The air in the locker room changes when the clipboards come out. For weeks, it’s a place of competition, hope, and camaraderie. Then, in an instant, it becomes a place of business. Handshakes are exchanged, futures are decided, and the dreams of some are put on hold while others are realized. The Vancouver Canucks finalized their 23-man roster for the 2025-26 season opener, and as always, the final decisions brought a mix of the expected, the surprising, and the genuinely exciting. The calculus of building a winning team is never simple, involving a complex interplay of performance, potential, and the unforgiving logic of the collective bargaining agreement.
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A Victim of the Numbers Game
If you watched the preseason, you probably thought Victor Mancini had a roster spot locked up. The big defenseman did everything asked of him and more, chipping in with two goals and playing a physical, confident game that seemed to signal his NHL readiness. By many accounts, he “probably deserved to make the team.” Yet, when the final assignments were posted, Mancini’s name was on the list bound for the Abbotsford Centre of the American Hockey League.
So, what happened? In a word: waivers. Mancini’s entry-level contract makes him waiver-exempt, meaning the organization could move him between the NHL and AHL without the risk of another team claiming him. This contractual flexibility, while a curse for Mancini in the short term, became a crucial asset for General Manager Patrik Allvin. Sending Mancini down allowed the Canucks to keep forwards Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson on the NHL roster. Both Bains and Karlsson would have required waivers to be sent to the AHL, and given their respective skill sets, it’s highly likely they would have been claimed by another franchise. In the cold, hard business of asset management, losing a player for nothing is a cardinal sin. Mancini became the sacrificial lamb, a victim not of poor play, but of a strong camp and a convenient contract.
Joining him in Abbotsford is top prospect Tom Willander. This move was far less surprising. The 11th overall pick from the 2023 Draft is making the leap to the professional ranks after two seasons of development at Boston University. While he performed adequately in preseason action, it was clear that the young Swede needs significant pro reps to adjust to the speed and structure of the game. The plan is for him and Mancini to be a formidable top-four pairing for AHL head coach Manny Malhotra, logging heavy minutes in all situations. It’s a tough demotion for Mancini, but a necessary developmental step for both promising blueliners.
The Kid Stays in the Picture
While one roster battle ended in a tough break, another culminated in a piece of franchise history. When the dust settled, 18-year-old rookie Braeden Cootes was left standing. The energetic forward forced his way onto the 23-man roster, becoming the first 18-year-old to make the Canucks’ opening night lineup since a slick Czech center named Petr Nedved did it back in 1990.
Let that sink in. For 35 years, every teenager who has come through the Canucks system—highly-touted prospects and first-round picks included—has ultimately been deemed in need of more seasoning. Cootes broke the mold. His inclusion is a testament to a relentless and dynamic preseason performance where his speed and tenacity were impossible to ignore. Management has rewarded him with a significant vote of confidence, slotting him onto a fascinating third line alongside veteran agitator Evander Kane and skilled sniper Jonathan Lekkerimaki. It’s a line with a potent mix of sandpaper, speed, and scoring touch. The question now becomes how coach Adam Foote deploys the youngster and whether he can handle the rigors of an 82-game NHL schedule. For now, it’s the best story to come out of training camp.
Assembling the Puzzle Pieces
With the assignments made and the rookie phenom officially on board, the Canucks’ opening night roster is set. The final configuration features 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders.
Forwards (14): Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Arshdeep Bains, Filip Chytil, Conor Garland, Evander Kane, Braeden Cootes, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Drew O’Connor, Teddy Blueger, Kiefer Sherwood, Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson.
Defence (7): Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson, Tyler Myers, Derek Forbort, Elias Pettersson, Pierre-Olivier Joseph.
Goaltenders (2): Thatcher Demko, Kevin Lankinen.
The forward group boasts a solid mix of top-end talent in Pettersson, Boeser, and Jake DeBrusk, complemented by a versatile middle-six and a fourth line with options. The defence corps is, of course, led by captain Quinn Hughes and his partner Filip Hronek. Marcus Pettersson provides stability, and yes, you read that correctly—there are two Elias Petterssons. The defenceman, a third-round pick in 2022, will look to carve out a role on the third pairing. In net, the tandem of Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen remains a clear strength of the team.
The final variable is the health of the club. Forwards Nils Höglander and defensemen Guillaume Brisebois and Jett Woo will all start the season on injured reserve. Their eventual return will inevitably create another roster crunch, forcing management into another round of difficult decisions.
For now, the battles are over and the team is forged. It’s a group built through strategic planning, tough-luck demotions, and the undeniable emergence of a new young star. The roster is set, but the real test is just beginning.
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