Welcome back to the Blackfish Prospect Report, your weekly update on the Vancouver Canucks’ prospects.
This week was a week for mourning in the Blackfish, as the report lost two members of its core. With a string of trades in Vancouver, we saw two prospects shipped out for assets in return. While astute moves undoubtedly make the big club a far more impactful group, it’s never easy to see a prospect let go.
Let’s dive right in and talk about it.

Abbotsford Canucks

All good things must come to an end, as they say. After a remarkable eight-game winning streak, the Abbotsford Canucks finally tasted defeat, dropping back-to-back games against the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Calgary Wranglers.
However, they managed to salvage a split against the Wranglers, ending the week on a winning note.
With various new and exciting bodies like Jonathan Lekkerimäki, the two young defenders and Erik Brännström – now in Ranger land – the year has felt much different than last year.
This week, however, familiar names like Arshdeep Bains and Max Sasson led the charge offensively. Bains had his most productive week in quite some time, leading the way with two goals and three points, including the game-winning goal on Sunday.
While his offensive production is down slightly from last season, he remains a vital part of the team’s success. He drives play and provides energy and forechecks for his linemates.
Sasson returned to the Abbotsford lineup after an extended stint in Vancouver, where he impressed with his relentless motor and quick pace. He picked up right where he left off, grabbing points in both of his games this week, including his fifth goal of the season.
Unsurprisingly, Sasson had carved himself quite the role in Vancouver, thanks to his non-stop motor and quick-paced play. He may be back in Abbotsford for now, but you best believe he has himself on the shortlist to jump back up if and when the big club requires a spark plug.
Despite the General Manager’s original comments stating that Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s injury he sustained two weeks ago was nothing severe, he missed all three games throughout the week. We’ve learned by now that it’s not uncommon for the organization to withhold injury status, and it looks like this one slides into the “suspect” territory.
Abbotsford will play this Friday in Colorado, so we will see if he joins the club on the road.
The big news from the farm was all around the AHL All-Star game
Ty Mueller, who replaced Elias Pettersson at the AHL All-Star game, travelled to Coachella Valley to represent the Canucks.
Sunday was the Skills Competition, where the 21-year-old rookie took part in three events. Shooting on former Canuck product Micheal DiPietro, he took part in the Rapid Fire event, scoring one of five shots taken.
Second, it was the “Pass and Score” event. He attempted to score on a 3-on-0 breakaway, and he and his trio combined for a double-drop pass.
Finally, he showcased his smooth hands on the final breakaway challenge, going forehand-backhand to get an “oh” from the crowd.
In the game itself, Mueller was rather quiet. Each team played three separate 10-minute 3-on-3 games, with the top two advancing to the championship game. The two-time reigning champs, Team Pacific, lost two of three, and Mueller collected just one point. Stripping the puck at his own blueline, he turned and fired off a backhand stretch pass for an assist.
With Pettersson enjoying his time in the NHL, Kirill Kudryavtsev stepped up and seamlessly led the way on the Abbotsford blue line. He took over Pettersson’s spot on the top pair for a game and responded with a two-point performance, including an empty-net goal.
Kudryavtsev continues to impress in his first AHL season, playing heavy minutes in all situations. His defensive game is particularly noteworthy. He rarely throws big hits, but he utilizes his active stick to disrupt plays, pressure opponents, and force turnovers. He’s a master of stick-on-puck defence and consistently demonstrates excellent gap control.
If hockey doesn’t pan out, there’s always a career in fencing.
Elias Pettersson’s recent NHL stint has been a revelation. He not only picked up his first career NHL point but also earned praise from Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, who called him a “cycle buster.”
His strong play and the addition of Marcus Pettersson have reportedly made Carson Soucy expendable, suggesting that Elias could be a regular fixture on the Vancouver blue line.
Between the pipes, Nikita Tolopilo continues to be the go-to guy in net for Abbotsford. He started two of the three games this week, bouncing back from a loss in Coachella Valley with a 27-of-28 save performance against Calgary.
As for Arturs Silovs, he put an abrupt half to his four-game win streak after he allowed four goals on just 19 shots against the Wranglers. Despite the four wins, it’s been a back-and-forth season for the young Latvian. As was the case last year, he has also struggled with consistency.

ECHL

Another week, another 40-plus save performance, with no offensive help. Ty Young stopped 40 of 43 shots faced on Sunday but couldn’t get any help from the players in front of him. He did enjoy a 31-save performance earlier in the week, but the lack of offensive help has been a recurring theme throughout the year.
Josh Bloom did what he could, adding two points (goal, assist) over the week. When healthy, Bloom has had a decent season, and he is up to eight goals and 12 points through 20 games with the Kalamazoo Wings.

