The Vancouver Canucks have just one preseason game remaining against the Edmonton Oilers before they kick off their season on October 9th against the Calgary Flames. But before we get there, they must shorten the roster.
To this point, the Canucks have made their obvious cuts. First, assigning Jett Woo and Guilliame Brisebois to Abbotsford. Then, on Sunday afternoon, they had their second wave of cuts, sending Danila Klimovich, Tristen Nielsen, Ty Young and Chase Wouters to Abbotsford and Vilmer Alriksson to Guelph.
However, there are still 21 forwards, 15 defencemen and five goaltenders on the roster and only 23 roster spots for opening night. Given the lineup the organization is sending out tonight, it would indicate we’ll likely see some more cuts as early as tomorrow.
Here are seven players that we project to be a part of those cuts.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki
This one won’t be beloved by many Canucks fans, but just going off how this management group tends to handle their prospects, Lekkerimäki will start the year in Abbotsford.
The 20-year-old appeared in four games this preseason, finishing with one goal and two assists. Last night Lekkerimäki was one of the main offensive options for the Canucks, and he didn’t look out of place. Sending him to the AHL to allow him to continue to be the go to option will only help prepare him for the NHL for hopefully next season.
Ty Mueller
Mueller, 21, has appeared in two games this preseason. He’s failed to register a point and finished with a minus-one rating. He and his line were actually noticeable out there last night against a tough Oilers team. Mueller finished with a plus-one rating but will likely head to Abbotsford for his first season in the American Hockey League.
Max Sasson
Sasson, 24, has played in all five preseason games for the Canucks. He opened the scoring against the Calgary Flames but did not find another point. He will likely resume his role as a top offensive option for Abbotsford.
Nate Smith
Smith, 25, suited up in three matches for the Canucks and did not find the scoresheet until he tipped Kirill Kudryavtsev’s wrist shot past Stuart Skinner against the Oilers on Monday night. The former third-round pick will add to the centre depth down in Abbotsford.
Elias Pettersson
Pettersson, 20, has been given an opportunity in some pretty prominent roles this preseason, skating alongside Filip Hronek. He played in three games this preseason, logging 20:48, 17:53 and 18:57 minutes of ice time. He will likely need another year to develop in the AHL, but the kid showed promise in his preseason debuts.
Kirill Kudryavtsev
Kudryavtsev, 20, impressed during training camp and rolled that over into a strong preseason performance. He logged 17:37 minutes of ice time, paired with Tyler Myers in his debut. He looked great last night, registering an assist after Smith tipped his shot past Skinner. The Russian defencemen will likely be sent back to his OHL club, the Soo Greyhounds.
Christian Wolanin
Wolanin, 29, has had a hard time carving out a consistent role in the NHL. The former fourth-round pick has appeared in two games this preseason, failing to register a point and finishing with a minus-one rating. In last night’s game, Wolainen played well. He logged the most time on ice of any Canuck player and finished with an even rating.
Last night was likely their last opportunity for these players to showcase their talents before the season kicks off on October 9th.
