The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned forwards Jake Virtanen (Calgary Hitmen) and Jared McCann (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) to the AHL’s Utica Comets.
Both Virtanen (sixth overall) and McCann (24th) were first-round draft picks last summer, and both recently saw their junior clubs eliminated from the playoffs.
The Comets kick off the Western Conference semifinals Thursday at home versus Oklahoma City.
It’s not clear if Virtanen, 18, or McCann, 18, will actually suit up for the Comets, who already feature a number of young Vancouver prospects, including Sven Baertschi, Hunter Shinkaruk, Nicklas Jensen, Brendan Gaunce, Frank Corrado, and Adam Clendening.