The first NCAA weekend of 2026-27 gave Vancouver Canucks fans plenty to track, and the biggest moment belonged to Caleb Malhotra.
The 2026 third-overall pick made his Boston University debut in Alaska, and the opening night looked exactly like a freshman feeling out the college game. BU edged Alaska 2-1 in overtime, and Malhotra’s line showed the adjustment process: two shots on goal, a 6-for-11 night in the faceoff circle, and a tripping penalty in the second period.
By the second game, the nerves were gone.
Malhotra looked far more comfortable with the puck, carrying it with confidence, pushing through zone entries, and showing a better burst than he did in the opener. Boston University also trusted him in a defensive situation late, with the Terriers up two and Alaska skating with an empty net.
That sequence turned into the moment of the weekend for the Canucks prospect group: Malhotra chipped the puck past an Alaska defender at the BU blue line, fed Jack Harvey to spark a 2-on-1 with the net empty, got the puck back, and finished for his first career NCAA goal in BU’s 4-0 win. He ended the night with a goal, two shots, and a 3-for-10 mark on faceoffs.
BU’s other Canucks prospects were involved too. Aiden Celebrini, a 2023 sixth-round pick, picked up an assist on BU’s first goal and finished with three shots. Niklas Aaram-Olsen, the 2026 second-rounder, didn’t land on the scoresheet, but he was tied for fourth on the team with Celebrini in shot attempts and kept working himself into scoring chances all night.
Quinnipiac also got strong production from its Canucks prospects. Parker Alcos, a 2024 sixth-round pick, and Matthew Lansing, a 2025 seventh-round pick, both opened their NCAA seasons with a goal and an assist over the weekend. Alcos was making his college debut, while Lansing was back for his sophomore year after posting 18 points in 40 games as a freshman.
Their biggest impact came in Quinnipiac’s 10-2 win over the University of New Hampshire, when both players got on the board. Lansing’s goal came on a play that showed off his hands: he held onto the puck on a 2-on-1, cut toward the net, and slipped it past the goalie’s left pad.
Alcos started the game on the top defensive pair, set up Quinnipiac’s third goal on a transition play, and later scored his first career NCAA goal at 11:05 of the third period with a wrist shot from the right dot. Lansing added another assist in Quinnipiac’s 6-3 win over Merrimack College.
Colorado College’s Wilson Björck also chipped in during his sophomore debut. The 2025 fifth-round pick recorded a secondary assist in a 2-0 win over the University of Massachusetts. Björck had 15 points in 31 games last season, and he’s now off to a one-point start in two games.
Two more Canucks prospects found the scoresheet in exhibition play. Anthony Romani, a 2024 sixth-round pick, scored twice in Michigan State’s 5-2 exhibition win over Boston College. His first goal came by jamming in a rebound after crashing the crease, and his second came on a three-on-two when he fired home a shot from just past the blue line.
Connor Davis, a 2026 fifth-round pick, had two assists in North Dakota’s 5-1 win over the University of Manitoba Bisons. Both helpers came on goals by Anthony Menghini. Davis earned his first assist with a bank pass to Hudson Malinoski on the opening goal, then later fed Menghini in the slot on the rush for the second.
For Vancouver, it was a strong opening weekend across the NCAA board, with Malhotra’s first goal standing out as the headline moment. With regular-season games getting underway next week, there should be plenty more to watch from this group.
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Luke Schenn Knows What This Canucks Road Trip Could Really Build
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For Vancouver, that matters now because the next stretch will keep the group away from home long enough for those habits to matter. Schenn framed the road as a place where a team can build something beyond the standings, and the Canucks are about to find out how much of that chemistry carries through a demanding trip through Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Florida and Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]