By Andrew Chernoff

August 29, 2025

In Part 3 of 3, I look at who might surprise, who is expected to surprise and who is expected to hit the ice with a sense of purpose, drive, and a chip on their shoulder, at the 2025 Training Camp in Penticton, B.C., from September 18-21, 2025.

Several players will arrive with a clear, purpose-driven agenda. These athletes are motivated by a compelling narrative—be it a comeback from injury, a quest for a new identity, or a possible final chance to establish themselves at the NHL level.

Their performances will not only shape the roster but also set the tone for the entire 2025-26 season, whether they make it for the ride or fall by the wayside.

Players with a Chip on Their Shoulder

Filip Chytil:

• Chytil faces the challenge of proving his durability after a season marred by significant head-related injuries. Chytil’s 2024-25 campaign with the Canucks was short-lived, as a whiplash injury from a hit by Jason Dickinson ended his season prematurely after just 15 games.
• This setback came after he had already missed substantial time with a serious head injury sustained while with the Rangers in early November. The team has positioned him as the “clear No. 2” center on the depth chart, a significant promotion from his third-line role in New York. However, his future hinges entirely on his health.
• His “chip on his shoulder” is not just about overcoming a fragile physical state. If Chytil can demonstrate robust health and consistent offensive production throughout camp and the preseason, he will not only secure his place but also provide a crucial sense of stability and relief for the coaching staff and front office.

Elias Pettersson:

• Pettersson, the team’s star forward, is arriving at camp with a self-proclaimed mission to bounce back and avenge last season.
• Pettersson was sidelined with an upper-body injury at the end of the season, adding a personal setback to the team’s collective failure. The on-ice struggles were compounded by a “highly publicized rift” with teammate J.T. Miller, which affected the team and put a spotlight on the internal dynamics.
• Pettersson must lead by example from day one of camp, setting a new, determined tone and making an effort to repair any lingering internal divisions. He must utilize his renewed determination to help restore the team’s identity, which was successful in 2023-24, and leverage his skills and talents to help the team strive for a better outcome this season after the previous season’s collapse.

Jett Woo:

• The right-shot defenseman, who re-signed a one-year, two-way contract with the team, has overcome a period where he felt “a little bit timid, nervous and scared” he has admitted.
• Now, he is fueled by a bold declaration: “My expectations are nothing less than playing in the NHL”.  This is not just a hope; it is a firm, non-negotiable goal, according to the young defenseman.
• The Vancouver blueline is crowded, with five spots seemingly locked down, leaving Woo to vie for the last open position with several other contenders, and that ” chip on his shoulder” stems from wanting to not only prove to himself he is “ready and able” but prove it on the ice where it counts for a promotion to the NHL club.
• His ability to succeed or not will be measured by his ability to translate his newfound mentality and physical play into a dominant performance, either forcing management to reward his long-term commitment and growth with an NHL spot or to send him back to Abbotsford to continue his professional career.

Vitali Kravtsov:

• Kravtsov has returned to the Canucks organization on a one-year, two-way deal after a career-best season in the KHL. Last season, he led Traktor Chelyabinsk with 27 goals and finished second in points with 58 in 66 games, while also playing a key leadership role in their run to the Gagarin Cup Final.
• His KHL success gives him the confidence, but the two-way contract adds a clear incentive to perform. This is a prime opportunity for him to prove that his growth as a leader and a player in the KHL has prepared him for a successful second chance in the NHL.

Players Expected to Surprise

Braeden Cootes:

• Cootes is a dynamic player with a scouting report that highlights his elite skating, playmaking, and finishing abilities, leading many to project him as a future top-six center.
• He is coming off a solid season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, where he registered 26 goals and 63 points in 60 games. Cootes has already signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the team.
• His skillset aligns with head coach Adam Foote’s philosophy, which emphasizes getting the puck to the middle and playing with pace.
• A strong camp from Cootes’ linesup with the team’s new strategic direction and adds to the health of their prospect system, setting a strong case for his future with the franchise.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki:

• He had a successful AHL campaign with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring 19 goals, and also got a taste of NHL action, where he registered three goals.
• He is known for his “lethal shot,” and a strong showing of his elite offensive skills and goal-scoring ability could force the team to find a spot for him in the top-six and potentially impact the lineup of a veteran forward.

