<p>Welcome back to the Blackfish Prospect Report.</p>
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<p>The playoff grind is carving through the junior ranks, and while some dreams have faded, others are burning brighter than ever.</p>
<p>At the pro level, this week saw Abbotsford’s historic streak end and Kalamazoo wrap up their season, while the Tom Willander sweepstakes heat up.</p>
<p>Let’s dive into the chaos.</p>
<h1>Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)</h1>
<p>All good things must end, and so it was for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-abby-canucks-stretch-win-streak-six-games-4-2-win-over-moose">Abbotsford Canucks</a>. After a jaw-dropping 13-game winning streak, their magic carpet ride hit turbulence with back-to-back losses to the Calgary Wranglers in their final home series.</p>
<p>The streak is nice, but what matters is that the playoffs are locked up, and there will be professional postseason hockey in British Columbia.</p>
<p>Even amid the losses, Abbotsford’s been a conveyor belt of opportunity. Three more prospects got the call to the big show, etching their names in NHL box scores for the first time: <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-call-up-ty-mueller-nikita-tolopilo-ahl-abbotsford">Ty Mueller</a>, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-recall-d-kirill-kudryavtsev-ahl-abbotsford">Kirill Kudryavtsev</a>, and Nikita Tolopilo.</p>
<p>The latter earned his <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-tolopilo-grabs-first-nhl-win-vancouver-canucks-2-1-overtime-win-san-jose-sharks">first career NHL victory in a snoozy 2-1 win</a> over the San Jose Sharks.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;We were roommates in Abby. Split the rookie lap with [Kudryavtsev]. Happy for him, like really happy.&quot;</p>
<p>🗣 Nikita Tolopilo speaks on his first NHL start and win, wanting to work even harder this summer, and more.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/theprovince?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theprovince</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z28BMx3LJ5">pic.twitter.com/Z28BMx3LJ5</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1912016552544657729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>They join a growing parade of Abbotsford skaters who’ve tasted NHL action this season — a testament to the Canucks’ depth and the farm’s knack for churning out ready-made talent.</p>
<p>With the AHL playoffs looming, Abbotsford is in the midst of a dog fight for second place in the Pacific Division, with home-ice advantage already secured for round one. The roster’s about to get a boost, too — Vancouver’s season is winding down, meaning a flood of bodies could soon reinforce the farm.</p>
<p>And that list could include a couple of names from Kalamazoo.</p>
<p>The one note from the games we will cover this week was Danila Klimovich&#8217;s tremendous goal. Gaining the zone, he walked the line before making a strong move past a flat-footed defender to go top shelf for his team-leading 24th goal of the season.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT A GOAL, DANILA KLIMOVICH! <a href="https://t.co/4uIxP6wtbl">pic.twitter.com/4uIxP6wtbl</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dave Hall (@davehall1289) <a href="https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1910901114289147967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>From a point and attribute standpoint, it&#8217;s been a strong bounceback season for the now 22-year-old Belarusian, who is enjoying career highs in every aspect of his game.</p>
<p>The club did bring in a new body, with towering 6-foot-6 prospect <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-prospect-vilmer-alriksson-joining-abbotsford-canucks">Vilmer Alriksson</a> joining after his OHL team was eliminated from playoff contention. He&#8217;s missed the last few months nursing an upper-body injury but was already seen skating with the team.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Getting the legs moving ahead of tonight! <a href="https://t.co/0Vn1jmSdPB">pic.twitter.com/0Vn1jmSdPB</a></p>
<p>&mdash; X &#8211; Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1910748587547648185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Whether he draws into the lineup remains to be seen, but at the very least, having him up with the pro club to gain some experience is invaluable.</p>
<h1>Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL)</h1>
<p>The Kalamazoo Wings, Vancouver’s ECHL affiliate, closed the book on their 2024-25 season with a final three-game stretch. Unfortunately, they fell shy of playoff contention, ending the campaigns of Josh Bloom and Ty Young.</p>
<p>Bloom went out with a bang, combining for six points (two goals, four assists) in the week’s games to cap a stellar rookie season. The 21-year-old finished third on the Wings with 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 43 games — a near point-per-game clip for his first official professional season.</p>
<p>With Vancouver’s season wrapping and Abbotsford’s roster set to swell, could Bloom sneak in for a playoff cameo? Maybe, maybe not. But we’d bet the farm that he’s pushing for a full-time AHL spot as a 23-year-old next fall.</p>
<p>Then there’s Ty Young, who’s cemented himself as one of the ECHL’s elite young netminders and likely on the list for promotion for 2025-26.</p>
