The Vancouver Canucks have officially signed two of their promising forward prospects, Riley Patterson and Gabriel Chiarot, to three-year entry-level contracts. The announcement was made by General Manager Patrik Allvin on Monday, September 22, 2025. Allvin stated that he and the team have been impressed by a number of their young players at the showcase in Seattle and at training camp in Penticton. He added that Patterson is a right-shot center prospect who has made strides with the team’s development group over the past couple of years. Allvin also said Chiarot has good drive, work ethic, and tenacity, and a nose for the net.
Patterson, 19, was a fourth-round pick by the Canucks in the 2024 NHL Draft. During the 2024-2025 season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL, he scored 25 goals and had 59 points, also adding 12 points in the playoffs. Patterson was traded to the Niagara IceDogs in August after requesting a trade from the Colts. His entry-level contract has an NHL cap hit of $923,333 for the next three years, with signing bonuses of $85,000 each year and an AHL salary of $85,000 per season.
Chiarot, 19, played 66 games for the OHL's Brampton Steelheads last season, recording 25 points. He was a sixth-round pick by the Canucks in the 2025 NHL Draft. Chiarot’s entry-level contract has a cap hit of $916,667 for three seasons, with a $75,000 signing bonus and an AHL salary of $85,000.
Both Patterson and Chiarot have been sent back to their respective junior clubs following the Canucks' first cuts of their preseason roster.
In other news, Canucks forward Filip Chytil's health is once again a concern. In March 2025, Chytil suffered a concussion after a hit during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Coach Rick Tocchet reported that Chytil was feeling okay but was in concussion protocol. The team monitored him over the next 48 hours to determine if he would join them on their six-game road trip. There were concerns that Chytil would not return for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Chytil, 25, has a history of concussions, including those that limited him to only 10 regular-season games with the New York Rangers the previous season. Since being traded to the Canucks, Chytil has recorded two goals, four assists, and six points in 15 games. Prior to his injury, Chytil was having a strong 2024-25 campaign with nine points (4 goals, 5 assists) in 15 games.
Meanwhile, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane is on a mission to prove he deserves a spot on Team USA for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Kane, 36, was invited to the United States Men's Olympic Orientation Camp. NHL players will be representing their countries in the Olympics for the first time since 2014. Kane expressed that he doesn't want to be selected based on his past achievements but rather on his current performance.
Kane is also focused on helping the Red Wings end their nine-season playoff drought. He believes the team can achieve this with Todd McLellan as head coach, under whom Kane feels he played better. In the 2024-25 season, Kane scored 21 goals and contributed 38 assists in 72 games.
