The Los Angeles Kings (14-8-9)  had a chance to put away the Calgary Flames (13-16-4)  on Saturday night. Instead, they left Crypto.com Arena with another frustrating loss, another recurring issue that sums up who they are this season. 

Anze Kopitar thought he had scored the game-winning goal in overtime, but the goal was waived off after an apparent kicking motion, giving the Flames a chance to win it in an extra period. 

After the obvious kicking motion, Calgary centre Morgan Frost scored the game-winning goal just a few seconds later as the Flames edged the Kings 2-1, extending Los Angeles’ struggles to win at home 4-6-4 and close out games despite strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper today and another early lead. 

Final from Los Angeles. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/0lGASYTkJV

— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 14, 2025

Early Lead, No Follow-Up

The Kings struck midway through the first period when Adrian Kempe finished off a clean pass from Alex Laferriere to score his 11th goal of the season. But the momentum didn’t carry for Los Angeles’ offense. 

Defensively, the Kings were great tonight until the final moments, especially in goal, where Kuemper delivered 36 saves, quietly playing like the best player on the Kings this season. 

In the middle frame of the second period, the Flames answered back, tying the scoreboard 1-1 after extended pressure in the Kings' zone, and Kevin Fiala turning it over, costing them a goal on the other end. 

Power Play Struggles

It was a breakdown, likely due to fatigue and poor puck management by Fiala, two issues that helped the Flames get back in the game.

Both teams had plenty of chances to score in power-play, the Kings going 0-2 tonight and the Flames finishing 0-4 for the night. It was looking like it would end the same way again for Los Angeles, and it did. 

Kuemper Keeps it Close

Kuemper was great all night, bailing out the Kings in so many possessions where they were close to giving up a goal; without Kuemper, the game wouldn’t have reached extra time. 

Anze Kopitar said after the game they can't take him for granted and need to help support him by scoring more goals. 

"He was the reason why we got the one point," Kopitar said. "We have to find something to jumpstart the offense." 

But, once again in overtime, the Kings were exposed when it mattered most. 

Calgary controlled possession early in the 3-on-3 action, and Frost finished the sequence, beating Los Angeles to seal the win. Despite winning 54 percent of their faceoffs, the Kings also committed 17 giveaways, which gave Calgary extended possession. 

The same result is turning into a pattern for the Kings. It’s either a slow start that ends with them losing in overtime or a strong start that ends with them blowing the lead and losing again in an extra period. 

Until Los Angeles figures this issue out, the losses will continue to pile up, and so will their missed points in a tightly crowded Western Conference. 

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The Colorado Avalanche made sure they weren't fooled twice in one week by the Nashville Predators, picking up a 4-2 win on Saturday at Ball Arena. 

Like the last two matchups, the Predators fell behind early as Nathan MacKinnon scored a minute and a half into the game. The Nov. 22 matchup saw Brent Burns score 15 seconds into the game, and Tuesday's game had Brock Nelson score 1:12 in. 

Halfway through the first period, Reid Schaefer was called for delay of the game, and Valeri Nichushkin went to the box for interference, creating an overlapping 4-on-4 situation. It was there that Jack Dury scored on a toe drag to put the Avalanche up 2-0. 

After the goal, the Predators were left with a little power play time and converted with Jonathan Marchessault scoring off a feed to the slot from Ryan O'Reilly. O'Reilly now has six points in six games. 

Power play Marchy activated 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U4EHNqSY0a

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 14, 2025

Nashville dominated the early part of the second period, but Victor Olofsson took that momentum away, scoring to put the Avalanche back up by two. The Predators pulled goalie Justus Annunen with around three minutes left, allowing Nichushkin to score an empty net goal.

With 63 seconds left, Tyson Jost netted his second goal of the season to cut the final down by two goals. 

Colorado outshot Nashville, 41-29. Its the second time that the Avalanche have put 40+ shots on a Predators goaltender. Annunen fell to 1-5-1 on the year, allowing four goals on 41 shots and making 37 saves. 

The Predators drop to 12-15-4 on the year and will face the Blues on Sunday at 7 p.m. CST at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. 