<p>His 10-9-2 record might look pedestrian, but his .926 save percentage cracks the league’s top 10 and a sparkling 8-3-0 stint with Abbotsford earlier this year sprinkles in some pleasant hope for the future.</p>
<p>For a 20-year-old who was still a junior hockey player, maybe at training camp, that’s one heck of a rookie campaign.</p>
<p>Come next season, don’t be shocked if he’s a fixture in Abbotsford’s crease rotation, challenging the veterans for starts.</p>
<h1>Canadian Hockey League (CHL)</h1>
<p>With Vilmer Alriksson now in Abbotsford — likely for good, as his pro journey begins — we’re down to five CHL prospects, four still swinging in the playoff hunt.</p>
<p>Parker Alcos and the Edmonton Oil Kings fell in a Game 7 heartbreaker to the Prince Albert Raiders, so his draft-plus-one season is officially over.</p>
<p><strong>Calgary Hitmen (WHL) – Trail Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-0</strong></p>
<p>Sawyer Mynio and the Calgary Hitmen roared into the second round after sweeping Saskatoon, but the road’s gotten bumpy.</p>
<p>They’ve dropped both opening games to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, mustering just one goal across the pair. It’s a rare offensive drought for a team that’s been a juggernaut, and Mynio didn’t help the cause with a minus-3 rating with only four shots, a quiet output for a blueliner known for his heavy trigger.</p>
<p>The Canucks’ defensive prospect’s still logging big minutes, but he’ll need to rediscover his puck-moving mojo to help Calgary climb out of this hole. Game 3’s a must-win.</p>
<p><strong>Barrie Colts (OHL) – Lead Kingston Frontenacs 2-0</strong></p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Barrie Colts are putting on a clinic in the OHL’s second round, grabbing a 2-0 lead over the Kingston Frontenacs.</p>
<p>Anthony Romani continues to roll, extending his point streak with a goal and an assist in every game so far. His nine goals rank third league-wide (tied with a few others), and he’s showing no signs of cooling off.</p>
<p>But don’t overlook Riley Patterson, who’s caught fire in this series. With three goals and three assists in two games, he’s posted back-to-back three-point nights, sitting just one point shy of Romani’s playoff haul.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">THAT&#39;S TWO FOR PATTERSON✌️🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Canucks</a> Prospect Riley Patterson tallied two so far in the second period for <a href="https://twitter.com/OHLBarrieColts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OHLBarrieColts</a>—keeping this back-and-forth battle close!🐎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OHLPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OHLPlayoffs</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/CHLHockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CHLHockey</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/3kjz73z1ZZ">pic.twitter.com/3kjz73z1ZZ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/1911219472825729476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Barrie’s outscored Kingston 13-6, and Patterson’s been a driving force, his offensive eruption fueling a relentless attack. This team’s not just rolling — they’re steam rolling, and the Canucks’ duo is at the heart of it.</p>
<p><strong>Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) – Lead Chicoutimi Saguenéens 2-0</strong></p>
<p>Out in Quebec, Basile Sansonnens and the Rimouski Océanic continue to flex their muscle. They have a 2-0 edge over the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and have won all six playoff games to date.</p>
<p>Sansonnens isn’t the flashiest name on our list, but he’s a rock, churning out second-pairing minutes in a shutdown role with the kind of reliability that coaches crave.</p>
<h1>NCAA</h1>
<p>The fairy-tale ending is over for <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-hasnt-tom-willander-signed-vancouver-canucks-yet">Tom Willander</a> and the Boston University Terriers. After clawing their way to the NCAA Frozen Four final, they ran out of gas against the Western Michigan Broncos, falling short in a low-scoring battle that hinged on BU’s inability to find the net. A valiant run, but no cigar.</p>
<p>Aiden Celebrini’s already confirmed he’s back for his junior year, so the spotlight remains on Willander.</p>
<p>The Canucks’ blue-chip blueliner faces a fork in the road: go pro or stay in school? The rumour mill’s churning, and it’s messy. As of now, he’s back in Boston, attending classes — a move that tracks for a guy who’s as disciplined in the classroom as he is on the ice.</p>
<p>Some say a deal for 2025-26 is close, while others claim it’s farther off than fans hope.</p>
<p>As of today, only one thing’s clear: burning a year off his contract with just one NHL game left this season is not happening.</p>
<p>Now, the focus shifts to whether he will he sign an Amateur Tryout Offer (ATO) to join Abbotsford for their playoff push.</p>
<p>Either way, Willander’s decision looms large, and Canucks Nation’s holding its breath.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s all for this week, folks. Thank you for tuning in to another week of the Blackfish prospect report.</p>
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Welcome back to the Blackfish Prospect Report.
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&nbsp;

