Welcome back to the Blackfish Prospect Report.

The trade deadline is now behind us, and somewhat surprisingly, we did not lose any members of our beloved blackish team. All <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> prospect stayed put.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;

We now shift our focus to the playoffs, which are fast approaching for these youngsters. Some of them have already played their first games.

This week, we learned that all the organizations' CHL representatives will see playoff matches, with a few coming in red-hot with production.

Let's dive right into the good stuff.
<h1>Abbotsford Canucks</h1>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-140966 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/Abby.png" alt="" width="1211" height="572" />

It was an up-and-down weekend for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-linus-karlsson-records-four-point-game-abby-canucks-5-4-overtime-victory">Abbotsford Canucks</a>, as they split their weekend series against a close division rival. Statically speaking, it was a lacklustre weekend, with them being shutout in game one of the series.

Nevertheless, a few names came out to play on Saturday, carrying the load for a thrilling comeback overtime victory.

Linus Karlsson led that charge, who provided two and two to finish as the overtime hero. With that final goal, he tied Sheldon Dries for the franchise lead in goals with 65.

<em>Due to the X/Twitter cyber attack, tweets will not embed. Each of the tweets will have a screenshot with the link to the post below to watch! Sorry for the inconvenience.</em>

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141026 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH1.png" alt="" width="599" height="508" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898610942252085715

With the inevitable record, he’ll now be considered the franchise's top player with the most goals and points (140).

Now the question is, will he be a Canuck past this summer (UFA), or will he leave his numbers to be broken by the next up.

Next up in the goal department are Danila Klimovich and Tristen Nielsen, who both scored over the weekend to sit with 46 apiece.

For Klimovich, he picked the corner with the very inches that the San Jose netminder gave him. With that snipe, he ties Jonathan Lekkerimaki for the team lead with 19, two above his previous career high.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141027 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH2.png" alt="" width="601" height="405" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898592094266306945

He’s now just three points shy of his career high of 29 with 17 games to go, which he’s currently on pace to shatter.

In addition to the goals, we actually like what we’ve seen over the last few games. He’s made a more conscious effort on defense and has been playing a relatively disciplined game.

As for Nielsen, he snapped a 10-game pointless skid, delivering a beautifully placed snapshot up and over the Barracuda netminder.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141028 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH3.png" alt="" width="596" height="510" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898603897637482903

As much as we love Nielsen’s game, it’s been a rather disappointing contract year for the recently turned 25-year-old.

With the heads-up stretch pass, Christian Wolanin became the first player in franchise history to hit the 100 assist mark as a Canuck and is bow three points shy of Dries for third place in franchise points.

Sitting second in franchise points (121) is Arshdeep Bains, who collected a secondary assist in the game-tying goal late in the third period.

The primary helper went to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/tape-inspecting-every-shift-vancouver-canucks-max-sasson-nhl-debut">Max Sasson</a>, who capped off a three-point effort in the overtime win. In addition to the game-tying goal, he provided Karlsson the primary pass in overtime.

He also kicked off the team’s scoring earlier in the game, scoring a beautiful shorthanded goal, where he looked at Karlsson and snapped the puck to the short side.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141029 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH4.png" alt="" width="598" height="439" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898587600417628657

Like many this season, it’s a down year off his tremendous rookie season from last year, especially in the plus/minus department. Regardless, we know what we get with Sasson, and he continues to sit on that bubble of NHL deployment as a speedy workhorse type.

In net, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/what-happened-vancouver-canucks-carolina-hurricanes-brock-boeser-deadline-day">Vancouver Canucks</a> flexed their close in proximity affiliate muscles, reasoning Arturs Silovs to Abbotsford to squeeze him into a match between Vancouver games.

He played a solid game despite allowing four goals, stopping 24 of 28 shots to earn his ninth win in his last 10 American League games. After a slow start to the season, he’s worked incredibly hard to bring his goals against back over .900, now sitting at a .902 for the year.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Nikita Tolopilo suffered his sixth loss in a row on Friday and has put up sub-25 saves in five of those losses.

