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Vancouver Canucks Set to Lose Official NHL Signing Rights to Top Prospect
Photo credit: University of North Dakota.
The Vancouver Canucks are set to lose the official National Hockey League signing rights to one of their forward prospects in the middle of August.
It's been a busy summer for the Vancouver Canucks organization thus far as the NHL club continues to examine their options to add to their roster, while down in Abbotsford, the club has signed ten players in the last 48 hours.
With August quickly approaching, there's always one significant date that is circled on the calendar of every General Manager around the National Hockey League and that's the 15th, when some teams lose the official signing rights to college prospects exiting their fourth year in the NCAA.
For the Vancouver Canucks, there's one prospect they're about to lose the NHL signing rights to, however, he will end up in the organization after all.
Vancouver Canucks set to lose official signing rights to forward prospect
In an article on PuckPedia on Thursday, they revealed the list of college prospects that are set to become unrestricted free agents on Friday, August 15th and there's some intriguing names mentioned including Jack Hughes (Los Angeles Kings), son of Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes and Luca Munzenberger, who played for Germany at the 2021 & 2022 World Juniors.
Among the names set to become unrestricted free agents at the National Hockey League level is Jackson Kunz, Vancouver's fourth round pick (113th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
"The signing deadline for prospects graduating from NCAA programs after four years is August 15th. Assuming they were scheduled to graduate at the end of the current season, the following players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents after August 15, 2025:
VAN Jackson Kunz* 2020 RD4, #113 Overall
* Players who have already signed professional contracts for 2025-26 but remain free to sign an NHL contract with any team." PuckPedia said.
VAN Jackson Kunz* 2020 RD4, #113 Overall
* Players who have already signed professional contracts for 2025-26 but remain free to sign an NHL contract with any team." PuckPedia said.
While Kunz will be able to sign with any other National Hockey League team after the 15th of August, it's pretty unlikely that he'll end up doing so as as back in March, he signed a one-year, AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks.
"Abbotsford Canucks General Manager, Ryan Johnson, announced today that the club has signed forward Jackson Kunz to a one-year AHL contract through the 2025-26 season." Abbotsford announced in March.
In 36 games last season with the University of North Dakota, Kunz had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists), 21 penalty minutes and was a plus-seven, and went on to pick up one assist in one game while on a PTO with Abbotsford.
Source: PuckPedia
NHL Draft Pick Rights Set to Expire Aug 15
NHL Draft Pick Rights Set to Expire Aug 15
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 25 | 1474 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Set to Lose Official NHL Signing Rights to Top Prospect Will Jackson Kunz stay in the Vancouver Canucks organization after his AHL contract ends next summer? | ||
| Yes | 413 | 28 % |
| No | 560 | 38 % |
| Depends on how he plays with Abbotsford | 501 | 34 % |
| List of polls | ||
