Abbotsford Canucks: The journey really was the adventure to capture 2025 Calder Cup crown
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Playing the long development got the organization to a better place. There are 10 players who could step into the big team's lineup next season and not look out of place. That's coaching and commitment. Five new guys doing a first-rate job in a new environment was impressive.
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'I have to give Manny a lot of credit,' added Johnson. 'He has playing and coaching experience at the NHL level, but the AHL is a different animal. He has adapted very quickly. One of the biggest challenges when you have inconsistency is consistency.'
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Green had Malhotra as an assistant for three seasons in Vancouver and knew he had the potential and dedication to run his own bench one day.
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'Manny is obviously doing a hell of a job,' Green told Postmedia. 'He doesn't need any advice from me. The AHL is not always an easy place to coach. You've got injuries, call-ups, and some teams are just based on playing young guys.
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Winger Linus Karlsson, 25, was challenged by Malhotra to become more of a leader in his third season. He responded with 23 goals in 32 regular-season games and led playoff scoring with 26 points (14-12) in 24 games to take another step to becoming an NHL mainstay with the Canucks. He's not waiver exempt next season.
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'He (Malhotra) pushed me more and that's helping my game,' said Karlsson. 'Make sure I'm on guys, set screens, be around the net and be good defensively.'
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Goaltender Arturs Silovs, 24, started slow this NHL the season, gathered his game in the AHL, and finished fast to fall one short of the league record for post-season shutouts at six. His playoff numbers were spectacular and not being waiver exempt next season could create a crowded NHL crease.
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Forwards Arshdeep Bains, 24, and Max Sasson, 24, found another level of productivity when it mattered most, which was not lost on the parent Canucks. Bains had 24 points (5-19) in 24 games and Sasson 14 points (5-9) in the same amount of games.
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Irritating and invigorating veteran grinder Sammy Blais, 29, who turned a failed NHL professional training-camp tryout with the Canucks into a turn of playoff force, led the post-season with 77 penalty minutes and put up 19 points (6-13) in 23 games.
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Above all, it was the sum of the parts that got Abbotsford to this memorable place.
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The leadership of captain Chase Wouters, 25, the fast maturation of centre Ty Mueller, 22, along with defencemen Victor Mancini, 23, and Kirill Kudryavtsev, 21, were pieces that fit the playoff puzzle.
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Abbotsford Canucks: The journey really was the adventure to capture 2025 Calder Cup crown
Article content Playing the long development got the organization to a better place. There are 10 players who could step into the big team's lineup next season and not look out of place. That's coaching and commitment. Five new guys doing a first-rate job in a new environment was impressive. Article content Article content 'I have to give Manny a lot of credit,' added Johnson. 'He has playing and coaching experience at the NHL level, but the AHL is a different animal. He has adapted very quickly. One of the biggest challenges when you have inconsistency is consistency.' Article content Green had Malhotra as an assistant for three seasons in Vancouver and knew he had the potential and dedication to run his own bench one day. Article content 'Manny is obviously doing a hell of a job,' Green told Postmedia. 'He doesn't need any advice from me. The AHL is not always an easy place to coach. You've got injuries, call-ups, and some teams are just based on playing young guys. Article content Article content Article content Winger Linus Karlsson, 25, was challenged by Malhotra to become more of a leader in his third season. He responded with 23 goals in 32 regular-season games and led playoff scoring with 26 points (14-12) in 24 games to take another step to becoming an NHL mainstay with the Canucks. He's not waiver exempt next season. Article content 'He (Malhotra) pushed me more and that's helping my game,' said Karlsson. 'Make sure I'm on guys, set screens, be around the net and be good defensively.' Article content Goaltender Arturs Silovs, 24, started slow this NHL the season, gathered his game in the AHL, and finished fast to fall one short of the league record for post-season shutouts at six. His playoff numbers were spectacular and not being waiver exempt next season could create a crowded NHL crease. Article content Forwards Arshdeep Bains, 24, and Max Sasson, 24, found another level of productivity when it mattered most, which was not lost on the parent Canucks. Bains had 24 points (5-19) in 24 games and Sasson 14 points (5-9) in the same amount of games. Article content Article content Article content Irritating and invigorating veteran grinder Sammy Blais, 29, who turned a failed NHL professional training-camp tryout with the Canucks into a turn of playoff force, led the post-season with 77 penalty minutes and put up 19 points (6-13) in 23 games. Article content Above all, it was the sum of the parts that got Abbotsford to this memorable place. Article content The leadership of captain Chase Wouters, 25, the fast maturation of centre Ty Mueller, 22, along with defencemen Victor Mancini, 23, and Kirill Kudryavtsev, 21, were pieces that fit the playoff puzzle. Article content
