CANUCKS SIGN FOUR PLAYERS TO ONE-YEAR AHL CONTRACTS
Abbotsford, B.C. - Abbotsford Canucks General Manager, Ryan Johnson, announced today that the club has signed forward Josh Passolt, defencemen Derek Daschke and Michael Joyaux, as well as goaltender Jonathan Lemiuex to one-year AHL contracts ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Passolt, 27, spent the majority of the 2022-23 season with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, ranking third on the team in goals (25) and seventh in points (47) over 69 games. The 6-0, 190-pound winger was recalled from loan by the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate Rochester Americans on April 15 before making his AHL debut the next day, in which he scored his first career AHL goal against Cleveland’s Jet Greaves. Passolt remained with Rochester for the 2023 postseason, skating in five Calder Cup Playoff games and recording one goal. A native of Hayward, Wisconsin, Passolt spent five seasons with the NCAA’s Western Michigan University (NCHC) and currently ranks tied for second all-time in school history with 166 games played.
Daschke, 25, completed his fifth and final NCAA season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC) in 2022-23, ranking second among team defencemen in assists (14) and third in points (16) while playing in all of the Bulldogs’ 37 contests. At the conclusion of his collegiate season, the 6-2, 192-pound defender signed an ECHL contract with the Toledo Walleye, where he recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) over 10 regular season games and two assists over three postseason contests. The Troy, Michigan native also spent four seasons playing for the NCAA’s Miami University of Ohio (NCHC), where he served as captain during the 2021-22 collegiate campaign while leading his team in assists (24) and points (28).
Joyaux, 26, spent the entirety of his first professional campaign with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers in 2022-23, leading team defencemen in goals (nine), assists (32) and points (41) while playing in all 72 regular season games. The 5-10, 181-pound blueliner was named to the 2022-23 ECHL All-Rookie Team on April 12 before skating in all 16 of Newfoundland’s postseason games, recording seven points (two goals, five assists). A native of Bloomingdale, Illinois, Joyaux spent four seasons with the NCAA’s Western Michigan University (NCHC), recording 67 points (16 goals, 51 assists) and 64 penalty minutes over 120 collegiate contests.
Lemiuex, 22, is signing his first professional contract out of Concordia University (OUA), where he led the league’s goaltenders in goals-against average (1.98) and lead rookie goaltenders in wins (16) during the 2022-23 USports regular season. The 6’1, 185-pound netminder recorded three shutouts and a .933 save percentage for the Stingers this past season and posted a 4-2-0 record with two shutouts during the 2023 OUA Playoffs. A native of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Lemieux played five major junior seasons in the QMJHL with Val-d’Or, Saint John and Moncton, earning QMJHL Second Team All-Star honours in 2020-21.