Sammy Blais Signs with Abbotsford Canucks and Joins Vancouver Canucks Training Camp

The Abbotsford Canucks have officially signed 2019 Stanley Cup champion Sammy Blais. The announcement was made on Thursday, August 22, 2024. Blais will also be attending the Vancouver Canucks training camp on a professional try-out agreement.

Sammy Blais, a 28-year-old forward, recorded seven points in 53 games for the St. Louis Blues in the previous season. Over his NHL career, he has accumulated a total of 71 points in 257 games, having played for both the Blues and the New York Rangers. His most notable season was in 2022-23, where he achieved 20 points in 31 games.

Blais has a significant track record, being a member of the St. Louis team that won the Stanley Cup in 2019. He also contributed eight points in ten games for Canada to secure a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

In 2022, Blais was traded by the Blues to the Rangers along with a second-round draft pick in exchange for Pavel Buchnevich. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe knee injury during the 2021-22 season while with the Rangers. In 2023, he was reacquired by the Blues as part of a trade for Niko Mikkola and Vladimir Tarasenko.

At the AHL level, Blais has proven to be a consistent performer, amassing 105 points in 155 games across teams such as the Chicago Wolves, San Antonio Rampage, and Hartford Wolf Pack. He also had a promising offensive career in the QMJHL, with 178 points in 149 games while playing for the Victoriaville Tigers and Charlottetown Islanders.

Sammy Blais was drafted by the Blues in the sixth round, being 176th overall, during the 2014 NHL Draft. The Vancouver Canucks training camp is scheduled to take place from September 19 to 22 in Penticton, with the Abbotsford Canucks opening their AHL regular season in Calgary on October 11.