Perseverance pays off for Canucks' Brisebois with roster spot

VANCOUVER — Eleven years after he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks, and after a series of serious injuries and seven contracts with the organization, 29-year-old defenceman Guillaume Brisebois will finally start a National Hockey League season with the team.

The veteran minor-leaguer is one of 23 players on the roster for Vancouver’s season-opening game Tuesday in Edmonton against the Oilers, three years after a serious concussion caused a cruel U-turn away from the NHL for Brisebois when he was on the cusp of making the Canucks.

Besides Brisebois, the roster includes 22-year-old first-rounder Jonathan Lekkerimaki, defenceman Victor Mancini and winger Arshdeep Bains, an undrafted 25-year-old from Surrey, B.C., who cleared waivers in Vancouver last season. Seven players on the roster were part of head coach Manny Malhotra’s Calder Cup-winning team in the American Hockey League 15 months ago.

Goalie Leevi Merilainen, claimed on waivers from the Ottawa Senators on Friday, dislodged Nikita Tolopilo as Kevin Lankinen’s backup. Tolopilo cleared waivers on Monday.

“It feels really good, like, an awesome feeling,” Brisebois said after the Canucks practised at the University of B.C. before their flight to Edmonton. “There have been a lot of dark moments, like when I had the concussion and I didn't know if I was going to play again, with the headaches and everything going on. Even last year was a tough year, getting major surgery at age 28. 

“But I had a great summer working out and being positive, and just trying my best. That's the only thing pretty much I can control: doing my best and trying to improve every day and trying to be a better player. Coming back from big injuries and being able to fight for a spot in the NHL, it's pretty good. I’m really proud of myself.”

Brisebois’ journey to the NHL is about perseverance, conviction and his relationship with Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson, who convinced the defenceman from Longueuill, Que., to keep re-signing two-way contracts with the Canucks on the promise there was still a future for him with the organization.

Brisebois missed nearly all of last season after undergoing hip surgery in September. The previous season was spent in the American Hockey League, recovering and rebuilding his game after missing most of 2023-24 due to a career-threatening concussion.

Brisebois had been told by the Canucks during training camp in 2023 that he would make the NHL team that year, but the 2015 third-round pick was injured in the final pre-season game on an unpenalized hit from behind by Brandon Tanev.

“If I didn’t think I was capable of this, I don’t think I’d still be here,” Brisebois told Sportsnet last week about his persistence. “I still believe I can be that guy, but I need to be healthy first.

“I’m still very hungry. It’s just about finding a rhythm — practices and games — because I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank. I’ve been through this a few times. But I see the age; like I'm 29 now. The window could be closing soon.”

But not yet.

Former Canuck general manager Jim Benning selected Brisebois 66^th in the 2015 draft in Florida with the pick Vancouver acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for goalie Eddie Lack.

That was the same draft the Canucks used their first-round pick on Brock Boeser, who has played 629 games for the team and is now one of its leaders. Among current Canucks, only injured goalie Thatcher Demko, drafted in the second round in 2014, has been in the organization longer.

Brisebois made his debut for the Canucks on Feb. 14, 2019 but has played only 29 NHL games in seven years since then, the last of them during a three-game stint two seasons ago.

Johnson, the Canucks’ new GM, was Brisebois’ development coach after he was drafted, then became his minor-league GM in both Utica, N.Y. and Abbotsford, B.C.

Johnson is a key reason Brisebois kept signing two-way contracts with the Canucks instead of looking for a better chance to play somewhere else.

“You have to look at the player and the person,” Johnson said Monday when asked about his belief in Brisebois. “He's a great teammate, a great human being. I think sometimes loyalty rewards you, and I think this is something where we both had a belief in each other. Sometimes it's so easy to just cast players aside and move on. But when you truly have a belief in the player and the person, to get to this point after seeing some really tough moments for him, it's awesome for me.”

Brisebois said he’s still building back his game after playing only nine times in the minors last season following surgery.

“I try to be positive,” he said. “I believe I can play in this league, and I've shown it when I've had a couple of stints. Like, I'm trying everything. I’m coming back from a year-long injury, and I feel like I'm doing well. I'm feeling better (physically). So whether it’s now or maybe they want me to go play games (in the AHL) and get into a rhythm and then come back, I don't know. But whatever that is, I'm ready.”

ICE CHIP – First-line winger Jake DeBrusk missed Monday’s practice to get medical imaging on a lower-body injury, but Malhotra said DeBrusk will be available to play in Edmonton.

CANUCKS ROSTER 

Forwards (13)

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Lekkerimaki
Ohgren-Rossi-Boeser
O’Connor-Sasson-Karlsson
Bains-Cotter-Gallagher
Raty

Defencemen (8)

Buium-Hronek
Oleksiak-Willander
Pettersson (Junior)-Schenn
Brisebois-Mancini

Goalies (2)

Lankinen
Merilainen

Injured Reserve (2)

Chytil (shoulder), Demko (hips)