Danila Klimovich

Canucks prospect winger Danila Klimovich is set to have his entry-level contract end next month.  However, instead of re-signing with Vancouver, it appears he has other plans.  Sport-Express’ Mikhail Zislis reports that Klimovich is set to sign a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

The 23-year-old was a second-round pick by Vancouver back in 2021, going 41st overall.  He was selected out of the Belarusian Vysshaya (their second-tier league) but somewhat surprisingly made the jump to North America right away, signing his entry-level deal a month after being selected.

While that allowed the Canucks to get immediate control of Klimovich’s development, it was a case of exposing him to quite a jump in difficulty right away.  He responded relatively well as an 18-year-old with AHL Abbotsford in 2021-22, picking up 18 points in 62 games.  He followed that up with a 27-point effort the following year before injuries derailed his 2023-24 campaign, limiting him to just 24 games.

Klimovich found a way to be a bit more productive over the last two years, however.  In 2024-25, he notched 25 goals and 13 assists in 65 games but wasn’t able to secure a recall to the big club.  This season, he had 18 goals and 16 helpers in 67 outings but again, a promotion to Vancouver never came, despite their struggles down the stretch.

While the Canucks probably would prefer Klimovich to remain in North America and keep working on his game in Abbotsford, it’s certainly understandable that the forward would prefer a different opportunity after five seasons at the AHL level.  Assuming a deal is ultimately finalized, Vancouver will be able to retain Klimovich’s NHL rights by tendering him a qualifying offer next month, one that will ultimately be declined.