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CALDER CUP CHAMPIONS: Abbotsford Canucks win AHL's top prize

Abbotsford defeats Charlotte 3-2 in game six to win the best-of-seven championship series 4-2
Ben Lypka
Ben Lypka

For over half a century the team name Canucks has been associated with spectacular losing in professional hockey. 

Some believe it all originates back to 1970's infamous lottery wheel. The expansion Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres opportunity to pick first in that year's draft (and choose superstar Gilbert Perreault) was up to the spin of a wheel – Vancouver lost and it set forth a path of mostly misery.

They failed to make the playoffs for four years and didn't win a playoff round until season 12 – when they inexplicably made it to the Stanley Cup Final, but were humbled by the dynastic New York Islanders.

Mediocrity continued for much of the 1980s and 1990s, until 1994 when the team again caught magic, but lost in the final to the New York Rangers. The riot of 1994 followed that crushing loss.

Then Mike Keenan and Mark Messier came along, destroyed the soul of the franchise and dove them into even deeper depths of despair. The Todd Berutzzi incident then quashed the dreams of another promising team and years of lawsuits followed. 

The Canucks then became the elite of the NHL with stars like the Sedins' and Roberto Luongo, they won the Presidents' Trophy twice but lost in the 2011 Stanley Cup and er, another riot happened. It was kind of a thing. Close to 100 people were arrested, nearly 150 were injured and over $4 million in damage to downtown Vancouver.

Then the Jim Benning era occurred, not a lot of great things happened and the team made the playoffs twice in seven years. 

But one thing that did happen near the end of Benning's run was the formation of the Abbotsford Canucks. The club moved across the continent during the middle of a pandemic in 2021, adopted the Canucks name and quietly went to work.

Four years later, the Abbotsford Canucks are the Calder Cup champions. The Canucks name, for so many years, has been an anchor. But on June 23, 2025 – the Canucks, the Abbotsford Canucks are the best in the AHL. All of the pain associated with the Canucks franchise, all the losses, all the disappointment – has been quelled even if for just one night. 

It's the first-ever championship for a Vancouver affiliate at any level, the first pro championship for a team from B.C. in decades and the Abbotsford Canucks are now a shining beacon in the sea of disappointment that the name Canucks has historically been. This title win can never be taken away from them and the Abbotsford Canucks 2024-25 team will go down in history as one of the best-ever in the AHL and also join an elite group of athletes, entertainers and politicians who have achieved their goals under the bright lights of the legendary Bojangles Coliseum.

But all the accolades and praise almost didn't happen for the Abbotsford Canucks on Monday (June 23) night.

As they have so many times in this memorable playoff run, the Canucks allowed the game's first goal early when Checkers forward John Leonard beat Arturs Silovs at 2:49 of the first period. Just over 10 minutes later it looked like game seven plans should get started when Charlotte's Jack Devine made it 2-0.

Abbotsford was badly outplayed for the majority of the first, but got a spark after a late power play and Sammy Blais scored at 17:38 to get the Canucks on the board. Blais has been a warrior for Abbotsford throughout the playoffs and that clutch goal to erase some of a bad start would loom large. 

Following a similar story line from throughout the playoffs, Abbotsford then cranked up the offence and pressure in the second period. Danila Klimovich banged away at a rebound to beat Checkers goalie Kaapo Kahkonen at 3:44 to tie the game up. That scoring chance was started by captain Chase Wouters, who aggressively drove the net and created something out of nothing.

A dominant shift late in the second saw the Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson and Arshdeep Bains put together a dominant shift and the hard work paid off with the eventual game-winner. Sasson found Karlsson alone at the side of the net and he made no mistake at 17:19.

The third period saw Silovs shut the door and make 11 more saves as the Canucks tried their best to prevent Charlotte from getting quality opportunities. The clock ticked down and the Canucks celebrated without and then with the Calder Cup trophy.

Bains led the Canucks with two assists, while Sasson had a team-high five shots. Abbotsford was out shot 30-28 and Silovs made 28 saves for the win. Karlsson finished atop the AHL playoff scoring chart with 26 points in 24 games, while Bains had 24. Bains was outstanding in the Calder Cup Finals with 10 points in six games.

It was also an excellent playoff for the aforementioned Blais, who collected 19 points and led the AHL with 77 penalty minutes. Sasson recorded 14 points and also had a team-high 77 shots in 24 games. Another impressive stat was defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev, who finished at an AHL best +18. 