The Detroit Red Wings head home to Little Caesars Arena with their heads held high, going 4-1-1 on their season-high six-game road swing that concluded on Saturday evening against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Red Wings scored twice within the first five minutes of the first period thanks to a pair of former Blackhawks players, and John Gibson stopped all 26 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season. 

SATURDAY NIGHT DUB IN CHICAGO! pic.twitter.com/QBo5VTBnkj

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 14, 2025

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

In doing so, the Red Wings avenged their 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Blackhawks last month at Little Caesars Arena. 

It was former Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat who scored just 55 seconds into the first period, giving Detroit the early 1-0 lead.

The lead was doubled thanks to Patrick Kane, who spent the bulk of his Hall of Fame career with the Blackhawks and helping them win the Stanley Cup three times. His backhand shot past goaltender Arvid Soderblom gave him the 498th goal of his career, putting him just two more tallies away from the illustrious 500 mark. 

Upon his inevitable 500th tally, he'll become the 50th player in NHL history to reach that mark.

Meanwhile, a player just getting his feet wet at the NHL level increased Detroit's lead to 3-0 thanks to the seventh goal of the campaign from rookie Emmitt Finnie.

With Soderblom on the bench late in the third period as a last-ditch effort from former Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill, who now holds the same position with the Blackhawks, DeBrincat added his second goal of the evening and his 18th of the season to seal the win.

Gibson was strong in goal for Detroit, picking up his second shutout in his last three starts. 

The next four of Detroit's five games will be played at Little Caesars Arena, starting with contests on back to back nighgts against the New York Islanders and Utah Mammoth. 

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A night that seemed like it would end in disaster, turned into a momentous 5-4 overtime victory for the New York Rangers over the Montreal Canadiens.

Going into this game, the Rangers were coming off a demoralizing 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, where their overall effort and urgency were in serious question. 

The Blueshirts came out of the gate with intensity, dominating possession, generating multiple scoring chances, and not even allowing a shot for over 10 minutes. 

However, the Canadiens are a dynamic offensive bunch, and they showed that, scoring three quick goals within the span of less than five minutes, which put the Rangers in a 3-0 hole. 

Mike Sullivan was tasked with an early decision whether or not to pull Igor Shesterkin after giving up three goals in a very short time frame.

Ultimately, Sullivan opted to keep Shesterkin in the net, showing confidence in his superstar goalie. 

“I didn’t feel like any of the goals scored were bad goals,” Sullivan said. “I never got the feeling behind the bench that, geez, it just wasn't Shesty’s night… I never got the feeling that he wasn't on his game. I thought he was locked in. He takes a lot of pride in keeping the puck out of the net when they go in like that. Sometimes, your emotions can get the best of you, but he did a terrific job of just staying focused and being ready to make that next save for us.”

The Rangers came alive late in the first frame with a power-play goal from Noah Laba, who has emerged as a real impactful player for the Rangers.

Seconds later, Artemi Panarin drew a slashing penalty and was rewarded with a penalty shot. He cashed it in, beating the rookie goalie Jacob Fowler. 

“I was panicked, to be honest,” Panarin said of his penalty shot. “Everyone in the rink too excited, too. Ice was not the best in the last minute. I’m glad I scored.” 

It wasn’t just Panarin’s goal that was noticeable about his game. All night long Panarin was controlling the pace of play in the offensive zone with his shifty puck skills, and the Canadiens had a difficult time containing his bursts of exposition. 

The 34-year-old forward led all players by a wide margin with a total of eight shots on net, proving how dominant he truly was from an offensive standpoint. 

Despite going down 4-2 in the second period, the Rangers’ confidence never wavered, and they responded in a big way. 

A strong forecheck from Brett Berard and Laba helped lead to a goal from Will Cuylle. The Berard-Laba-Cuylle trio continues to provide the Blueshirts with an element of physicality and speed, which finally translated into a goal on Saturday night. 

J.T. Miller found the back of the net less than one minute later to tie the game 4-4, putting Madison Square Garden into a frenzy. 

The game made its way into overtime where the puck found Miller’s stick for the game-winning goal. 

Miller had two goals on the night, and his contributions certainly did not go unnoticed. 

