Waiver Wire: 9/30/24
Another 12 players have hit the waiver wire today as part of training camp cuts across the league, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. All of the 25 players on waivers yesterday cleared without incident, he adds.
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
F Travis Boyd
F Brendan Gaunce
F Devin Shore
San Jose Sharks
F Justin Bailey
D Jimmy Schuldt
St. Louis Blues
Utah Hockey Club
Oilers Release Mike Hoffman From PTO
The Oilers have released winger Mike Hoffman from his professional tryout, the team said Monday.
It’s a tad surprising given the 34-year-old’s numbers in exhibition play. Hoffman skated in four of the Oilers’ five preseason contests thus far, posting a goal and three assists for a point per game. He did, however, post a -2 rating and managed only four shots on goal. It was always going to be an uphill battle for Hoffman to make the Oilers roster anyway, with plenty of veteran scoring depth pieces on the wings, although there was a small opening with Evander Kane set to miss most of the season after undergoing surgery.
If there was a one-way deal out there for Hoffman, he likely would have landed it already with just over a week to go until opening night. There should be a fair amount of interest in his services on a two-way deal or an AHL contract, though, and signing in Europe remains an option.
The 13-year veteran has averaged 25 goals and 54 points per 82 games throughout his NHL career. His production dipped significantly last year on the league-worst Sharks, though, limited to 10 goals and 23 points in 66 contests. San Jose, which took on the final year of his three-year, $4.5MM AAV contract from the Canadiens as part of last summer’s Erik Karlsson three-team blockbuster, opted not to bring him back and let him become an unrestricted free agent.
While a spot on an NHL opening night roster looks unlikely, he’s a sensible target for teams looking for AHL scoring depth if he’s open to playing in the minors. He hasn’t seen AHL ice since working his way up the professional ladder in the Senators organization, captaining their AHL affiliate in Binghamton during the 2013-14 campaign.
The Oilers’ wings on their top two lines are seemingly a lock, with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins flanking Connor McDavid and Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner with Leon Draisaitl. Their bottom six will likely feature Connor Brown, Mattias Janmark, Corey Perry, and Vasily Podkolzin on the wings in some capacity, although 24-year-old Raphael Lavoie remains on the training camp roster and is gunning for a roster spot to avoid waivers.
Panthers Release Matt Luff From PTO
The Panthers have released forward Matt Luff from his professional tryout, head coach Paul Maurice told Pucks and Palms’ Colby Guy on Monday. Luff wasn’t announced as part of a group of Florida roster cuts earlier today but is nonetheless off the training camp roster.
Luff was offered a tryout with the Panthers’ AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, which Maurice “believed” he accepted. That means his days within the Panthers organization may not be done yet if he can land an AHL contract.
The 27-year-old has 106 NHL games under his belt but didn’t see the majors last season. He spent an injury-plagued 2023-24 on assignment to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins while on a two-way deal with the Red Wings, recording 10 goals and eight assists in 26 games.
Luff has been a serviceable fourth-liner when given chances in the NHL, but he’s never established himself as a full-timer. He’s suited up for the Kings and Predators in addition to his time in Detroit, posting 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 career NHL points with a -12 rating while averaging 10:19 per game. The Ontario native was an undrafted free agent signing by Los Angeles out of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs in 2016.
He was in contention to earn a two-way deal with the Panthers and serve as a potential mid-season call-up option, but for now, he’ll have to prove he’s still got game on a potential AHL deal. The fact he doesn’t have a guaranteed contract yet is surprising – he’s consistently hovered around a point per game in the minors over the past few years and would be a legitimately impactful addition to the Checkers roster.
Blues Sign Nikita Alexandrov To Two-Way Deal
The Blues have signed forward Nikita Alexandrov to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K in the NHL and $150K in the AHL, general manager Doug Armstrong announced Monday. He was one of the league’s last remaining unsigned restricted free agents, now leaving Bruins star Jeremy Swayman as the only one without a contract for this season.
Alexandrov and the Blues had likely agreed to terms on this deal for quite some time. St. Louis, however, was at the 50-contract maximum and couldn’t register the deal until making their initial training camp cuts and assigning a few players on entry-level contracts back to their junior teams, temporarily removing them from counting toward the limit. Alexandrov had been with the Blues in camp on a PTO while waiting for the contract to be official.
A second-round pick in 2019, Alexandrov is working his way toward being an NHL regular. The 24-year-old center has played 20-plus NHL games in each of the past two seasons, recording nine points and a -4 rating in 51 career appearances thus far.
