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Canucks Shutting Filip Hronek Down For The Rest Of The Season

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Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek returned to the lineup last week from a shoulder injury but that return was short-lived.  Speaking with reporters today at his pregame press conference (video link), head coach Rick Tocchet indicated that they’ve decided to shut the blueliner down for the rest of the season:

There’s really no reason for him to come back. If this were a playoff game, he’d be in the game, but it’s not a playoff game. Every game is important to us obviously, but not at the expense of… he’s going to have a long time to get his shoulder perfect.

The 25-year-old was somewhat surprisingly acquired from Detroit just before the trade deadline earlier this month with Vancouver opting to add to their back end despite not being in a playoff position.  Of course, Hronek isn’t a rental player with another year left on his deal plus one more season of RFA eligibility after that.  GM Patrik Allvin made the move with the hopes that Hronek could benefit from a bigger role on a new team to help solidify his back end.

Unfortunately, the early results on that front are basically inconclusive.  Hronek will wind up playing in just four games with Vancouver and while he logged more than 24 minutes a night, that’s far too small of a sample size to derive any meaningful conclusions from.  Overall, his point output this season winds up nearly identical to that of 2021-22; he finishes with nine goals and 29 assists in 60 games compared to nine goals and 30 helpers in 64 contests a season ago.

Tocchet indicated that Hronek is fine with the decision to sit him for the final couple of weeks of the season to give him ample time to fully heal up his shoulder for 2023-24.  If he’s able to log upwards of 24 minutes a night for the Canucks next season, he’ll certainly give their back end a significant boost.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Nikita Tolopilo

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed goaltender Nikita Tolopilo to a two-year entry-level deal, according to a team announcement. According to CapFriendly, the contract carries a $950k average annual value and begins in the 2023-24 season.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin issued the following statement on the signing:

We are excited to have agreed to terms with Nikita as we continue to build out our prospect pool and add to our organization’s depth in goal. He provides a combination of tremendous size and skill and has developed well at the professional level the past two seasons in Sweden, serving as one of the more accomplished goaltenders in his league this year.

Tolopilo, 22, is an undrafted netminder who has spent the last two seasons manning the crease for Sodertalje SK, a club in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of Swedish pro hockey. Before Sodertalje, Tolopilo played in his native Belarus, where he worked his way up the development ladder all the way to the KHL with Dynamo Minsk.

Last season, Tolopilo split the crease with 2013 San Jose Sharks draft pick Fredrik Bergvik, posting an .899 save percentage and 3.27 goals-against-average in 34 games played.

Tolopilo seemed to struggle behind a poor Sodertalje squad, but when the games counted most he shined. He posted a .951 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against-average in Sodertalje’s postseason, saving the club from relegation to third-tier HockeyEttan.

Tolopilo carried on that impressive postseason performance to this year, his first as Sodertalje’s undisputed number-one goalie. His share of starts grew from 34 to 45, while Bergvik’s dropped to just 10, and with that increased workload came significant improvements in Tolopilo’s numbers.

This season he posted a .924 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against-average, leading Sodertalje to HockeyAllsvenskan’s promotion play-offs just a year after nearly getting relegated.

While more credit towards fueling Sodertalje’s improvement may belong to offseason additions such as former Colorado Avalanche draft pick Linus Videll (57 points in 42 games) and Daniel Norbe (38 points in 49 games from the blueline) it’s also true that Tolopilo’s game took a leap.

With promising numbers in a professional league and the type of size NHL teams covet (he’s listed as six-foot-six by his club) it’s easy to see why the Canucks have made this signing.

While the Canucks no longer have an ECHL affiliate to work with, Tolopilo could potentially work in a tandem with Latvian Arturs Silovs next season in AHL Abbotsford, although that hinges on Spencer Martin either returning to NHL backup duty or leaving the organization, as he’s under contract through next year.