The playoff grind is carving through the junior ranks, and while some dreams have faded, others are burning brighter than ever.

At the pro level, this week saw Abbotsford’s historic streak end and Kalamazoo wrap up their season, while the Tom Willander sweepstakes heat up.

Let’s dive into the chaos.
<h1>Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)</h1>
All good things must end, and so it was for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-abby-canucks-stretch-win-streak-six-games-4-2-win-over-moose">Abbotsford Canucks</a>. After a jaw-dropping 13-game winning streak, their magic carpet ride hit turbulence with back-to-back losses to the Calgary Wranglers in their final home series.

The streak is nice, but what matters is that the playoffs are locked up, and there will be professional postseason hockey in British Columbia.

Even amid the losses, Abbotsford’s been a conveyor belt of opportunity. Three more prospects got the call to the big show, etching their names in NHL box scores for the first time: <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-call-up-ty-mueller-nikita-tolopilo-ahl-abbotsford">Ty Mueller</a>, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-recall-d-kirill-kudryavtsev-ahl-abbotsford">Kirill Kudryavtsev</a>, and Nikita Tolopilo.

The latter earned his <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-tolopilo-grabs-first-nhl-win-vancouver-canucks-2-1-overtime-win-san-jose-sharks">first career NHL victory in a snoozy 2-1 win</a> over the San Jose Sharks.

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1912016552544657729

They join a growing parade of Abbotsford skaters who’ve tasted NHL action this season — a testament to the Canucks’ depth and the farm’s knack for churning out ready-made talent.

With the AHL playoffs looming, Abbotsford is in the midst of a dog fight for second place in the Pacific Division, with home-ice advantage already secured for round one. The roster’s about to get a boost, too — Vancouver’s season is winding down, meaning a flood of bodies could soon reinforce the farm.

And that list could include a couple of names from Kalamazoo.

The one note from the games we will cover this week was Danila Klimovich's tremendous goal. Gaining the zone, he walked the line before making a strong move past a flat-footed defender to go top shelf for his team-leading 24th goal of the season.

https://twitter.com/davehall1289/status/1910901114289147967

From a point and attribute standpoint, it's been a strong bounceback season for the now 22-year-old Belarusian, who is enjoying career highs in every aspect of his game.

The club did bring in a new body, with towering 6-foot-6 prospect <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-prospect-vilmer-alriksson-joining-abbotsford-canucks">Vilmer Alriksson</a> joining after his OHL team was eliminated from playoff contention. He's missed the last few months nursing an upper-body injury but was already seen skating with the team.

https://twitter.com/abbycanucks/status/1910748587547648185

Whether he draws into the lineup remains to be seen, but at the very least, having him up with the pro club to gain some experience is invaluable.
<h1>Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL)</h1>
The Kalamazoo Wings, Vancouver’s ECHL affiliate, closed the book on their 2024-25 season with a final three-game stretch. Unfortunately, they fell shy of playoff contention, ending the campaigns of Josh Bloom and Ty Young.

Bloom went out with a bang, combining for six points (two goals, four assists) in the week’s games to cap a stellar rookie season. The 21-year-old finished third on the Wings with 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 43 games — a near point-per-game clip for his first official professional season.

