Jett Woo out week-to-week, Danila Klimovich out day-to-day, and a bunch more Abbotsford Canucks updates

The Abbotsford Canucks were back in action on Thursday night and that provided media access for the first time since their last home game on January 23rd.

Notable prospects missing from the Canucks’ lineup on Thursday included Jett Woo and Danila Klimovich. It was confirmed in the post-game media availability that both were missing due to injury.

Abbotsford head coach Trent Cull confirmed that Klimovich will be available on the team‘s homestand that sees five games in eight nights.

As for Woo, who has battled injuries throughout the season, he will not be returning to action on the homestand. Cull said that Woo is “week-to-week” as he recovers from an undisclosed injury.

It has been a tough year for the 21-year-old defenceman who has played in 20 of a possible 33 games for the Canucks. He had a rough start to the season but was beginning to find his way before injury struck. This latest injury is just another bump in the road of a season where Canucks fans hoped that Woo would take another step after last year’s promising rookie AHL season.

Now for some good news.

Sheldon Rempal added two points to his season total on Thursday. He has continued to look like the most dangerous offensive threat in Abbotsford and his play is beginning to look like he should be the next winger call-up to the NHL team.

Rempal has six goals and two assists in his last four games and is on a tear of late. He is creating chances on almost every shift and his current line alongside Nic Petan and Will Lockwood has so much speed at the AHL level and gives other teams fits at five-on-five.

Head coach Trent Cull has seen Rempal really find the best in his game with the Abbotsford Canucks this season.

“Rempal is a guy who’s having a new life, so to speak,” said Cull. “He’s a guy who’s kind of bounced around over the last few years and hasn’t found that success. With us here, he’s over a point per game and I appreciate how he works and competes. I think he’s done a good job of driving our offence.”

More good news comes as Jack Rathbone is beginning to find the rhythm that he has been searching for. Rathbone had multiple rushes up ice where he broke the forechecker’s pressure and sprung through the neutral zone before gaining the offensive zone with possession.

Rathbone finished Thursday’s game with four shots on net and showed some grit as he stuck up for himself after taking a cross-check to the back that sent him hard into the boards.

I’m sure you’d like to see more of a reaction from the team but it was a 3-2 game and the Canucks needed a power play. There was a small reaction after the clip ends but it resulted in the Canucks getting a power play where Rathbone was playing mad and sprung through the zone and almost went coast-to-coast for a goal.

Finally, coming off of a big interview with yours truly, Yushiroh Hirano continued to score in the highest-level league he’s ever played in. He scored his third goal in five games and is beginning to look more dangerous every game with Abbotsford.

It’s clear that Hirano has a high-end AHL shot. When he gets enough time and space, he can absolutely rip the puck with accuracy. Cull was asked in the post-game about the things that Hirano does away from the puck and what Cull’s evaluation is of him in the AHL so far.

“He’s a positionally sound guy, he’s responsible,” said Cull. “He knows what his jobs are and he’s catching up to the pace of the American Hockey League. I still think a little way to go but he does have an AHL shot and he’s got a knack offensively of knowing where to be on the ice.”

We’re excited to see how Hirano continues to develop in the AHL. So far, so good as the Japanese-born winger continues to find the back of the net. It’s a great story, and if you haven’t had a chance to read our interview with him I’ll leave a link right HERE.

The Abbotsford Canucks now have a busy week with home games on Friday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

With taxi squads being a thing of the past, Abbotsford has their full roster as well as three goalies to work with over this busy week. They should have no excuses to put up a fight in all of this coming week’s games. It should be some exciting hockey at the Abbotsford Centre over the next eight days!