Ex-Vancouver Canucks Prospect's Career Derails After Having Contract Terminated
Photo credit: AHL
A former Vancouver Canucks prospect who spent three seasons in the organization is now looking for a new team after his contract was terminated overseas this week.
The Vancouver Canucks organization has had a very active summer to this point, trying to fill some holes on the roster in order to make a push for a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot next spring.
It's also been a bit of a busy offseason too for former members of the organization including some players who have decided to take their talents overseas such as Daniel Sprong, who signed in the KHL and goaltender Louis Domingue, who also landed a contract in Russia for the 2025-26 campaign.
The KHL has been home to a number of former Vancouver Canucks players and prospects in recent years, however for one of them, it looks like their time in the league may be over.
Former Vancouver Canucks prospect has contract terminated in KHL
In a press release on Tuesday, the KHL announced that CSKA Moscow and former Vancouver Canucks prospect Cole Cassels have agreed to a mutual contract termination, making him a free agent.
Note: the following is translated from Russian
"CSKA terminated the contract with forward Cole Cassels by mutual agreement. Last season, the 30-year-old American played for Avangard and CSKA - in total, he played 58 games and scored 12 (2+10) points." the KHL said.
Cassels, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, was a third round pick of the Vancouver Canucks back in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and went on to spend three seasons with their AHL affiliate at the time, the Utica Comets, before leaving North America to signed in Germany's top division, the DEL.
The 30-year-old then returned to North America for parts of the next five seasons, aside from a 12-game stint with Sodertalje SK in HockeyAllsvenskan, and then after the 2023-24 campaign, headed overseas once again, this time signing with Avangard Omsk in the KHL.
In 56 games between Avangard Omsk and CSKA Moscow last season, the ex-Canucks prospect registered 11 points (two goals, nine assists), two penalty minutes and had an even-rating.
There's no question that Cassels' time in the KHL didn't work out as he or either team expected and now he'll be evaluating his options as to where he could end up for the 2025-26 season, potentially even back in North America in the AHL or ECHL.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 30 | 1020 ANSWERS Ex-Vancouver Canucks Prospect's Career Derails After Having Contract Terminated Will Cole Cassels return to North America this summer? | ||
| Yes | 272 | 26.7 % |
| No | 748 | 73.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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