Things are so bad for Vancouver Canucks' AHL team that they used an emergency goalie
If you thought Adam Foote had his work cut out for him, you should start thinking about Manny Malhotra.
The Vancouver Canucks have endured a dizzying number of injuries. And, the effect that it’s had on their minor league team has been pronounced.
The Abbotsford Canucks were the reigning Calder Cup champions in the AHL last season, but recently they’ve been in a complete tailspin. Abbotsford has lost nine straight games after winning their first two contests of the season.
Currently, they’re the second-worst team in the league with a 2-8-0-1 record.
There was a new level of desperation for the Abby Canucks last night, as emergency backup goaltender C.J. Kier, had to step in and play during the third period, after starting goaltender Ty Young went down with an injury.
Shoutout to CJ Kier, Colorado Eagles' EBUG, for stepping in to make five saves in his American League debut. #Canucks | #AHL pic.twitter.com/iLWqN8H1E3
— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) November 8, 2025
Earlier on Friday, Jiri Patera was called up by the Canucks after Thatcher Demko was absent from practice.
That left Young as the only goalie on the roster, since Nikita Tolopilo is currently injured.
Kier is a 21-year-old goalie from Colorado, and the highest level of hockey he played was the North American Hockey League, one of the top junior leagues in the United States.
He didn’t have any games played last season, according to Elite Prospects. Brennan Vogt of the Mile High Sports Network reported that Kier was the EBUG for the Grand Rapids Griffiths last season.
Kier allowed one goal on six shots in a 4-1 Abbotsford Canucks loss on Friday night.
Even though the Canucks’ farm team went down to an EBUG, goaltending really wasn’t the issue.
The Canucks had just 11 shots on the night. They did get one goal thanks to AHL rookie Vilmer Alriksson.
Alriksson in all aloneā¼ļø pic.twitter.com/2YVQ7DnARX
— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) November 8, 2025
On Friday, the Abbotsford Canucks had just four players in their lineup who helped them win the Calder Cup last season: Danila Klimovich, Chase Wouters, Ty Mueller and Kirill Kudryavtsev.
Other players like Jett Woo, Guillaume Brisebois and Tolopilo remain with the organization but are out due to injury. Abbotsford brough back Jujhar Khaira two weeks ago as the roster started to dwindle, but he’s hurt as well.
The Abby Canucks top line is now playing in Vancouver. Sammy Blais is up with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. Phil Di Giuseppe signed with the Winnipeg Jets, where he plays for their farm team.
Hey, Christian Wolanin is still a free agent, at least in hockey, as he recently got married.
The Canucks announced on Sunday that they’ve called up goalie Aku Koskenvuo from their ECHL team, the Kalamazoo Wings. Koskenvuo was drafted 137th overall by the Canucks in 2021.