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New York Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Canucks offseason preview mailbag, part 2: Abbotsford's champs, Vancouver's options in net
The meat of the NHL offseason is upon us now and hockey news is beginning to flow at more regular intervals as the NHL Draft approaches. Just on Monday, we saw some real, impactful trades go down, an ordinary course buyout get exercised and a variety of fascinating extensions get signed. Meanwhile, the rumours are reaching a feverish crescendo as we move closer to draft day and the start of a new league year on July 1. Advertisement And of course, in the foreground of it all, the Abbotsford Canucks captured the Calder Cup with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Monday evening. It's the first professional hockey championship won by a British Columbia based team in 100 years, and the first championship at any level in Canucks history. Abbotsford's championship victory marks an impressive achievement for Abbotsford general manager Ryan Johnson, first-year head coach Manny Malhotra and a group of players that bought in and made a collective decision to go for it this spring — and got it done. As we await an anticipated flurry of Canucks activity this week, we wanted to get to some of the most pressing questions that you, the VIPs, wanted answers to. In part one of our mailbag on Monday we covered all sorts of ground, including Quinn Hughes' Canucks future, under-the-radar unrestricted free-agent targets and more. Now let's get into part two of your Canucks offseason preview mailbag. Note: Submitted questions may be edited for clarity and style. Do you see Sammy Blais getting a shot next year for the big club? He is the Tom Wilson of the AHL! — Russil L. I honestly hope so. In my view, the Canucks should be actively looking to lean on the players who have sacrificed to make this Calder Cup championshp occur at the NHL level next season, and that includes Sammy Blais, who has brought a level of size and grit and gamesmanship that Vancouver lacks. I wouldn't go so far as to say the Canucks should leave a spot for him in their NHL lineup while building out their depth chart this summer, but rewarding him for what he accomplished this season (and throughout this playoff) with an NHL-level deal seems warranted. I think he's got real game and can probably help Vancouver in a fourth-line role. Advertisement Can any of Blais, Karlsson, Šilovs or any of the standouts from the Calder Cup run legitimately impact the Vancouver Canucks roster next season? — Randolph J. The short answer is yes. The longer answer is also yes, but it's difficult to know precisely which players will matter at the NHL level in the short and medium term. There are two types of breakout players on championship-level AHL rosters. The first type is the easiest to spot, and it's the young player with serious pedigree who is just starting their professional hockey journey and is probably too good to stay in the AHL for long, and it shows. Recent Calder Cup winners to fit this archetype would include guys like Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael and Martin Necas. The Abbotsford Canucks don't have a player that neatly fits this profile and stood out during the championship run. Jonathan Lekkerimäki starred in Game 5 of the Final, but was in and out of the lineup and was largely a non-factor after an otherwise very promising first North American professional season. Probably the best fit for this breakout type is Kirill Kudryavtsev, who really impressed the organization and was probably Abbotsford's most impactful two-way skater in the final two rounds. I know the Canucks were also really impressed with Ty Mueller, who is now firmly on the radar as an organizational depth prospect to watch going forward. The other type of breakout player is the mid-20s AHL journeyman. This player type is often characterized as having 'low upside,' but in truth, there are many examples of players sticking in the AHL and developing into top-six forwards over time. Los Angeles Kings forward Trevor Moore, Seattle Kraken forward Mason Marchment, ex-Canucks defender Jalen Chatfield and current Canucks forward Dakota Joshua are examples who were on recent Calder Cup finalist teams. Obviously, Florida Panthers clutch goal-scoring specialist Carter Verhaeghe is the most famous recent example of this sort of breakout player. YOUR ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS ARE THE 2025 CALDER CUP CHAMPIONS! 🏆 — X – Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) June 24, 2025 There's a ton of potential Abbotsford players that could be on this trajectory. Max Sasson is a clever, high-motor forward who has a shot to impact NHL games with speed in the future. Linus Karlsson is somewhat limited by his skating speed, but is skilled at the net front, creative in traffic and can win a ton of battles with his high hockey IQ and heavy stick. Arshdeep Bains set up the Calder Cup game winner with a trademark 'eyes in the back of his head' backhand feed to Karlsson, and though he's played too cautiously and conservatively at the NHL level in his brief stints in 'the show' the past two seasons, there's more to his game than that. All three players have a shot, and if they make it, they can be truly impactful NHL players. Advertisement Finally, we get to Blais, who would have to be a late-career breakout to reestablish himself as more than a depth option at the NHL level. We see these types of breakouts now and then — New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen is a recent example — but they're rarer. And