It's been an interesting season so far, for Vancouver Canucks prospect Vilmer Alriksson. Despite his success on an individual level, this has done little to help the fortunes of his team the Guelph Storm in the OHL.
As a result, Alriksson is now on the move. As per Matt Tidcombe of CHL.ca, he has been traded to the Brampton Steelheads in return for a 2026 second round draft pick and third round selections in 2025 and 2027.
At the time of writing, the 19-year-old has produced 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) in 26 games this season. This represents encouraging progress, when you consider he totalled 33 points (17 goals and 16 assists) in 67 games last season for the Storm.
Team struggling to succeed
Unfortunately for everyone concerned, this level of production did not help the Storm. They find themselves bottom of both the Midwest Division specifically and the Western Conference as a whole, with just 21 points from 30 games.
Now, Alriksson heads to Brampton, to join a Steelheads team with hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Yes they're only fourth in the Central Division, but they are at least in a playoff spot at the time of writing and only 10 points off top spot in the Eastern Conference.
The forward was selected 107th overall by the Canucks, in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL draft. His scouting report references his physicality, strong skating, instinct for finding open space all over the ice, and an excellent shot even in tight spots.
Alriksson was one of the standout performers at the 2024 Young Stars Tournament in Penticton and he went on to have a solid training camp for the Canucks. This resulted in him being rewarded with a three-year, entry-level deal, with projections that he will be playing in the NHL by 2026.