Pair of Vancouver Canucks prospects set to become free agents next month
A pair of Vancouver Canucks prospects are set to become unrestricted free agents in the National Hockey League in the middle of August.
Every year, August 15th is an important day on the calendar of teams around the league. On that day, NHL drafted prospects who are exiting their final year of college eligibility will have their exclusive signing rights expire, making them unrestricted free agents.
In total this year, 26 NHL drafted prospects will see their exclusive signing rights expire, including a pair of Vancouver Canucks - forward Jack Malone and goaltender Matthew Thiessen.
Malone, 23, was selected in the sixth round (180th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. The Danville, California native has spent four seasons in the NCAA, three with Cornell University before transferring to Boston College for his final year in 2023-24.
In 41 games for Boston College last year, Malone had 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists), 12 penalty minutes and was a plus-seven. At the end of the season, Malone signed an amateur tryout contract (ATO) with the AHL's Utica Comets, affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, where he appeared in one game and went point-less. Malone has agreed to an AHL contract with Utica next season, so he won't be signing his ELC with the Canucks before August 15 and will become a free agent at the NHL level.
As for goaltender Matthew Thiessen, it's unclear what comes next for him as he has yet to sign anywhere else for the 2024-25 season. It's possible that the Canucks bring him in to Abbotsford on a two-way AHL contract and he could see time with the ECHL's Kalamazoo Wings, but we'll have to wait and see if that comes to fruition.
The Steinbach, Manitoba native has spent five seasons in the NCAA, three with the University of Maine and two with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. In 18 games last season, the 24-year-old Thiessen had a record of 3-11-2 with a 3.14 goals against average and a save percentage of .904.
Source: Blade of Steel
26 NHL prospects set to have exclusive signing rights expire next month
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