Two members of the Vancouver Canucks’ 2021 draft class have gone unsigned and will now become free agents. Lucas Forsell, who had confirmed that the Canucks would not be signing him earlier in May, and Hugo Gabrielson are the two prospects who will not continue their careers as part of the Canucks organization.
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Because Forsell and Gabrielson have played in European leagues during the past few years since being drafted, the Canucks had four years to sign them to their entry-level contracts. Since Vancouver didn’t sign either player by June 1, 2025, both will become free agents and are able to sign with any club.
Gabrielson, a defenceman, was picked 169th overall in the 2021 draft, going to Vancouver in the sixth round. He has predominantly played in HockeyAllsvenskan with Västerviks IK, putting up five goals and 19 assists in 122 games played. In his last season with Västerviks, he scored five goals and 10 assists in 47 games. Gabrielson played with Nybro Vikings IF in 2024–25, tallying five goals and 21 assists for a career-high in points throughout every league he has played in.
Forsell was Vancouver’s last pick of the 2021 draft. The winger was selected 201st overall in the seventh round. The bulk of his professional career has been spent with Färjestad BK of the SHL, including the 2024–25 season. This past year, he put up four goals and five assists in 45 games played. His highest point total with Färjestad was in 2022–23, when he scored 11 goals and two assists in 35 games played.
With the deadline now passed, the Canucks only ended up retaining two of the six picks they made during the 2021 NHL Draft — Danila Klimovich and Aku Koskenvuo. Klimovich signed his entry-level contract almost immediately after being drafted and has spent every season since then with the Abbotsford Canucks. Koskenvuo signed his entry-level contract this March after he and Harvard were eliminated from the NCAA playoffs.
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