Building Blue: Early Insights of 12 Canucks’ Prospects from the 2024-25 Season

As we look forward to another year of Vancouver Canucks hockey, we first wanted to take a look back at the first half of the season for our prospects.

Let’s explore 12 Canucks’ prospects and what they have done so far this season.

Danila Klimovich, RW, 6’2”, 202 lbs

At just 21 years old, Danila Klimovich has learned more about the AHL than almost anyone else his age. Klimovich came over to the AHL when he was 18 and is currently on pace to have the best season of his career.

Klimovich is second for Abbotsford with 11 goals and has four assists to give him 15 points through 23 games.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW, 5’11”, 172 lbs

This time last year, Jonathan Lekkerimäki was playing in the World Junior Championships and now he is playing pro hockey in North America.

The 20-year-old winger has 12 goals and four assists in 19 games with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) and has gotten into five NHL games with the Canucks. Lekkerimäki scored one goal in his five-game stint at the NHL level.

Lekkerimäki leads the AHL in goals from a U21 player in the AHL this season.

Elias Pettersson, LD, 6’3”, 209 lbs

The big defenceman has been steadily improving his game as he adjusts to North American hockey with the Abbotsford Canucks. In his first full season with Abbotsford, Pettersson has one goal and 11 points in 27 games.

Pettersson is one of Abbotsford’s most relied-upon players on the penalty kill and head coach Manny Malhotra is quick to send Pettersson over the boards when his team is defending a lead late in games.

Tom Willander, RD, 6’1”, 179 lbs

Currently playing for Sweden at the World Junior Championships, Tom Willander is in his second season with Boston University in the NCAA.

Willander is 37th in the nation for the highest average ice time and has picked up two goals and added seven assists through 16 games with the Terriers.

Ty Mueller, C, 5’11”, 185 lbs

In his rookie AHL season, 21-year-old Ty Mueller is making a big impact with the Abbotsford coaching staff.

“This league is all about developing and evolving your game and Ty is one of those guys who has adapted well and done well with the minutes that he has been given,” said Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra. “He’s already grown a lot. He’s taking on more minutes, he does both special teams, and he has an ability to just fit in and plug his game in with any two wingers. I give him credit; he’s done a really good job with his ability to adapt to the pro game.”

Mueller can be seen on the power play, on the penalty kill, and on the scoresheet. He has scored four goals and added 11 assists in 28 games this season.

Nikita Tolopilo, G, 6’6”, 229 lbs

The big netminder has started 14 games in the AHL this season and heated up this past month with back-to-back shutouts over a single weekend.

The 24-year-old former Allsvenskan goaltender has twice the amount of starts as any other goalie in Abbotsford and his three shutouts, 2.67 goals-against average, and .915% save percentage show that he has taken a step in the right direction of development this season.

Riley Patterson, 6’1”, 194 lbs

After a slow start to the season, 18-year-old Riley Patterson has found his scoring touch with the Barrie Colts (OHL).

Patterson has scored 14 goals and added 14 assists for 28 points through 32 games.

Vilmer Alriksson, 6’6”, 234 lbs

The big man was recently dealt to the Brampton Steelheads from the Guelph Storm. Vilmer Alriksson is in his second OHL season and has picked up 11 goals and 13 assists through 27 games with his two OHL clubs.

After a summer of hard work, Alriksson is finding more minutes in the OHL this season and he caught the eye of Canucks’ development coaches at the Canucks’ development camp as well as the Young Stars Invitational and Canucks’ training camp in Penticton.

“He was doing stuff that the development team talked to him last year about and I was like ‘Oh my god,’ he’s gone from here to here,” said Tocchet as motioned a bar being raised with his hands back at Canucks’ training camp.

Melvin Fernström, 6’2”, 187 lbs

The 93rd pick in the 2024 draft has played a majority of his 2024-25 season in Sweden’s top league. Melvin Fernström has played 25 games with Örebro in the SHL and has picked up three goals and three assists.

On top of his 25 games in the SHL, Fernström has played 12 games in the Swedish J20 league and has scored 11 goals and added seven assists in those dozen junior games.

Sawyer Mynio, LD, 6’1”, 180 lbs

The two-way defenceman is currently representing Canada at the World Junior Championships and has been a minute-muncher for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL this season.

Mynio has five goals and 14 assists for 19 points this season with Seattle.

Aatu Räty, C, 6’2”, 190 lbs

The 22-year-old Finnish centre is in his second full season with the Canucks’ organization and has played 20 games at the NHL level while playing 12 games with the Abbotsford Canucks.

Räty has two goals and two assists in the NHL this season. At the AHL level, he’s scored four times and added five assists.

Kirill Kudryavtsev, LD, 5’11”, 200 lbs

At just 20 years old, Kirill Kudryavtsev is one of the youngest defencemen in the AHL this season. He has found an offensive pop over his last six weeks; putting up 11 points (1g-10a) in his last 12 games.

On the season, Kudryavtsev has two goals and 13 assists in 24 games with the Abbotsford Canucks. He has improved defensively as the season has progressed and he’s become a staple in the Canucks’ lineup as a 20-year-old.

Cheers to 2025 and many more prospect updates here at Canucks.com!