The Vancouver Canucks got a first look at their newest first-rounder in college action Friday night, and Caleb Malhotra’s Boston University debut ended with a win.
Boston University opened its season with a 2-1 overtime victory over Alaska-Fairbanks in Fairbanks, with the Terriers’ No. 16 preseason ranking in the NCAA hanging over a roster that’s trying to rebound from a 17-17-2 year. That previous season was modest by BU standards, especially after the year before, when the Terriers reached the Frozen Four national finale with a team that included Canucks defenceman Tom Willander.
Malhotra, taken third overall by Vancouver in June, didn’t land on the scoresheet in his first collegiate game, but he still had a hand in one of the better chances of the night. In a scoreless third period, he set up Jack Harvey for a look that Alaska-Fairbanks goalie Tyler Shea turned aside.
The 18-year-old center finished with two shots on goal and went 6-of-11 at the faceoff dot.
He skated alongside Harvey, a 23-year-old senior and 2023 seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Ryder Ritchie, a 20-year-old sophomore and 2024 second-round pick of the Minnesota Wild. Ritchie is the son of Byron Ritchie, who played eight NHL seasons and finished his career with the Canucks in 2007-08.
Malhotra is one of three Vancouver prospects on the Terriers. The others are freshman winger Niklas Aaram-Olsen, 18, a Canucks second-round pick this summer, and senior defenceman Aiden Celebrini, 21, a 2023 sixth-round selection by Vancouver.
After the game, Boston University coach Jay Pandolfo praised Celebrini to the media.
In Other News...
Flames Loss In Vancouver Exposed A Familiar Problem Again
Vancouvers win over Calgary had the kind of hard-edged, scrappy feel that tends to reveal a teams habits as much as it rewards them. The Canucks leaned into a physical, patchy game and got important work from Leevi Merilinen in goal, where his calm, effective presence helped steady things when the pace got choppy. Schenn and others brought the sort of straight-ahead physicality that can tilt a matchup like this, especially when both sides are grinding for every loose puck.
Still, the game also looked familiar in one area the Canucks would probably rather not revisit. Even with the result going their way, the power play struggled badly throughout the night, and it remained the one part of the performance that did not match the rest of the effort. For a team trying to build on wins like this, the frustration is that the margin for error gets thinner when a familiar weakness keeps showing up in the same moments. [Read more 🡒]
Elias Pettersson Looked Like A Difference-Maker Again In Canucks Win
The Canucks got what they needed in a 4-1 win over the Flames, and Elias Pettersson was in the middle of it again. The center not only picked up an assist, he also led Vancouver in hits, a reminder that his value stretches well beyond the scoring sheet when the game gets heavy.
Behind him, the night also brought a milestone in goal, with Leevi Merilinen earning his first win in Vancouver after stopping 23 shots. Luke Schenn added the kind of physical presence and leadership the Canucks often lean on in divisional games, helping set the tone in a matchup that had plenty of edge from the opening shift. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Blue-Line Trouble Just Made This Trade Rumor More Interesting
The early-season picture around the Vancouver Canucks has only made one of the leagues lingering trade ideas feel a little more complicated. Elias Pettersson has gotten off to a strong start and given the organization something to think about at a time when every conversation about the roster seems to come with a bigger strategic question attached, especially with the Canucks trying to sort out where they stand in the longer view.
Ottawas injury situation on the blue line adds another layer to the chatter. With Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson both out, the Senators have a real need on defense and could be pushed toward exploring the market, which is why a name like Simon Edvinsson is suddenly worth watching after reports that contract talks with Detroit have stalled and he would rather be moved than sign a new deal. For Vancouver, it is one more reminder that the trade board around the league is starting to shift in ways that could eventually spill over into their own decisions. [Read more 🡒]