The Abbotsford Canucks are the AHL's Hottest Team and Return to Rogers Forum for Four Games in Six Nights

Have you heard the news? The Abbotsford Canucks are the hottest team in the AHL and return to the Rogers Forum for a four-game homestand beginning Friday night against the Ontario Reign.  

Let's talk about what the team is doing to give them a seven-game winning streak and their current status as the hottest team in the AHL.  

Leadership  

The Abbotsford Canucks took some lumps early in the season, but that small dose of reality helped show who the leaders of the room are, and they have been doing the little things it takes to win over the past seven games.  

"We've had buy-in when it comes to all the hard things, tracking pucks, shot blocking, doing things for teammates, being tough as a team, and obviously that's only one piece of the game. But that's something that came together pretty quickly," said Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou.  

"When you're led by Chase Wouters, as a coach, you're happy to have that every day, but he can't do it all on his own. He's got some guys around him that have been through different experiences in the league. And then, the young guys, we have a group that does things right on a day-to-day basis, and that's easy to say when you get some wins going, but even early when we weren't coming by the win, I felt like the guys were showing up to do their jobs every day."  

The players have taken advantage of the ample practice time they have had over the past month and found a groove, making significant improvements throughout the week. Papaioannou believes that the team is doing a good job getting competitive in practice early in the week, and that has created a hunger from the players for game action.  

Canucks defenceman Cole Clayton is in his sixth season in the AHL and is having the best offensive start of his career. He credits his coach with an aggressive system that aims to kill plays early and break the puck out quickly.  

"Pap is very smart tactically. We have a lot of faceoff plays that we run that have been working; we've been putting a lot of pucks on net off those. We've changed up some things that we were doing at the start of the season after he saw what he thought would work better for us. He's just a really smart hockey guy, and it's rolled over into our success," said Clayton.  

Goaltender Ty Young likes that Papaioannou consistently asks players for feedback on how practices are running and whether the intensity can be higher. The coach is challenging players as a group but also individually, and that is getting high praise from the players.  

"Pap has been awesome. To have that feedback and communication with the coach is a great thing to have. He has come in and been really good for all of us. His system is obviously working, and all the guys love him," said Young.  

"Make Plays, Score Goals"  

In Papaioannou's system, all four lines contribute at both ends of the ice, and the defence pairs need to be able to move the puck and bring an offensive punch.

Papaioannou joked in our conversation, wishing that his team could have a linear line chart.  

"If we could do that, we would," he said with a laugh. "I really don't worry about where guys are on the depth chart."  

That trust and belief have created incredible buy-in in the room, as every player wants to make plays and isn't shying away from being an offensive contributor—all while buying into a defensive system that focuses on quick-ups and aggressiveness against zone entries.  

"His attitude breeds confidence in everyone. A guy like me, I'm a defensive defenceman for the most part, but now I get to play offence too and get in the rush and get comfortable with the puck, and that helps in our own end when I'm breaking out pucks, and then it's going to help us put pucks in at the other end," said Clayton.  

Papaioannou had incredible success in the AJHL/BCHL over his 16 years as Head Coach and General Manager of the Brooks Bandits. He posted a 714-152-51 record, was a five-time AJHL champion, and won the BCHL championship in 2024-25.  

"The more we play, the more you realize hockey is just hockey. Yeah, the guys are bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented. But I mean, the game is still the same game. A lot of what we're doing is just trying to continue to reiterate the messaging from Vancouver, and then at the same time put a little bit of our own spin on it. And I think it's been a good balance of us doing a little bit of both," said Papaioannou.  

Over the seven-game winning streak, Papaioannou is most pleased with how his group has bought into the idea that defensive play is as important as offensive play, and that the two are connected.  

"You can go out and defend all night long and still not win a game," he said. "We are putting an onus in practice on finishing plays and doing it close to the net. You can give it to a guy when they're not scoring in practice because it matters; it's a huge part of the game."  

Young Players Finding Early Success in AHL  

Abbotsford is the ninth-youngest team in the AHL, with an average roster age of 24.4.  

Sawyer Mynio (21) and Vilmer Alriksson (21) are in their second pro season and are getting bigger roles than they did last year.  

Mynio has been off to a good start this year, with growth in his defensive play, and he is getting more time on special teams.  

We've also seen that powerful slap shot from the WHL make an appearance early in the season.

Alriksson has three goals in 10 games and is continuing to improve on using his 6'6" size to his advantage

Braeden Cootes (19) has been off to a strong start in his AHL career. He has three goals and three assists for six points in six games. His play has been more than goals and assists, as the eye test screams how impactful he is in board battles, breakouts, physicality, and pretty much any other small detail that doesn't hit the Elite Prospects page.  

Cootes has missed the Canucks' last four games with a lower-body injury but was back at practice with Abbotsford on Thursday. The team hopes he'll be back in the lineup this weekend, but there is no rush to get him back into game action. Being in full health is the most important thing for the teenager as he continues to develop in his first year of pro hockey.  

Ty Young (22) has been strong between the pipes in his three starts this season. He has a 2-1-0 record with a .904% save percentage and is feeling good about his start to the year and how he is improving.  

"I'm getting lots of practice time with Justin Pogge, and I'm ready for the games whenever I get a chance," he said. "A big thing for me is just taking the opportunities when I can and getting in there and showing what I can do."  

Riley Patterson (20) is the biggest standout on the stats page. He has scored four goals and added five assists for nine points through 10 games. Those nine points rank him 10th in U21 AHL scoring, and he has brought his shooting prowess seamlessly into the pro ranks.

"It just comes down to what he's done with the opportunity. He had no special teams early in the year. Worked himself onto the penalty kill with his faceoff ability, and now has himself on the power play and is doing a nice job," said Papaioannou.  

"He seems to find a way to get on the score sheet every night, regardless of ice time, and that's an important piece. He is focused on the defence and the details, and his offensive game will grow as he's more trusted. In one month, he's come a long, long way."  

Home Ice Advantage  

The Abbotsford Canucks have played only four games at the Rogers Forum this season and won all of them. They have outscored their opposition 19-10 at home and are excited to get back for four games in six nights in the valley.  

"I'm sure it'll be loud and exciting. It's always fun playing back home with this crowd. There's nothing like Canadian fans; it's good to be back and play in front of our fans," said Clayton.  

"It's so fun when you're winning, and I think we have such a great group of guys. We all want to win, and we all do it for each other. It's been a lot of fun so far."  

The Abbotsford Canucks are back in action Friday at the Rogers Forum for a 7:00 p.m. PCT puck drop. You can find tickets HERE.  

They also play Saturday (5:00 p.m.), Tuesday, and Wednesday (5:00 p.m.).