“I'm thrilled for him,” Sullivan said of Miller. “I know what it means for this team to have success, and he takes a lot of ownership for it. I feel like he's had moments when he's played extremely well for us, and the puck hasn't gone on the net for him. I thought he had a really strong game tonight… He's such an important player for us.”

To come back from a three-goal deficit takes heart, resilience and, determination. Those three traits shone bright in the Rangers’ game.

Jaroslav Chmelar's Rise To The NHL Serves A Valuable Lesson Jaroslav Chmelar earned his position with the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> through hard work and exceptional play in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

“There was a lot of hockey left,” Sullivan said. “That’s what we talked about on the bench. That’s what we talked about in between periods, ‘Let’s not get overwhelmed here. Let’s just keep playing, keep playing the game. Let’s work for the next goal.’ And that’s what they did. Those moments, I think, they’re great opportunities for a group to grow and become a team. 

“You face those types of adversities and you overcome them. I think that helps to galvanize a group and it also provides evidence for our team, that if we get in those situations again, what we’re capable of.”

There’s a confidence brewing within this Rangers team that no matter who the opponent is or what the score may be, they can always find a way to come away with a victory. 

It’s inconsistent, and we are yet to truly see the Rangers tap into this mentality for a long stretch of games, but the Blueshirts are building an identity and confident swagger, which is an encouraging sign.

“I think we did a good job of staying mentally tough and in the moment,” Miller said. “Present, worried about the next shift and really turned the tide on them. They defended a lot of the night, I felt like. When we play like that, it’s the same speech every game, I think we’re a lot to handle.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on Saturday night. Ahead of this game, the Blackhawks honored their centennial season’s second chapter: “The Madhouse”. 

A ceremony that included alumni, Wayne Mesmer and Frank Pellico doing the Star Spangled Banner, and Pat Foley leading the charge, took place as part of the honor. A retro theme on the scoreboard that mimics the old stadium was featured for the whole game as well. 

Despite the success of the pregame festivities, things did not start well for Chicago once the puck was dropped. With less than a minute expired in the hockey game, the Red Wings made it 1-0. It was former Blackhawk Alex DeBrincat. 

Speaking of former Blackhawks, Patrick Kane made it 2-0 before five minutes were gone in the opening period. Kane and DeBrincat each assisted on each other's goals. That 2-0 score would hold through the first intermission. 

In the second, Detroit made it 3-0 on a goal scored by Emmitt Finnie. The Blackhawks, up through the second intermission, were unable to execute on any of their chances, and they trailed by three going into the final frame. 

In the third, DeBrincat scored his second of the game into the empty net to seal the victory for the Red Wings. 4-0 stood as the final, and the Blackhawks were shut out at home by goaltender John Gibson. 

This was the first game following the injury to Blackhawks star Connor Bedard. You saw how much he was missed, especially in the offensive zone, as the Blackhawks were able to muster up 0 goals without him. 

Between assisting on both Chicago goals scored in St. Louis on Friday and them scoring 0 with him out of the lineup on Saturday, you can see just how important he is to the totality of the team. If the Blackhawks want to tread water without Bedard, everyone needs to do more in his absence.

"It's just time for guys to step up and create more," Ryan Donato said of the team needing to adjust without Bedard in the lineup. "Obviously, he's been phenomenal for us this year. It's going to be a huge piece missing, but I think it's about the next guy stepping up. Teams go through injury problems, that happens."

Bedard Update:

"I don't anticipate him on this trip," Said Jeff Blashill on Connor Bedard's current status. He advised once again that they will know more on Monday. 

Connor Bedard Will Not Travel On Chicago's Upcoming Road TripThe Chicago Blackhawks are about to embark on another road trip. This one will be for three games on the east side of Canada, and they will be missing Connor Bedard.

Nick Lardis NHL Debut

Nick Lardis made his NHL debut in the loss. Despite the team looking a bit off in the offensive zone without Connor Bedard in the mix, Lardis looked like he belonged on NHL ice. He led the team with 8 shot attempts. A couple of golden chances, including a post, showed just how dangerous he and his shot can be. His final year in the OHL didn't end with 71 goals by accident. 

