As per their official site, the Abbotsford Canucks have continued to add to their roster by signing Carsen Twarynski to a one-year AHL deal. Here are five things for you to know about the organisation's newest addition:
1) Twarynski was born in St. Albert, Alberta on 11/24/1997 and stands at 6 foot 2 and 198 pounds. He is a left-shot winger who during his youth career played for the CBHA Blackhawks, Calgary Bisons, CBHA Rangers, Calgary Buffaloes and fleetingly with the Okotoks Oilers.
2) Despite being passed over in the WHL draft, Twarynski's determination saw him eventually play for the Calgary Hitmen and Kelowna Rockets, producing a combined 197 points, 246 penalty minutes and a +38 rating and in 298 games including playoffs. During this time he played well enough to catch the attention of the Philadelphia Flyers, who selected him 82nd overall in the third round of the 2016 NHL entry draft.
3) The majority of the 26-year-old's professional playing career has taken place in the AHL, with 276 combined games, 90 points, 165 penalty minutes and a +14 rating. His best season came in 2022-23 with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, when he had career highs of 17 goals, 26 total points, 69 penalty minutes and a +13 rating; he also helped the Firebirds advance to the Calder Cup Final in their first season of existence.
4) Twarynski does has valuable but limited experience at the NHL level, with 22 appearances for the Flyers in 2019-20 and 2020-21 combined. In those games he produced, six penalty minutes, just one point - although ironically it was a goal against the Canucks -- and a -5 rating, while averaging 10:06 of ice time. (He was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft, but never played a regular season game for them.)
5) Twarynski has also seen playing time abroad, having suited up in Austria for the Vienna Capitals of the ICE Hockey League. In 27 games for the Capitals during the first part of the 2023-24 season, he produced 13 points, eight penalty minutes and a (career-worst) -12 rating, before heading back to North America with the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders.
Overall, while Twarynski has previously been described as having some upside, the reality is the AHL is his level as opposed to the NHL. (Although we appreciate you should never say never again.) In Abbotsford he will bring toughness and energy, while also being able to play on the penalty kill as and when required.
N.B. All statistics courtesy of Elite Prospects