Off a spirited 3–2 overtime win in their final pre-season game on Friday, the Vancouver Canucks have made more cuts to their roster, assigning defencemen Victor Mancini and Tom Willander to the Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouver will need to submit their opening night roster tomorrow, October 6.
Mancini’s re-assignment comes as a surprise to many, as the young defenceman was arguably one of the team’s best players during the pre-season. However, Mancini is also one of a couple players who do not require waivers to be assigned to Abbotsford, making it easier for the team to call him up and send him down at their convenience. As Mancini is still only 23 years old, it is also in the team’s best interest to have the defender continue to develop in a role with bigger minutes.
This was Willander’s first look at pre-season action since signing his entry-level contract with the Canucks back in May. The defenceman had a steady pre-season, during which he played in four games and put up two assists. Since this is his first pro season, it made the most sense for the Canucks to start Willander in Abbotsford and call him up depending on how he plays.
Mancini and Willander are two of the most recent roster cuts for Vancouver, as the team recently assigned Max Sasson, Nils Åman, and Nikita Tolopilo down to Abbotsford. Some of the notable remaining names include Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Braeden Cootes, Arshdeep Bains, and Linus Karlsson.
Vancouver’s 2025–26 regular season begins at home on October 9, against the Calgary Flames, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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