Up and coming rearguards Pettersson and Kudryavtsev jump up in our top-10 Canucks prospect power rankings this week
Kudryavtsev, 20, is Abbotsford’s top scoring defenceman, with 16 points, including two goals, in 29 games as of Tuesday morning. Pettersson, 20, was last week named Abbotsford’s representative for the AHL All-Star Classic, landing a spot on the Pacific Division squad. Twelve-man teams from the AHL’s four divisions square off in a 3-on-3 tournament on Feb. 3 in Palm Desert, Calif., hosted by the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Brännström started the season with Abbotsford and had three assists in two games before being called up to Vancouver in October.
With all that mind, here’s our latest top-10 prospect poll. Last week’s rankings are in parenthesis. Players currently with the NHL team aren’t eligible.
Stats are as of Tuesday morning. Abbotsford was slated to host the Ontario Reign on Tuesday night. They’re at home to the Reign again on Wednesday and then host the San Jose Barracuda on Saturday and Sunday. Abbotsford was seventh in the 10-team Pacific to start action on Tuesday, sitting at 16-15-1-1.
1. Tom Willander, D, Boston University Terriers (1)
BU (11-7-1) beat visiting Vermont 6-1 on Friday and 7-4 on Saturday, and sophomore Willander (18-2-9-11) had an assist in both games. The 19-year-old was a first-round Vancouver pick in 2023. BU jumped up four spots in this week’s USCHO national rankings to No. 11, and they have a home-and-home this weekend with New Hampshire.
He gets a bump based largely on the all-star nod. Pettersson (32-1-11-12), who was a 2022 third rounder, was plus-one in Abbotsford’s 4-2 win at home Saturday over Henderson and he’s tied for the team lead in plus-minus (plus-six) with Kudryavtsev and forward John Stevens. He’s been playing alongside Mark Friedman.
3. Kirill Kudryavtsev, D, Abbotsford (5)
Kudryavtsev was a plus-one both Saturday and Friday, when Abbotsford downed Henderson 4-1. He’s a 2022 seventh rounder and was being paired Saturday with Jett Woo.
Bains (17-3-11-14), who celebrated his 24th birthday last week, had a goal and was named the game’s second star in Saturday’s win. The 2022 free-agent signing started out on a line Saturday with Aatu Räty and Nate Smith.
5. Aatu Räty, C, Abbotsford (2)
Räty (17-5-6-11) had an assist Saturday. The 22-year-old, who came to Vancouver from the New York Islanders in the January 2023 Bo Horvat trade, has three points in his past eight games.
6. Ty Mueller, C, Abbotsford (10)
Mueller (32-7-12-19) took over the Abbotsford scoring lead with two goals and one assist on Friday, but was also hurt in that game and did not play Saturday. There’s no word yet if he’ll play this week. The 21-year-old was a 2023 fourth rounder.
7. Sawyer Mynio, D, Calgary Hitmen (6)
The 2023 third rounder had an assist in his Calgary debut Saturday, which came in a 4-1 win over Saskatoon. The 19-year-old Mynio (20-5-15-20) came to the Hitmen in trade deadline blockbuster with Seattle. Calgary (24-11-3-1) have a crucial home-and-home this weekend with Medicine Hat (25-15-2-0). The teams are tied in points atop the Eastern Conference standings, but Medicine Hat has the first tiebreaker currently with more wins. Calgary has two games in hand.
8. Artūrs Šilovs, G, Abbotsford (NR)
9. Danila Klimovich, RW, Abbotsford (8)
Klimovich (28-11-4-15), who turned 22 last week, was held out of the points column in the weekend doubleheader, stretching his pointless string to six games. The 2021 second rounder remains second on Abbotsford in goals, behind the 12 from Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who got called up to Vancouver last week.
10. Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (9)
Patterson (34-17-16-33) had an assist in a 5-2 loss to Owen Sound last Wednesday and an assist in a 4-1 loss to Kitchener on Saturday. The 18-year-old, who was a 2024 fourth rounder, has 11 points (6-5) in past nine games. Barrie (24-13-1-1) is at North Bay on Thursday.
Dropped from the rankings this week: Vilmer Alriksson, LW, Brampton Steelheads (7)