Canucks officially lose rights to NCAA prospect Jackson Kunz… sort of

The August 15 deadline has officially passed for NHL teams to sign NCAA prospects completing their fourth year of college eligibility. As a result, the Vancouver Canucks have seen one of their former draft picks officially walk away from the organization.

Sort of.

Jackson Kunz, selected 113th overall in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, is now an unrestricted free agent after not receiving an entry-level contract from Vancouver. However, the 23-year-old forward isn’t venturing far. Kunz signed a one-year AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks back in March, allowing him to remain within the organization for the time being, at least for now.

A native of Grand Forks, North Dakota, he spent his entire collegiate career playing for his hometown University of North Dakota. Over four seasons, he posted 45 points (24 goals, 21 assists) and 66 penalty minutes across 128 NCAA games. The highlight of his tenure came in his junior year, when he helped UND capture the 2023–24 NCHC regular season title.

Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 227 pounds, he brings a strong, physical presence with a net-front-heavy style of play. While not signed to an NHL deal, he’ll have a valuable opportunity at his first pro training camp to prove his worth and potentially earn a full contract in the coming seasons.

Kunz becomes the third Canucks draft pick this offseason to have his rights let go from the organization. Earlier this summer, Vancouver relinquished the rights to a pair of Swedish prospects — Lucas Forsell (7th round, 201st overall in 2021) and Hugo Gabrielsson (6th round, 169th overall in 2021) — after choosing not to sign them before their respective deadlines.

The Abbotsford Canucks open their 2025-26 schedule on the road as they begin to defend their Calder Cup title in Henderson on Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11, 2025. While Kunz may no longer be a Canucks prospect in the official sense, his journey with the organization continues as he embarks on his inaugural season as a professional hockey player.