Why the Canucks cut 15 players from their training camp roster
The Vancouver Canucks made some significant cuts on Wednesday.
After Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, cuts were inevitable. The Canucks have to get down to the 23-man roster limit ahead of the Sept. 28 deadline at 2 p.m. PCT.
They got awfully close to that limit on Wednesday when they sliced a broad chunk off their training camp roster, cutting 15 players.
Here are the cuts:
- Isaac Belliveau (D)
- Ben Berard (LW)
- Yaroslav Bryzgalov (RW)
- Cole Clayton (D)
- Trey Fix-Wolansky (RW)
- Kirill Kudryavtsev (D)
- Aleksei Medvedev (G)
- Ty Mueller (C)
- Sawyer Mynio (D)
- Adam Novotný (LW)
- Riley Patterson (C)
- Brooks Rogowski (C)
- Ilya Safonov (C)
- Jimmy Schuldt (D)
- Chase Wouters (C)
Novotný heads back to junior
Adam Novotný was the standout performer at the Canucks’ prospect showcase, illustrating exactly why the Canucks picked him 24th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.
There was even buzz that he might start the season in the NHL or even play in the AHL.
Instead, Novotný will head back to the Peterborough Petes in the OHL.
It’s the right call.
As impressive as Novotný has been with his NHL-style north-south game, he’s not quite ready for the speed of the NHL game, as he sometimes struggled to find time and space in the preseason. He also fell short in key areas defensively.
That’s no knock on Novotný, as he’s still just 18. He’ll benefit from getting the opportunity to dominate at the OHL level, where he’ll play big minutes as a go-to forward for the Petes.
But he at least showed at camp that he’s not too far away from making an impact in the NHL.
Kudryavtsev loses seventh-defenceman battle
Bob Frid/Imagn Images
It’s somewhat surprising to see Kirill Kudryavtsev get cut and sent down to the Abbotsford Canucks before Victor Mancini.
In training camp and the preseason, Kudryavtsev outplayed Mancini and looked to be the frontrunner to break camp in the NHL with the Canucks.
Here’s the thing: that was more a result of Mancini struggling rather than Kudryavtsev thriving.
Kudryavtsev plays a smart defensive game that makes up for some of the limitations in his skating, but there were moments in the preseason when he struggled to defend against speed. That could get exposed as the game gets faster in the regular season.
Still just 22, Kudryavtsev has room to develop that area of his game, and he’s likely to earn a call-up sometime this season if and when injuries occur on the blue line. But, for now, it looks like he’ll be starting the season in Abbotsford.
Safonov to start season in the AHL
One of the biggest wild cards heading into training camp was Ilya Safonov.
The 25-year-old centre came to camp with a lot of professional hockey under his belt, having played in parts of seven KHL seasons. With his six-foot-four stature and detailed defensive game, it seemed like he would compete for the fourth-line centre role with the likes of Aatu Räty and Max Sasson.
That defensive game showed at the Prospect Showcase, in camp, and during the preseason. He also looked very strong in the faceoff circle.
But Safonov left you wanting more.
The speed of the game was an adjustment for Safonov, as he was too slow to move pucks at times. That’s something he’ll need to work on in Abbotsford, but there’s reason to believe he can make those adjustments and be a useful defensive centre for the Canucks in the future.
With Aatu Räty looking very strong in camp and the preseason, and with no injuries up the middle (knock on wood), there was no room for Safonov to make the Canucks out of camp.
Breaking down the rest of the Canucks cuts
Most of these cuts are unsurprising. For instance, Ben Berard and Isaac Beliveau are only signed to AHL contracts and were only in camp on professional tryout (PTO) deals.
Likewise, Cole Clayton, Trey Fix-Wolansky, and Jimmy Schuldt were signed to play with the Abbotsford Canucks. The three AHL veterans were placed on waivers and will need to clear them before being sent down to the AHL.
All three are unlikely to be claimed, though Fix-Wolansky impressed in camp and the preseason with his energy, offensive instincts, and shot. He should quickly become a fan favourite in Abbotsford and could possibly earn a call-up to the NHL in case of injuries if the Canucks want to keep their young prospects in the AHL a little longer.
Likewise, Chase Wouters is the captain of the Abbotsford Canucks. He might earn a call-up, but he was never expected to be in the opening-night lineup in Vancouver.
Then there are a handful of prospects who were extreme longshots to make the NHL out of camp: Brooks Rogowski, Yaroslav Bryzgalov, Riley Patterson, Sawyer Mynio, and Aleksei Medvedev.
Brooks Rogowski with the Oshawa Generals (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
Rogowski earned some plaudits with his playmaking and puck protection, but the six-foot-seven centre is still raw. The Canucks’ 33rd-overall pick in 2026 needs to play big minutes to refine his skill and hockey IQ, which he’ll get with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL.
Bryzgalov was impressive in training camp and the preseason, easily justifying his selection as an overager in round four of the 2026 NHL Draft. He plays an NHL-style game that ought to make him a fixture in the Canucks’ bottom six in the future, but he still needs some time to refine his game.
He’ll do that first in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, then at Merrimack College in the NCAA.
Patterson looked sharp in training camp and had his moments in the preseason. The AHL is the right place for him to continue developing his game, which has taken major steps forward since he was drafted in the fourth round in 2024.
Mynio looked overmatched in preseason action. He needs at least one more season in the AHL to make the necessary adjustments to his game to handle the faster, bigger players in the NHL.
Finally, Medvedev is heading back to the London Knights in the OHL, where he’ll need to work on his consistency. He has great size, athleticism, and tools, but he’s still very raw and needs to refine his technique and seal up some of the gaps in his game.