With Connor Bedard out, Lardis is someone who can help replace some of the offense that Bedard brings. He won't completely replace him, but he has the tools to be a high-end producer. While he's a rookie, it may take some time, but you can tell just by watching this game that he's going to be a good player. 

After the game, Jeff Blashill said that the line Lardis was on with other rookies in Ryan Greene and Oliver Moore "had a lot of juice". He acknowledged that the game might have been different if some of the Lardis' chances went in, but the fact that they played well and looked fast together is a good sign of things to come. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

The Chicago Blackhawks did not score any goals against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, so there are no highlights to share in that regard. 

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

On Tuesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks are going to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs north of the border. This will be the third Original Six opponent for Chicago in the last week. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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The Florida Panthers responded to one of their worst games of the season with one of their best.

Florida was throttled on Thursday night in Colorado against the NHL-best Avalanche, but he Cats bounced back in a big way against the Dallas Stars, who are second-best in the league behind the Avs.

A stingy Panthers squad held Dallas to just 15 shots on goal, skating away with a 4-0 victory.

The game started out with a playoff-like feel, as both teams were on their toes and tightly checking the other.

Ten minutes in, the Panthers had the game’s only shot on goal and Dallas had blocked all six of Florida’s other attempts.

The Stars, meanwhile, picked up their first shot on their sixth attempt at the 10:08 mark, coming off the stick of veteran Matt Duchene.

After a first period in which the Cats and Stars logged only two shots apiece, Florida broke the ice with a goal on the first shift of the middle frame.

Anton Lundell cut through the middle of the ice with the puck and to Jake Oettinger’s net, keeping the puck on his stick just long enough to outwait the goaltender and sneak in a shot as he crossed over the goal line at the 19 second mark of period two.

Florida picked up a second goal after an extended shift in Dallas’ zone when Sam Bennett used his skate to deflect a rebound of a Carter Verhaeghe shot into the net at the 5:45 mark.

A late period power play for the Panthers would yield goal number three.

Sam Reinhart made a gorgeous, no-look backhand pass to the right circle, where Brad Marchand one-timed the puck past Oettinger to send Florida into the intermission with a commanding 3-0 lead.

Marchand added an empty-net goal with 2:48 to go, after Dallas had pulled Oettinger with just under six minutes on the clock in a final act of desperation.

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 15 saves, including the Stars’ six high danger shots, for his third shutout of the season and second straight impressive win on this road trip.

Florida has now taken two of three on their four-game roadie and another point or two on Monday will go a long way toward the Panthers starting to feel pretty good about the on-ice product they’ve been putting out lately.

As it stands, the Cats have won four of their past five and have points in five of six.

On to Tampa.

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Photo caption: Dec 13, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) and center Sam Bennett (9) and left wing Brad Marchand (63) celebrates a goal scored by Bennett against the Dallas Stars during the second period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the game on a power play at 2:56 of overtime as the New York Rangers rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Saturday night.

Will Cuylle, Noah Laba and Artemi Panarin also scored to help the Rangers snap a three-game skid (0-1-2). Mathew Robertson and Conor Sheary each had two assists, and Igor Shesterkin had 12 saves.

Zach Bolduc, Arber Xhekaj, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson scored for Montreal in its third loss in four games (1-2-1). Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson each had two assists, and Jacob Fowler had 21 saves.

In the extra period, Miller beat Fowler for his ninth goal to give the Rangers the win after they trailed 3-0 and 4-2.

The teams combined for eight goals in the opening 28 minutes, then none until overtime.

Cuylle and Miller scored in a 36-second span early in the second period to tie the score 4-4. Cuylle got his ninth at 7:22 and Miller tied it at 7:58.

Bolduc opened the scoring with 7:19 left in the first period with his seventh. Xhekej made it 2-0 with his first wit 5:50 left in the period, and Evans made it a three-goal lead 2:08 later with his fifth.

Laba then beat Fowler on the power play with 1:11 left in the opening period to get the Rangers on the board.

Panarin scored on a penalty shot 19 seconds later to make it 3-2.

Anderson restored the two-goal margin at 3:17 of the second, whipping a one-timer past Shesterkin.