With Vancouver’s season wrapping and Abbotsford’s roster set to swell, could Bloom sneak in for a playoff cameo? Maybe, maybe not. But we’d bet the farm that he’s pushing for a full-time AHL spot as a 23-year-old next fall.

Then there’s Ty Young, who’s cemented himself as one of the ECHL’s elite young netminders and likely on the list for promotion for 2025-26.

His 10-9-2 record might look pedestrian, but his .926 save percentage cracks the league’s top 10 and a sparkling 8-3-0 stint with Abbotsford earlier this year sprinkles in some pleasant hope for the future.

For a 20-year-old who was still a junior hockey player, maybe at training camp, that’s one heck of a rookie campaign.

Come next season, don’t be shocked if he’s a fixture in Abbotsford’s crease rotation, challenging the veterans for starts.
<h1>Canadian Hockey League (CHL)</h1>
With Vilmer Alriksson now in Abbotsford — likely for good, as his pro journey begins — we’re down to five CHL prospects, four still swinging in the playoff hunt.

Parker Alcos and the Edmonton Oil Kings fell in a Game 7 heartbreaker to the Prince Albert Raiders, so his draft-plus-one season is officially over.

<strong>Calgary Hitmen (WHL) – Trail Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-0</strong>

Sawyer Mynio and the Calgary Hitmen roared into the second round after sweeping Saskatoon, but the road’s gotten bumpy.

They’ve dropped both opening games to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, mustering just one goal across the pair. It’s a rare offensive drought for a team that’s been a juggernaut, and Mynio didn’t help the cause with a minus-3 rating with only four shots, a quiet output for a blueliner known for his heavy trigger.

The Canucks’ defensive prospect’s still logging big minutes, but he’ll need to rediscover his puck-moving mojo to help Calgary climb out of this hole. Game 3’s a must-win.

<strong>Barrie Colts (OHL) – Lead Kingston Frontenacs 2-0</strong>

Meanwhile, the Barrie Colts are putting on a clinic in the OHL’s second round, grabbing a 2-0 lead over the Kingston Frontenacs.

Anthony Romani continues to roll, extending his point streak with a goal and an assist in every game so far. His nine goals rank third league-wide (tied with a few others), and he’s showing no signs of cooling off.

But don’t overlook Riley Patterson, who’s caught fire in this series. With three goals and three assists in two games, he’s posted back-to-back three-point nights, sitting just one point shy of Romani’s playoff haul.

https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/1911219472825729476

Barrie’s outscored Kingston 13-6, and Patterson’s been a driving force, his offensive eruption fueling a relentless attack. This team’s not just rolling — they’re steam rolling, and the Canucks’ duo is at the heart of it.

<strong>Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) – Lead Chicoutimi Saguenéens 2-0</strong>

Out in Quebec, Basile Sansonnens and the Rimouski Océanic continue to flex their muscle. They have a 2-0 edge over the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and have won all six playoff games to date.

Sansonnens isn’t the flashiest name on our list, but he’s a rock, churning out second-pairing minutes in a shutdown role with the kind of reliability that coaches crave.
<h1>NCAA</h1>
The fairy-tale ending is over for <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-hasnt-tom-willander-signed-vancouver-canucks-yet">Tom Willander</a> and the Boston University Terriers. After clawing their way to the NCAA Frozen Four final, they ran out of gas against the Western Michigan Broncos, falling short in a low-scoring battle that hinged on BU’s inability to find the net. A valiant run, but no cigar.

Aiden Celebrini’s already confirmed he’s back for his junior year, so the spotlight remains on Willander.

The Canucks’ blue-chip blueliner faces a fork in the road: go pro or stay in school? The rumour mill’s churning, and it’s messy. As of now, he’s back in Boston, attending classes — a move that tracks for a guy who’s as disciplined in the classroom as he is on the ice.

Some say a deal for 2025-26 is close, while others claim it’s farther off than fans hope.

As of today, only one thing’s clear: burning a year off his contract with just one NHL game left this season is not happening.

Now, the focus shifts to whether he will he sign an Amateur Tryout Offer (ATO) to join Abbotsford for their playoff push.

Either way, Willander’s decision looms large, and Canucks Nation’s holding its breath.

That's all for this week, folks. Thank you for tuning in to another week of the Blackfish prospect report.

<strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong>
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