Regardless of the Canucks’ development plan for Tolopilo, it’s hard to complain about the organization’s choice to sign him. His play over the past year-plus has been impressive, and he offers the physical traits NHL teams love to see in goalie prospects. Although he still has a lot to prove before he’s an NHL consideration in Vancouver, this entry-level deal gives him the opportunity to climb the North American professional hockey ladder.

Canucks Recall Jack Rathbone

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The Vancouver Canucks announced Jack Rathbone has been recalled by the team. The recall was made under emergency conditions so it does not count as one of the Canucks four call ups that are allowed after the trade deadline.

Rathbone is in his third pro season, all in the Canucks organization, following a two-year college career at Harvard. He has split all three seasons between the NHL and AHL. This season, the 23-year-old defenseman has played eight NHL games, scoring one goal and two points for Vancouver. He has also suited up for 32 AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring four goals and 12 points in that time.

Rathbone had been called up earlier this week, playing two games for the Cancuks, averaging just under 12 minutes per contest and he scored against the Dallas Stars. He was sent down to Abbotsford yesterday, but the team needed him once again and have called him up before travelling to Calgary to take on the Flames tomorrow night.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Akito Hirose

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Mar. 29: The Canucks have officially signed Hirose to an entry-level contract, which will last one season. CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal confirms the contract is for this season, carrying an NHL salary of $855,000, a minors salary of $82,500, and a $95,000 signing bonus. As CapFriendly notes, because it’s a one-year contract signed late in the season, it has a pro-rated cap hit of roughly $2.11MM. Hirose will report directly to Vancouver.

Mar. 26: The Vancouver Canucks are expected to land their second NCAA free agent of the day: Minnesota State defenseman Akito Hirose.

CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal was first to indicate mutual interest between Hirose and Vancouver, while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added that Hirose could join the Canucks this week. The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta notes that Hirose’s expected signing with Vancouver “has been in the works” for a few weeks.

While it’s important to clarify that nothing as of yet is official and until an official contract announcement is made anything can happen, this reporting does hint at a widely-held expectation that Hirose will be signing with the Canucks.

The expected acquisition of Hirose comes just after the Canucks announced the signing of Max Sasson from Western Michigan University. With Hirose expected to join the team and Sasson plus former Northeastern University forward Aidan McDonough in the mix, these recent transactions indicate that targeting NCAA talent will be an organizational priority for this still relatively new Canucks front office.

The younger brother of Detroit Red Wings minor leaguer Taro Hirose, Akito has made a name for himself over the past few seasons. He was named BCHL defenseman of the year in 2019-20 and was his conference rookie of the year in 2020-21. Last season, he helped Minnesota State reach the NCAA National Championship game and his stellar defensive play helped contribute to netminder Dryden McKay’s Hobey Baker Award win.

This season, Hirose has been a top-pairing, all-situations minutes-eater for Minnesota State. Paired with Jake Livingstone, a fellow coveted free agent, he led his program back to the NCAA tournament before they fell to St. Cloud State. He finishes his college career with a healthy 68 points in 104 games, and as Friedman notes could get his feet wet against NHL competition sooner rather than later.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Max Sasson

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced this morning that they have agreed to terms on a 2-year, entry-level contract with forward Max Sasson. Sasson, who just finished his sophomore year at Western Michigan University, will be joining the team’s AHL affiliate Abbotsford Canucks for their playoff push. Sasson’s contract will begin next season, as he will finish out this year on an amateur tryout contract.

In his second season with the Broncos, Sasson scored 15 goals and 27 assists in 38 games played. Helping Western reach the NCAA DI Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament, the team lost in round one to Boston University, where Sasson was unable to put any points on the board.

The GM of the Canucks, Patrik Allvin, expressed his excitement about the deal, saying:

“He is coming off a very strong year with Western Michigan and has shown continual improvement in his game each of the last few seasons. We look forward to watching him develop at the professional level with our staff in Vancouver and Abbotsford.”

Canucks Injury Notes: Juulsen, Brisebois, Wolanin

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Vancouver Canucks Extend Christian Wolanin

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Christian Wolanin to a two-year, two-way contract extension, according to a team announcement. Per CapFriendly, the contract is worth a league minimum of $775,000 per season, with a $500,000 salary in the minors.