But the man who earned the Jack A Butterfield Trophy for most valuable player of the playoffs was Silovs. He finished with a record of 16-7, save percentage of .931 and a goals against average of 2.01. He also posted five shutouts and his play throughout the postseason guided the Canucks to some wins that may have not been deserved. 

"It feels unbelievable," he said after the game. "We worked so hard for it, sacrificed so much and we managed to win it on the road. It's so special, basically I grew up with this team and had ups and downs."

Head coach Manny Malhotra said this is a special group.

"The whole season was a learning experience with these guys," he said. "Lots of ups and downs, but we realized how committed these guys were and how motivated they were to win. The word that's come up over and over for us is resilience. And obviously going down 2-0 [tonight] is not the way you want to start the game, but we found a way to claw our way back into the game and get ourselves a lead. When you're able to close games out, there is a lot of pride in that."

He added that this team believed in itself.

"It's [level of belief] far greater than I ever thought a team could have," he said. "They all believe in one another, the system we've built and the culture and that's why we're Calder Cup champions. It's extremely special, to watch the journey of this team and watch them grow – it's such an unbelievable feeling as a coach."

Bains said he is very proud of this team.

"It's special, our team identity all year is that we're a resilient group – we fight back every single game and I couldn't be prouder of this group," he said. "It was nice to get better and better as the playoffs went. I was pretty disappointed not to finish at home but it shows how dedicated my family and fans are here to be here tonight."

The team's memorable playoff run began with a 2-1 series win over the Tucson Roadrunners, then a 3-1 triumph over the Coachella Valley Firebirds and a 3-2 win over the Colorado Eagles to win the Pacific Division.

The Canucks then took out the Texas Stars in six games, before eliminating the Checkers in six. The playoff run lasted over two months, saw the team go through five rounds and become just the second AHL team ever to win five rounds en route to the Calder Cup. Only the 2002 Chicago Wolves had ever achieved that feat.

The Abbotsford Canucks had previously ever only advanced to the Pacific Division semifinal round and had been eliminated in that round the past two seasons. The club's first season saw them lose in round one.  

Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said this is an amazing win for the organization.

"This was such an incredible playoff run, and we are so impressed by the job the players, coaches, Manny and Ryan Johnson [general manager did in winning this title,” he said. “This group really came together at the right time and found a way to rise to the occasion each and every playoff round. Their attention to detail, focus and commitment to doing all the little things right has helped them become the best team in the American Hockey League. The systems, structure and discipline put in place really paid off for this group. I would also like to thank the great fans in Abbotsford. You were a real difference maker for our team, and truly gave our players a home ice advantage.”

Francesco Aquilini, the Canucks chairman and governor said he was elated with the win.

"On behalf of the Aquilini family, I’d like to congratulate the Abbotsford Canucks, Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, General Manager Ryan Johnson, Head Coach Manny Malhotra, the staff, and the players, on their Calder Cup Championship,” he said. “The team has put in tireless work throughout the regular season and playoffs, both on and off the ice, and remained committed to themselves and their teammates. Canucks Sports & Entertainment is proud to share in this accomplishment with the team and the fans, who proved themselves to be the best in the American Hockey League and helped push this team to all the way to a championship.”

Aquilini also posted a message on X stating, "Abbotsford Canucks are your 2025 Calder Cup Champs! 🏆 Heart, hustle, & history made. A testament to the hard work, leadership, & character of our players, coaches, and staff. Proud of this team & what it means for Canucks hockey. #CalderCup #AbbotsfordCanucks #teamnotforsale"

Michael Doyle, the Canucks president of business operations, said the move to Abbotsford has been a total success and has been capped off by this win.

"This Championship has captivated the hockey community and Canucks fans everywhere,” he said. “When ownership made the important decision to move the AHL team to Abbotsford, we knew the connection between Vancouver and the Fraser Valley would be a strong one, but this postseason has really cemented that bond. The energy, pride, and support our fans brought throughout this playoff run was nothing short of sensational. You stood behind this team every step of the way, and your passion helped drive them to the ultimate prize. Congratulations to the Abbotsford Canucks on bringing the Calder Cup home."

The team is expected to return to B.C. with the Calder Cup sometime tomorrow and will be announcing more celebration plans in the coming days. 

Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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