Vancouver Canucks Send Down Linus Karlsson; Recall Akito Hirose
After making his NHL debut last night for the Vancouver Canucks, the team announces Linus Karlsson has been sent back down to their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Meanwhile, in the same announcement, Vancouver has recalled defenseman Akito Hirose.
It was no question as to why Karlsson was originally called up by the Canucks, as the young forward is off to a blazing start in the AHL this year. In 13 games played in Abbotsford, Karlsson has two goals and nine assists, good for fifth on the team in scoring.
Now that Andrei Kuzmenko is expected back into the lineup for the team’s next game, Karlsson will continue to grow his game at the AHL level for the time being. He was originally acquired by the Canucks in a 2019 trade with the San Jose Sharks, making his way to North America last season.
In the case of Hirose, he will serve as a depth defenseman for the team, much like he has done over the last two seasons when he has been in the NHL. So far this year, Hirose has suited up in two games for Vancouver, averaging a touch over 12 and a half minutes of ice time per night.
Hirose is also scoreless in 11 games at the AHL level, indicating he may need more seasoning in the minor leagues to get back to the production levels he saw during his tenure at Minnesota State University. Nevertheless, with both Hirose and Karlsson on the roster in Abbotsford, the team has gotten off to an 8-4-1 start, being one of the better teams in the AHL to start the year.
Pacific Notes: Whitecloud, Karlsson, Canucks, Flames
The Vegas Golden Knights are grappling with uncertainty surrounding the availability of defenseman Zach Whitecloud for their opening night banner-raising against the Seattle Kraken next Tuesday. Head coach Bruce Cassidy, during a press conference Wednesday, expressed hesitance to confirm Whitecloud’s participation in the season opener.
Cassidy said that until Zach is on the ice, he can’t say he expects him to play. Whitecloud, a key depth piece for the Golden Knights, has been dealing with an undisclosed issue that has kept him off the ice during preseason activities for around a week. The 26-year-old missed significant time last season with injury, playing 59 out of 82 games and recording 12 points and a +10 rating. When healthy, he’s expected to resume his usual role on the team’s third pairing behind Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore on the team’s right side.
Elsewhere in the Pacific Division today:
- Sticking with Vegas, they’re also dealing with a day-to-day injury to center William Karlsson that is not expected to stretch into the regular season. Cassidy said he’s been dealing with an undisclosed issue throughout training camp to date and that he will not play in tomorrow’s preseason contest against the Colorado Avalanche. Karlsson played a crucial role in the Knights’ run to the 2023 Stanley Cup, recording 11 goals and 17 points in 22 games. His 53 points last season were his highest since 2018-19, his sophomore campaign with Vegas, after potting 43 goals in the 2017-18 season.
- The Vancouver Canucks are bringing in some reinforcements, recalling multiple players from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks today. Goaltender Arturs Silovs, defenseman Filip Johansson, and forwards Arshdeep Bains, Linus Karlsson, Aatu Räty, and Max Sasson will be available to the team for tonight’s preseason contest against the Seattle Kraken. All will likely get returned to the minors tomorrow after being cut from Canucks camp earlier this week.
- Sportsnet’s Eric Francis believes a “significant announcement” regarding a new arena for the Calgary Flames could come tomorrow. Plans for a new home to replace the aging Scotiabank Saddledome are already well underway, with their ownership group and the Alberta government reaching a preliminary agreement for a new arena after the end of last season. The provincial government also greenlit the first C$39MM dedicated to the project last month.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Linus Karlsson
The Vancouver Canucks have added another Swedish forward, announcing a two-year contract for Linus Karlsson. The 22-year-old Karlsson is signing his entry-level deal after exploding onto the SHL scene this season. General manager Patrik Allvin released a statement on the deal:
We are excited to officially welcome Linus to Vancouver. He is a good goal scorer who plays a solid two-way game, and he is coming off an impressive rookie season in Sweden. We look forward to seeing him develop his game in North America.
Named rookie of the year, Karlsson scored 26 goals and 46 points in 52 games for Skelleftea AIK. That tied him for second in the entire league in goals, just a year removed from putting up similar totals at the Allsvenskan level, Sweden’s second tier. The young forward, originally selected by the San Jose Sharks, was acquired by the Canucks in a 2019 trade for Jonathan Dahlen.
Notably, Karlsson would be one of the players affected by the new transfer agreement with Sweden. Previously, because he is over the age of 21, he would have been able to sign his entry-level deal and be assigned to the minor leagues. Now, with that age limit raised to 24, he’ll have to be offered back to Skelleftea if he fails to make the Canucks roster, as he is still under contract in the SHL through 2022-23. Despite that, Allvin’s statement suggests that he might be playing in North America next year, meaning Vancouver may have worked out an agreement with his Swedish club.
Either way, getting him signed now was a necessary move for the Canucks, as Karlsson’s exclusive draft rights would have expired in just a few days. If not signed by June 1, he would have become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign a similar entry-level contract with any team in the league. Even if he does spend next season overseas–something which is clearly not a sure thing yet–getting him under contract will keep him under the Canucks’ control for years to come.
Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV reported this morning that a deal was imminent.