2026 Training Camp

[Tciso]

Lekkerimaki's shot today seems to be in top form. I'd love to see him become a consistent 25 goal scorer.

[Tciso]

Puck drops in 7 hours, 36 minutes and 2 songs from now. Welcome to the pre-season.

[theman]

When are the first round of cuts due?

[donlever]

My guess would be this afternoon....tomorrow morning.

[Madcombinepilot]

Is it just me or does it seem there is more optimism and happiness this year at training camp.

Its an illusion. The media is ecstatic that we are going to lose. When we end up in 20th (instead of 32nd), then the bitching will start.

[Lancer]

I was looking at the first preseason game and thinking to myself at the end of it, "I guess I'd best be ready for a lot of games like this."

Some bright moments from the prospects. Some sloppy moments with people who should be in the AHL as well as the kids. Moments where they'll just be outclassed. In the end, limp goaltending will do them in if the other parts don't.

The vets will keep things from getting into Washington Generals territory, and will likely propel a couple of victories with some help from the kids, but there's no reason to believe they'll make a playoff team out of this group.

We'll know the club will be coming out of a rebuild when it's the kids propelling the victories instead of the vets. I don't see any kids on the squad able to do that this year.

[Picker of Cherries]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/think- ... 28513.html

Maybe Mueller has displaced Sasson and Raty?
My guess for the starting line-up based on the article and waiver priority.

DeBrusk Pettersson Karlsson
Ohgren Rossi Boeser
Cotter Chytil Gallagher
O’Conner Mueller (Likely their first Waiver Claim is a forward)

And one of Raty, Sasson, Baines sticking around as the 13th forward.

Buium Hronek
Oleksiak Willander
E. Pettersson Schenn
(Possible Waiver Claim) Mancini

First Abby call ups - Kudryavsev Brisebois

Lankinen
Tolopilo (might be waived and replaced by a waiver pick-up or they sign Driedger)

[Cornuck]

That's a good mix of vets and kids to keep level heads throughout this season.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Hopefully they offload Mancini and move Kuddy up instead. He can't handle a puck to save his life and has a one way 1M contract

[theman]

First set of cuts have been made, 11 in total and no surprises.

https://x.com/canucks/status/2102114436 ... s1igZokqEQ

[Picker of Cherries]

These are the only people safe from being sent down.

DeBrusk Pettersson Karlsson
Ohgren Rossi Boeser
Cotter Chytil Gallagher
O’Conner

Buium Hronek
Oleksiak Willander
E. Pettersson Schenn

Lankinen

Maybe someone grabs Raty or Tolopilo if waived, but even they have a 50% chance of passing through waivers. Everyone else likely clears waivers.
RJ should go waiver crazy.
If there is enough quality on the waiver wire, and ownership is willing to pay their salaries, the Canucks could select three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie. Hopefully some of them develop into assets by the TDL.
That leaves the team lots of depth as they trade veterans or injuries occur.

[Cornuck]

first cuts are the deepest.... (no surprises)

The following players have been assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL):

Vilmer Alriksson (F)
Gabriel Chiarot (F)
Anri Ravinskis (F)
Aku Koskenvuo (G)
Ty Young (G)

The following players have been released from their professional tryout contracts and will be joining the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL):

Austin Brimmer (F)
Bennett Schimek (F)
Joe Arntsen (D)
Tim Rego (D)
Gavin White (D)

The following player has been assigned to his respective Junior Team:

Lucian Bernat (F)

[Picker of Cherries]

Here’s the waiver wire priorities AI came up with emphasizing floor instead of ceiling:

Tier 1: The "Press-Conference" Claims (High-Floor Core)

These are the players who check every box: NHL-tested, fill an organizational need, and have a realistic path to actually hitting the waiver wire due to crowded depth charts.

John Beecher (C/LW) — The ultimate high-floor depth forward. With 165+ NHL games under his belt, he provides immediate, trusted bottom-six size and penalty-killing utility without a steep development curve.
Nathan Gaucher (C) — A true checking-center bet. Large frame, heavy minutes experience, and penalty-killing capability give him a straightforward, projectable role that rebuilding teams constantly need.
Maxwell Crozier (RD) — Inexpensive right-shot defensive depth is one of the hardest commodities to acquire. He offers a clean NHL floor and fills an immediate organizational scarcity.
Zack Ostapchuk (C/LW) — Big-bodied (6'4"), physical, and experienced. His grinding style and defensive reliability make him a dependable plug-and-play bottom-six option.

Tier 2: The High-Upside Swings & Trade-Chasers

Players with higher offensive ceilings or premium position value, but come with a catch—either lower floor safety or a slightly lower probability of actually clearing waivers.

