As the Coachella Valley Firebirds await either the Cleveland Monsters or Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Finals, the Abbotsford Canucks are looking to next season.

Abbotsford was eliminated by the Ontario Reign in the Pacific Division semi-final round and the Reign were then taken out by the Firebirds.

As with most American Hockey League seasons, it's expected there will be some significant turnover year-to-year for the Canucks. For starters, Jeremy Colliton is out after two seasons as head coach and Manny Malhotra has been selected to step into that role. Malhotra spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The following players are under contract and are eligible to return to Abbotsford next season:

• Forward – Arshdeep Bains  (59 games played – 55 points in 2023-24)
• Forward – Aatu Räty (72 GP – 52 points)
• Forward – Max Sasson (56 GP – 42 points)
• Forward – Tristen Nielsen (59 GP – 35 points)
• Forward – John Stevens (68 GP – 35 points)
• Forward – Ty Glover (37 GP – seven points)
• Forward – Danila Klimovich (24 GP - four points)
• Forward – Jonathan Lekkerimäki (6 GP – two points)
• Forward – Jermaine Loewen (26 GP – two points)
• Forward – Josh Bloom (14 GP – one point)
• Defenceman – Christian Wolanin (42 GP – 29 points)
• Defenceman – Akito Hirose (33 GP – two points)
• Defenceman – Elias Pettersson (8 GP – two points)
• Defenceman – Guillaume Brisebois (8 GP – zero points)
• Defenceman – Sawyer Mynio (1 GP – zero points)
• Goalie – Nikita Tolopilo (35 GP – 20-13-1-0, 2.83 GAA and .905 save percentage)

The following players are unrestricted free agents and can sign with any club on July 1:

• Forward – Sheldon Dries (55 GP – 52 points)
• Defenceman – Matt Irwin (65 GP – 16 points)
• Goalie – Zach Sawchenko (6 GP – 4-1-0-0, 2.12 GAA and .924 GAA)

The following players are restricted free agents, meaning the Canucks can make a qualifying offer to retain their rights:

• Forward – Linus Karlsson (60 GP – 60 points)
• Forward – Aidan McDonough (58 GP – 19 points)*
• Defenceman – Jett Woo (62 GP – 31 points)
• Defenceman – Cole McWard (57 GP – 17 points)*
• Defenceman – Nick Cicek (67 GP - 16 points)
• Goalie – Arturs Silovs (34 GP – 16-11-6-4, 2.74 GAA and .907 save percentage)

* McDonough and McWard are RFA's, but have not played the amount of professional seasons required for Group 2 RFA status. They are ineligible to be signed to an offer sheet from another team, whereas the other players listed are eligible.

Players who are under contract and did not play in Abbotsford last season include:

• Forward – Ty Mueller
• Defenceman – Christian Felton
• Defenceman - Joe Arntsen
• Defenceman – Kiril Kudryavtsev 
• Goalie – Ty Young

Abbotsford players who were on AHL deals that are currently unsigned include: captain Chase Wouters (66 GP – 23 points), forward Marc Gatcomb (61 GP – 20 points), forward Josh Passolt (7 GP – one point), forward Cooper Walker (13 GP – one point), forward Dmitri Zlodeev (21 GP – one point), defenceman Chad Nychuk (13 GP - three points), defenceman Alex Kannok Leipert (38 GP – three points) and defenceman Michael Joyaux (4 GP – zero points).

One player definitely not returning to Abbotsford is defenceman Filip Johansson. He signed a two-year deal with with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League last month. Johansson played 55 games and collected 18 points for Abbotsford last season. He was originally a first round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2018 and signed with the Canucks organization in 2022.