On Sunday afternoon, the Vancouver Canucks continued to finalize their 2025-26 opening evening roster by assigning defencemen Victor Mancini and Tom Willander to the American Hockey League (AHL). It was anticipated that Willander could be assigned, however given Mancini’s efficiency within the preseason, the place he stood out with two objectives, it was shocking to see him get despatched down.
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Willander was chosen eleventh total by the Canucks within the 2023 Draft and can be making his professional debut this season after two years with Boston College. He regarded okay within the preseason, however clearly must work on his recreation earlier than making it as a full-time NHL defenceman. He’ll get loads of ice time beneath head coach Manny Malhotra, seemingly within the prime 4 with Mancini.
Whereas Mancini most likely deserved to make the crew, he was a sufferer of his contract. Since he may very well be despatched down freely, the Canucks may maintain gamers like Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson, who have to clear waivers to be despatched to the AHL.
With Mancini and Willander heading to Abbotsford, the Canucks seem to have their 23-man opening evening roster. Which means rookie Braeden Cootes has made the crew as an 18-year-old, the primary Canuck to take action since Petr Nedved in 1990.
Forwards (14)
Jake DeBrusk – Elias Pettersson – Brock Boeser
Arshdeep Bains – Filip Chytil – Conor Garland
Evander Kane – Braeden Cootes – Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Drew O’Connor – Teddy Blueger – Kiefer Sherwood
Aatu Raty – Linus Karlsson
Defence (7)
Quinn Hughes – Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson – Tyler Myers
Derek Forbort – Elias Pettersson
Pierre-Olivier Joseph
Goaltenders (2)
Thatcher Demko
Kevin Lankinen
Injured (3)
Nils Höglander
Guillaume Brisebois
Jett Woo
