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Canucks assign Rathbone, Podkolzin to Abbotsford

Abbotsford Canucks have four home games this week
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Vasily Podkolzin, shown here after he was selected by Vancouver in the 2019 NHL Draft, has been assigned to Abbotsford. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

The Abbotsford Canucks are receiving some reinforcements from Vancouver this week.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced on Monday (Nov. 28) that forward Vasily Podkolzin and defenceman Jack Rathbone have been assigned to Abbotsford.

The Abbotsford Canucks have home games on Tuesday (Nov. 29) and Wednesday (Nov. 30) against the Bakersfield Condors and then host the Laval Rocket on Saturday (Dec. 3) and Sunday (Dec. 4).

This will be the first American Hockey League regular season action for Podkolzin. The 2019 first round pick did play two playoff games for Abbotsford last season and collected two points.

Podkolzin has struggled to produce offensively this season in Vancouver with just three points in 16 games. He has also been a healthy scratch at times for the big club. There were big expectations for him this season after recording 26 points in 79 games as a rookie last season.

Rathbone is very familiar to Abbotsford hockey fans after an excellent campaign in the AHL last season. The 2017 fourth round pick scored 40 points in 39 games in Abbotsford in 2021-22. He was also a very important part of the Abbotsford power play last season. Rathbone was named to the AHL’s all-rookie team last season

He signed a two-year, one-way contract on July 1, 2022 and will make the same amount of money whether he plays in the AHL or the NHL. He also does not have to clear waivers because he has not played enough NHL games.

Rathbone has been unable to crack the Vancouver lineup for much of this season and has only appeared in six NHL games. He has recorded one assist in those appearances.

RELATED: Abbotsford’s Jack Rathbone named to AHL all-rookie team



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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