The Vancouver Canucks have made their final roster decisions ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season, assigning defensemen Victor Mancini and Tom Willander to their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. In a corresponding move, rookie Braeden Cootes has made the team.
Willander, selected 11th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, is set to begin his professional career after two seasons with Boston University. In 77 games with the Terriers, the Swedish defenseman recorded 49 points. While he showcased promise during the preseason, averaging 16:33 of ice time in three games, the Canucks have opted for him to further develop his game in Abbotsford under head coach Manny Malhotra. He is expected to receive significant ice time, potentially playing in the top four alongside Mancini.
Mancini's assignment is somewhat surprising given his strong preseason performance, which included two goals. Acquired in January as part of the J.T. Miller trade, Mancini played 16 games for Vancouver last season, averaging 15:30 minutes of ice time. However, the Canucks' decision appears to be influenced by contract considerations. As Mancini is waiver-exempt, the Canucks can freely assign him to the AHL without risking losing him to another team. This allows them to retain players like Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson, who would need to clear waivers to be sent down.
The news that 18-year-old Braeden Cootes has made the team is significant. Cootes, Vancouver's first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, has impressed throughout the preseason, scoring two goals in four games while recording a plus-2 rating. Cootes is the first Canuck to make the team as an 18-year-old since Petr Nedved in 1990.
The Canucks' projected opening night roster is as follows:
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.
Defense (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.
The Canucks are set to open their season at home against the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
