After dropping their first two games on the road, the Abbotsford Canucks’ season came to an end on May 8 after a 4-3 loss to the Ontario Reign in the Calder Cup semifinals. Despite playing their first home game of the playoffs, Abbotsford couldn’t avoid being swept by the Reign, who controlled the series early, winning the first game 3-1, and shutting out the Canucks 4-0 in Game 2.
The Canucks got off to a hot start in Game 3 trying to save their season, leading 2-0 after the first period with goals from Aatu Räty and Christian Wolanin. However, the Canucks allowed four goals against in a disastrous second period, putting them in a hole they couldn’t dig themselves out of.
With Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith simultaneously sustaining injuries in Vancouver during their first-round series against Nashville, Abbotsford’s goalie tandem of Arturs Silovs and Nikita Tolopilo were forced into National Hockey League (NHL) duties. We all know how Silovs managed in NHL action after his call-up, leading Vancouver to the Western Conference Semifinals, and giving himself a head start to be Demko’s backup next season.
This left Zachary Sawchenko with the starting job in Abbotsford, who recorded a 0.898 save percentage in six games played. Sawchenko’s best performance came in Game 3 of the first round, when he made 47 saves on 48 shots, registering a save percentage of 0.979. Sawchenko will need a new contract this summer as he is set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA).
Creating offence became an issue for the Canucks, scoring only four goals in three games against Ontario. Aatu Räty, Arshdeep Bains, and Tristen Nielsen tied for the team lead with four points each in six playoff games played. Christian Wolanin led Abbotsford’s defencemen in scoring with three points in six games. The Canucks outscored Colorado 10-8 in the first round and eliminated the Eagles as the visiting team in all three games of the series.
Outside of Sawchenko, the only other UFA on Abbotsford’s roster is veteran journeyman Matt Irwin on the blueline. The Canucks Restricted Free Agents (RFA) include forwards Linus Karlsson, who got a taste of NHL playoff action with Vancouver after being eliminated in Abbotsford, and Aidan McDonough, as well as defencemen Nick Cicek, Cole McWard, and Jett Woo. Sheldon Dries has departed the organization to pursue NHL options as a UFA, and Filip Johansson has returned to play professional hockey in Europe.
That means some new faces will be entering the fray this summer once free agency begins and management begins to piece together their lineup. Abbotsford fans will be hoping for prospects that joined Abbotsford late in the year, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Elias Pettersson, and Sawyer Mynio, to carve out meaningful roles next season. That list could also include forward Josh Bloom, who scored the Memorial Cup winning goal for the Saginaw Spirit on June 2. Bloom is Canucks property and played in 14 games for Abbotsford this season before being sent back to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and will be looking to become an American Hockey League (AHL) regular after scoring the biggest goal of his career.
Abbotsford has already made changes behind the bench this summer, replacing head coach Jeremy Colliton with Manny Malhotra, a former Canucks player and fan favourite. With spots up for grabs in Vancouver for Silovs, and forwards Räty, Bains, Karlsson (if he gets a new contract), and possibly Max Sasson, who had a huge impact as a first year forward, it’s unclear at this point who will make up the core of Malhotra’s team next season. After an impressive debut season, Tolopilo will have the inside track on the starting position in goal for the Canucks.
I expect management will look to add a steady dose of players with NHL experience on their resume, particularly at forward, to add to their crop of young players trying to establish themselves.