The Rangers honored players from the 1970s and 80s. Attendees included Hall of Fame defenseman Brad Park, Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson plus family members of Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield. Herb Brooks, who coached the Rangers from 1981-85, was represented by his son Dan.

Up next

Canadiens: Host Edmonton on Sunday night.

Rangers: Host Anaheim on Monday night.

They say one player can't make or break a team.

Try telling that to Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets.

The league's reigning back-to-back Vezina and Jennings Trophy winner and last season's Hart Trophy victor returned to the net for Winnipeg following an 11-game recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery, to which the Jets went 2-8-1.

His presence was immediately felt.

It was felt throughout the arena from warmup through the final horn, as Winnipeg put together its first stellar outing of the season at home, taking care of business against Alex Ovechking and the Washington Capitals.

The Jets scored twice in the first and second periods, before adding another in the third en route to a 5-1 victory on Saturday.

Gabe Vilardi scored twice, while Logan Stanley, Morgan Barron and Alex Iafallo added singles for the Jets, which pulled back to .500 on the season with their 15th victory in game No. 31 (15-15-1). 

Stanley got things going for the Jets in the opening frame, collected the rebound off an intentionally wide shot-pass from Josh Morrissey 9:13 into the game. The goal was Stanley's fifth of the season, which put him above 18 other Jets teammates for goals on the season. 

Barron made it 2-0 late in the period, finishing off a rush passing play by Adam Lowry, deflecting his fifth of the campaign past Logan Thompson, drawing even with Stanley on the season. 

Winnipeg outshot the Capitals by a whopping 10 shots through 20 minutes (13-3) and took that advantage into the middle stanza.

Iafallo grabbed his sixth of the year, as he turned and fired the puck into the net off Capitals' defenceman Justin Sourdif. 

With Nic Dowd in the box for a dangerous crosscheck on Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg needed just 29 seconds to make the visitors pay on a fast acting power play. It was Vilardi who got his 15th of the season on a nifty passing play from Morrissey and linemate Kyle Connor. 

Winnipeg maintained a 23-12 shot lead heading into the final frame. It wasn't a two-goal period like the first two, but the Jets did manage to hold off the Capitals' offence, shutting down Alex Ovechkin and Co., en route to a decisive victory. 

Vilardi put the finishing touches on a pretty top-line passing play, off a crafty interception from Scheifele. No. 55 got the puck to Connor, who dished it to Vilardi. He buried it past Thompson for his second of the game and 16th of the season.

The Jets found themselves down two men with 4:30 to play as Vilardi (trip) and Luke Schenn (holding) gave the Capitals a lengthy five-on-three advantage. After killing off a good stretch of the disadvantage, the Jets gave up their first of the game. 

Jakob Chychrun scored with 3:28 to play in the game and 17 seconds left in the two-man advantage, ruining Hellebuyck's bid for a shutout. 

Nino Niederreiter was honoured in a pre-game ceremony for reaching 1,000 career NHL games. He was presented with the fifth silver stick in Jets franchise history, a custom painting a crystal award from the team to commentate his special occasion. Tribute messages from around the world were played on the jumbotron, including a special greeting from tennis legend Roger Federer. Niederreiter's family was present and joined him and teammates on the ice for a photo op prior to puck drop. 

Hellebuyck was stellar in his return to action, turning aside 23 of the 24 shots sent his way by Washington. Thompson made 30 stops on the evening. 

Winnipeg will close out its four-game homestand with a test against the Ottawa Senators on Monday evening. That game can be viewed live on Amazon at 6:30 PM central. 

On December 7, the Abbotsford Canucks celebrated their 5th anniversary as an organization. Though the team would eventually drop the game 2-1 against the visiting Coachella Valley Firebirds, the crowd at Rogers Forum still honoured the team until the last whistle blew.

Beginning play in the 2021-22 AHL season, the Abbotsford Canucks were not the first AHL team to occupy the Fraser Valley. The Calgary Flames had their affiliate Abbotsford Heat take up residence in the then-named Abbotsford Centre from 2009 until 2014. The Canucks organization at the time had their AHL affiliate in Manitoba, until the Winnipeg Jets revival took over the Manitoba Moose, leaving the Canucks to sign a two-year affiliation agreement with the Atlanta Thrashers’ now-unused AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves. The Vancouver Canucks then housed their prospects across the continent in Utica, New York, before gaining approval in May 2021 to relocate their AHL organization to the largely vacant Abbotsford Centre.

