- Ethan Bear of the Vancouver Canucks was on Canucks Central radio show with Dan Riccio and Satiar Shah and spoke confidently about returning to the Canucks next season. Bear was acquired early in the season from the Carolina Hurricanes and will be a restricted free agent this offseason. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he is not given a qualifying offer of one year at $2.2MM but it sounds like Bear will be signing an extension without much drama involved. He openly stated he will be back and anyone worrying about the situation can relax. After being cast aside by the Hurricanes essentially as a cap dump, Bear played well for the Canucks and has deserved an extension to stay.
Canucks Rumors
Boeser Hopes To Remain With Canucks; Johansson To Be Assigned To Abbotsford
Canucks winger Brock Boeser has been featured in plenty of trade speculation in recent months but while a deal didn’t materialize last month, some have wondered if he’ll be on the move this summer. But if the 26-year-old has his way, he won’t be going anywhere. He told reporters including Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link) that he doesn’t want to be traded and would prefer to remain with Vancouver. This season was a mixed bag for Boeser who actually came one point shy of matching his career high but he managed just 18 goals which isn’t a great return on a $6.65MM AAV. He has two years remaining on his contract.
- Canucks prospect Filip Johansson will be joining AHL Abbotsford for their playoff run, relays Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic (Twitter link). The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Minnesota back in 2018 but the Wild opted to take a compensatory second-round selection instead of signing him; Johansson signed with Vancouver soon after. He played in 51 games with Frolunda of the SHL this season, picking up five goals and 16 assists, both career highs while also chipping in with five points in a dozen playoff contests. This will be Johansson’s first taste of action in North America.
Canucks Place Christian Wolanin On Waivers
- The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Christian Wolanin on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Abbotsford is looking to seize the third seed in the Pacific Division from the Colorado Eagles and getting Wolanin back will absolutely help them do that, seeing as he’s scored 55 points in 49 games this season. The 28-year-old veteran of 86 NHL games is under contract for another season and will likely remain Abbotsford’s go-to offensive blueliner.
Noah Juulsen Placed On Waivers
The Vancouver Canucks aren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but the Abbotsford Canucks sure are. The AHL club has secured its postseason berth and will soon start a Calder Cup run. They may get a reinforcement, as Noah Juulsen has been placed on waivers today by Vancouver for the purpose of assignment to the AHL.
Juulsen, 26, was included in a paper transaction at the deadline so that he is eligible for the minor league postseason, and will now officially rejoin Abbotsford to help on the run. The 2015 first-round pick has bounced back and forth throughout his entire career, never able to establish himself as a full-time NHLer.
It’s been a very disrupted path for Juulsen, who has dealt with scary eye injuries, team changes, and a lack of consistent playing time. Since debuting in 2017, he has only played 223 professional games, and more than half of those have come since joining the Canucks organization in 2021.
It is almost unthinkable for him to be claimed at this point in the year, meaning he should have no issue reporting to Abbotsford and trying to help them win a Calder in the coming weeks.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Cole McWard
The Vancouver Canucks have added depth to their prospect pool by signing undrafted free agent Cole McWard to a two-year, entry-level contract, according to a press release from the team late Tuesday night. The 21-year-old right-shot defenseman recently completed his sophomore season with the Ohio State University Buckeyes.
PuckPedia reports that the contract, which walks McWard to restricted free agency in 2024, carries a cap hit of $922,500. McWard will earn an $855,000 salary this season and an $800,000 salary in 2023-24, a $95,000 signing bonus in both years and a potential $55,000 games played bonus in 2023-24.
McWard’s consistent offensive production over the past few seasons signals he could be a solid add for a team struggling with defensive depth on the right side. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Wednesday morning that Canucks fans won’t have to wait long to see him in action, as McWard is expected to make his NHL debut tomorrow versus the Chicago Blackhawks.
McWard, born in Fenton, Missouri, posted 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) and eight penalty minutes in 39 games in 2022-23 at Ohio State. Those numbers led all Buckeyes defensemen in goals and finished second in assists and points.
During his freshman season, McWard also appeared in 36 of 37 games for Ohio State, posting 16 points, 40 blocked shots, and a +13 rating. He finishes his collegiate career with 37 points in 75 games.
In a statement, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin praised McWard’s offensive production during his two seasons at Ohio State and his leadership skills during his final season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL in 2020-21. The Canucks will work with the young blueliner to round out his game as he transitions to the professional level.
Before college, McWard played 149 USHL games with the Storm, recording 23 goals, 57 points, and 101 penalty minutes. He was the team’s captain and was selected to the All-USHL Second Team in 2021.
The Canucks have been active in the college free agent market this offseason, also signing center Max Sasson out of Western Michigan University and left defenseman Akito Hirose out of Minnesota State University. They all represent solid depth adds to a growing prospect pool as the Canucks try to figure out a long-term recipe for sustained success.
CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported yesterday that Vancouver was a frontrunner for McWard.
Canucks Shutting Filip Hronek Down For The Rest Of The Season
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
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
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
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
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.”