Image: Abbotsford Canucks / Facebook / The Abby Canucks have signed more players to defend their Calder Cup championship title in the 2025-26 season.

By Alyssa Conti

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

Abbotsford Canucks sign year-long contracts with 3 defencemen, 1 forward

Jul 25, 2025 | 3:13 PM

ABBOTSFORD — Abbotsford’s own Calder Cup champions have signed four more players ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Three blueliners and one forward will soon be joining the Abbotsford Canucks after inking their respective one-year AHL contracts.

Seven-year pro hockey veteran Nikolai Knyzhov has skated a total of 118 AHL games and 81 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks. He recorded two goals and four assists over 26 games in the 2024–45 AHL season.

Fellow 27-year-old Derek Daschke spent the last couple of years in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings and Utah Grizzlies. The 6’2” defenceman earned a spot in the 2024-25 ECHL First Team All-Star campaign last year and has amassed 34 goals and 67 assists throughout his time with the minor hockey league.

Jayden Lee, a North Vancouver native, also spent time in the ECHL last year with the South Carolina Stingrays. Before his experience skating pro, the 22-year-old played five NCAA seasons and captained the team at Quinnipiac University (ECAC).

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Lastly, 26-year-old Nolan Walker is coming back to North America after spending a year with Sweden’s second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan. The forward collected 34 points in his last season, with 11 goals and 23 assists.

The four newcomers join three other familiar faces as the Abbotsford Canucks look to defend their championship title in the upcoming season.