then, of course, if Artūrs Šilovs can ever work through how to battle through traffic and navigate layered screens consistently in the NHL, he'd have all the tools to be at least an impactful 1B-type netminder (and, given his big-game bona fides, maybe more). More than anything, Abbotford's success should make us more open-minded about the probability that a couple of these players may be better — and possess higher ceilings — than we previously thought. I think it would be very sensible for the Canucks to lean heavily on some of their playoff standouts in depth roles next season. That's not to say they shouldn't prioritize landing true difference-making forwards exclusively on the open market and in trades this summer — those contributors are sorely needed — but there's no reason to overspend on bottom six players when they have a relatively large group of AHL players who powered Abbotsford to a championship and have actual NHL upside (and perhaps even more than we previously would've thought). Between Jason Robertson and Marco Rossi, if the Canucks could somehow magically only trade for one or the other, which one would you pick in terms of impact and the acquisition cost? Is there a world where both could be had? Or would the cost just be too great? — Mel H. The answer here is Jason Robertson, even factoring in what his next contract looks like beyond next season and the greater acquisition cost it would require to land him. I view Robertson as a bona fide elite, difference-making star, whereas I view Marco Rossi as an intriguing, undersized centre with an opportunity to be a top-of-the-lineup-calibre piece with a unique profile, provided he continues on his current developmental trajectory. As such, I'd look at Robertson as the more impactful potential acquisition. Advertisement Like Rossi, Robertson isn't a perfect player. He's not especially fast nor consistently dialed in defensively. Ironically, he would've been a better match for a more methodical, possession-based playmaking centre like J.T. Miller than he would be for Elias Pettersson — but he's a pure game breaker of precisely the variety this Canucks team is desperate for. Rossi, on the other hand, is secretly sort of a grinder, despite his 5-foot-9 height. He lives in the dirty areas of the ice and succeeds by creating offence there. I like the way his game is progressing, but it's worth noting he's been riding shotgun with Kirill Kaprizov or Matt Boldy across his two NHL breakout seasons. Whether or not he can drive top-end results independently of those star-level players is an open question, and he has a shallower track record compared to Robertson. Overall, Robertson is a higher calibre of forward and precisely the sort of environment-altering star player the Canucks are desperate for and should do everything possible to land if he's really made available. Do you think there's a realistic spot to be had for Räty and/or Karlsson? And if so, do you think they'll take it? — B.C. There is absolutely a realistic spot for both Aatu Räty and Linus Karlsson to be every day NHL players in Vancouver next season, and in Räty's case, I would be outright stunned if it didn't happen. Both players turned heads with their performance in the NHL down the stretch this season, but Räty distinguished himself with his faceoff-winning ability and production. He also managed to add a step to his skating speed last summer, and if he could add another one this offseason, he'd really be cooking with oil. I could see Räty carving out a spot in Vancouver's middle six next season, and he should at least be the club's fourth-line centre. I could see Karlsson, meanwhile, carving out a niche as a bottom-six forward with power-play utility at the net front. How would you rate the chances of Filip Chytil establishing himself as a viable second-line centre, assuming he is not slowed by injuries or concussions? — Adi N. If Filip Chytil stays healthy, I think he's a low-end second-line centre immediately. I was pretty impressed with Chytil before his injury last season, with his work driving play through the neutral zone as a puck carrier standing out. He was a bit wasteful with his scoring opportunities, both as a playmaker and as a shooter, but he helped this club gain the zone and generate chances (or chances at chances) at a really solid clip. If he can keep that up, it's only a matter of time before the production follows as more pucks start to bounce his way. Advertisement What would be your ranking of the best performances by former Canucks in the 2025 playoffs? — Peter N. Obviously, Gustav Forsling stands alone atop this list, especially with the oppressive defensive performance he put in against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the Stanley Cup Final. What a classy defender he's become. I thought Chris Tanev was impressive and stout for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who pushed the champions closer to the brink than anyone else managed to this year. