Tom Willander takes over top spot in Canucks prospect rankings

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A Jonathan Lekkerimäki call-up leads to Tom Willander getting bumped up in our weekly Vancouver Canucks top-10 prospects power rankings.

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Willander assumes the No. 1 spot in this latest instalment detailing the Canucks’ up and comers, with the Boston University Terriers defenceman moving up the one notch from last week due to Vancouver adding winger Lekkerimäki to its roster Tuesday morning with a promotion from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks.

To be included in our rankings, players must be born in 2000 or later and can’t be with the big club.

Lekkerimäki, 20, has 19 goals and 28 points in 32 games this season with Abbotsford. He was Vancouver’s first-round pick (No. 15 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Willander, 20, was Vancouver’s first-round pick (No. 11 overall) in 2023. He is in his sophomore season with Boston University. There has been plenty of speculation that he could sign with Vancouver and join the Canucks system after this season. Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser both joined the Canucks at the end of their second seasons in the NCAA.

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Todd Diamond, the Florida-based agent who is Willander’s family advisor, explained in an email Tuesday that, “We aren’t going to discuss/decide anything until the BU season has concluded. We’ll see how they do in the Hockey East Tournament and hopefully NCAA’s afterwards.”

Hockey East’s single-elimination playoffs start March 12. The finals take place March 21, followed by the NCAA Regionals from March 27-30, and the Frozen Four from April 10-12.

BU (18-12-2) is No. 10 in this week’s national rankings.

With all that mind, here’s the latest poll. Last week’s rankings are in parenthesis.

1. Tom Willander, D, Boston University Terriers (2)

Willander (31-2-18-20) had an assist in BU’s 2-2 draw with UConn last Tuesday. BU is home to Providence on Thursday and wraps up the regular season Saturday at Vermont.

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2. Aatu Räty C, Abbotsford Canucks (3)

The 22-year-old had an assist in a 3-2 loss in Calgary on Friday and then tallied one goal and one assist in an 8-4 win in Calgary on Saturday. Abbotsford (28-22-2-1) is sixth in the 10-team Pacific Division with 19 games remaining in the regular season. The top seven teams make the playoffs. Abbotsford hosts San Jose on Friday and Saturday. Räty (33-14-19-33), who came over from the New York Islanders in the January 2023 trade involving Bo Horvat, leads Abbotsford in scoring.

3. Kirill Kudryavtsev, D, Abbotsford (4)

The 21-year-old had an assist on Saturday and continues to sit second on the team in plus-minus (plus-8). Kudryavtsev was a 2022 seventh rounder.

4. Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (5)

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The 2024 fourth rounder scored twice in a 5-4 win over Guelph on Wednesday, recorded an assist in a 5-4 win over over Saginaw on Thursday and had one goal and one assist in a 6-3 win over Kingston on Saturday. The 18-year-old Patterson has points in 14 of his last 15 games. Barrie (37-18-2-2) are in second spot in the OHL’s Eastern Conference and are at Saginaw on Thursday.

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5. Sawyer Mynio, D, Calgary Hitmen (6)

The 2023 third rounder had a goal in a 3-0 win over Swift Current Wednesday, no points in 2-1 loss to Red Deer Friday and two goals and one assist in a 7-0 win over Kelowna Sunday. The 19-year-old Mynio and Calgary (39-15-3-3), who are third in the WHL’s Eastern Conference, host Swift Current on Friday.

6. Arshdeep Bains, LW, Abbotsford (NR)

The 24-year-old, who signed as a free agent in March 2022, was reassigned to Abbotsford from Vancouver on Tuesday morning as part of the Lekkerimäki move. Bains last played with Abbotsford on Feb. 17.

7. Danila Klimovich, RW, Abbotsford (9)

Klimovich had one goal Friday and two goals Saturday. The 22-year-old was a 2021 second rounder.

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8. Anthony Romani, RW, Barries (10)

Romani (26-13-8-21) had one goal Wednesday, one goal and one assist Thursday and one goal and two assists on Saturday. The 19-year-old was a 2024 sixth rounder.

9. Ty Mueller, C, Abbotsford (7)

Mueller (48-8-18-26) returned to the line-up this weekend in Calgary after missing the two previous games. He had an assist on Saturday. The 22-year-old was a 2023 fourth rounder.

10. Max Sasson, C, Abbotsford (8)

A free agent addition in March 2023, the 24-year-old Sasson (29-7-9-16) had an assist Friday.

Dropped off rankings this week: Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW, Abbotsford (1).

sewen@postmedia.com

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