We’ve loved the Belurrissiona game over his two-year tenure, but his play in a contract year – combined with Ty Young's surge –  has certainly left us questioning what will happen to his rights this summer.
<h1>Kalamazoo Wings</h1>
After a two-game stint in Abbotsford (one assist), Josh Bloom was sent back to Kalamazoo ahead of the team’s three-game weekend slate. And boy, did he show up.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141030 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH5.png" alt="" width="600" height="419" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898171794961711498

In the trio of games, he scored five goals and six points, firing a whopping 16 shots on target. That included his first professional hat-trick.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141031 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH6.png" alt="" width="599" height="485" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898269427919163671

With 21 points in 28 games, he now has the third-highest totals among all Kalamazoo skaters, despite playing a far fewer games. As we’ve said before and shown in these goals, his speed and skill stand out in the third-tier league.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141032 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH7.png" alt="" width="599" height="578" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898881887642493087
<h1>CHL</h1>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-140967 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/CHL-1-1.png" alt="" width="1210" height="237" />

We broke down the playoff pictures in our <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/blackfish-vancouver-canucks-prospect-playoff-outlooks">last Blackfish installment</a>. As of this week, as six of the Canucks’ CHL prospects have officially clinched playoff berths.

And heating up just before the postseason is <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-prospect-anthony-romani-traded-barrie-colts">Anthony Romani</a>, who recorded another three goals and four points over three games this week. That’s now goals in five of his last six and 10 points during that span.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141033 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH8.png" alt="" width="599" height="533" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1897830704173711786

After a relatively slow return from injury (with a new team), he has now scored 20 points (14 goals, six assists) over his last 23 games with the Barrie Colts.

Despite a scorching stretch lately, Riley Patterson finally had an off week. He was held pointless and had a minus-6 rating over the three games.

Although Vilmer Alriksson is still nursing an upper-body injury, his Brampton Steelhead did clinch a spot this week.

Over in the Western League, Sawyer Mynio continued to rack up points. With another three assists, he has eight points (three goals, five assists) over his last six games.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141034 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH9.png" alt="" width="598" height="512" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1898898759691780198

With six games remaining on the heavy-hitting Calgary Hitmen schedule, Mynio is on pace for 45 points in 49 games to nearly hit a point-per-game for the season.

Those points have come beautifully, too, with two of those three goals coming off standard Mynio blasts. Meanwhile, two of those assists were beautiful cross-ice dishes.

No points for Parker Alcos since returning from a lower-body injury, but he continues to patrol a second-pair spot. His Edmonton Oil Kings also clinched a playoff berth this week.

As hosts of the tournament, Basile Sansonnens Rimouski Oceanic is guaranteed a spot in the Memorial Cup. Even so, there’s a decent chance they’d make it anyway, as they are considered strong candidates to exit the league this year.
<h1>NCAA</h1>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-140968 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/NCAA-1.png" alt="" width="1212" height="237" />

That’s a wrap on <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-prospect-tom-willander-boston-university-win-2025-beanpot-championship">Boston University’s</a> regular season. They capped off the 2024-25 campaign with back-to-back victories, outscoring their opponents 14-3.

BU finishes in third place and earns an automatic berth into the quarterfinals. Hold your horses, though. While each game is single elimination, BU will still challenge for a run at the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/7-potential-2025-ncaa-free-agent-forwards-vancouver-canucks-could-target">Frozen Four tournament</a>, meaning the Tom Willander wait could stretch into mid-April.

Here are the dates to look out for:

<strong>Hockey East playoffs</strong>
Quarterfinals: March 15
Semifinals: March 20
Finals: March 21

<strong>Tournament</strong>
Regionals: March 27-30

<strong>Frozen Four (If advanced)</strong>
Semifinals: April 10
Finals: April 12

<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/cas-top-20-vancouver-canucks-mid-season-prospect-rankings-2-tom-willander">Tom Willander</a> picked up an assist through the weekend and a plus-3 rating. Meanwhile, Aiden Celebrini picked up two assists himself.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-141035 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/DH10.png" alt="" width="598" height="455" />

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1897829224079335561

It was a big weekend for Aku Koskenvuo, who got the nod in Harvard's round one elimination match despite a relatively mediocre season.

He was the right choice, as he stopped 36 of 38 shots en route to a 5-2 victory over RPI to advance to the ECAC Quarterfinals against Clarkson next Friday.

With the strong outing, there’s a good chance Aku gets the nod once again.

As for Matthew Perkins, Daimon Gardner and Jackson Kunz, their three-game quarterfinal matches begin next weekend.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-140971 size-full" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/aa.png" alt="" width="1281" height="422" />

That will do it for this week's report. As always, please feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comment section!

<strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Blackfish: Anthony Romani and Sawyer Mynio stay cooking, Tom Willander watch is on, and more

Recent articles from Dave Hall

Breaking News