Abbotsford Canucks Claim First-ever Calder Cup Championship

Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford, this one’s for you! For the first time in franchise history, the Abbotsford Canucks have won the Calder Cup! With a 3-2 victory in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals, Abbotsford becomes the first Vancouver Canucks affiliate to capture the AHL championship.

“On behalf of the Aquilini family, I’d like to congratulate the Abbotsford Canucks, Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, General Manager Ryan Johnson, Head Coach Manny Malhotra, the staff, and the players, on their Calder Cup Championship,” said Francesco Aquilini, Chairman & Governor, NHL. “The team has put in tireless work throughout the regular season and playoffs, both on and off the ice, and remained committed to themselves and their teammates. Canucks Sports & Entertainment is proud to share in this accomplishment with the team and the fans, who proved themselves to be the best in the American Hockey League and helped push this team all the way to a championship.”

“This was such an incredible playoff run, and we are so impressed by the job the players, coaches, Manny and RJ did in winning this title,” said Jim Rutherford, President, Hockey Operations. “This group really came together at the right time and found a way to rise to the occasion each and every playoff round. Their attention to detail, focus and commitment to doing all the little things right has helped them become the best team in the American Hockey League. The systems, structure and discipline put in place really paid off for this group. I would also like to thank the great fans in Abbotsford. You were a real difference maker for our team, and truly gave our players a home ice advantage.”

“This Championship has captivated the hockey community and Canucks fans everywhere,” said Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Business Operations. “When ownership made the important decision to move the AHL team to Abbotsford, we knew the connection between Vancouver and the Fraser Valley would be a strong one, but this postseason has really cemented that bond. The energy, pride, and support our fans brought throughout this playoff run was nothing short of sensational. You stood behind this team every step of the way, and your passion helped drive them to the ultimate prize. Congratulations to the Abbotsford Canucks on bringing the Calder Cup home!”

This is the culmination of an incredible two months of Calder Cup playoff hockey. Abbotsford was led offensively by Linus Karlsson (14-12-26) and Arshdeep Bains (7-17-24), while rookie Kirill Kudryavtsev had 10 points (1-9-10) on the back end with a league-leading +18 rating, and Artūrs Šilovs in net, who had a 16-7 record with a 2.01 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and five shutouts.

Other key highlights include the team’s record at home, as they went 10-3 at the Abbotsford Centre, the best home playoff record in the league, Danila Klimovich led the league with two overtime winners, while Karlsson’s 14 goals set the record for most goals in a Calder Cup playoff run by a Swedish player.

The opening round of the playoffs saw the team face-off against the Tucson Roadrunners in the best-of-three Pacific Division First Round series. Abbotsford defeated the Roadrunners two games to one, highlighted by Šilovs first shutout of the playoffs, a 5-0 win in Game 3.

Round Two positioned Abbotsford against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. After splitting the first two games of the series in Palm Desert, the team returned home to the Abbotsford Centre, where they took Game 3 by a score of 3-1, and Game 4, which saw Šilovs record his second-consecutive series-clinching shutout, 2-0.

The Pacific Division Finals had Abbotsford take on the Colorado Eagles, a rematch of the 2024 Pacific Division First Round. Šilovs picked up shutouts in Game 1 (2-0) and the series-clinching Game 5 (5-0), as the team advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.

Abbotsford held home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals against the Texas Stars, winning Games 1 and 2 at home, before taking one of three games in Cedar Park, before returning home and capturing Robert W. Clarke trophy as Western Conference Finals champions in Game 6 with a 4-2 victory.

The Calder Cup Finals saw Abbotsford take on the Charlotte Checkers for the first time in franchise history. After taking Game 1 in double overtime, courtesy of a goal by Klimovich, the Checkers took Game 2, and the team returned home with the series tied 1-1. Abbotsford exploded for six goals in a 6-1 victory in Game 3, before taking a close Game 4 by a score of 3-2. Charlotte escaped Game 5 with a 4-3 victory in overtime, with the overtime winner coming from Jesse Puljujarvi. Game 6 saw the teams travel back to Charlotte, where on the back of goals by Sammy Blais, Klimovich, and Karlsson, as well as 28 saves by Artūrs Šilovs, the Abbotsford Canucks captured their first-ever Calder Cup Championship.

Canucks Sports & Entertainment and the Abbotsford Canucks would like to thank YOU, the best fans in the American Hockey League, for helping push the team forward all season! You supported the team through the ups and downs of the longest season in franchise history and emulated what it means to be Proudly Abbotsford throughout this incredible run. You created a Field of Green, made the Abbotsford Centre one of the most difficult buildings to play in, and created a new standard for the American Hockey League. THANK YOU! We can’t wait celebrate with you all soon! Stay tuned for details on our year-end wrap-up!