In the seven years between the Heat and Canucks, the Abbotsford Centre was largely dormant when it came to hockey. The Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the BCEHL would begin using the building in 2018, though that was it for the 7000-seat arena.

At least until the Vancouver Canucks announced they would be moving their AHL team 4500 kilometres closer to the Abbotsford Centre, thereby creating the Abbotsford Canucks. Canucks fans were excited to see their team’s prospects in close proximity, and players were excited to get a fresh start in bringing back professional hockey to the Fraser Valley.

“Moving to a new city, I guess you don’t really know what to expect coming in, and I’ve loved every minute of it,” Abbotsford captain Chase Wouters would tell The Hockey News, “It was exciting because everyone was on the same page.”

Wouters signed with Abbotsford as a free agent ahead of their inaugural season after spending five years in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades, pursuing his dream of playing professional hockey. At 22 years old, Wouters was named the team’s first captain in 2022, ahead of the team’s second season in the Valley.

“It was a great opportunity like that from the management and the coaching staff here. To wear the ‘C’ is something I’m very proud of. It’s something I don’t take lightly, and it’s a huge honour.”

Wouters is one of four players still with the organization from the 2021-22 season, along with forward Danila Klimovich and defensemen Jett Woo and Guillame Brisebois, though Woo and Brisebois have yet to play this season due to injury. Woo was recently activated onto the Abbotsford roster, and Brisebois has been on injured reserve for the Canucks since the season began.

Last year was the definitive highlight for the young center, as Abbotsford captured its first-ever Calder Cup in its first season under rookie head coach Manny Malhotra.

“Being able to reach the top of the mountain, the end of the goal with that group of guys that we went through it with,” Wouters would say on the Calder Cup win, “There’s a lot of guys on that team that were here since the start and whether you’ve been here two, three, four, one year. Whether you’re a first-year guy, we kind of have a culture around here where everyone’s welcome and everyone can be their self, and be comfortable, and that’s what helped us get to that ultimate goal last year.”

“It’s an amazing feeling and something I’ll never forget, that’s definitely been the highlight.”

Though Abbotsford is coming off of a championship year, the season thus far has been a difficult one, hampered by injuries and constantly changing lineups at the whim of the NHL squad’s needs. They occupy the last place in the AHL’s Pacific Division with a 5-15-1-3 record, which is a far cry from their triumphs this past spring. Still, Wouters hopes to focus on the positives for the remaining months of the regular season.

“You look at our record and we’re not where we want to be, of course, but you always gotta take positives away. It’s obviously a lot of room to improve and room to grow as a group and grow as a team, we’re going to keep doing that. I mean, it falls on my shoulders, falls on kind of everyone in the room and we’re gonna be better. We’re going to keep pushing each other every day to crawl back into this thing. I got a huge belief in our group in there and that hasn’t wavered since day one.”

When asked about the most influential person during his time in Abbotsford, Wouters gave kudos to his friend and former assistant captain, John Stevens. Stevens was a veteran AHL center, having played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and spending parts of two seasons with the Utica Comets before joining Abbotsford in the franchise’s move westward. Though he was injured in the spring and missed the Calder Cup Playoffs, Stevens was still an integral part of the Canucks locker room and was the first person passed the Calder Cup by Wouters during the post-game celebrations. Being an unrestricted free agent, Stevens signed with Kiekko-Espoo of the Finnish Liiga this offseason.

“He was a huge mentor to me my first year. He really showed me what it was like to be a pro in pro hockey and to be a part of this community. Definitely a huge mentor to me and really helped me through the first couple of years and even through stuff now.”

Having been with the team for the past five seasons, Wouters has seen the crowd in Abbotsford grow ever since their first home game on October 20, 2021, a 3-2 win over Logan Thompson and the Henderson Silver Knights.

