Danila Klimovich leads the Abbotsford Canucks in goals this season.

Danila Klimovich is off to a hot start in the AHL for the 2024-25 season. The Vancouver Canucks prospect leads the Abbotsford Canucks in goals with seven, while his 11 points in 16 games is tied for the team lead. Now in his fourth AHL season, it looks like the 2021 second-rounder is finally living up to his potential. 

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One indicator that Klimovich is playing with more confidence is his shots-on-goal rate. Through his first three years, his career high for shots on goal per game in a season was 1.87, which came during the 2022-23 campaign. While there is still plenty of time left in 2024-25, he is averaging 3.31 shots per game and already has recorded more shots on goal than last year despite playing eight fewer games.

With more shots also comes more goals, as Klimovich is up to seven through his first 16 games. On pace for over 30, that would smash his career high from 2022-23, when he recorded 17 in 67 games. Based on his deployment both on the power play and even strength, he should be able to smash his career high in goals and could become just the fourth player in franchise history to record 20 goals in a season.

The biggest question when it comes to Klimovich is whether he can stay consistent for the rest of the season. While he has looked good through the first 16 games, Abbotsford is going to be leaning on him heavily throughout the season. It is also clear that he has earned the trust of Head Coach Manny Malhotra, which means that even when the players that are currently called up to the Canucks return to the AHL, he will most likely still be getting opportunities at the top of the lineup. 

While Klimovich's development has been frustrating, it is important to note that he is still only 21 and has plenty of time to continue developing. It is clear something changed this offseason for the right-winger, which has led to his strong start to the 2024-25 campaign. As mentioned, it is still early, but it looks like Klimovich is finally developing into a prospect that could be part of Vancouver's plans moving forward.