During the Vancouver Canucks‘ Monday night match against the San Jose Sharks , Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli broke the news that the Canucks and top defensive prospect Tom Willander have an agreement in place on an entry-level contract that is set to begin in the 2025-2026 season:
The news comes two days after the Boston University Terriers lost the Frozen Four Championship game against Western Michigan by a score of 6-2. Willander would be held pointless in the match, but registered an assist in each of the first three games of the tournament – including an assist on fellow Canucks prospect Aiden Celebrini’s game-winning goal in the first two minutes of the third period.
After the Frozen Four, Willander returned to Boston Univeristy instead of signing immediately and joining the Vancouver Canucks for their remaining two games and then Abbotsford for their playoff run. Instead, Willander will finish his semester at Boston University and join the Canucks orgainzation starting in the 2025-2026 season.
Willander will now have three full seasons of his entry-level contract to build his resume at the professional ranks and hope for a bigger payday come his time for a contract extension. It was reported earlier today that it was the player’s decision not to sign his entry-level contract. It appears Willander will look to finish his schooling before turning pro.
During his two years at Boston University, the former first-round pick scored six goals and 43 assists for 49 points in 77 games. Willander also represented Team Sweden at the World Junior Championships the past two seasons, where he scored three goals and five assists for eight points in his 14 games. He would finish with a plus-12 rating and a silver medal in 2024.
A teammate of Willander and brother of Lane and Cole, Quinn Hutson, signed an entry-level contract as a college free agent with the Edmonton Oilers and is making his NHL debut Monday night. While Celebrini chose to return to Boston Univeristy next season.
While the Abbotsford Canucks are priming for what is hopeful to be a lengthy playoff run, Willander reportedly won’t be joining the Canucks ranks until the 2025-2026 season after he finishes his current school semester.
