Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season, or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.

Today, we’re breaking down the Vancouver Canucks.

Most NHL teams with two playoff appearances in the past decade would have a solid prospect pipeline. The Canucks, though, are seriously lacking depth. However, that’s because they’ve been stuck in an identity crisis for far too long.

Two years ago, the Canucks were one win away from finding themselves in the Western Conference Final. Fast forward to last season, and there’s no better word to use to describe it than “cluster—-“. There’s no question that they’ve got the talent to be a contender, but injuries and off-ice drama have prevented them from reaching their full potential.

On the plus side, their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, is fresh off its first title in AHL history. They might even be better this coming season, with a lot of their young prospects expected to take on bigger roles. Winning AHL titles doesn’t mean you’re going to have great long-term NHL success. Many of the best American Hockey League teams feature clusters of veterans. But the Canucks are hoping players like Tom Willander and Jonathan Lekkerimäki can live up to their potential and become stars before playing key roles in the NHL. So while I think Vancouver’s pipeline definitely lacks depth, the high-end talent could be impact players sooner rather than later.

If you’re seeking more in-depth analysis on Vancouver’s pipeline, check out the work Dave Hall and Co. have been putting out this summer on Canucks Army.

Biggest Strength

As a whole, they’ve got some decent defensive depth to work with. Willander is the obvious draw, but Kirill Kudryavtsev has turned out to be quite the find, while Sawyer Mynio is coming off a solid season in the WHL. Victor Mancini has the best odds of starting the season in the NHL, although I doubt he plays a ton of games. Still, you can never have enough defenders in your system, and there’s enough variance in how they all play, too.

Biggest Weakness

The Canucks simply lack depth. They have may six players on this list with a real NHL future, with the others in the top 10 looking more like longshots, but with upside. Outside the top 10, I just don’t love much of what they have to offer. Funny enough, my favorite prospect might be Basile Sansonnens, who has shown he can shut guys down. However, beyond that, the Canucks simply lack the depth that other teams, despite their own lack of playoff success over the past decade, have managed to assemble.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Patrik Allvin
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Todd Harvey
Dir. of Player Development: Ryan Johnson
AHL Affiliate: Abbotsford Canucks
ECHL Affiliate: Kalamazoo Wings

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Tom Willander (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Tom Willander, RHD, 20 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 11th overall, first round in 2023

After a strong sophomore season at Boston College, Willander is ready to prove himself against pro competition. He’s a two-way, strong-skating blueliner who makes a lot of skilled plays with the puck. I feel like his overall control of the disk is much more refined than when he started in the NCAA, and he has really figured out how to handle his gap control on smaller North American ice. Willander was one of the best defenders at the World Juniors, which helped showcase just how far his development has come. I expect Willander to play a significant role in Abbotsford and see some NHL playing time, as well.

2. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW, 21 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 15th overall, first round in 2022

Lekkerimäki split his first year in North America between the NHL and AHL, with some mixed results. He had six points in 24 NHL games and 28 points in 36 AHL games, with 19 of them being goals. Still, I’m not too concerned. He’s clearly a high-end shooter, and injuries didn’t help his cause this year. Had he stayed in Abbotsford all year, he would have been a 30-goal scorer. Lekkerimäki has the best shot release of any prospect in the Canucks’ system and he looks destined to play key power-play minutes one day soon. At 21, Lekkerimäki is still very young. If you’re a Canucks fan, you’ll want to see much more from him this season, but there’s still plenty of high-end potential to go around.

3. Braeden Cootes, C, 18 (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 15th overall, first round in 2025

*Braeden Cootes (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

There’s a lot to love about Cootes’ game. The thing that really stands out here is just how much he wants the puck, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Cootes is also a solid playmaker, often easily finding teammates in open space. I think his value goes far beyond his numbers, which you want from a center. He’s not small at six-foot, but he’s not huge, either. That doesn’t seem to hurt him, though, because he’s not afraid to play with an edge. Cootes’ game really grew on me throughout his draft year, and now I’m excited to see where in the top six he ends up moving forward.

4. Aleksei Medvedev, G, 17 (London Knights, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 47th overall, second round in 2025

It was a solid goalie market at the 2025 NHL Draft, and the Canucks got one that many considered to bear the top of the list. The rookie OHLer was a huge part of London’s regular season success, putting up some excellent numbers alongside CHL veteran Austin Elliott. Medvedev is a quick goalie who has a somewhat unorthodox hunch-back style, but his pure athleticism prevails more often than not. There just aren’t many flaws in how he commands the crease – scouts love him. He’ll be the No. 1 in London this year, which is a tough ask for any goaltender. Fortunately, Medvedev should have what it takes to be one of the best goaltenders in the CHL this year.

