Canucks cut one more player ahead of preseason game
The Vancouver Canucks have cut loose one more player ahead of tonight’s preseason matchup against the Edmonton Oilers.
Fresh off cutting five players yesterday, including the newly-signed Vilmer Alriksson, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced this morning that the club had released forward Sammy Blais from this PTO.
The 28-year-old Blais appeared in three preseason games with Vancouver and failed to record a single point.
Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that F Sammy Blais has been released from his PTO.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 30, 2024
Initially a sixth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues from the 2014 NHL draft, Blais has, for the most part, been a regular NHL player since breaking into the league in 2017-18. Though he was traded to the New York Rangers in 2021 in the Pavel Buchnevich deal, Blais found his way back to St. Louis in 2023 and spent last season playing for the Blues.
He struggled to make much of an impact, however, only managing a goal and seven points in 53 games last season. This caused him to go unsigned this summer and eventually sign a PTO with the Canucks hoping to nab a bottom-six spot. Unfortunately, that ineffectiveness continued into the preseason as he was not able to find the scoresheet.
Vancouver’s training camp roster now sits at 21 forwards, 15 defensemen, and five goaltenders. More cuts are expected to come this week either following tonight’s game against the Oilers or Friday night’s rematch.
The deadline to submit opening night rosters is set for October 7 while the Canucks will open up their regular-season schedule on October 9 as they host the Calgary Flames.