25-Year-Old Vancouver Canucks Prospect Doesn't Hold Back On Where He Thinks He Deserves to Play This Season
Photo credit: The Hockey News
With the NHL training camp well underway and the Vancouver Canucks already playing their first preseason game of 2025-26, young forward prospect Linus Karlsson doesn't hold back on what his mindset is for making the team out of camp.
With how last season transpired for the Vancouver Canucks, there are still a lot of holes that need to be filled in order for it 2024-25 to not repeat, and with the lack of upgrades this summer by General Manager Patrik Allvin, a lot of young stars are gunning for a job in the NHL.
On Sunday, one of the organizations many promising prospects, Aatu Raty who looks like he has outgrown the AHL, declared in a recent interview with The Hockey News where he wants to play this season.
Also stating that he's going to try his very best in every single practice between now and early October to prove that he is ready to be a full-time NHLer.
"I'm always trying to better everything in my game, but especially skating. I think that's one thing that in today's hockey you've just got to be good at. And I'm trying to feel like bit by bit, I'm getting better each and every day. So I think that improved this summer, and I'm excited to kind of get playing again and see how my speed is. But I think my skating definitely got better." Raty said.
He added, "Just do my best - nothing more I can do. I think I've worked hard for so long. I think I do my best every skate, so that's all I can do, and just see if that's enough."
He added, "Just do my best - nothing more I can do. I think I've worked hard for so long. I think I do my best every skate, so that's all I can do, and just see if that's enough."
Another Vancouver Canucks prospect in Linus Karlsson has the same mindset as teammate Aatu Raty
Training camp is the best place for AHL veterans, young prospects and rookie skaters to show the organization their worth as well as the dedication they put in during the offseason.
With Raty's strong words about wanting to make the team out of camp, his teammate Linus Karlsson also had the same idea, is gearing up to show that he has outgrown the caliber of the American Hockey League and that it is tike to make the roster.
«I think I did well,» Karlsson told CanucksArmy. «I tried to show them who I am and what kind of player I am, and I think I did that by battling hard. It's gonna be fun to play some games here, to show them that I really want a spot on this team.»
"Every offseason has been big for me,» Karlsson stated. «My skating has always been a little bit of a problem, but I think I've improved it last year, and I feel [it's] even stronger this year. I just tried to work really hard to get that edge in my skating. I think I have a lot of good things in my game. I'm just trying to show them that they can't take me out of the lineup. That's just my goal. Like, it's time to make that roster, now. I felt pretty good this camp. So I'll just try to bring that recent confidence into the next coming days.»
"Every offseason has been big for me,» Karlsson stated. «My skating has always been a little bit of a problem, but I think I've improved it last year, and I feel [it's] even stronger this year. I just tried to work really hard to get that edge in my skating. I think I have a lot of good things in my game. I'm just trying to show them that they can't take me out of the lineup. That's just my goal. Like, it's time to make that roster, now. I felt pretty good this camp. So I'll just try to bring that recent confidence into the next coming days.»
In 32 games for the AHL affiliate of the Canucks, he scored an impressive 23 goals and 16 assists for 39 points, marking himself as an over a point-per-game player and a major piece to Abbotsford's Calder Cup Championship win.
he now has a handful of games to showcase that his game can translate to the NHL level.
