Defenceman Akito Hirose has been assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced late Saturday morning.
Hirose participated in training camp with the Canucks but suffered a concussion during the third period of his first preseason game against Calgary. When a player is injured during the preseason while on an NHL roster, they cannot be sent down to the minors until their injury status is cleared. Vancouver had to waited for Hirose’s recovery before officially assigning him to Abbotsford. Hirose skated in Friday’s morning skate, meaning he was cleared from concussion protocol.
With this move, Vancouver’s defensive lineup appears solidified. The core six consists of Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers and Carson Soucy, along with Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais, with Noah Juulsen and Mark Friedman vying for the seventh spot. Hirose was not expected to make the final roster, so his reassignment isn’t surprising — it likely would have happened sooner if not for his injury.
The 25-year-old, 6-foot, left-shot defenceman is entering the second year of a two-year, $787,500 AAV contract he signed with the Canucks at the end of the 2023 season. Hirose went undrafted after spending three years at Minnesota State University. He made his NHL debut in 2023, appearing in seven games for Vancouver, recording three assists. However, injuries have hampered his career in the organization since then.
Hirose has played just 44 games (33 with Abbotsford, 10 with Vancouver) during his time with the club. Although this injury was an unfortunate start to the season, he has shown good progress in his recovery and is set to begin the regular season in Abbotsford fully healthy. Abbotsford’s training camp wrapped up today as Hirose joins the group with first-year head coach Manny Malhotra.
Known for his versatility, the Calgary native aims to take the next step in his development and earn a full-time NHL spot before becoming eligible to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of the 2024-25 season.