5. Kirill Kudryavtsev, LHD, 21 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted: 208th overall, seventh round in 2022

Kudryavtsev continues to blow me away with how far he has come over the past few years. A seventh-round pick by the Canucks in 2022, Kudryavtsev finished his junior career with a pair of productive seasons before turning pro for 2024-25. Kudryavtsev played two NHL games with Vancouver, put up 26 points in Abbotsford, and then saved his best hockey for last with another 10 points in 21 playoff games. His confidence seems to be at an all-time high, and it shows in the way he can dominate in his zone. The Russian-born defender looks like a legit shutdown defender candidate moving forward.

6. Sawyer Mynio, LHD, 20 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 89th overall, third round in 2023

Sawyer Mynio (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

Mynio had an impressive World Junior camp, earning a spot on the roster. I liked how competitive he was, and while he lacks high-end skill, he makes up for it with his work ethic. I thought he played really well in Calgary, taking on a lesser role than he had in Seattle. It feels like he could be a second-pairing defender, paired with someone a bit more active on the puck. If Mynio makes the NHL, he’ll be great on the penalty kill.

7. Victor Mancini, RHD, 23 (Vancouver Canucks)

Acquired: Traded by the New York Rangers in 2025

Mancini is a 6-foot-3 defender who has some decent speed. He started the year off on a strong foot with the Rangers, but has spent more time in the AHL with Hartford before the trade to Vancouver. I could see the big, strong blueliner start the season as a No. 6 or 7 defender, but I’m not sure he’s an everyday guy – or ever will be. But in terms of NHL-caliber defensive depth, you can do much worse than Mancini.

8. Ty Mueller, C, 22 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 105th overall, fourth round in 2023

Mueller had an eventful 2024-25, earning his first NHL action on top of putting up 39 points in Abbotsford. He also played some of his best hockey of the season during the playoffs, which included three points in the final three games to help Abbotsford clinch the Calder Cup. The former University of Nebraska-Omaha center isn’t big, but he offsets it by being a toolsy, all-around threat. He can block shots, serve as a supporting forward and generate chances in close, too. I like his game away from the puck, which might be the trait that allows him to break in on a bottom-line role over the next few seasons.

9. Kieren Dervin, C, 18 (Kingston Frontenacs, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 65th overall, third round in 2025

*Kieren Dervin (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

I could see Dervin become an absolute steal out of the third round. Dervin is a two-way center who can play with just about anyone, showing a high level of versatility. He’s not afraid of anyone, no matter their size, and he’ll take you on physically – and often win, despite not being huge. Dervin is a decent skater, although he won’t be a burner at the next level. Instead, you’d draft him for his all-around toolkit – he’s solid defensively and will battle to win every shift at the other end, too. We’ll see how the Penn State commit develops over the next few years, as some scouts believe he could be a hidden gem if he continues to show more confidence as a shooter against tougher competition. I’m a big believer in Dervin.

10. Ty Young, G, 20 (Abbotsford Canucks, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 144th overall, fifth round in 2022

Young has come a long way since starting his draft year as a backup with Prince George. This past season, he split his time between the AHL and ECHL, where he posted solid numbers as a first-year pro. At 6-foot-3, Young has ideal size, and he’s quite stable and composed on his feet at all times. With Arturs Silovs out of the fray, Young has a clearer opportunity to earn ice time in Abbotsford this season. It’s still a bit crowded, with Aku Koskenvuo, Nikita Tolopilo and Jiri Patera all seeking opportunities, but Young is the one with the highest ceiling, in my opinion. This will be a perfect time to show what he’s capable of.

The rest: Anthony Romani, RW (20), Anri Ravinskis, RW (22), Chase Stillman, RW (22), Josh Bloom, LW (22), Danila Klimovich, RW (22), Vilmer Alriksson, LW (20), Wilson Bjorck, LW (19), Gabe Chiarot, RW (18), Matthew Lansing, C (18), Riley Patterson, C (19), Matthew Perkins, C (21), Daimon Gardner, C (21), Parker Alcos, RHD (19) Basile Sansonnens, LHD (18), Aiden Celebrini, RHD (20), Aku Koskenvuo, G (22)

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