the special-teams rotation and lighten the burden on the younger defenders.

Lekkerimäki made his AHL debut last week and immediately injected some life into the offence. He scored, added an assist, fired nine shots, and was consistently one of the more dangerous forwards on the ice. As long as he remains with the team, he will be leaned on heavily as a must-score option.

With Nils Aman injured (because, of course, another injury), Mueller saw an uptick in responsibility and delivered. He has three points in his last three games and looks like a player who’s slowly building his confidence back up after a tough start for everyone involved.

Alriksson has quietly turned some heads. His production is modest — just two goals — but his willingness to live at the net front has earned genuine trust from Manny Malhotra, who has rewarded him with top-line minutes.

Jett Woo (upper body): Injured during the 2025 Calder Cup run, which he played through. Woo is listed as month-to-month and is expected back sometime in December.

Guillaume Brisebois (lower body): The full extent of the injury is unknown, but he is expected to miss significant time, with a possible return not anticipated until early 2026.

Nikita Tolopilo (lower body): Recovering from a groin injury, Nikita Tolopilo joined the team on their road trip. While it’s unclear when he’ll return, it is expected to be sometime this week.

Chase Stillman (lower body), Cooper Walker (lower body), Nils Aman (undisclosed), Jackson Kunz (undisclosed)

A significant chunk of Abbotsford’s core is currently with the big club, including:

Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, Linus Karlsson, Aatu Räty, Jiri Patera and Tom Willander

After wrapping up this two-game set in San Jose, the Canucks head to Tucson for another pair — their first meeting of the year with the Roadrunners.