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7 young players in Abbotsford pushing for NHL jobs with Canucks

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Dec 5 2023, 10:42 pm
7 young players in Abbotsford pushing for NHL jobs with Canucks
@abbotsfordcanucks/Instagram

Reinforcements are coming. After the Vancouver Canucks traded Anthony Beauvillier away last week, Rick Tocchet cited that one of the reasons why the team was able to make the trade was because there are forwards in the AHL who are pushing for NHL jobs.

“There’s competition in Abbotsford,” Tocchet told reporters last Tuesday. “There’s a couple of guys knocking on the door, so you can make a trade like that.”

One of those guys knocking on the door was Nils Åman. After playing 68 games for the Canucks last season, Åman began this year in the AHL, despite Tocchet praising his fitness levels.

He’s the frontrunner among Abbotsford Canucks to hold down a permanent NHL roster spot right now, suiting up in all five games since Pius Suter went down with injury. With Sam Lafferty struggling immensely in the faceoff circle (37%), there’s a good chance the Åman sticks around full-time, even if it’s as an extra forward.

Aside from Åman, here are seven other young skaters with the Abbotsford Canucks who are pushing for NHL jobs.

1. Linus Karlsson, RW

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 17 GP, 3 G, 12 A, 15 PTS

With high profile players like Nils Höglander suiting up for Abbotsford last season, it was easy to forget about Linus Karlsson.

However, the 24-year-old Swede was productive last season in the AHL, and his continued progress led to an NHL recall last week.

Karlsson lacks a bit of foot-speed, but the 200-foot awareness and puck skills are evident. He’s even been practicing on the Vancouver Canucks secondary power play unit.

2. Arshdeep Bains, LW

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 17 GP, 3 G, 18 A, 21 PTS

One of the reasons why Karlsson presumably flew under the radar last season was because of the emergence of Surrey native Arshdeep Bains.

The former WHL scoring champion has blossomed into a more complete player since the beginning of last season. He currently leads Abbotsford in points, and has also killed penalties regularly for the club.

Bains’s offensive creativity is arguably his biggest strength. Although he could probably benefit by shooting the puck a bit more, it’s hard to argue against him thinking pass-first when he has 18 assists in 17 AHL games this season.

3. Vasily Podkolzin, RW

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 12 GP, 6 G, 5 A, 11 PTS

Thankfully, Vasily Podkolzin recovered from a scary-looking incident earlier this month, missing only seven games for Abbotsford.

When he’s been in the lineup, he’s looked way more confident than last season.

Podkolzin has six goals and 46 shots in 12 AHL games this season. Last year, he had seven goals and 57 shots in 28 AHL games.

He’s scoring off the rush, off of one-timers, on the power play, and he looks to have that burst which he showcased in his rookie season.

There’s no rush, but it might not be long until Podkolzin is back with the Canucks.

4. Tristen Nielsen, RW

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 8 GP, 5 G, 1 A, 6 PTS

Undersized, undrafted, and often overlooked. It’s been a grind for Tristen Nielsen to get where he is, but he’s arguably on the precipice of playing NHL games for the Canucks.

If you watch him closely in Abbotsford, Nielsen might remind you a bit of former Canuck great, Alex Burrows. He’s tenacious on the forecheck and has some decent puck skills to boot.

Nielsen has missed over half of Abbotsford’s season due to injury, but he’s been productive when in the lineup. The 23-year-old has a hat trick and an sick game-winning goal already this season.

5. Jack Studnicka, C/RW

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 6 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS

Much like Åman, Jack Studnicka was one of those players who impressed Tocchet during training camp despite not making the initial team.

However, he was one of the first guys recalled and did score in his first NHL game of the season.

Studnicka looked like a different player compared to last season during preseason action. However, he can’t be complacent, as this might be one of his last chances of earning a full-time NHL role.

6. Aatu RĂ€ty, C

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 19 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS

Canucks management would probably be happy to have Aatu RĂ€ty spend the entire season in the AHL. However, his performance recently certainly suggests that he’s progressing in the right direction.

RĂ€ty has largely been locked in as the third-line centre for Abbotsford. However, he is up to fourth in team scoring with 13 points in 19 games.

He did that while overcoming a slow start where he had just one assist in the team’s first five games.

Of all players on this list, RĂ€ty likely has the highest upside. Even if his play is on the rise for Abbotsford, there should be no rush to call him up to the Canucks.

7. Jett Woo, D

  • 2023-24 AHL Stats: 19 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS

Akito Hirose, Cole McWard, and Matt Irwin have all been recalled to the Canucks at various points this season. However, Jett Woo has arguably been Abbotsford’s most consistent defenceman.

During a recent interview on Sportsnet 650, Abbotsford head coach Jeremy Colliton went out of his way to praise Woo’s stabilizing presence on the blue line.

The right-shot defenceman has largely skated alongside Christian Wolanin on Abbotsford’s first pairing. Despite a slow start to his pro career, the fourth year pro is putting himself in line for a call-up later in the season.

Trevor BeggsTrevor Beggs
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