He finds himself amid a tight roster battle for an extra forward spot with players like Nathan Walker and prospects like Zachary Bolduc and Zach Dean, but could very well find himself on the outside looking in. He’ll need waivers if the Blues attempt to assign him to AHL Springfield, where he posted seven points in seven games during a conditioning stint last year. He spent most of last season as a healthy scratch on the St. Louis roster after making the opening night roster for the first time.
Alexandrov will be a restricted free agent again next summer upon expiry. He won’t be eligible for UFA status until 2028 unless he satisfies the requirements to become a Group 6 UFA by playing fewer than 80 career NHL games by the end of the 2025-26 season.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/24
Training camp cuts continue Monday with just eight days until opening night of the regular season (aside from this week’s Devils/Sabres Global Series games in Prague). As always, we’ll keep track of all of today’s moves in this piece.
Last updated 4:41 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks (per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope)
F Zach Sanford (to AHL Rockford)
F Brett Seney (to AHL Rockford)
G Mitchell Weeks (to AHL Rockford)
Dallas Stars (per team announcement)
F Francesco Arcuri (to AHL Texas)
F Jack Becker (released from PTO)
F Justin Ertel (to AHL Texas)
F Justin Hryckowian (to AHL Texas)
D Michael Karow (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
G Ben Kraws (to AHL Texas)
D Luke Krys (to AHL Texas)
D Christian Kyrou (to AHL Texas)
D Kyle Looft (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
F Kyle McDonald (to AHL Texas)
F Curtis McKenzie (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
G Rémi Poirier (to AHL Texas)
D Connor Punnett (to AHL Texas)
F Anthony Romano (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
F Matthew Seminoff (to AHL Texas)
F Antonio Stranges (to AHL Texas)
G Bryan Thomson (to AHL Texas)
F Chase Wheatcroft (to AHL Texas)
D Gavin White (to AHL Texas)
Florida Panthers (per team release)
D Marek Alscher (to AHL Charlotte)
D Michael Benning (to AHL Charlotte)
F John Leonard (released from PTO to AHL Charlotte)
F Aidan McDonough (released from PTO to AHL Charlotte)
D Evan Nause (to AHL Charlotte)
F Gracyn Sawchyn (to WHL Edmonton)
F Hunter St. Martin (to WHL Medicine Hat)
F Ben Steeves (to AHL Charlotte)
D Zachary Uens (to AHL Charlotte)
Minnesota Wild (per team release)
F Caedan Bankier (to AHL Iowa)
F Travis Boyd (to AHL Iowa) pending waivers
F Brendan Gaunce (to AHL Iowa) pending waivers
F Riley Heidt (to WHL Prince George)
G Samuel Hlavaj (to AHL Iowa)
D Carson Lambos (to AHL Iowa)
D Ryan O’Rourke (to AHL Iowa)
F Devin Shore (to AHL Iowa) pending waivers
D David Spacek (to AHL Iowa)
Nashville Predators (per team announcement)
F Kieffer Bellows (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Vinnie Hinostroza (to AHL Milwaukee)
G Matt Murray (to AHL Milwaukee)
Ottawa Senators (per team announcement)
F Nikolai Kulemin (released from PTO)
G Leevi Merilainen (to AHL Belleville)
D Filip Roos (to AHL Belleville)
D Donovan Sebrango (to AHL Belleville)
Pittsburgh Penguins (per team announcement)
G Sergei Murashov (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
San Jose Sharks (per team release)
F Justin Bailey (to AHL San Jose) pending waivers
F Filip Bystedt (to AHL San Jose)
G Gabriel Carriere (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
F Brandon Coe (to AHL San Jose)
D Sam Dickinson (to OHL London) – separate announcement from the organization
D Ethan Frisch (released from PTO to AHL San Jose)
D Jake Furlong (to AHL San Jose)
F Kasper Halttunen (to AHL San Jose)
F Quentin Musty (to OHL Sudbury)
F Tristen Robins (to AHL San Jose)
G Georgi Romanov (to AHL San Jose)
D Jimmy Schuldt (to AHL San Jose) pending waivers
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
F Mathias Laferrière (to AHL Springfield)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (to AHL Springfield)
F Hugh McGing (to AHL Springfield)
D Hunter Skinner (to AHL Springfield)
Toronto Maple Leafs (per team announcement)
D Ben Danford (to OHL Oshawa)
Utah Hockey Club (per team announcement)
F Travis Barron (to AHL Tucson) pending waivers
D Kevin Connauton (to AHL Tucson) pending waivers
F Cam Hebig (released from PTO to AHL Tucson)
D Montana Onyebuchi (to AHL Tucson)
G Dylan Wells (released from PTO to AHL Tucson)
Training Camp Cuts: 9/29/24
With just five days to go until the NHL’s first regular-season games for 2024-25, the rate of training camp cuts is speeding up. More players are beginning to land on waivers, while waiver-exempt fringe players are heading to teams’ AHL affiliates en masse. As always, we’ll keep track of Sunday’s cuts in this article.
