Was last season a failure for the Abbotsford Canucks? Maybe, since they missed the playoffs along with the Vancouver Canucks’ disaster of a 2025-26 season. That said, they were reminded of what their future looks like. Ryan Johnson and Manny Malhotra led the Canucks to the Calder Cup title in 2025 and laid down the groundwork for a rebuild. Now, they’ll lead the way as the GM and head coach of the NHL team.

This marks the start of a new era in Abbotsford this season. It’s hard to be the follow-up act to Malhotra and Johnson but with a new-look roster, they look to return to the playoffs and help the prospects develop in 2026-27. 

Stats From 2025-26: 

Record: 28-37-4-3 (9th in Pacific Division, tied for 14th in Western Conference & tied for 28th in AHL)

Offense: 2.40 goals per game (32nd in AHL)

Defense: 3.25 goals against per game (23rd in AHL)

The key to success lies in a new coaching staff. With Malhotra in Vancouver, the Canucks have Ryan Papaioannou as their new bench boss. He comes from a development background and impressed many people in the hockey world with his season behind the Wheeling Nailers bench in the ECHL. That said, he’s an unproven head coach. 

It’s unknown how Papaioannou will coach at the AHL level. His system from Wheeling, which was fast-paced and offensive-minded, will translate. The problem is that the turnovers and roster changes are tougher to handle at this level. He has only one season of ECHL experience, so the Canucks are hoping they have found the next up-and-coming coach, despite the risks of this hire. 

The good news is that this question isn't an issue for the AHL GM spot. Richard Seeley was the GM of the Ontario Reign for the past eight seasons and is taking on a bigger role in the Canucks organization. Seeley has plenty of experience at this level and, notably, established a winning culture with the Reign, bringing in veterans who could help the prospects develop. It's a plus for the Canucks, who know they'll have plenty of help this season from their front office. 

Last season, the Canucks fell apart because everything that could go wrong did. The offseason turnover, the championship hangover, a lack of an offseason to prepare, and the NHL team's struggles forcing the prospects up a level left the AHL team depleted. This season, there’s hope because of the way the roster is shaping up.

They’ll have a good mix of veterans and prospects. Trey Fix-Wolansky and Akil Thomas were two of the best veteran signings this summer, bringing a complete game and winning habits to Abbotsford. The duo will join Arshdeep Bains to form a reliable top six for the Canucks. Plus, the prospects who stay in the AHL will make an impact. 

That leads to the other layer of optimism involving the prospects. They’ll allow their prospect to develop this season with the long game in mind. The Canucks aren’t rushing players into the NHL, considering this is a rebuild and they are leaning into it. 

All this points to a bounce back. The Canucks will be a playoff team. If Nikita Tolopilo is in Abbotsford and not called up because of an injury to Thatcher Demko or Kevin Lankinen (which is unlikely), then this team can once again look like a Calder Cup caliber one. 

Braeden Cootes will presumably be on the NHL roster. The 19-year-old center can win a starting job out of training camp and make an impact this season. If not, he’ll be the prospect to watch and the leader of the AHL team. Centers take time to develop, and Cootes looks NHL-ready but might need a few months to learn the pro game before being a regular in the NHL. 

Otherwise, the prospect to watch is Kirill Kudryavtsev, the 22-year-old defenseman. At 200 pounds, the Russian defenseman is being developed into a physical shutdown option, a potential successor to Filip Hronek. Another season in the AHL can turn him into that stay-at-home option.

What makes the Canucks fascinating is that they have roster spots on the NHL team for their prospects but at the same time, the AHL will be better for their development. It’s why Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Linus Karlsson, and Liam Ohgren all spent time in the NHL last season and will likely do so again this season. 

Of course, many wonder about Caleb Malhotra, the third overall pick in the 2026 draft and Manny’s son. Will he be on the Canucks? The top prospect will have to wait until the end of the season before doing so. As a Boston University commit, Malhotra won’t join the team until the college season ends. That can be halfway through March or early April. Either way, he’s not a prospect to watch for the AHL team (and besides, he’ll probably be in the NHL the second his BU season is over anyway).