We continue our breakdown as we list our top 20 ranking of the Vancouver Canucks’ prospects here at CanucksArmy.

Don’t read too much into Ty Young dropping 9 spots from our midseason prospect rankings and our summer prospect rankings. Obviously, the Canucks have added some high-quality prospects to their organization in the time since. With that in mind, though, it is still fair to say that Young’s 2025-26 season marked a statistical step down from his first pro season in 2024-25.

In 2024-25, Young put up an eye-popping .926 save percentage with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings, and upon getting a shot to make his AHL debut and get 11 games with AHL Abbotsford, he impressed there as well, posting a .904 save percentage and showing maturity beyond his years.

In 2025-26 however, Young’s numbers dipped both in the ECHL and the AHL as well. But before anyone starts foolishly panicking, it’s vital to remember just how volatile goaltender development is, especially when jumping into the professional ranks. Just two years ago, people were asking me questions about whether they should be concerned that Young lost his WHL starter’s job in Prince George to Joshua Ravensbergen. Then he turned pro and all those “concerns” went away.

For a 21-year-old netminder, hitting a sophomore slump is practically a rite of passage. Goalie development is rarely a straight line upward, and minor speed bumps along the way are typically nothing to be concerned by. Young still possesses the raw, unteachable traits that the Canucks’ brass — particularly Ian Clark — covet. He’s got a solid 6’3″ frame, good length, moves well laterally, and naturally seals the ice effectively. Young’s developmental foundation remains strong, and a single season dip in numbers doesn’t erase his high-end toolkit.

Assuming the Canucks carry three goaltenders and that Nikita Tolopilo mostly spends his time on the NHL roster, Young is going to be battling it out with fellow young goaltender Aku Koskenvuo for AHL starts down in Abbotsford. By signing Mitchell Weeks this week, the Canucks added to their goaltending depth and flexibility with their AHL and ECHL creases. No matter what happens, Young is going to get ample opportunity to play this upcoming season, and as a netminder who doesn’t turn 22 until September, there’s plenty of time for Young to comfortably find his footing at the AHL level.

Ceiling: We remain steadfast in our belief that Young’s intangible abilities give him legit NHL starter upside. Whether he reaches that potential remains to be seen, but the tools are absolutely there.

Floor: Goalies can be so volatile. If we’re still talking about an ECHL/AHL goaltender when Young is 25, it feels like we’d be getting close to nailing down where Young’s floor is. Right now, his pro floor looks high enough of an AHL backup.

NHL ETA: Goalie timelines change all the time. Will Thatcher Demko be a Canuck for the next three years? Will Kevin Lankinen finish out his contract? Will Nikita Tolopilo be claimed on waivers? Will the Canucks claim a goaltender of their own off waivers? On the other side of it? How long will highly-touted young netminder Aleksei Medvedev need before he’s ready to move on up to the NHL? How about recently drafted Dmitri Ivchenko? Timelines change all the time for goaltenders, often for reasons beyond their control. With all that in mind, we’d put Young’s timeline to be an NHL-ready backstop around 2028-29. But remember, every goalie is just a few unfortunate events from making their NHL debut at any given time.

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