The Vancouver Canucks farm team has gone through even bigger changes than their parent club. A 4,000-kilometre move, a complete change in ownership and management, and a surprising amount of talent being added.
Growing the Canucks Farm Club
The previous AHL team in Abbotsford was the failed effort by the Calgary Flames. Why on Earth an NHL club would share such proximity to a rival is a mystery – but not unique. Vancouver has had AHL teams in Chicago and Hamilton, after all, though they got out of Winnipeg just before the Jets landed.
The long-time stay in Utica was as much about being with a well-run organization as anything else. And to be sure, if the team isn’t going to own their minor-league affiliate, having the club remain in business is vital.
Still, as good a group as Utica was, the advantage of owning a team is enormous. Every aspect falls into the Canucks organization’s purview. It’s not just control of the staffing on and off the ice. A big part is not worrying too much about profitability. Oddly, the bigger the organization, the less the concern.
Business negotiations with vendors and landlords are backed by Canucks Sports and Entertainment, not the Abbotsford Canucks. Being without a hard cap in the AHL means player contracts are largely the NHL team’s business, not the minor club’s. It’s just easier.
But those aren’t really what fans think about when they look at the Abbotsford Canucks. What they’re looking at are results. Not necessarily the team’s success, but that of the players who might come to Vancouver.
From Abbotsford Canucks Farm Hands to Vancouver Canucks Table
If you are a Canucks fan – of either league – you have to be happy with what you see now. The AHL squad is currently 5-2-1, mirroring the big club. Two of the highest scorers in the entire league are Arshdeep Bains and Christian Wolanin, both under NHL contracts.
And right now, their leading goal-scorer is Vasily Podkolzin. Podkolzin, of course, is down looking to rebuild his form and gain confidence in a lower-pressure environment. And his play is certainly showing improvement.
Perhaps not coincidentally, one of the best reasons to control a farm team is to ensure consistent coaching. It’s very easy for the NHL Canucks coaching staff to drive out to Abbotsford and see what’s happening. Easier than a 4,000 KM flight, anyway.
That lack of distance is handy for border crossings, as well. More importantly, the lack of them. Any paperwork that needs doing – or if another frikkin’ pandemic comes along – can be done in-house. What is NHL-level money for, after all, if not hiring lawyers?
Vancouver Calling
West Coast fans know one thing about the NHL schedule: it ain’t easy. Not on the wallet and not on the body. Injuries are a fact of life in any physical sport, so having replacement players nearby who already understand the team systems works best.
Or even if it’s not an injury. If a player isn’t quite playing up to his potential; or is, but finances and cap-juggling may mean they get sent down. For the NHL squad, it’s not a big deal. Those players who get called up are going to be staying in the same houses.
But who might Vancouver fans see for a few games? Or become the new Phillip Di Giuseppe, suddenly finding an NHL home after years of “tweener” toil? Beyond Podkolzin, who may well remain the year at the farm just to see how high he can get.
Thank You. Next!
Di Guiseppe’s story is one that players on the Canucks farm team can witness for inspiration, no matter how long they’ve played. And it’s one fans should keep in mind, too. He not only found a team that needed his talents but needed the way he used them.
Di Guiseppe isn’t going to be a star in the NHL, and that’s fine. He isn’t in the AHL, either. His scoring stats have been good in the minors, but they weren’t numbers that demanded attention.
He’s in this position – on a line with lifelong NHLers J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser because he works at it. And that’s worked for everyone. So a callup may not happen because of a player’s scoring statistics. On the other hand, it’s not a bad place to start.
So we’re going to look at the two players mentioned: top scorers Bains and Wolanin. Wolanin has already spent time with the parent club, while Bains is waiting for his moment. Here’s where we think they sit.
On Defence
The difference between Di Giuseppe and Wolanin isn’t just position. But that is why Wolanin didn’t start in the NHL this season. Vancouver’s left side is chock-full of third-pair defenders who are “decent, and might score some”. It doesn’t help that Quinn Hughes has the “scoring” part locked up.
But despite Wolanin’s gaudy AHL numbers last year, scoring isn’t actually what he was known for. He signed on with Vancouver knowing full well he was Abbotsford-bound for two reasons. First, a huge AHL-level deal paying him $350,000. Second, the opportunity.
Wolanin was a veteran (27-year-old) presence the team wanted on the new farm team. He was going to get plenty of ice time and was there to lead by example. He responded by leading all AHL defencemen in scoring with six goals and 55 points in 49 games. So that worked.
He’s continuing this year, currently leading AHL defencemen in scoring by five points. He’s not with Vancouver right now because the team, as mentioned, has scoring down pat. They have the far more annoying to play against Mark Friedman there now.
There is just one player who needs to be out of the lineup for Wolanin to draw in. So no offence to Wolanin – who is doing a great job in Abbotsford – we hope not to see him this season.
Getting Up Front About It
Bains causes pains. He is an aggravating player to skate against, and he knows it. But he is also a very talented scorer who takes the game dead seriously.
Signed as an overager as the WHL’s leading scorer, there’s always some suspicion that it’s a man-among-boys stat inflation. Some of the players in juniors are 16 years old, after all. Of course, a 20-year-old is going to take advantage!
And to be fair, if a player isn’t good enough to be drafted, the odds of him reaching the NHL are slim. It’s tempting for a player to focus on scoring to the exclusion of all else. Big numbers might get the attention of scouts who somehow missed your first three years.
Bains is an exception. He undoubtedly got signed in part because he was born in nearby Surry, and that always helps build the hometown crowd. New team, local player, makes sense. But he’s done so much more.
When we say he’s leading the Canucks farm team, we mean it. Before Bains was signed, he was told in no uncertain terms that he needed to break down his game entirely. His WHL play wasn’t going to cut it at the pro level and he needed whole new habits to succeed.
He listened. He listened so well that he was chosen to speak to newly arrived prospects this Summer. He’s built up a complete game and has an intense desire to use it.
Add that to his already considerable offensive skills, and getting called up is just a matter of time. A permanent role may take longer, as he plays Vancouver’s deepest position. But seeing the NHL this season – however briefly – is a virtual lock.
Main photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