Last updated 1:52 p.m. Monday
Anaheim Ducks (per team release)
F Judd Caulfield (to AHL San Diego)
F Ruslan Gazizov (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
D Dillon Heatherington (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
D Tyson Hinds (to AHL San Diego)
F Travis Howe (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
F Josh Lopina (to AHL San Diego)
F Nico Myatovic (to AHL San Diego)
D Roland McKeown (released from PTO to AHL San Diego)
F Sasha Pastujov (to AHL San Diego)
F Coulson Pitre (to AHL San Diego)
D Konnor Smith (to AHL San Diego)
F Jaxsen Wiebe (to AHL San Diego)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
F Joey Abate (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Drew Bavaro (assigned to AHL Providence)
G Ryan Bischel (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Frederic Brunet (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Michael Callahan (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Riley Duran (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Trevor Kuntar (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Fabian Lysell (assigned to AHL Providence)
G Nolan Maier (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Ryan Mast (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Adam Mechura (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Georgii Merkulov (assigned to AHL Providence)
D Mason Millman (assigned to AHL Providence)
F Jaxon Nelson (assigned to AHL Providence)
Calgary Flames (per team release)
F Clark Bishop (assigned to AHL Calgary)
D Jonathan Aspirot (assigned to AHL Calgary)
Chicago Blackhawks (per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope)
F Colton Dach (to AHL Rockford)
D Ethan Del Mastro (to AHL Rockford)
F Cole Guttman (to AHL Rockford)
F Ryder Rolston (to AHL Rockford)
F Samuel Savoie (to AHL Rockford)
F Landon Slaggert (to AHL Rockford)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
F Chase Bradley (to AHL Colorado)
F Tye Felhaber (released from PTO to AHL Colorado)
D Jacob MacDonald (to AHL Colorado) pending waivers
F Oskar Olausson (to AHL Colorado)
F Nikita Prishchepov (to AHL Colorado)
Edmonton Oilers (per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector)
F Sam O’Reilly (assigned to OHL London)
F Matthew Savoie (assigned to AHL Bakersfield)
F Seth Griffith (released from PTO to AHL Bakersfield)
Los Angeles Kings (per team releases)
F Martin Chromiak (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Aatu Jamsen (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Kaleb Lawrence (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Francesco Pinelli (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Koehn Ziemmer (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Angus Booth (assigned to AHL Ontario)
D Jakub Dvorak (assigned to AHL Ontario)
G Erik Portillo (assigned to AHL Ontario)
F Bryce Brodzinski (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Jacob Doty (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Shawn Element (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Charles Hudon (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Patrick Moynihan (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Quinn Olson (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
F Jake Wise (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Parker Berge (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Dru Krebs (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Jack Millar (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
D Luke Rowe (released from PTO to AHL Ontario)
Nashville Predators (per team release)
F Anthony Angello (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Easton Armstrong (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Alexander Campbell (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
G Magnus Chrona (to AHL Milwaukee)
G Drew DeRidder (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Jordan Frasca (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Kevin Gravel (to AHL Milwaukee)
G Ethan Haider (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jeremy Hanzel (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kale Howarth (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Lucas Johansen (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Joakim Kemell (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jake Livingstone (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Jake Lucchini (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kyle Marino (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Jack Matier (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Navrin Mutter (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Chad Nychuk (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
F Cal O’Reilly (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
D Luke Prokop (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Reid Schaefer (to AHL Milwaukee)
D Ryan Ufko (to AHL Milwaukee)
F Kevin Wall (released from PTO to AHL Milwaukee)
New York Islanders (per Newsday’s Andrew Gross)
