Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach and Players Share Their Excitement for Home Opener at Rogers Forum on Saturday Night

The Abbotsford Canucks may be nearly a month into their season, but many players have not yet gotten the full Abby experience.  

When thousands of fans stand by you and root you on, it can unlock another level in a player’s game. That is exactly what we expect to see this Saturday when Abby hosts their home opener at the Rogers Forum.  

This will be a new experience for Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou, who is in his first season as an AHL head coach. Coach Pap says he isn’t exactly sure what to expect from the crowd for the home opener, but he’s seen video of past home openers and just wants his team to give fans something to cheer about on Saturday.  

“It’s exciting. Coming off the road and being able to play in a full building in Colorado, I think guys are excited to play in front of our fans here,” said Papaioannou. “Regardless of the opponent, it’s nice to be home, spend a week practicing, and not have to get on the plane.”  

Ty Mueller leads the Canucks with four goals in four games this season. The 23-year-old represented Abbotsford at the 2025 AHL All-Star game and has been a steady, two-way centre since turning pro in 2024.  

Papaioannou likes how Mueller brings consistency to every shift, and the offensive pop at the start of the season is a nice cherry on top of what the centreman brings in all three areas of the ice.  

“Night to night, he’s been good. He’s been really good in the dot, and he’s had some different wingers throughout the first couple of weekends, and that doesn’t seem to faze him,” said Papaioannou.

The Canucks are coming off a big 4-3 win over the Colorado Eagles, and 2025 first-round pick Braeden Cootes got his first three-point game in the AHL.  

Cootes has been skating on a line with Trey Fix-Wolansky and former Canucks' draft pick Kole Lind. The trio combined for eight points in their last game and are finding early chemistry.  

Lind and Fix-Wolansky are in their late twenties, have been 30-goal scorers in the AHL, and both played their junior hockey in the WHL. They are veterans who can help Cootes in the AHL, and both can play physical when the situation calls for it.  

Abbotsford Captain Chase Wouters is itching to get in front of the Abbotsford fans and has been a useful source of guidance for young players like Riley Patterson and the aforementioned Cootes.

“They are both great players. They are eager and hungry, and I think that’s what makes them so special,” said Wouters. “I remember when I was 20 and just seeing that the AHL is on such a different level. You have got to try and soak in new information at the start and learn as much as you can in those first couple years.”  

Wouters gave credit to former Abby players like John Stevens, Sheldon Dries, Matt Irwin, and others for helping him when he was a youngster in this league. He enjoys being able to take on that role for others now.  

Between the pipes for the Canucks is the duo of Nikita Tolopilo and Ty Young.  

Tolopilo has 93 games of AHL experience under his belt, while Young has 29 games of his own.  

Saturday is set to be a fun one in Abbotsford, and some tickets are still available if you would like to head to the valley and see the AHL club in action. You can find tickets HERE.