Ethan Del Mastro (LD) — The Catch: If Chicago actually exposes a 6'4" defensive blueliner with his pedigree, you claim him instantly. The only reason he isn't #1 is the realistic question of whether his current team will let him slip through.
Leevi Meriläinen (G) — The best blend of goaltending upside and actual availability. He has proven he can handle NHL stretches, making him a worthwhile gamble if crease depth is being addressed.
Fabian Lysell (RW/LW) — The most realistic offensive upside swing on the board. If his AHL production can translate, you are getting middle-six skill rather than just a depth grinder.
Scott Morrow (RD) — Higher-risk, higher-reward offensive upside from the back end. Less defensively certain than Crozier, but possesses legitimate power-play/transition upside.

Tier 3: The Conditional Depth Pool (Contingency Options)

Solid, mobile, NHL-tested pieces. These are fallback options if the top tiers are surprisingly protected or claimed via trade beforehand.

Philip Tomasino (C/RW) — High skill, but comes with more volatility regarding positional fit and consistency than a traditional checking-line safety net.
Sam Colangelo (RW) — Clean size and enough games played to be a legitimate NHL option rather than an unproven AHL project.
Brett Berard (LW) — Adds a bit more pace and offensive upside to the bottom-six mix, though slightly less secure in his floor than Beecher or Gaucher.
Ryan Johnson (LD) — Mobile, smooth-skating organizational depth with a first-round pedigree, useful for shoring up left-side recall depth.
Colton Dach (C) — Intriguing size and center utility for a reclamation project, though his offensive projection remains murky.
Dennis Hildeby (G) — A massive 6'7" frame gives him high-end goaltending intrigue, but goalies are inherently volatile waiver assets.
Devon Levi (G) — The Long Shot: Elite upside, but realistically the least likely player on this entire list to actually touch the wire given how tightly teams guard young goaltending depth.

The Execution Playbook for Management

The "Break-Glass" Rule: If a genuinely elite, unexpected young asset (such as a David Jiricek, Matthew Poitras type) is inexplicably exposed at No. 1, throw this list out and claim him immediately.

If you are looking strictly at size, grit, willingness to engage physically, and heavy minutes usage, the standout physical profiles from the list are clustered right at the top of Tier 1.

The most physical, heavy-style players available on the board include:
1. Zack Ostapchuk (C/LW)
The Profile: 6'4", 212 lbs
Why he fits: He uses every inch of his massive frame to impose himself on the cycle and protect pucks. He is built for a rugged, grinding bottom-six role, relying heavily on board work, physical net-front presence, and defensive resistance.

2. Nathan Gaucher (C)
The Profile: Built thick and heavy with a true pro-checking build.
Why he fits: Gaucher plays an abrasive, hard-nosed style. He is accustomed to heavy defensive minutes, hard matchups, and isn't shy about dropping the gloves or engaging in physical post-whistle scrums when needed. He profiles as an old-school defensive anchor who makes life miserable for opposing centers.

3. John Beecher (C/LW)
The Profile: 6'3", 220 lbs
Why he fits: Beecher combines exceptional straight-line speed with legitimate NFL-tight-end-sized bulk. Because he plays primarily in defensive and neutral zone checking roles, he uses his massive wingspan and frame to seal off lanes, finish checks on forechecks, and win heavy board battles.

4. Ethan Del Mastro (LD)
The Profile: 6'4", defense-first blueliner.
Why he fits: On the backend, Del Mastro is the premier physical presence. He relies on his reach, strength along the wall, and a willingness to clear the crease. He doesn't play a flashy game; he plays an assertive, defense-first style that relies on heavy contact to kill plays.

Summary: If Vancouver wants to completely alter the physical dimension of their bottom-six or depth defense via the waiver wire, Zack Ostapchuk and Nathan Gaucher offer the heaviest, most abrasive forward styles, while Ethan Del Mastro brings that element to the blue line.

[Cornuck]

Good to know there's some viable options.

1. Zack Ostapchuk (C/LW) - signed a deal with San Jose (four-year, $9.4 million) - he's likely to stay there.

2. Nathan Gaucher (C) - would be good to add his size, and likely to hit waivers.

3. John Beecher (C/LW) - would be another good choice and likely not to make Florida's lineup.

4. Ethan Del Mastro (LD) - on a two-year, $1.9 million bridge contract, but we another big guy on the back end would should help.

Yeah - any 1 or 2 two would help. We're going to lose a lot of games this year, but we don't need to be pushovers. Any of these guys wouldn't likely make it down to Abby, though.

Waiver wire - https://puckpedia.com/nhl-waiver-watch