Canucks return first-rounder Novotny to Peterborough Petes
Vancouver sent four junior-eligible prospects back to their CHL clubs Wednesday, including 2026 first-round pick Adam Novotny.
Adam Novotny is going back to junior. The Canucks announced Wednesday that the Czech winger, taken 24th overall in June, has been returned to the OHL's Peterborough Petes for a second season.
Novotny put up 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games for the Petes last season. Vancouver has returned him to Peterborough for another year in the OHL.
That means neither of Vancouver's first-rounders will open the season in the NHL. Centre Caleb Malhotra, selected third overall, is at Boston University this season.
Three more prospects went back to their junior teams in the same announcement: second-round pick Brooks Rogowski to Oshawa of the OHL, fourth-round pick Yaroslav Bryzgalov to Medicine Hat of the WHL, and 2025 second-rounder Aleksei Medvedev, a goaltender, to London of the OHL.
The Canucks also assigned forwards Ty Mueller, Riley Patterson, Ilya Safonov and Chase Wouters, plus defencemen Kirill Kudryavtsev and Sawyer Mynio, to Abbotsford. Forward Ben Berard and defenceman Isaac Belliveau were released from professional tryout contracts and will join the Abbotsford roster.
Forward Trey Fix-Wolansky and defencemen Cole Clayton and Jimmy Schuldt were placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Abbotsford.
