Year-to-year turnover is inevitable in the American Hockey League and a championship team's players are often in high demand, as the Abbotsford Canucks found out when free agency opened on Tuesday (July 1).
Calder Cup hero Sammy Blais, assistant captain Phil Di Giuseppe and defenceman Cole McWard all have new homes for 2025-26 and Abbotsford also added three new players to reload and defend their crown.
Blais earned a one-year, one-way contract from the Montreal Canadiens that sees him collect $775,000. The 2019 Stanley Cup and 2025 Calder Cup champion had 40 points in 51 regular season games for Abbotsford and then emerged as force in the playoffs with 19 points and a league-leading 77 penalty minutes in 23 games.
The 6'-2" forward was only under an AHL contract last season and was hoping to re-enter the NHL. He successfully took advantage of the opportunity that the Canucks gave him and said this season was a special one.
"I always believed in the room," he stated during the team's Calder Cup celebration event. "This one is as special as the Stanley Cup 鈥� whatever they call it. This year I loved the game again. The last couple years were hard on me, but I'm so proud I was part of this team and I'll always remember that I was a champion."
Blais was a key performer throughout the playoffs, but had four points in three games in round one versus the Tucson Roadrunners and added seven points in six games in the Calder Cup Finals against the Charlotte Checkers. His physical play was a crucial part of Abbotsford's success and linemates Nate Smith and Jujhar Khaira helped the team get over the hump several times during the run.
Di Giuseppe is an original member of the Abbotsford Canucks and ranks 11th all-time in franchise scoring with 77 points in 101 games. He agreed to a one-year, two-way deal with the Winnipeg Jets organization.
He arrived in the Canucks organization starting with the 2021-22 season and appeared in 42 games for Abbotsford. After that first year, he split the rest of his time between Vancouver and Abbotsford. He suited up for 101 games with Vancouver over three seasons and collected 28 points. The 2024-25 season saw him record nine points in 22 regular season games with Abbotsford and 11 points in 24 playoff games.
"That game three against Tucson I'll remember forever," Di Giuseppe said during the team's Calder Cup celebration event last month. "The big moments where we could be going home, it was do-or-die, you're confident but at the same time there's a possibility you might be packing it up. But we got the job done and I'm proud of these guys and I thank them all for my ring."
McWard spent the past two seasons as a reliable defender in Abbotsford and is joining the New York Islanders on a one-year, two-way contract. He played 124 games in Abbotsford and recorded 43 points. McWard also played six games in Vancouver over two seasons and scored one goal.
The Canucks then announced the additions of forwards Mackenzie McEachern and Joseph Labate, along with Jimmy Schuldt.
McEachern and Schuldt are on two-year, two-way deals, while Labate is on a one-year, two-way deal.
McEachern spent last season with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds and scored 32 points in 40 games. The 6'-2" forward was a third round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2012 and has recorded 20 points in 123 games with the Blues. He last played in the NHL in the 2023-24 season. He also played eight playoff games for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23.
Schuldt spent last season as the captain of the San Jose Barracuda and recorded 21 points in 64 games. He also previously played on the Coachella Valley Firebirds teams that advanced twice to the Calder Cup Finals. The 6'-1" defenceman has appeared in eight NHL games for the San Jose Sharks.
Labate split 2024-25 with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. He played 51 games in Cleveland and recorded 21 points and 81 penalty minutes and added one assist in six games with Columbus. The 6'-5" forward was originally a fourth round draft pick of Vancouver in 2011 and played parts of four seasons with the Utica Comets.
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