F William Dufour (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Aidan Fulp (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Marc Gatcomb (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Isaiah George (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Alex Jefferies (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Eetu Liukas (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Matthew Maggio (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Travis Mitchell (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Calle Odelius (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Cam Thiesing (to AHL Bridgeport)
G Henrik Tikkanen (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Marshall Warren (to AHL Bridgeport)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team announcement)
G Eetu Mäkiniemi (to AHL Lehigh Valley)
San Jose Sharks (per team release)
F Mitchell Russell (to AHL San Jose)
F Lucas Vanroboys (to AHL San Jose)
F Anthony Vincent (to AHL San Jose)
D Artem Guryev (to AHL San Jose)
D Braden Hache (to AHL San Jose)
D Valtteri Pulli (to AHL San Jose)
D Joey Keane (to AHL San Jose)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
D Jérémie Biakabutuka (to AHL Springfield)
D Michael Buchinger (to AHL Springfield)
G Will Cranley (to AHL Springfield)
F Tanner Dickinson (to AHL Springfield)
F Antoine Dorion (to QMJHL Québec)
F Dalibor Dvorský (to AHL Springfield)
G Colten Ellis (to AHL Springfield)
D Marc-Andre Gaudet (to AHL Springfield)
D Samuel Johannesson (to AHL Springfield)
F Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (to AHL Springfield)
D Leo Lööf (to AHL Springfield)
D Anton Malmström (to AHL Springfield)
F Dylan Peterson (to AHL Springfield)
F Marcus Sylvegård (to AHL Springfield)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per Bally Sports Florida’s Gabby Shirley)
F Dylan Duke (to AHL Syracuse)
F Gabriel Dumont (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Jaydon Dureau (to AHL Syracuse)
F Lucas Edmonds (to AHL Syracuse)
G Ryan Fanti (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Tyson Feist (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Dyllan Gill (to AHL Syracuse)
G Brandon Halverson (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Niko Huuhtanen (to AHL Syracuse)
F Kale Kessy (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Jujhar Khaira (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Milo Roelens (to AHL Syracuse)
D Roman Schmidt (to AHL Syracuse)
F Lukas Svejkovsky (to AHL Syracuse)
F Gabriel Szturc (to AHL Syracuse)
F Joel Teasdale (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
F Daniel Walcott (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
D Scott Walford (released from PTO to AHL Syracuse)
Vancouver Canucks (per team announcement)
F Tristen Nielsen (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
F Danila Klimovich (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
G Ty Young (assigned to AHL Abbotsford)
F Chase Wouters (released from PTO to AHL Abbotsford)
F Vilmer Alriksson (assigned to OHL Guelph)
Washington Capitals (per team announcement)
D Logan Day (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Pierrick Dube (to AHL Hershey)
F Zac Funk (to AHL Hershey)
G Mitchell Gibson (to AHL Hershey)
D Vincent Iorio (to AHL Hershey)
D Nicky Leivermann (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Jake Massie (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Jon McDonald (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Luke Philp (to AHL Hershey) injured, pending waivers
F Ilya Protas (to OHL Windsor)
F Henrik Rybinski (to AHL Hershey)
F Spencer Smallman (to AHL Hershey) injured, pending waivers
G Clay Stevenson (to AHL Hershey)
F Alexander Suzdalev (to AHL Hershey)
F Bogdan Trineyev (to AHL Hershey)
Winnipeg Jets (per the team’s Mitchell Clinton)
F Colby Barlow (to OHL Owen Sound)
G Domenic DiVincentiis (to AHL Manitoba)
F Parker Ford (to AHL Manitoba)
F Daniel Torgersson (to AHL Manitoba)
F Brayden Yager (to WHL Moose Jaw)
Bruins Cut Top Prospect Fabian Lysell From Camp
The Boston Bruins have announced that star prospect Fabian Lysell has been reassigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, as part of 18 training camp cuts made today. A full list of cuts can be viewed here. Lysell was perhaps the single most anticipated player at Boston’s camp this year, looking to finally vindicate his first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He is one of 11 first-rounders taken that year yet to make his debut, though peers like Fedor Svechkov and Sebastian Cossa could shift that tide in their own training camp battles.
Lysell has been the focal piece of Providence’s offense over the last few seasons, working his way into a top-line role after a turbulent start to his career in North American pros. The Swedish national moved to the AHL in 2022-23, following one season in Sweden’s SHL and one with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He came out of the gates on fire, scoring nine points through his first six AHL games, and 19 points in 20 games across the year’s first half. That scoring made him an easy choice for Sweden’s 2022 World Juniors team, but he’d end up without any scoring (and 29 penalty minutes) in seven tournament games. Even worse, he brought the bug back with him – taking a hit to his production with only 18 points across Providence’s final 34 games.
