11 players Canucks could lose on waivers if they don't make the team
Playing in the NHL is a dream come true. Unfortunately, not every Vancouver Canucks player on their training camp roster will realize that dream on opening night.
The Canucks have only six or seven roster spots available on their 23-man roster, depending on the status of injured forward Ilya Mikheyev.
In terms of the starting lineup, the Canucks realistically have about four spots up for grabs.
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Let the roster battles commence.
Aside from the 11 guys below fighting for NHL jobs, there are other players like Vasily Podkolzin, Nils Aman, and Akito Hirose who don’t require waivers to be sent to Abbotsford.
That’s not the case for the 11 guys on this list. If they don’t make the Canucks out of camp, they will have to go through waivers, meaning every other NHL team can snag them for free.
Forwards
1. Nils Höglander, LW/RW
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 25 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS
- NHL/AHL Salary: $1 million
It would be surprising to see Nils Höglander waived by the Canucks.
However, there is a bias against smaller forwards like Höglander, and the Canucks did sign him to a contract with a cap hit of $1.1 million, which is just below the maximum cap hit that you can bury in the minors ($1.15 million).
Höglander was given a golden opportunity during training camp as he skated with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko. He also flashed some surprising physicality in the Canucks first preseason game.
2. Phil Di Giuseppe, LW
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 30 GP, 6 G, 6 A, 12 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $500,000
Phil Di Giuseppe first signed with the Canucks during the summer of 2021, however it took him 18 months to play NHL games for the Canucks.
He made the most of his opportunity last season, spending most of those games in the Canucks top six alongside J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser.
Phil Di Giuseppe's first goal as a Canuck is a memorable one to tie this game up! âïž pic.twitter.com/TlXNbEvYJc
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 7, 2023
While he’s not a lock to make this team, the fact that he impressed under head coach Rick Tocchet last season does improve his chances of sticking around.
3. Jack Studnicka, LW, RW
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 47 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 8 PTS
- NHL/AHL Salary: $775,000
Unlike Di Giuseppe, Jack Studnicka did not impress Tocchet last season, and was a frequent healthy scratch.
However, Studnicka reportedly came to Canucks camp in great shape, and received some praise from Tocchet recently for his training camp performance. He was also the star of the team’s scrimmage on Saturday.
4. Sheldon Dries, C
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 63 GP, 11 G, 6 A, 17 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $450,000
Sheldon Dries played more NHL games in 2022-23 than anyone expected. He entered last season with 59 career NHL games under his belt and doubled that total by the end of 2022-23.
Still, the Canucks signed centres Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger in the offseason, which effectively pushed Dries out of the starting lineup.
Defence
5. Matt Irwin, LD/RD
- 2022-23 NHL Stats (Washington Capitals): 61 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $450,000
Matt Irwin might not be one of the Canucks’ six defencemen in the lineup on opening night, but he’s arguably the safest among roster bubble blueliners in terms of making the team.
The 35-year-old veteran would be slotted in perfectly as the Canucks’ seventh defenceman. He brings toughness and penalty killing experience to the lineup, even if he’s a player who ideally isn’t playing every night.
6. Guillaume Brisebois, LD
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 17 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $375,000
Based on the training camp defence combos, Guillaume Brisebois may have a leg up on the competition.
He was paired with Tyler Myers during camp on what appears to be the Canucks third pairing at the moment.
He’s not as flashy as some of the guys below, but the 26-year-old is considered poised and reliable defensively.
You'll always remember your first. đ€©
Guillaume Brisebois scores his first career NHL goal to double the lead. pic.twitter.com/ZA2suR62jm
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 15, 2023
7. Christian Wolanin, LD
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 16 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $500,000
Christian Wolanin, the AHL’s reigning defenceman of the year, got into 16 NHL games for the Canucks last season.
He’s an option for the Canucks on the third pairing if they prefer to have a guy who has a bit more offence in his game, as opposed to a more stay-at-home defenceman like Brisebois.
8. Noah Juulsen, RD
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 12 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $450,000
Abbotsford native Noah Juulsen was gifted a golden opportunity to play alongside Quinn Hughes on the first day of Canucks training camp.
However, he was shifted down the depth chart on day two, and did not look good in the Canucks first preseason game against the Calgary Flames.
9. Jack Rathbone, LD
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 11 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS
- NHL/AHL Salary: $950,000
Unlike most of the players on this list, Jack Rathbone is on a one-way contract this season, meaning he’ll make the same amount of money whether he plays in the NHL or AHL.
When Patrik Allvin signed him to that extension, the Canucks clearly expected him to push for an NHL job. While Rathbone still could make the Canucks out of camp, he’s currently on the outside looking in.
10. Jett Woo, RD
- 2022-23 AHL Stats: 68 GP, 7 G, 14 A, 21 PTS
- NHL Salary: $775,000
- AHL Salary: $100,000
Jett Woo had his best professional season to date last year with the Abbotsford Canucks.
Based on his waiver eligibility and the Canucks’ lack of depth on the right side, he has an outside chance of making the team out of camp.
However, his lacklustre performance in the team’s first preseason game didn’t do him any favours.
Goalies
11. Spencer Martin
- 2022-23 NHL Stats: 29 GP, 11-15-1, 3.99 GAA, .871 SV%
- NHL/AHL Salary: $775,000
Last year was a roller coaster for Spencer Martin. He earned more playing time with strong early season performances, but was statistically one of the worst goalies in the NHL once he took over for an injured Thatcher Demko as the Canucks’ starter.
He did finish strong in the AHL playoffs for the Abbotsford Canucks, but is now virtually a lock to be waived by the Canucks after the team acquired goaltender Casey DeSmith from the Montreal Canadiens.