Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet subjected to regular dusting.

Speaking of dust, the dust has now settled on the Free Agent Frenzy 2025. Sort of. Transactions will continue right through to the official opening of the 2025/26 season, but the majority of the action is now out of the way, and that should mean that the bulk of GM Patrik Allvin and Co.’s work on the Vancouver Canucks roster is also complete.

It’s been about as busy an offseason as any, though perhaps not as busy as some were expecting. The Canucks hired a new coaching staff, heading by Adam Foote, and actually used their draft picks to select six new prospects. They also signed some key prospects, led by Tom Willander. They traded for Evander Kane. Down on the farm, the Abbotsford Canucks won the Calder Cup, and several of the winning teammates signed contract extensions of their own.

And then, on July 1, 2025, instead of adding anyone new to the mix, the Canucks opted to extend the trio of Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, and Conor Garland.

That’s a lot of action, and we’re not so sure it’s finished yet. But it’s certainly enough of a start for us to begin assessing – or, more importantly, for you to begin assessing.

Whether you’re handing out letter grades or scores out of ten or general vibe checks, we’re interested in your opinion of this roster-jockeying in the immediate aftermath.

This week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

To me it’s between EPD or Kudryavtsev. Neither are high draft picks and cemented themselves as legitimate prospects. EPD may be more than a prospect at this point. The Canucks’ defence looks very promising after years of nothing beyond Hughes.

D-Petey raised his stock the most as a prospect. The only expectation from him at the beginning of the year was to play on the AHL team as a third pairing d-man. Instead, he has all but guaranteed that he will be on the Canucks team next year. So much so, that he wasn’t even included on the AHL roster during the Calder Cup run.

There were high expectations for Lekkerimäki and Willander, and they have done nothing to exceed those expectations. They are good prospects, but achieved exactly what was expected of them.

Silovs has restored the high expectations the Canucks had for him, after a disastrous NHL regular season start.

Karlsson and Bains have both greatly improved their stock with their brilliance during the Calder Cup run. They were both relentless on the ice and produced when it really mattered. They have excellent chemistry together and should be promoted together as a pair to the Canucks.

Autu Raty could have been the prospect to exceed all expectations if he didn’t get sidelined by injuries. He should be a lock for an NHL roster spot, too.

I am going to say Arturs Silovs. He had that great IIHF World Championship two years ago, then mailed in two pedestrian seasons of sub .910 SV% goaltending with Abby and Vancouver before turning it around and winning Playoff MVP on the Calder Cup-winning Abbotsford Canucks in 2025. After three seasons of being healthy for only about 25 starts each (he was noticeably sore for about 26 starts in 2024/25), Canucks need to stop playing games with fans who are mentally stuck in their “bubble Demko 2020” time warp and move the broken Thatcher Demko to a “home for broken goaltenders” somewhere in this league to make room for the Lankinen / Silovs era.

Gotta be D-Petey. Not only did he show well on the ice in all aspects, he clocked in at 23.72 MPH on an incredible back check effort, which rocketed him up to the 99th percentile in top speed among all NHL players. There’s a reason why he’s widely considered untouchable now.

Arty would probably come in second with his incredible playoff performance.

I think EP25 and Kudryavtsev.

Kudryavtsev was a 7^th round pick. So, he rose from the bottom.

EP2. Went from being a third round hopeful to a no-doubt NHL player.

Certainly D-Petey is the answer here.

He started the season looking like a long-term project after seeing some game action in training camp and having a rough go of things. By the end of the season when he was called up, he was looking to be in the top-four of Canuck defensemen.

He came a long way in a very short time. I think D-Petey must be pretty smart and a very coachable guy to adapt so quickly.

Sammy Blais, who would look great with Sherwood and bring more toughness and tenacity to the lineup. Kirill Kudryavtsev who was the unsung hero. Linus Karlsson and Arshdeep Bains. I knew Arty would do well under pressure due to his body of work with the big club, so I won’t include him.

I think the obvious answer is EP25. He went from third round draft pick to a 20-year-old rookie in North America on the Abby Canucks to a bona fide top-six NHL D. I think he has the potential to be a top-four NHL D one day. Honourable mention: Kirill Kudryavtsev.

Mancini raised his stock the most. After being acquired, he showed the potential to be at least a competent third pair NHL D-man. Hopefully more.

Lets see…Silovs’ stock league-wide has risen….

On the blueline, Mancini has reinforced his bid to be an NHL regular.

Bains and Karlsson proved to be money players, but lack of speed probably keeps them out of the NHL. Räty was hurt but will be there for his faceoffs.

Maybe Blais earns a tryout with someone.

Lekkerimäki probably took a step back and needs more AHL time.

Without question Silovs, with an honorable mention to Mancini. Typical Vancouver, where the backup goalie is always the best player on the ice. If only they were given a chance in some outdoor game somewhere! He went from playoff stud to suffering from Dan Cloutier perimeter shot disorder. Only to rise from the ashes and take the Abby Canucks to Calder Victory. I hope he is either on the big club or part of a trade package to hopefully bring in a centre or young winger.

Definitely D-Petey, turned from a question mark into solidifying his place on the bottom pair, and showing he could very quickly be top-four. There’s a reason they didn’t send him back to Abby before the cutoff, they don’t see him as an AHL player any longer. Hits like a train and doesn’t make a lot of bad plays. Looking forward to seeing him next season.