The Vancouver Canucks have not exactly been the hotbed for successful draft selections over the last few years, but on Monday, they became a little better represented around the NHL.
With center Ryan Poehling injured and subsequently placed on injured reserve, the Philadelphia Flyers called forward Rodrigo Abols up from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms as a positional replacement.
Abols, 29, was drafted by the Canucks 184th overall in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL Draft but never actually played in any games for the organization. The Latvian played the overwhelming majority of his post-draft hockey with Orebro HK of Sweden's SHL and eventually returned to North America for the 2019-20 season, appearing in 36 games for the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds and recording seven goals, 16 assists, and 23 points.
Abols continued to play for Orebro until he joined Rogle BK for a year in 2023-24, parlaying his time in Sweden into a one-year, two-way deal with the Flyers on June 16, 2024.
The former Canucks draft pick has managed to score nine goals, 10 assists, and 19 points in 34 games with Lehigh Valley so far, accentuating what has been a successful return to North America thus far.
As Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported, Abols practiced Monday on the fourth line, centering a unit that included himself, tough guy Garnet Hathaway, and Lehigh Valley teammate Olle Lycksell.
Flyers' forwards at practice, without Laughton:
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) January 20, 2025
Tippett-Frost-Konecny
Farabee-Couturier-Michkov
Foerster-Cates-Brink
Lycksell-Abols-Hathaway
It is worth noting, however, that Scott Laughton missed the Flyers' practice on Monday due to a personal matter, so it is currently unclear if or when Abols will debut for Philadelphia, regardless of Poehling's health.
Abols will not have the chance to face his old club, the Canucks, again this season, as they and the Flyers have already played twice this season. That is, unless the Canucks and the Flyers manage to reach the Stanley Cup Final.