Canucks News & Rumours: Novotny, Belliveau & More Interesting Young Players

The Vancouver Canucks are still in that interesting part of a rebuild where some moves are made for the roster, and others are really about building the organization underneath it. This week brought a little of both. Adam Novotny signed his entry-level contract, while the Abbotsford Canucks added defenseman Isaac Belliveau on an American Hockey League deal.

Neither move is likely to change Vancouver’s fortunes overnight. But taken together, they say something about where this organization is headed. The Canucks are adding young talent, surrounding it with professional depth and, hopefully, giving their prospects the right environment to develop. That’s not always the exciting part of a rebuild, but it is one of the most important.

Canucks Like What They See in Adam Novotny as Rebuild Takes Shape

The Canucks have signed Adam Novotny to a three-year entry-level contract, and general manager Ryan Johnson seems genuinely excited about the young forward. Johnson didn’t just talk about Novotny’s skill after watching him at development camp. He pointed to his character, compete level and winning mentality. That’s worth noticing. When a rebuilding team talks about a young player, it’s easy to focus on goals and points. Vancouver likes what Novotny brings when he doesn’t have the puck, too.

And there are certainly enough numbers to get excited about. Novotny scored 34 goals and 31 assists in 58 games with the Peterborough Petes last season. That made him just the fourth player in franchise history to reach at least 30 goals and 65 points in a draft-eligible season. He has also represented Czechia on the international stage, winning bronze at the 2025 U18 World Championship and silver at the 2026 World Junior Championship. So there is some pretty good evidence that the offensive ability is real.

Now comes the interesting part. How quickly do the Canucks want him in the NHL? His three-year contract carries a $1.075 million average annual value, and if he has a terrific training camp, Vancouver could give him a look. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is also no reason to rush him just because everybody is excited. We’ve seen how young players can benefit from being given the right amount of time to develop.

If head coach Manny Malhotra wants to see what he can do at the NHL level sooner, Novotny could end up getting the Braeden Cootes treatment and see a handful of NHL games before returning to junior, or he could show that he’s ready for more. The important thing is that Vancouver figures out what is best for the player rather than what makes the best headline.

Canucks Add Defensive Depth in Abbotsford With Isaac Belliveau Signing

The Abbotsford Canucks have added another defenseman, signing 23-year-old Isaac Belliveau to a one-year AHL contract. Belliveau spent last season with the Rochester Americans, recording six points in 36 games. That’s not the sort of signing that will get many Canucks fans excited, but it is the kind of move that can make a difference in the development of a young organization. Abbotsford needs players, too, and not every one of them has to be a future NHL regular.

Belliveau has already spent parts of three seasons in the AHL with Rochester and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, appearing in 60 games and recording 13 points. Before that, he spent two seasons in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers, where he put up 54 points in 95 games. Pittsburgh drafted him in the fifth round in 2021, and he also has some leadership experience from his junior days, serving as an assistant captain with the Gatineau Olympiques. At 23, he isn’t a prospect the Canucks need to rush along. He is a professional defenseman getting another opportunity.

And that may be exactly why this signing makes sense. Belliveau joins an Abbotsford defensive group that already includes Joe Arntsen, Guillaume Brisebois, Cole Clayton, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Sawyer Mynio, Jimmy Schuldt and Jack Thompson. That’s a pretty good mix of experience and youth, and competition for ice time is not a bad thing. More importantly, the Canucks don’t have to ask their prospects to carry the defensive group before they’re ready. Belliveau can play, compete for minutes and provide some insurance if injuries hit Vancouver or Abbotsford. That’s a small move, but rebuilding teams need plenty of those.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

Novotny is the more exciting story, but Belliveau fits into the same bigger picture. Vancouver is trying to build an organization where young players have somewhere to develop, and the team doesn’t have to rush them simply because there aren’t enough bodies.

That’s probably the part of this rebuild worth watching. The Canucks have some interesting young players coming, and now the organization has to show that it can develop them properly. Novotny gives fans somebody new to watch. Belliveau gives Abbotsford another experienced defenseman. Neither move guarantees anything, of course. But both are small pieces of what Vancouver hopes will eventually become something much bigger.