CHL

Riley Patterson continues to thrive in the OHL and has added another six (6!) assists, including this beautiful between-the-legs chip pass.
This wasn’t so bad, either.
Patterson has been as hot as they come in recent weeks and has now posted multipoint games in five of his last seven games. After a slowish start to his draft-plus-one season, he now carries a six-point cushion for first on his team with 46 points, officially firing at a point-per-game clip. He also co-leads the team in goals (19) and leads all forwards in plus/minus as a plus-20 on the season.
You won’t find a more productive player than Patterson within this organization system at the moment.
On the opposite end, it’s been a quiet return for Anthony Romani as he tries to find his barrings with his new team fresh off a lengthy absence. He scored a pretty goal over the week, giving him four with the Barrie Colts. However, it hasn’t necessarily been the explosive return we’d hoped.
Now with the middling Brampton Steelheads, Vilmer Alriksson has also endured a bit of a slump. After a hot start in his few weeks with his new club, he’s contributed just one point over his last five games despite seeing top-flight minutes.
Given his skillset, points aren’t the be-all and end-all; it’s the little stuff he does with his towering body. Given the encouraging numbers earlier in the season, it’s a shame to see the drop-off.
Do you know who did score a goal this week? Basile Sansonnens. The notoriously defensive seventh-rounder potted his first QMJHL goal over the week, collecting the puck and sliding the long-distance shot through the wickets.
Don’t expect much of that, as his game is solely focused on shutting down opponents with his large frame and solid skating.
Parker Alcos left early in one of their games over the week, seeing no ice time in the third period. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He was a minus-3 in that game, as his team eventually conceded by a 6-0 score.

NCAA

Our NCAA section lost a member due to the recent trades made by the Vancouver Canucks. Jackson Dorrington, the club’s 2022 sixth-rounder, is now a member of the New York Rangers organization. Although he brought intriguing defensive abilities, the Northeastern rearguard should be considered a project defender.
Suddenly, the Canucks’ once blossoming NCAA core has now dwindled down to two standouts, both of which could make the jump to the pro ranks.
Those two standouts faced off this week. In the annual Beanpot, Tom Willander (Boston University) and Aku Koskenvuo (Harvard) squared off for game one of the event.
Koskenvuo did not actually get the start, which has been a common theme lately. We’ve mentioned that his job has been in jeopardy after a freshman by the name of Ben Charette came in blazing hot to steal the majority of starts from the Canuck product. But after allowing six goals in the first 40 minutes, Aku came in relief and stopped nine of 10 shots to eventually fall to Willander’s BU by a 7-1 score.
Skating on the team’s second pair, Willander picked up a secondary power play assistant and was a plus-2 in the match. With the victory, BU will take on Boston College in the Beanpot finals, a rematch of last year’s final.
Willander picked up three assists over the week and a plus-3 rating. He’s up to 15 points in 24 games, which aligns with a plus-8 for the campaign.
Aiden Celebrini has been nursing an injury and has missed the last few games. It’s not considered long-term, but he should return within the next week or two.

Sweden

Sadly, we also lost a prominent member of our Swedish section here at Blackfish. Last year’s third-round pick, Melvin Fernström was placed as a piece in the Marcus Pettersson trade and now calls the Pittsburgh Penguins system his home.
Considered a project, Fernström’s NHL upside is still very much in the shadows. Yet, given his high-end shot and solid motor, there was certainly some intrigue. He welcomed his new fan base by scoring a very nice bardown goal and added an assist.
He’s one of the top 18-year-olds in the SHL at the moment.
This leaves our Swedish section with just two prospects, both of which are in jeopardy of losing their rights with the Canucks this summer.
Hugo Gabrielson has quietly made a strong case for himself in the Allsvenskan. With another goal and assist this week, he has now surpassed his career high in points with 22 on the season. At 22 years old, he leads all U25 defenders in points and has been a strong presence in all citations for Nybro. As mentioned, his rights need to be signed by this summer, and he recently signed a two-year extension in Sweden.
We’ll cap this instalment off by answering a question from the comment section:
Defenceman factory: Of the non-pros in the system, it will start next season in Abbotsford.
Great question! Before I answer it, please remember that I will always try to answer any questions from the comment section. Keep’em coming!
The easy answer is Tom Willander. While there is a reality where he makes the big club out of training camp, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get the Jonathan Lekkerimäki treatment.
Like his fellow Swede, Willander represents one of the organization’s only “must-hit” prospects, and I don’t expect the organization to gamble on that by rushing him.
I’d put Willander as a 50/50, but a definite pro by this spring.
To stick with the Collegiate level, I do go back and forth with Aku Koskenvuo. Heading into the season, this was supposed to be his year. He put up terrific numbers to his point, but his first official run as a starter has not gone to plan, and his play has somewhat stagnated.
Combine that with a crowded crease throughout the organization, and we’re struggling to assemble the pieces. As of today, the Canucks have four goaltenders under contract for next year: Thatcher Demko, Arturs Silovs, Ty Young and Jiri Patera. Given how Kevin Lankinen and Nikita Tolopilo (RFA) have played for this system, there’s a very real chance that both will earn new deals.
Solely based on opportunity, we are now leaning toward him staying in college for his fourth year.
We head over to the CHL, where Vilmer Alriksson and Sawyer Mynio are set to turn 20 this spring. In theory, both could head back for their overaged seasons; there isn’t much to prove at those levels anymore.
Alriksson has already impressed during training camp, showing that he can handle the physicality and speed of the higher competition. He’s a physical specimen, shows crafty offensive skills, and plays like a gamer.
Mynio, in particular, has shown everything he can at the junior level. His shutdown game, point production, and poised play have all flourished. With one AHL game already under his belt, it’s time for him to make that pro transition. Not to mention that he’s already earned his Championship.
I sense that he’s moved to Calgary to try for one last Memorial Cup before joining the pro level this spring.
The one that has taken a step back is Anthony Romani, though no fault of his own. With a tough injury setting him aside for several months, it’s been a slow return to play. He turns 20 this summer, but given his interrupted season, he may be the one to hold off on pro. Although, we’d love to be wrong about that one.
Thanks, everyone. We’ll be back next week with another edition of the Blackfish Prospect Report.
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