The Canucks have re-assigned Cole Clayton back to the AHL and conducted a paper transaction for Nikita Tolopilo.
With the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline officially passed, and two trades made today, the Vancouver Canucks have made a handful of roster moves for logistical purposes. This includes sending Cole Clayton back down to the AHL and assigning Nikita Tolopilo to the Abbotsford Canucks and recalling him on an emergency basis immediately after.
Clayton was called-up by the Canucks yesterday, with this taking place only a day after the team traded Tyler Myers to the Dallas Stars. The same day as Clayton’s call-up, Vancouver also traded Jett Woo to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Jack Thompson. A depth defenceman acquired in the Kiefer Sherwood trade back in January, Clayton has put up two assists in 16 games with Abbotsford.
Since Vancouver traded both Conor Garland and David Kämpf within the past couple of days, the Canucks will only have access to 12 forwards and six defencemen for tonight’s game.
The roster move involving Tolopilo was done in order to ensure he can play in Abbotsford through the remainder of the season if situations call for it, as after the deadline, AHL teams are not allowed to put NHL players on their roster if they are not already on there. This means today’s move counts solely as a paper transaction, as Tolopilo is expected to start for Vancouver tonight when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at 5:30 pm PT today.
Feb 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN;Vancouver Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save against Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (55) during first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn ImagesMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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