The Vancouver Canucks have released 11 players from camp as they work to reach the 23-man NHL roster limit with only four preseason games remaining before the regular season.
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The Vancouver Canucks reduced their training-camp roster by 11 players on Monday, marking the first wave of cuts ahead of the 2026–27 season. The timing is significant because the team has only four preseason games this year, with the regular season beginning just over a week later. With limited runway, the Canucks are expected to make further decisions quickly to arrive at the NHL’s 23-man roster limit.
The players cut were Vilmer Alriksson (F), Gabriel Chiarot (F), Anri Ravinskis (F), Aku Koskenvuo (G), Ty Young (G), Austin Brimmer (F), Bennett Schimek (F), Joe Arntsen (D), Tim Rego (D), Gavin White (D), and Lucian Bernat (F). The list reflects a mix of NHL-proximate prospects and players who will now shift focus to the Abbotsford Canucks or junior ranks rather than competing for spots in the NHL during preseason.
Five of the 11 players released from the NHL camp roster are not signed to NHL contracts with the Canucks, instead tied to American Hockey League agreements through Abbotsford. Those players are forwards Austin Brimmer and Bennett Schimek, and defencemen Joe Antsen, Tim Rego, and Gavin White. Their assignment to Abbotsford positions them for more regular game action in the AHL as roster competition continues for the 2026–27 season.
For the other six players, the Canucks identified them as prospects within their development system. Forwards Vilmer Alriksson, Gabriel Chiarot, and Anri Ravinskis, along with goaltenders Aku Koskenvuo and Ty Young, were assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks. In addition, 2026 sixth-round pick Lucian Bernat was sent to his junior team, the Owen Sound Attack in the Ontario Hockey League.
Bernat’s placement has its own context from earlier in camp. The forward was dealing with an injury at the start of training camp, which limited him during initial sessions. He mostly skated with injured forward Akil Thomas before the group’s main activities. On Sunday, however, Bernat participated in practice as an extra forward, a step that preceded his eventual move back to junior hockey for the upcoming season.
The Canucks’ first set of cuts brings their preseason roster down to 46 players, creating a steep task to reach 23 in a short amount of time. Because the team must cut nearly half the remaining group, the next roster decisions are likely to be rapid, especially with a preseason schedule that features only four games before the regular season begins.
Several of the assigned prospects represent concrete potential NHL call-up candidates, depending on how the Abbotsford season starts and how injuries shape the NHL picture. For Alriksson, the Canucks’ situation includes an emphasis on whether he can translate his attributes to higher-end game impact in the American League, with his 6-foot-6 frame and puck-protection ability highlighted as traits that could matter for a future role.
Ravinskis is another prospect drawing attention, in part because his size and speed could fit into a fourth-line style opportunity if the Canucks need depth later in the season. While no specific roster decisions were tied to these assignments, the logic for their consideration is clear: if injuries occur or performance gaps open, the organization can look to a group already positioned to play meaningful minutes with Abbotsford.
In net, Koskenvuo and Young are set for competition in Abbotsford. Their outlook is connected to the Canucks’ goaltending timeline: Thatcher Demko is expected to begin the season after recovering from a January surgery, and if Demko starts as planned, Koskenvuo and Young would primarily be developing in the AHL. If there are further injuries in goal at the NHL level, one of the Abbotsford starters could be next in line.
The organization has also spoken to its approach to moving young players between the AHL and NHL. General manager Ryan Johnson said ahead of training camp that he does not believe in frequent call-ups and send-downs for prospects, describing a model where a young player is called up once and then remains rather than being moved back repeatedly. That stance suggests the Canucks’ plan for prospective players is development-first, with limited disruption unless circumstances require it.
With the next preseason game scheduled for Sunday, the pace of decision-making becomes even more important. As the Canucks prepare for that first outing, their roster reductions will likely continue in order to narrow the group from 46 down to the 23-man limit. For Vancouver fans, the practical effect is that early NHL opportunities may hinge on both preseason performance and how quickly the Canucks can establish depth—especially among a prospect pool already reassigned to Abbotsford and junior competition.
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