“I think back to our home opener five years ago, and it was obviously exciting. Everyone was excited, and compared to what it was like last year in the end of the playoffs, it was just crazy. The support after we won […] was crazy, and it’s an ongoing thing. It’s going to keep building as we get out in the community more and get to know people. It’s amazing, and we obviously thank the support so much.”

“We have a ton of support from surrounding towns. It’s not just Abbotsford, it’s Chilliwack, it’s Langley, […] everyone is rallied around coming to games and showing the support. And we like to give back to the community as much as we can, whether it’s doing appearances or taking the time to talk to fans after the game. That stuff goes a long ways, that’s something we definitely take pride in.”

Looking ahead to the next five years, Wouters mentioned his goal is to make it to the NHL, along with continuing to build upon the foundation he has helped build in Abbotsford.

“We’re just going to keep building, keep growing the culture here […] Whether guys are new guys coming in or guys that are staying here, everyone coming in comes in here and knows our identity and what it means to be an Abbotsford Canuck.”

Wouters has witnessed the ups and downs for the organization since the very beginning, being the player with most games played for the team (290 at the time of writing), and having just clinched his 100th career AHL point on December 2. From a pro hockey rookie to a championship-winning captain, Wouters has experienced a lot in the past five seasons, though his advice to his younger self is to simply live in the moment.

“I know it’s only been five years, but just enjoy every day. There’s a lot of ups and downs throughout the year, but the guys in the room, those are your teammates, those are your brothers, and you build relationships with them over time, and they’re long-lasting relationships, they’re friendships that go beyond hockey.”

“If I could tell myself one thing five years ago is just enjoy it, work hard, and do everything you can to earn trust, and to be able to expand your hockey game and just get better as a player and a person.”

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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On December 7, the Abbotsford Canucks celebrated their 5th anniversary as an organization. Though the team would eventually drop the game 2-1 against the visiting Coachella Valley Firebirds, the crowd at Rogers Forum still honoured the team until the last whistle blew.

Beginning play in the 2021-22 AHL season, the Abbotsford Canucks were not the first AHL team to occupy the Fraser Valley. The Calgary Flames had their affiliate Abbotsford Heat take up residence in the then-named Abbotsford Centre from 2009 until 2014. The Canucks organization at the time had their AHL affiliate in Manitoba, until the Winnipeg Jets revival took over the Manitoba Moose, leaving the Canucks to sign a two-year affiliation agreement with the Atlanta Thrashers’ now-unused AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves. The Vancouver Canucks then housed their prospects across the continent in Utica, New York, before gaining approval in May 2021 to relocate their AHL organization to the largely vacant Abbotsford Centre.

In the seven years between the Heat and Canucks, the Abbotsford Centre was largely dormant when it came to hockey. The Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the BCEHL would begin using the building in 2018, though that was it for the 7000-seat arena.

At least until the Vancouver Canucks announced they would be moving their AHL team 4500 kilometres closer to the Abbotsford Centre, thereby creating the Abbotsford Canucks. Canucks fans were excited to see their team’s prospects in close proximity, and players were excited to get a fresh start in bringing back professional hockey to the Fraser Valley.

“Moving to a new city, I guess you don’t really know what to expect coming in, and I’ve loved every minute of it,” Abbotsford captain Chase Wouters would tell The Hockey News, “It was exciting because everyone was on the same page.”

Wouters signed with Abbotsford as a free agent ahead of their inaugural season after spending five years in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades, pursuing his dream of playing professional hockey. At 22 years old, Wouters was named the team’s first captain in 2022, ahead of the team’s second season in the Valley.

“It was a great opportunity like that from the management and the coaching staff here. To wear the ‘C’ is something I’m very proud of. It’s something I don’t take lightly, and it’s a huge honour.”

Wouters is one of four players still with the organization from the 2021-22 season, along with forward Danila Klimovich and defensemen Jett Woo and Guillame Brisebois, though Woo and Brisebois have yet to play this season due to injury. Woo was recently activated onto the Abbotsford roster, and Brisebois has been on injured reserve for the Canucks since the season began.

Last year was the definitive highlight for the young center, as Abbotsford captured its first-ever Calder Cup in its first season under rookie head coach Manny Malhotra.

