Vancouver Canucks release forward Sammy Blais from PTO

The Canucks' roster is getting smaller by the minute as their season opener approaches.

Blais (age 28) had to really show up if he wanted any chance of making the cut. Rick Tocchet stated that the player's conditioning fell short of the Canucks' expectations, despite his impressive performances. This prevented him from signing a contract.

With Kiefer Sherwood and Daniel Sprong joining the Canucks to strengthen their bottom six and prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki trying to make the opening night roster, Blais was essentially fighting for a 13th or 14th forward position. There wasn't going to be room for him to earn a regular spot on their fourth line. For the extra forward position, the Canucks will continue to use internal options, most likely center Nils Aman.

Following his reacquirement from the Rangers midway through the 2022-2023 season via the Vladimir Tarasenko trade, Blais played for the Blues during the 2023-24 season. After being selected by St. Louis in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Draft, he played his first four seasons in the league before being traded to New York in the summer of 2021 in exchange for Pavel Buchnevich and a second-round pick.

After rejoining the Blues in 2022-23, the 2019 Stanley Cup winner appeared to peak in the final stretch, scoring 20 points in 31 games; however, he was unable to duplicate that performance in 2023-24. The 6'2′′ agitator had a difficult time staying in the starting lineup for the Blues the previous season, averaging 9:41 minutes per game over 53 games, with just one goal and six assists for seven points (a -11 rating).

Both Dylan Ferguson and now Samuel Blais, who the Canucks had brought on professional tryouts, have been cut and have reported to their respective AHL clubs.

After agreeing to a one-year contract, Blais will now report back to the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks. There's also no guarantee the Canucks won't sign or call him up at some point in the season if he shows he can play and improve in Abbotsford.

One thing is for sure: Samuel Blais, a seasoned and experienced veteran, will undoubtedly be a good addition to the Canucks' youthful core. Having a Stanley Cup winner on their team will undoubtedly help players like Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Aatu Raty, Max Sasson, and Arshdeep Bains.