The deal, announced Thursday, will keep Wolanin with the Canucks through the 2024-25 season. The 28-year-old defenseman was acquired by Vancouver in free agency last July, signing a one-year contract.

Wolanin has played in 15 games for the Canucks this season, recording three assists. While he’s spent the majority of the campaign with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, Wolanin has remained on the NHL roster since Vancouver recalled him on February 18, save for a paper transaction back to Abbotsford on trade deadline day to make him eligible to suit up in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

“Christian has been a key contributor at both the AHL and NHL level this season,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. “He has developed nicely under the watchful eye of our Abbotsford coaching staff and player development team. This has allowed him to step into his current role in the NHL and show that he can help our team get results.”

Wolanin was originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He has appeared in a total of 85 NHL games, posting six goals and 17 assists.

After largely splitting time between the NHL and AHL over the past five seasons, Wolanin found some stability in Abbotsford to begin the year. He did not disappoint, as Wolanin is amidst the best campaign of his professional career. In 49 games with Abbotsford, where he’s sure to return for the postseason, Wolanin registered an assist per game and added six goals for 55 points, accompanied by a +12 rating.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson Unlikely To Return This Season

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  • Patrick Johnston of The Province wrote an article today explaining that Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson will likely not return to the ice this year. Suffering a sprained ankle in the team’s February 15th game against the Rangers, Ekman-Larsson has not played since. After being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, Ekman-Larsson was on pace to have his best season in point production since 2018-19, but he will now be unable to eclipse that. Playing in Vancouver this year, Ekman-Larsson will finish with two goals and 22 assists, with a -24 +/-.

Injury Notes: Hronek, Spurgeon, Kassian

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The Vancouver Canucks are hoping to have one of their top blue liners back soon. Farhan Lalji of TSN reports that head coach Rick Tocchet said Filip Hronek is day-to-day and there is a good chance he will be able to play on Thursday. Hronek was acquired by the Canucks in a somewhat surprising trade deadline deal. The Canucks were not expected to be buyers, but offered up a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings for Hronek.

The 25-year-old right defenseman is yet to make his Canucks debut as he has been out of the lineup since February 28 with an upper-body injury. It sounds like he is close to getting back on the ice, and the Cancucks may see him join them for the first time when they take on the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

  • Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon was a late scratch for tonight’s game. The team announced he will be out of the lineup with a non-covid illness. Spurgeon has scored ten goals and 30 points in 70 games for the Wild who are in a tight battle with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars for positioning in the Central Division. While they will miss his presence against the New Jersey Devils, luckily it does not sound like a long-term absence.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced Zack Kassian would not suit up tonight. The rugged winger is sidelined with an upper-body injury and will miss tonight’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. The 32 year old has played 51 games for the Coyotes this season, scoring just two goals and zero assists. Kassian has one more year on his contract following this season with a $3.2MM cap hit.

Ethan Bear Activated From IR

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Before their game against the Los Angeles Kings kicks off, the Vancouver Canucks have announced that defenseman Ethan Bear has been activated from the injured reserve. Bear is been out of the Canucks lineup for almost a month now, having not played since the team took on the Boston Bruins on February 25th.

Originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft, Bear played three seasons in Edmonton, scoring a career-high 21 points during the 2019-20 season. After a down year in 2020-21, Bear was shipped off to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Warren Foegele. With an already deep defensive core, Bear decided to request a trade away from the Hurricanes, waiting until he was traded to the Canucks on October 28th.

In his first full year in Vancouver, Bear has managed to score three goals and 11 assists through 46 games played. Although he has managed to secure a +5 +/-, Bear is also on the Canucks penalty kill, which is currently a league-worst 68.18%. Things haven’t been all bad for the Canucks in Bear’s absence, as the team has gone 7-3-0 in their last ten games, beating strong teams such as the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs.

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