“Being able to reach the top of the mountain, the end of the goal with that group of guys that we went through it with,” Wouters would say on the Calder Cup win, “There’s a lot of guys on that team that were here since the start and whether you’ve been here two, three, four, one year. Whether you’re a first-year guy, we kind of have a culture around here where everyone’s welcome and everyone can be their self, and be comfortable, and that’s what helped us get to that ultimate goal last year.”

“It’s an amazing feeling and something I’ll never forget, that’s definitely been the highlight.”

Though Abbotsford is coming off of a championship year, the season thus far has been a difficult one, hampered by injuries and constantly changing lineups at the whim of the NHL squad’s needs. They occupy the last place in the AHL’s Pacific Division with a 5-15-1-3 record, which is a far cry from their triumphs this past spring. Still, Wouters hopes to focus on the positives for the remaining months of the regular season.

“You look at our record and we’re not where we want to be, of course, but you always gotta take positives away. It’s obviously a lot of room to improve and room to grow as a group and grow as a team, we’re going to keep doing that. I mean, it falls on my shoulders, falls on kind of everyone in the room and we’re gonna be better. We’re going to keep pushing each other every day to crawl back into this thing. I got a huge belief in our group in there and that hasn’t wavered since day one.”

When asked about the most influential person during his time in Abbotsford, Wouters gave kudos to his friend and former assistant captain, John Stevens. Stevens was a veteran AHL center, having played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and spending parts of two seasons with the Utica Comets before joining Abbotsford in the franchise’s move westward. Though he was injured in the spring and missed the Calder Cup Playoffs, Stevens was still an integral part of the Canucks locker room and was the first person passed the Calder Cup by Wouters during the post-game celebrations. Being an unrestricted free agent, Stevens signed with Kiekko-Espoo of the Finnish Liiga this offseason.

“He was a huge mentor to me my first year. He really showed me what it was like to be a pro in pro hockey and to be a part of this community. Definitely a huge mentor to me and really helped me through the first couple of years and even through stuff now.”

Having been with the team for the past five seasons, Wouters has seen the crowd in Abbotsford grow ever since their first home game on October 20, 2021, a 3-2 win over Logan Thompson and the Henderson Silver Knights.

“I think back to our home opener five years ago, and it was obviously exciting. Everyone was excited, and compared to what it was like last year in the end of the playoffs, it was just crazy. The support after we won […] was crazy, and it’s an ongoing thing. It’s going to keep building as we get out in the community more and get to know people. It’s amazing, and we obviously thank the support so much.”

“We have a ton of support from surrounding towns. It’s not just Abbotsford, it’s Chilliwack, it’s Langley, […] everyone is rallied around coming to games and showing the support. And we like to give back to the community as much as we can, whether it’s doing appearances or taking the time to talk to fans after the game. That stuff goes a long ways, that’s something we definitely take pride in.”

Looking ahead to the next five years, Wouters mentioned his goal is to make it to the NHL, along with continuing to build upon the foundation he has helped build in Abbotsford.

“We’re just going to keep building, keep growing the culture here […] Whether guys are new guys coming in or guys that are staying here, everyone coming in comes in here and knows our identity and what it means to be an Abbotsford Canuck.”

Wouters has witnessed the ups and downs for the organization since the very beginning, being the player with most games played for the team (290 at the time of writing), and having just clinched his 100th career AHL point on December 2. From a pro hockey rookie to a championship-winning captain, Wouters has experienced a lot in the past five seasons, though his advice to his younger self is to simply live in the moment.

“I know it’s only been five years, but just enjoy every day. There’s a lot of ups and downs throughout the year, but the guys in the room, those are your teammates, those are your brothers, and you build relationships with them over time, and they’re long-lasting relationships, they’re friendships that go beyond hockey.”

“If I could tell myself one thing five years ago is just enjoy it, work hard, and do everything you can to earn trust, and to be able to expand your hockey game and just get better as a player and a person.”

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Why Liam Öhgren Is An Intriguing Prospect Canucks Fans Should Be Excited About

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Does Zeev Buium Have The Potential To Become The Canucks’ Next Quinn Hughes?

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.