Abbotsford Canucks’ 2026-27 roster forms after free agency opening

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Week one of free agency is nearly in the books and the Abbotsford Canucks 2026-27 roster has begun to take shape.

Veteran defenceman Guillaume Brisebois was inked to a deal just ahead of the July 1 opening on June 30 and the 2015 third round pick of the Vancouver Canucks agreed to a one-year, two-way deal.

Brisebois is the third longest-serving Canuck behind only Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko. He made his AHL debut in 2017-18 with the Utica Comets and suited up in the NHL for the first time in 2017-18. Brisebois has gone on to play in 30 career NHL games and 306 AHL games in his 10-year pro career.

The 6-2 defender was a key part of the Abbotsford Canucks 2025 Calder Cup winning run, but injuries kept him to just nine games in 2025-26. His most productive season as a pro was 2017-18 when he posted 18 points in 68 games with the Comets. The one-year contract sees him earn $900,000 in the NHL and $325,000 in the AHL.

Brisebois will likely mostly play in Abbotsford, but can also provide depth in Vancouver if the injury bug bites.

The first two-way deal for the Canucks on July 1 was forward Akil Thomas, who joins the organization after spending his six-year pro career in the Los Angeles Kings organization. Thomas was a second round pick of the Kings in 2018 and has played 32 games in the NHL and 196 games in the AHL.

Thomas won a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championships and served as the captain of the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. He scored a career-high 46 points in 64 games with the Ontario Reign in 2023-24 and had 22 points in 39 AHL games last season.

Thomas is a player that new Abbotsford Canucks general manager Richard Seeley is familiar with, as the recent hire was the Reign’s general manager from 2018 to 2026. The one-year contract sees him earn $900,000 in the NHL and $375,000 in the AHL. While it’s a two-way contract, it’s possible that Thomas earns a spot in Vancouver this season.

The Canucks also signed forward Trey Fix-Wolansky to a one-year, two-way deal on July 1. He was drafted in the seventh round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018 and played 26 games over three seasons with that club. Fix-Wolansky has evolved into a very productive AHL player and has posted season totals of 55, 60, 60 and 71 points over the last four seasons. Those 71 points in 2022-23 ranked him seventh in the league.

He’s also a multi-time AHL all-star and has served as an assistant captain with the Cleveland Monsters. Fix-Wolansky was also a captain with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and finished the 2018-19 season with 102 points (tied for fourth in WHL). He will earn $900,000 at the NHL level and $525,000 in the AHL.

The Canucks then added centre Matthew Stienburg on a one-year, two-way deal on July 2. Stienburg was a third round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2019 and has played eight games in the NHL. He has also played 71 games over four seasons with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. His best offensive season was 2023-24 when he put up 13 points in 54 games.

The 6-1 pivot will earn $850,000 in the NHL and $160,000 in the AHL under the new contract. Stienburg may have an opportunity to crack Vancouver’s lineup due to the team’s lack of centre ice talent.

Prior to free agency opening the Canucks announced that they would not be qualifying forwards Jayden Grubbe, Nils Aman, Danila Klimovich and Chase Stillman, as well as defenceman P.O. Joseph. Klimovich signed with the Philadelphia Flyers organization on July 1, while Stillman inked with the Detroit Red Wings on July 4. Goalie Jiri Patera also inked a deal with the Boston Bruins on July 1.

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