Neither of the Vancouver Canucks' first-round picks this season will open the campaign in the NHL.
Czech winger Adam Novotny, picked 24th overall, has been returned to the OHL's Peterborough Petes, the Canucks announced Wednesday.
While Novotny was eligible to go to AHL Abbotsford on a rule for Europeans on loan to CHL clubs, per Patrick Johnston of Postmedia, the Canucks made the decision to have him return to Peterborough for a second season.
Novotny had 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games for the Petes last season. He's expected to be the only 2026 first-round pick to in the OHL's Eastern Conference this season.
Centre Caleb Malhotra, picked third overall by the Canucks, is playing NCAA hockey at Boston University this season.
The Canucks also announced second-round pick Brooks Rogowski (OHL, Oshawa, forward), fourth-round pick Yaroslav Bryzgalov (WHL, Medicine Hat, forward) and 2025 second-round pick Aleksei Medvedev (OHL, London, goalie) have been returned to their junior teams.
The Canucks made several other roster moves:
Assigned to Abbotsford
Ty Mueller (F)
Riley Patterson (F)
Ilya Safonov (F)
Chase Wouters (F)
Kirill Kudryavtsev (D)
Sawyer Mynio (D)
Released from professional tryout contracts and joining Abbotsford
Ben Berard (F)
Isaac Belliveau (D)
Placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Abbotsford
Trey Fix-Wolansky (F)
Cole Clayton (D)
Jimmy Schuldt (D)
