The Canucks believe they’re brewing something special in Abbotsford

ABBOTSFORD — Nils Hoglander was the best player on the ice for the Abbotsford Canucks on Wednesday night, leading his team to a 3-0 win over the Bakersfield Condors in the first game of their Calder Cup first-round playoff series.

He scored the game’s first goal, helped set up the second — by linemate Max Sasson — and was a ferocious forechecker every time he was on the ice.

And in his play, you can see why the Vancouver Canucks’ top management is so optimistic about what they’re starting to see from their AHL squad. Hoglander had 14 goals and 18 assists in 45 games with Abbotsford after posting three goals and six assists in 25 games with the NHL club to start the season.

The AHL Canucks have been winning games, finishing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 40-25-3-4 record, and Wednesday’s contest was the first home playoff game in Abbotsford and the first home playoff game for the organization since 2018. The club has averaged just over 5,000 fans per game this season, and staff and players can’t seem to say enough about the overall culture of the group.