Canucks management says it will shape its final roster around long-term player development ahead of the Sept. 29 opener in Edmonton, limiting “yo-yo” NHL/AHL movement and using pre-season games to assess readiness, with only limited roles expected for veteran players.
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The Vancouver Canucks will open the regular season on Sept. 29 in Edmonton, and the team’s management says it is shaping its final roster around long-term development rather than short-term fixes.
Following a four-day training camp in Penticton, general manager Ryan Johnson said the organization wants to protect player progress and avoid what he described as “yo-yo” movement between the NHL and the AHL. He said even short recalls followed by returns to Abbotsford can affect development over the longer term, and that the goal is to earn NHL opportunities through performance and keep players with the parent club once they arrive.
The Canucks have four pre-season games to evaluate players. The team is also expecting veterans who have reached 100 NHL games to have limited opportunities, while younger players and rookies have more time to demonstrate readiness.
Management is pointing to centre Braeden Cootes as an example of its approach. Cootes made the Canucks’ opening-night lineup last year at age 18, played three NHL games, then returned to the WHL. This season, he is expected to be evaluated on readiness for a longer development arc.
The Canucks’ development plans are also tied to an allowance affecting development-age management. Vancouver says the 2025 first-round draft pick can play in the AHL at age 19, which supports an extended path through the league if a longer NHL look isn’t deemed appropriate immediately.
Cootes said he will accept either outcome—an NHL role or continued development in the AHL—depending on what the organization decides is best. He indicated that “maybe the AHL is the right path” if he isn’t given the responsibility he’s seeking.
The team also continues to evaluate its mix of prospects and veterans, including Zeev Buium, who has spent camp time with Filip Hronek.
In pre-season roster reductions, Vancouver trimmed its group by 11 players on Monday and has 46 players remaining, with some moving to Abbotsford or the junior system and others released from professional tryouts. The organization’s message is that the final pre-season games will be used to determine which players can handle NHL responsibility while still fitting the broader NHL/AHL development plan.
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