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was solid too, but Tanev was a standout — unsurprisingly — on the Toronto blue line. I liked Vasily Podkolzin's game throughout the playoffs for the Oilers. He had the stomach for the fight in the hardest games of the year and was throwing the sort of hits that looked like they legitimately wore down Oilers opponents. I'm not sure if his finishing game or puck management will ever catch up to his motor and physicality, but I was very impressed. Lastly, Jonah Gadjovich just rocks. It was a ridiculous, unforced error at the time that the club lost him for nothing on waivers to keep Matthew Highmore, and watching him provide the champions with grit and toughness in a fourth-line role just further reinforced that (though it was obvious at the time too). My final ranking: In your opinion, what is the most prudent approach the Canucks could take to managing their three goalies (Thatcher Demko, Kevin Lankinen, Artūrs Šilovs), in advance of Šilovs being waiver eligible this fall? — Drew C. I think it would be prudent, given that Lankinen is already locked up and performed solidly last season, for Vancouver to trade one of Thatcher Demko or Artūrs Šilovs this summer. My strong belief, based on what I can gather about the organization's priorities, is that the club still prizes Demko and would prefer to keep him around and bet on him bouncing back from a nightmare injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign. Advertisement Unless some remarkable, irrefusable offer crops up, the Canucks intend to get working on an extension for Demko at some point this summer. They want to build their team from the net out, and having a strong goaltending platoon — and Demko and Lankinen would offer elite upside as a duo — is key to that plan. To editorialize, in my heart of hearts, if I were in the Canucks' shoes I would view extending Demko as a maneuver that outstrips my risk tolerance. Demko will turn 30 years old for this season and has never put together a campaign in which he accomplished all three of the following things in the same campaign: Durability is a skill, as I see it, and it does not tend to get better with age. I understand why the club would prefer to keep Demko in the fold, however, given that when healthy, he's one of the most dominant puck-stopping human beings on planet Earth. As for Šilovs, he's a difficult evaluation. He's never sustained elite American League results, even, but every year he seems to come up huge in huge games (at the World Championship, in the Stanley Cup playoffs, in the Calder Cup playoffs). Obviously, he wasn't even baseline playable as a backup at the NHL level this past season, but he's a gifted netminder, he's still under the age of 25, and it's evident that he's at his best when the stakes are highest. If I were in the shoes of Canucks management, personally, I'd be completely comfortable rolling with a platoon of Lankinen and Šilovs next season, and trading Demko to bolster my forward group. I completely understand the counterargument, however, and don't necessarily think it's a mistake for the club to chase the upside that Demko can offer if he's able to stay healthy. The only true mistake that I think the club has to avoid in this situation would be losing Šilovs on waivers this fall without any sort of return. After this run in the Calder Cup playoffs, Šilovs should have some level of exchange value that the club should be able to mine if they're leaning toward extending Demko. (Top photo of Artūrs Šilovs:)
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Linus Karlsson leads Abbottsford Canucks to 3-2 victory over Charlotte Checkers to win Calder Cup
Jun 24, 2025 09:16 AM IST CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Linus Karlsson scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Abbotsford Canucks beat the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 on Monday night to win their first Calder Cup championship. HT Image Sammy Blais and Danila Klimovich also scored for the Canucks, and Arshdeep Bains had two assists. Arturs Silovs finished with 28 saves. Silovs received the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for being the playoff MVP after getting a record-tying 16 wins in the postseason, including five shutouts. The 24-year-old goalie finished with a .931 save percentage. Abbotsford, led by first-year coach Manny Malhotra, is Vancouver's first AHL affiliate to hoist the cup and the first Canadian winner since the Toronto Marlies in 2018. John Leonard and Jack Devine scored first-period goals for the Checkers, who lost the best-of-seven American Hockey League championship series in six games. The Canucks lost Game 5 in overtime on Saturday in front of the largest crowd to ever witness an AHL game at the Abbotsford Centre in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. After spotting Charlotte the first two goals on Monday night, the Canucks roared back with three unanswered goals, including the winner from Karlsson with 2:41 left in the second period. Abbotsford went 1 for 2 on the power play, while Charlotte went 0 for 4. Abbotsford knocked off the Tucson Roadrunners 2-1 in the Pacific Division's first round, followed by a 3-1 win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the semifinals. The Canucks outlasted the Colorado Eagles 3-2 in the Pacific Division final, then bounced the Texas Stars 4-2 in the Western Conference final. NHL: /hub/nhl This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
Vancouver Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Abbotsford Canucks: The journey really was the adventure to capture 2025 Calder Cup crown
