After a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks trimmed 15 players from their training camp roster to reach the 23-man limit by Sept. 28.
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The Vancouver Canucks reduced their training camp roster on Wednesday, cutting 15 players as they worked toward the league-mandated 23-man roster limit ahead of the Sept. 28 deadline at 2 p.m. PCT.
The move followed a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, leaving Vancouver needing additional roster space and clarity on which prospects would remain in the organization at higher levels for the 2026-27 season.
Among the players sent out from camp were defenceman Isaac Belliveau, forward Ben Berard, forward Yaroslav Bryzgalov, defenceman Cole Clayton, winger Trey Fix-Wolansky, defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev, goaltender Aleksei Medvedev, and forward Ty Mueller. The Canucks also reassigned centres Riley Patterson, Brooks Rogowski, and Ilya Safonov, along with defenceman Sawyer Mynio, defenceman Jimmy Schuldt, and forward Chase Wouters. (Adam Novotný heads back to junior.)
A significant part of the reasoning reflected in the cuts centres on player readiness for the pace of NHL play and the developmental value of consistent minutes elsewhere. That theme was especially clear with Adam Novotný, who had drawn attention as a standout at the Canucks’ prospect showcase and was viewed as a candidate to begin the season higher up the depth chart.
Novotný, who had been drafted 24th overall in 2026, will return to the Peterborough Petes in the OHL after showing an NHL-like north-south approach at camp. Despite that promise, the decision to send him back was tied to the gap between prospect showcases and full NHL speed: he had moments in the preseason where he struggled to locate time and space, and the Canucks identified defensive areas where he still needs improvement.
Kudryavtsev’s reassignment also underlined the evaluation process that continues through the final stages of training camp. Kirill Kudryavtsev was considered a leading option to break camp on the blue line after outperforming Victor Mancini during camp and the preseason, but he was cut and will start the season with the Abbotsford Canucks instead.
The adjustment reflects both performance and context. Kudryavtsev was described as playing a smart defensive game that partially compensates for limitations in skating, but there were instances where he struggled defensively against speed—an issue that the Canucks expect could become more costly as the regular season accelerates.
With Kudryavtsev only 22, the Canucks appear to view the current assignment as developmental, with a realistic possibility of a call-up later if injuries open a spot on the NHL roster.
In contrast, the club’s decision on Ilya Safonov pointed to a different kind of evaluation: professional experience and physical attributes were not enough on their own to secure a roster position this time. Safonov, a 25-year-old centre who came to camp with experience across seven KHL seasons, has a listed size of six-foot-four and a defensive-minded style that had stood out in showings at the prospect showcase, during camp, and in the preseason.
He was also noted for strength in the faceoff circle. However, the Canucks determined he left key questions unanswered in one area central to NHL projection—speed—after being described as too slow at times in moving pucks.
With Aatu Räty performing strongly in camp and preseason and with the middle of the roster not presenting an immediate opening due to injury, Safonov was not viewed as having enough room to earn a spot with the Canucks. The organization instead directed him to Abbotsford for more work to adjust to the tempo and puck-moving demands of the North American game.
Several of the remaining moves were also linked to contract structure and the specific role of professional tryouts and AHL signings during camp. Ben Berard and Isaac Belliveau were on AHL contracts and were in camp on professional tryout deals, while Cole Clayton, Trey Fix-Wolansky, and Jimmy Schuldt were signed with the intent to play for Abbotsford.
For those AHL veterans placed on waivers with the aim of sending them down, the Canucks’ immediate priority is clearing the waiver process before completing the assignments. The material describing the moves indicates Fix-Wolansky impressed with energy, offensive instincts, and shooting, which could give him a faster path to an NHL recall if injuries create roster needs while keeping younger players in the AHL longer.
The club also considered player leadership and organizational fit in its decision-making. Chase Wouters, described as captain of the Abbotsford Canucks, may still earn an NHL call-up, but the framing suggests he was never viewed as a likely option for the opening-night lineup in Vancouver.
Other reassigned players were presented as longshots to make the NHL roster out of camp, with the emphasis on development opportunities in leagues better suited to their current stage. Brooks Rogowski, for example, is a six-foot-seven centre whose playmaking and puck protection drew praise, but he was characterized as still raw. The Canucks’ evaluation indicated he needs additional seasoning and hockey decision-making, with time in the OHL identified as a key next step with the Oshawa Generals.
Yaroslav Bryzgalov, an overager selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NHL Draft, will also return to development after showing an NHL-style approach in camp and the preseason. The decision points to the need for additional refining before becoming a consistent fixture in a bottom-six role, with the WHL and later college hockey noted as part of his path.
Riley Patterson, another player who showed moments of sharp play in camp and the preseason, will spend the season in the AHL, described as the correct environment to continue his development after taking major steps since being drafted in 2024. Sawyer Mynio’s preseason evaluation, meanwhile, suggested he was overmatched and needs at least another AHL season to adjust to the faster, larger style of NHL competition.
Aleksei Medvedev rounds out the group sent out with an OHL return identified as the next phase. He is expected to focus on consistency and refinement in London, with the assessment emphasizing his size, athletic tools, and potential alongside the gaps in technique.
With the Canucks’ roster trimming now aligned to the 23-man limit by Sept. 28, the immediate practical impact is twofold: more defined roles for the players staying in Vancouver’s immediate mix, and a clearer development schedule for prospects headed to Abbotsford, the CHL, and the OHL as the organization sets up for the 2026-27 season.
The timing also positions Vancouver to respond to the first injuries and performance gaps of the year, where the earlier decisions—particularly on players like Kudryavtsev and Safonov—create options for call-ups while keeping other prospects in environments designed to accelerate their readiness.
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