Welcome back to the Blackfish Prospect Report.

We’re in the thick of the pre-season schedule, which, let’s be honest, can start to feel like an eternity. Sure, these exhibition games allow the coaching staff to evaluate bubble players, help veterans shake off the summer rust, and give fans something to get excited about, but six games can feel daunting.

That said, this year’s camp has provided some opportunities for a select few to spread their wings and really stand out.

Max Sasson is one such player. He’s skated in all five of the Vancouver Canucks’ pre-season games, showcasing his typical two-way game, even if his stat line only shows a single goal. He hasn’t stood out in every game, particularly in the last one, but considering the workload (five games in seven nights), he’s shown resilience and posted a 51.81% Corsi. Sasson’s play has been as advertised — responsible and effective, the makings of a solid fourth-liner. While he’s nearly a lock to start the season in Abbotsford, expect to see him in a Canucks’ jersey at some point this season, should the need come about.

Aatu Räty and Jonathan Lekkerimäki have led the pack, as they should, with each appearing in four pre-season games. Räty, in particular, has been one of the Canucks’ most impressive players early on. His skating has noticeably improved, his hustle is evident, and he’s been dominant in the faceoff circle. Coming into the pre-season, there were concerns about his skating and overall consistency, but those doubts are quickly being erased. He has yet to take a night off and is making a serious push to crack the opening-night roster as a third or fourth-line center. Though some AHL development time might still be beneficial, it’s hard to ignore the incredible growth over the summer.

As for Lekkerimäki, he has been more than just an offensive force, leading the Canucks in pre-season points with a goal and two assists. What’s been most impressive is his commitment to defensive play — something that hasn’t always been associated with his profile. His hockey IQ and unique creativity have been on full display. While the physicality of the NHL may still present challenges, the idea of Lekkerimäki making the Canucks out of camp isn’t as far-fetched as it once seemed. That said, we still believe he’d benefit from starting in Abbotsford to thrive in a top-six role, shooting a ton and building confidence with a few goals to kickstart his North American career.

Kirill Kudryavtsev has arguably been one of the standout defenders. His calmness on the puck, effective stick work, and vision have been evident throughout the pre-season, and he looks ready for AHL hockey. Competing for a spot in a crowded Abbotsford blue line that includes names like Christian Wolanin, Elias Pettersson, Akito Hirose, and others, Kudryavtsev has shown he’s up to the task. Don’t take our word for it, though. Head coach Rick Tocchet has mentioned his name several times over the last few weeks and doubled down after Monday’s tilt in Edmonton.

“Kirill, he can break the puck out of heat. I’m really impressed with him.”

Speaking of prospects who have left a lasting impression, Vilmer Alriksson was re-assigned to the Guelph Storm but didn’t leave empty-handed. Alriksson was a standout at the Young Stars tournament and carried that form into Canucks camp and eventually the pre-season, earning an entry-level contract. His size and physical play, combined with his rapidly developing skill set, make him easily one of the more intriguing prospects within the system. If you are new here and are just getting familiar with his game, buckle up for this year.

Meanwhile, Abbotsford Canucks training camp kicks off this Wednesday and runs through Saturday. While schedules have yet to be confirmed, fans can expect four days of open sessions, culminating in a full-team scrimmage on Saturday.

With that in mind, we anticipate seeing one last list of cuts, which will likely include the bulk of those Abbotsford-bound players, as Vancouver gets primed to set their official opening-day roster.

Several Canucks prospects saw action in the opening week of the CHL season.

It was a busy few days for Sawyer Mynio, who spent Friday evening making his NHL pre-season debut against the Seattle Kraken. Like his fellow defensive prospects, he looked comfortable and “not out of place” in the game. He even garnered praise from the head coach, which says a lot for a 19-year-old third-round pick.

The next morning, he was re-assigned to the Seattle Thunderbirds. Just hours later, he was making his season debut against the Wenatchee Wild. As expected, he played a ton of minutes and registered a single assist in a 5-4 overtime decision. He was on the ice and had just made a tremendous play to gain the zone before the goal happened, for which he wasn’t credited with an assist.

Basile Sansonnens and Parker Alcos also made their respective debuts in the QMJHL and WHL. Sansonnens skated on the second pairing for Rimouski in both games, while Alcos slotted in on Edmonton’s top pairing, registering a primary assist in his first game.

Riley Patterson had a rough weekend, getting ejected for a slew foot in his second game after a quiet debut.

The week’s standout was Anthony Romani, who posted an empty net goal and two assists over two games for the North Bay Battalion.

He was heavily involved in his team’s offensive play, logging over 21 minutes and showing us exactly where those 111 points came from last year. Romani’s ability to control the game from the half-wall on the man advantage is impressive, and at even-strength, his vision was on display for much of the weekend. While he ultimately finished with just three points, it could have been much more.

Stay tuned as we introduce a new “Player Spotlight” section next week, which we will debut with a deeper dive into Anthony Romani’s game.

As you’ll see, Lucas Forsell has a cross next to his name. Following his season debut, the 21-year-old was rushed to the hospital to undergo a procedure to fix an inflamed appendix and is expected to be out week-to-week. It’s a tough break for a kid who’s not only fighting for elevated minutes among his team but is running out of time to secure his entry-level deal with the Canucks (which expires next summer).

On a brighter note, Melvin Fernström is off to a great start. The 18-year-old forward split his week between the SHL and J20 leagues, scoring his first SHL goal while logging a season-high 15:38 on Örebro’s third line.

Through three SHL games, he now carries the team’s second-highest Corsi rating (57%) and is now just one of seven teammates with two or more points, despite averaging less than nine minutes so far.

With five points in six games across both leagues, Fernström is making a name for himself early in his draft-plus-one season. Already, we’ve seen the intrigue with the player. He tends to make “light” plays with the puck and provide disappointing giveaways for free with pressure, but we are impressed with his work ethic so far and his want to get more invested in the plays. As expected, there is still a long way to go with such a raw skill set, but he’s off to a great start as an 18-year-old.

That’s it for this week’s Blackfish Prospect Report. Next week, we cover the NCAA, where several Canucks’ prospects are set to make their season debuts, including Tom Willander. Watch for an NCAA primer article this week here at CanucksArmy.