How did the Abbotsford Canucks put a euphoric exclamation point on a sensational and historic Calder Cup championship season? Preparation, perspiration, persistency and belief in a rookie head coach were vital components. Abbotsford became the first AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks to claim the league championship Monday by rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the first period for a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers in the hot and steamy Bojangles Coliseum. The soft, sloppy and rutted ice was as much of a challenge as prevailing in six games of the best-of-seven series. And true to Abbotsford's pedigree, they gutted another one out when it mattered the most. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Grizzled veteran Sammy Blais and the mercurial Danila Klimovich drew the Canucks even and then AHL leading scorer Linus Karlsson delivered the dagger in the second period. He was left open on the back door and covered a perfect cross-ice feed from linemate Arshdeep Bains at 17:19. And Arturs Silovs did what he has done so often in the post-season. He turned aside 28 shots and was named playoff most valuable player. The 2015 Utica Comets, under the guidance of Travis Green, advanced to the Calder Cup Finals but ran out of gas in an exhausting post-season run. They played 12 one-goal games and six overtimes, include a four-OT slog to get to the championship series, but lost in five games to the powerhouse Manchesters Monarchs. In 2025, the journey proved the adventure for Abbotsford. Manny Malhotra, 45, got his first shot at running a pro bench after being an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs for four seasons and three with Vancouver. His seamless transition became a talking point for NHL teams pondering coaching vacancies. Selling the vision and getting the buy-in can be harder in a league where players are either on the right development path, on the cusp of making it to 'The Show', or close to seeing their careers coming to a close. And that's where the well-respected Malhotra made a difference. It was about resilience and resolve. 'That's been the makeup of our group the whole playoffs,' said Malhotra. 'When we decide to play like ourselves and advance the play on the forecheck, it works. 'We're not a storybook team. We grind. We work for what we get.' It wasn't easy. It never is. The Canucks were 14-15-1-1 in January before a club record 13-game win streak and finishing the regular season on a 16-1-1 run. 'The formula is there for success,' Abbotsford general manager Ryan Johnson told Postmedia. 'The process is right and a transferable way of playing in the NHL. It's very much a pack mentality and they play for each other. 'Nobody wants to be (in the AHL). It's using our resources to get them to the NHL.' 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. '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.' 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. '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. 'And, sometimes, your hands get tied a little bit, but for me, it was the greatest place to learn.' It was the same story for the players in Abbotsford. 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. '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.' 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. 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. They are restricted free agents with arbitration rights and Bains is no longer waiver exempt. 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. Above all, it was the sum of the parts that got Abbotsford to this memorable place. 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. bkuzma@
Fox Sports
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Linus Karlsson leads Abbottsford Canucks to 3-2 win over Charlotte Checkers to win Calder Cup
Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Linus Karlsson scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Abbotsford Canucks beat the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 on Monday night to win their first Calder Cup championship. Sammy Blais and Danila Klimovich also scored for the Canucks, and Arshdeep Bains had two assists. Arturs Silovs finished with 28 saves. Abbotsford is Vancouver's first AHL affiliate to hoist the cup and the first Canadian winner since the Toronto Marlies in 2018. John Leonard and Jack Devine scored first-period goals for the Checkers, who lost the best-of-seven American Hockey League championship series in six games. The Canucks lost Game 5 in overtime on Saturday in front of the largest crowd to ever witness an AHL game at the Abbotsford Centre in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. After spotting Charlotte the first two goals on Monday night, the Canucks roared back with three unanswered goals, including the winner from Karlsson with 2:41 left in the second period. Abbotsford went 1 for 2 on the power play, while Charlotte went 0 for 4. ___ AP NHL: recommended
Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Linus Karlsson leads Abbottsford Canucks to 3-2 win over Charlotte Checkers to win Calder Cup
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Linus Karlsson scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and the Abbotsford Canucks beat the Charlotte Checkers 3-2 on Monday night to win their first Calder Cup championship. Sammy Blais and Danila Klimovich also scored for the Canucks, and Arshdeep Bains had two assists. Arturs Silovs finished with 28 saves. Abbotsford is Vancouver's first AHL affiliate to hoist the cup and the first Canadian winner since the Toronto Marlies in 2018. John Leonard and Jack Devine scored first-period goals for the Checkers, who lost the best-of-seven American Hockey League championship series in six games. The Canucks lost Game 5 in overtime on Saturday in front of the largest crowd to ever witness an AHL game at the Abbotsford Centre in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. After spotting Charlotte the first two goals on Monday night, the Canucks roared back with three unanswered goals, including the winner from Karlsson with 2:41 left in the second period. Abbotsford went 1 for 2 on the power play, while Charlotte went 0 for 4. ___ AP NHL:
