In mid-August, a couple of Vancouver Canucks prospects are poised to become unrestricted free agents in the NHL. Specifically, August 15th is significant for NHL teams because it marks the deadline when drafted prospects, who are finishing their final college year, lose their exclusive signing rights and become free agents.
This year, 26 NHL-drafted prospects are set to have their signing rights expire, including Vancouver Canucks forward Jack Malone and goaltender Matthew Thiessen. Malone, 23, was a sixth-round pick (180th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Canucks. Originally from Danville, California, Malone played four seasons in the NCAA—three with Cornell University and one with Boston College in 2023-24. During his final season at Boston College, Malone tallied 25 points (12 goals and 13 assists) in 41 games. He also had 12 penalty minutes and a plus-seven rating. Following the season, Malone signed an amateur tryout contract with the Utica Comets of the AHL, though he did not record any points in his single appearance. Malone has agreed to an AHL contract with Utica for the next season, thus making him ineligible to sign an NHL Entry Level Contract with the Canucks and leaving him as an NHL free agent.
Meanwhile, the future of goaltender Matthew Thiessen remains uncertain as he has not yet secured a position for the 2024-25 season. Thiessen, a native of Steinbach, Manitoba, has completed five seasons in the NCAA, including three with the University of Maine and two with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Last season, Thiessen recorded a 3-11-2 record, with a 3.14 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. It’s possible the Canucks might offer him a two-way AHL contract, potentially involving time with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings, but this is yet to be confirmed.
