Alriksson is looking forward to the 2025-26 season as he tries to make his way in pro hockey with the Abbotsford Canucks. He was happy with how his summer of training went, citing that he got stronger, more explosive, and faster. He is in the best shape of his life, and with a couple of years of experience in the OHL, pro hockey in North America feels like the next step in the 20-year-old’s development.
“It’s my first pro season and it’s fun to think about,” said Alriksson. “I think my game fits the pro-style, so I’m really excited, and I think it will be a fun year.”
Developing the ability and confidence in using his size as an advantage was a goal of Alriksson’s during his time in Major Junior hockey, and he believes that the OHL was a perfect fit for him over the past two seasons.
He has grown confidence in being a big-body player and is beginning to fall in love with the physical side of the game.
“I want to do that all the time,” said Alriksson when asked about using his size. “I want to play physical, I want to protect the puck, I want to take pucks to the net, throw hits, everything.”
Canucks development coach Mikael Samuelsson has provided Alriksson with guidance on utilizing his size to his advantage over the past couple of years, and Alriksson is grateful for their player-coach relationship.
“You can always talk to him if you wonder about anything, or if you have questions,” said Alriksson of Samuelsson. “You can watch some clips about your game [with him]. It’s been really good for my development, and he gives me details that I can work on.”
