Welcome back to Blackfish: our weekly Vancouver Canucks prospect report.

If you haven’t done so, be sure to check out our recently wrapped up top-15 prospect rankings. Although it does offer some intriguing future options, the list was a good reminder of just how important the 2026 NHL draft will be in kick-starting this organization’s rebuild. It is in desperate need of a game breaker, and this summer should manage to bring that.

With that list going on, we did take last week off from the report, but we will clean up any news that may have happened during that time. Abbotsford dropped back down to earth following a three-game win streak and was hit with a major injury update. Meanwhile, our NCAA roster is gearing up for its push toward the NCAA Frozen Four. Meanwhile, Riley Patterson and Braeden Cootes continue to push toward career highs in their respective CHL squads.

Let’s dive right in.

Ty Mueller continued his strong stretch, posting two goals and five points over five games since our last report. He now has 15 points over his last 13 games and continues to lead the team with 28 points.

What happens in Vancouver at the trade deadline will dictate a lot, but Mueller is a player we’d love to see earn a promotion at some point during the final stretch. He’s taken over as the team’s top-line centre, playing in all situations and handling the heavy defensive responsibilities that come with it.

We also received news no one wanted to hear: Jonathan Lekkerimäki will reportedly miss the remainder of the season and undergo shoulder surgery.

The shoulder issue had lingered for some time, and rather than wait until the offseason, he elected to address it now. While unfortunate — particularly with the likelihood that he would have seen meaningful NHL minutes down the stretch — it does allow him ample recovery time ahead of next season.

The real question becomes timing. It’s clear Lekkerimäki needs to continue adding strength and improving his skating to be effective at the highest level. Does this recovery timeline hinder that? If so, that’s yet another offseason spent rehabbing rather than fully training. However, it may also have been perfect timing, giving him ample time during the off-season to address what’s needed and get in his best off-season work he’s had since turning pro.

Before the news broke, he did manage to score two outstanding goals, a reminder of just how dynamic he can be when healthy.

Speaking of health, it’s now confirmed that Chase Stillman broke his fibula in late October and has been sidelined ever since. He has returned to the Abbotsford lineup and scored his first goal of the season — and first as a member of the Canucks’ system.

Vilmer Alriksson and Kirill Kudryavtsev continue nurse injuries.

Josh Bloom is red hot in the ECHL. Since being loaned to Kalamazoo and making his debut on January 24, only two players have produced more points:

Twelve of those points have come since our last Blackfish installment, giving Bloom a 1.38 points-per-game pace during his stint down in the third tier.

This isn’t new territory for him. Bloom finished third in Kalamazoo, scoring last year despite playing just 43 games. The skill has always been there. It’s clear that he can produce, as he typically has in his career. The issue has been translating that production — and consistency — to the AHL level. Now 22, he’s an RFA this summer. Do the Canucks believe he can make that jump? So far, he hasn’t been given the type of leash that would indicate that.

Joining him in Kalamazoo is 22-year-old Aku Koskenvuo. He is coming up on nearly a month without seeing any game action and was actually brought up to Vancouver to practice with the team during the Olympic break.

With regular-season play resuming, he was reassigned — and notably dropped two tiers — to the ECHL. That move isn’t particularly surprising, as we expected a usage swap between him and Ty Young.

After a 13-game ECHL stint, Ty Young was recalled to Abbotsford and made his first start since December 2, 2025, earlier this week in Henderson. Although he suffered the loss — still searching for his first AHL win of the season — he stopped 34 of 38 shots in a tight 4–3 defeat. Giving him the opportunity to bounce back from a tough stretch earlier in the season is an important cookie to hand him after what was a strong rookie campaign in 2024-25.

Riley Patterson continues to produce at an elite level, posting nine points (five goals, four assists) over his last five games. He continues pacing toward the 90-point mark and has already blown past his previous career highs in both goals and total points.

The same upward trajectory applies to Braeden Cootes, who contributed five points (two goals, three assists) across six games. Now sitting at 50 points on the season, Cootes is on pace for new career highs — despite playing significantly fewer games this year. His previous career highs: 63 points in 60 games. His current point total: 50 points in 38 games.

Since joining Prince Albert, he has led the Raiders with 27 points, seeing ice time in all situations as one of the team’s primary drivers.

With three separate two-point games, Kieren Dervin now has six points over his last six games. Featuring a pair of high-end finishes this week, he continues to show why we remain intrigued by his development. Kingston isn’t a high-scoring club, but Dervin now co-leads the team with 36 points in his first full OHL season.

That’s now more than Gabriel Chiarot, who picked up four points to reach 34 on the season. He continues to see top-six — and occasionally top-line — deployment in Kitchener, though the production hasn’t quite followed him there at the same rate as earlier in the year.

Still unsigned, Parker Alcos announced via Instagram that he will be committing to the Quinnipiac Bobcats beginning in the 2026–27 season.

If he formally commits before June 1, his NHL rights are expected to extend to at least August 15, 2028. We reached out to PuckPedia regarding the specifics of the new CBA and prospect rights, and there remains some grey area. There is a possibility his rights could extend through the full four years of his NCAA eligibility.

Regardless, he’s headed to the NCAA — and his rights remain with Vancouver for at least another two years.

It was another difficult stretch for Aleksei Medvedev, who allowed eight goals on 52 shots across two starts and failed to record a win. His save percentage continues to hover below the .900 mark, now sitting at .896 on the season.

The good news? His London Knights have officially clinched a playoff spot.

Unlike most leagues, the NCAA is approaching the end of its regular season and preparing for conference tournaments and the Frozen Four.

Here’s where each Canucks prospect stands:

According to USCHO.com, Anthony Romani’s Michigan State (24-6-0) sits as the top-ranked team in the nation, leading the Big Ten Conference. Romani has maintained a third-line role throughout the season and should continue in that spot as they gear up for a deep postseason run. Per PlayoffStatus.com, they currently hold an 18% chance of winning the National Championship. Michigan State wraps up its regular season on March 6.

Right behind them in the ECAC, Matthew Lansing’s Quinnipiac Bobcats (25-6-3) rank seventh nationally and top in their respective conference. Lansing is having a strong freshman campaign, particularly given his bottom-six usage. Quinnipiac wraps up its regular season on February 28.

In the NCHC, Daimon Gardner’s St. Cloud State sits fifth in conference standings, while Wilson Björck’s Colorado College sits eighth. Gardner has struggled to carve out a consistent role, while Björck continues to see steady top-six minutes. St. Cloud has already wrapped its regular season, while Colorado concludes play on February 28.

In Hockey East, Matthew Perkins (Northeastern) and Aiden Celebrini (Boston University) find themselves in similar positions. Northeastern sits fifth, while BU holds a surprising eighth seed. Both teams wrap up their regular seasons on March 7.

That will do it for this week’s report. Thanks for checking in, and we will see you next week!

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