Aatu Räty:

• He is waiver-exempt and is looking to leverage this strategic advantage as he competes for a regular spot in the Canucks season starting lineup.
• For Aatu Räty, who led the Abbotsford Canucks in points per game last season with a 0.930 P/GP , the challenge is to prove he is so indispensable that the team risks exposing a waiver-eligible player like Nils Åman instead of him.

Victor Mancini:

• He, too, is waiver-exempt and will be vying for the sixth defenseman spot, and based on his performance in the Calder Cup Playoffs last season, may have a slight advantage.

Tom Willander:

• Willander will look to make an immediate impact for the Canucks after spending the previous two seasons at Boston University and signing a three-year entry-level contract this past May.  Defence is Willander’s best asset; he is Fleet-footed and rangy and known for getting his shots on net.

Who Might Surprise?

Ty Mueller:

• A 4th-round pick, had a remarkable first professional season, putting up a career-high 39 points in 64 games and earning a late-season NHL debut.

Linus Karlsson:

• Help lead the Abbotsford Canucks’ impressive Calder Cup run and is a perfect fit for a bottom-six role due to his versatile game.

Arshdeep Bains:

• An undrafted free agent, he has become an organizational success story, earning a two-year extension after impressing with his work ethic, forechecking, and consistent offensive production in the AHL. He even saw time in the top six last season with the Canucks.

These players have a proven, predictable performance that is valuable to the Canucks, as they are a step above the potential of a younger prospect. The team’s struggles last season highlight a need for reliable, detail-oriented players, and any advantage is beneficial if they are to help the NHL club achieve success.

The Goaltending Hierarchy

Nikita Tolopilo:

• With Arturs Silovs out of the picture, Nikita Tolopilo is now the “de facto starter” in Abbotsford and the presumed first call-up option, having re-signed a two-year deal, and he split duties with Silovs last season. 

Jiri Patera:

• Jiri Patera is on the final year of his contract and will be fighting for his professional future.

Ty Young:

• Ty Young, coming off an impressive first pro season that included a 0.926 save percentage in the ECHL and a 0.904 save percentage in the AHL, is in a great spot to move up and compete for a full-time AHL role. Just has to prove it, by earning it in the eyes of the Canucks organization.

The Organizational Microscope

There is an organizational strategy that shapes the entire training camp. And the philosophical approaches of General Manager Patrik Allvin and Head Coach Adam Foote create an atmosphere where the roster is far from finalized and every on-ice decision matters.

Management and Coaching Philosophy

GM Patrik Allvin has a history of using training camp as a “strategic crucible.”

• This means that the roster is not finalized, and players on the bubble are not just competing for a spot: they are playing for their professional future with the organization, with the NHL recognized as the top professional league in the world.
• Only the World Hockey Championship and the Winter Olympics rival the NHL.
• This dynamic adds a layer of urgency to every drill and every scrimmage.

Next, what is the apparent management and coaching philosophy of the Canucks organization heading into the 2025-26 season? I will attempt to put my spin on that subject in my next column.

• Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin had a nearly seven-year partnership in Pittsburgh that forged a trust-based, philosophical model prioritizing a shared vision and a clear division of labour, in the goal of providing the foundational stability for both short-term and long-term success.
• Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin worked together with the Pittsburgh Penguins from the time Rutherford became GM in June 2014 until he resigned in January 2021, a period of approximately 6 years and 7 months. During this time, Allvin worked his way up from a scouting role to Assistant General Manager and interim GM after Rutherford’s departure.
• As for Foote, Rutherford and the Canucks hired him, and I quote, Foote “knew all the things that went on with the team, which was difficult at times,” and possessed a clear plan to “fix it quicker” than an outside candidate.

Together, the three amigos make up the JAP (pronounced “JAB”) team for Jim, Adam and Patrik, whose function is to “prod” the team to success and the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, to the Stanley Cup Final, and claim the ultimate prize in professional league sports: Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Coming up soon, the exposé, the column, the three amigos or as I call them, the JAB team.

Until next time, hockey fans.