We’ve officially hit our fifth prospect in our top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.
Today, we look at a young forward who played at three levels of hockey, culminating in the most monumental moment of his career.
Josh Bloom
Team: Abbotsford Canucks | Age: 21 | Position: Left Wing | Height: 6’2 | Weight: 183 lbs | Shoots: Left
There aren’t many North American hockey players who can say they played among three levels of competition in a single season, but Josh Bloom now has that bragging right.
To put it bluntly, the 2023-24 was nothing short of a whirlwind year for the now 21-year-old.
Kicking off what he thought would be his first year as a professional player in Abbotsford, his introduction to the transition was bumpy.
While he showed off his highly competitive motor and tenacious forecheck, Bloom struggled to stand out physically and could not find time to properly utilize the offensive game that he had proven at the junior level.
Keep in mind, at just 20 years old (at the time), the struggles were quite standard and expected.
After months of low-utilized ice time, seven out of 21 games of healthy scratches and just one assist to show, he was sent down to Kalamazoo (ECHL) with hopes of finding more minutes and, eventually, his pro footing playing amongst men. Unfortunately, after a brief eight-game stint, it was decided best for his development to return to juniors to regain form and recapture the game both he and the organization felt he could bring.
Heading back to the Saginaw Spirit, where his junior career began, Bloom enjoyed a top-line role on one of the OHL’s top teams and eventual Memorial Cup tournament hosts.
Despite a slow adjustment back to the less structured junior game, Bloom would put up 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in just 34 games, which included a 16-game point streak where he notched 29 of those points.
Two more goals for Josh Bloom 🔥
He's got goals five straight and points six–18 points in 20 games. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/3gBrCDlTpO
— Dave Hall (@hall1289) February 18, 2024
He added another four goals and 11 points across 17 playoff games, and finished third in Memorial Cup points with two goals and six points.
Of course, the highlight of his season — and his entire hockey career — came with 21.7 seconds remaining in the Memorial Cup Final against the same team that knocked them out of the OHL playoffs just weeks before.
Sitting on the front doorstep, Bloom managed to jam home the tournament-clinching goal, setting Saginaw ablaze en route to capturing the organization’s first Memorial Cup in franchise history.
JOSH BLOOM WITH THE BIGGEST GOAL IN @SPIRITHOCKEY HISTORY ❕ #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/QP95TGQHt3
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 3, 2024
“There are no words right now. That’s probably the biggest goal of my career,” a spirited Bloom said after the final buzzer sounded. “Having our hearts ripped out of our chest and smashed into a million pieces, we found a way to put it back together, and now we’re champs.”
"Having our hearts ripped out of our chest and smashed into a million pieces, we found a way to put it back to together and we're champs"
Josh Bloom on defeating the London Knights, who beat them in the Conference Finals. #Canucks
📹 @TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/DmBvYr1SJs
— Dave Hall (@hall1289) June 3, 2024
Earlier this summer, still buzzing from being the king of Saginaw, Bloom attended his fourth NHL development camp — second as a Canuck — and there was an obvious sense of leadership and pride in both his on and off-ice demeanour.
He brought a certain pep to his game and was highly vocal and hardworking throughout the week. Now it’s time to take that momentum and impress his new Abbotsford bench boss, Manny Malhotra.
With his confidence beaming and now a year older, Bloom will look to lock down a permanent spot on the Abby team next season and officially kick off his journey toward becoming an NHLer.
The on-ice package brings hints of everything. Whether it’s energy needed from a good hit, tenacious forecheck, or a goal at either even strength or the powerplay, Bloom is the type of player you want in those moments.
Ceiling: He’s a water bug with an offensive flair to his game. He’ll work hard for his puck touches and knows how to bury them when in the right spot. If he can add some weight and piece everything together, he offers intriguing middle-six NHL upside as an energy provider.
Floor: We feel that his game should have what it takes to consistently provide substance at the AHL level. Freshly 21, his runway is long, allowing him to continue finding his game and hopefully find a common ground between his ceiling and floor.
ETA: We’re likely looking at a few years of transition. It will be curious to see how he fares as a pro this time around, with firsthand knowledge and experience. Regardless, we anticipate a year or two of development at the AHL level before he’s ready for a few cups of coffee in the NHL during the 2026-27 season.
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