The Vancouver Canucks‘ opening-night roster is starting to come into focus.

Vancouver assigned defencemen Tom Willander and Victor Mancini to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks on Sunday, leaving seven blue-liners on its roster ahead of Thursday’s season opener.

Willander, a first-round pick of the Canucks in 2023, signed a three-year entry-level contract in May, making the jump to professional hockey.

He had just completed his second season with the Boston University Terriers, notching two goals and 24 points in 39 games. In 77 total games with the Terriers, the Swedish defenceman recorded 49 points.

In three pre-season games, Willander, 20, averaged 16:33 of ice time and took two shots on goal.

Mancini, meanwhile, landed in Vancouver as part of the return for J.T. Miller in January. He en

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