But the flashy forward flung the monkey off his back last season, proudly taking on top-end minutes and scoring consistently. He ended up with 50 points in 56 games, a boost from the 37 points in 54 games he totaled as an AHL rookie. That return to scoring form seemed to give Lysell all of the momentum needed to finally earn an NHL debut this season, but it seems that’s not the early plan in Boston, as they instead opt to keep bruiser presences like Mark Kastelic, Justin Brazeau, and John Beecher. Boston sat perfectly average in terms of penalty minutes last season, with 780 total PIMs tied with the Rangers and Oilers for the league’s median. They, perhaps consequently, were quickly eliminated by the eventual-champion Florida Panthers in last year’s Second Round – and could be looking to spur that precedent with a preference of size over skill in this year’s roster building.
This certainly won’t be the last that Bruins fans hear about Lysell, one of only two first-round picks Boston has made since 2020. A move back to the minors should provide him an instant smash-role, and may even give him a chance to rival the league-leading scoring previously set by the likes of Logan Stankoven and Cole Perfetti. All three are undersized players who punch above their weightclass – and the latter two have each clawed their way up NHL depth charts. Lysell is preparing for that clawing this year, though could be a lucrative trade candidate if Boston continues to struggle to fit him in.
Flames Sign Andrew Basha To Entry-Level Contract
The Calgary Flames have signed forward Andrew Basha to an entry-level contract. The deal was first reported by Ryan Pike of Flames Nation. Pike reports that the deal is a three-year contract, though Basha’s late birthday makes him eligible for two contract slide-years, should he stay in the WHL for the next two seasons. That doesn’t seem likely, as a full WHL season this year would make Basha eligible for the AHL at the start of next season.
Basha was the lesser-mentioned name on the Medicine Hat Tigers’ top-line last season, shadowed by top-10 2024 NHL Draft prospect Cayden Lindstrom and hopeful 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna. But he earned high acclaim of his own despite that, garnering attention with intelligent and reliable decision-making on every shift. Basha knows how to make an impact, playing above his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame thanks to strong positioning and a tireless motor. Basha got a great chance to show off in the 2023-24 season’s second half, while Lindstrom missed extended time with a hand injury. He ultimately worked his way to a dazzling 30 goals and 85 points in 63 games this season, offering the gut punch behind Lindstrom and McKenna’s haymakers upon Lindstrom’s return.
That’ll be the role Basha returns to this year, looking to champion Medicine Hat’s second line behind new addition Ryder Ritchie, who the Tigers acquired in exchange for Tomas Mrsic and two draft picks. Ritchie managed 44 points in 47 WHL games last year, boasting much of the same IQ and drive that makes Basha’s game special. The Tigers will hope those similarities give them impact-makers throughout the lineup, while Calgary hopes for a big year from Basha as he plans to command his own line for a full season.
Waiver Wire: 9/28/24
09/29: All players on Saturday’s waiver wire have cleared, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
09/28: With the regular season fast approaching, activity on the waiver wire is quickly picking up. We’ll keep tabs on who has been waived today here. This post will be updated as more placements come in.
Calgary Flames (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
D Jonathan Aspirot
F Clark Bishop
Colorado Avalanche (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
D Wyatt Aamodt
G Kevin Mandolese
D Keaton Middleton
Nashville Predators (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Anthony Angello
D Kevin Gravel
F Jake Lucchini
New York Islanders (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
Seattle Kraken (per team announcement)
Utah Hockey Club (per team announcement)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team announcement and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)
F Callahan Burke
F Grigori Denisenko
D Mason Geertsen
D Robert Hagg
F Mason Morelli
D Dysin Mayo
F Gage Quinney
Washington Capitals
F Ethen Frank
D Hardy Haman Aktell
F Alex Limoges
D Chase Priskie
F Riley Sutter
As for yesterday’s group, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that all players cleared waivers.
Canucks Sign Vilmer Alriksson To Entry-Level Contract
The Canucks have agreed to terms with forward prospect Vilmer Alriksson on a three-year, entry-level contract, general manager Patrik Allvin announced Sunday.
Alriksson will be on his way back to the OHL’s Guelph Storm this season. The 19-year-old played there last year after Vancouver drafted him in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, finishing seventh on the team in scoring with 33 points (17 G, 16 A) in 67 games.
That isn’t particularly promising offensive production for a player in their post-draft year. But if he cracks the NHL roster someday, it won’t be as a goal-scorer – although he does have a decent shot for the minor-league level. The gargantuan Swede checks in at 6’6″ and 214 lbs, projecting out as a fourth-line piece with good defensive instincts in the majors.
Assigning Alriksson to juniors slides his entry-level contract for this season, meaning it won’t kick in until the 2025-26 campaign. As such, he’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry in the summer of 2028. He’ll still earn an $85K signing bonus for this season as part of the deal’s $2.58MM total value, per PuckPedia.