Vancouver Canucks netminding prospect Aleksei Medvedev is turning heads with the way he is turning away opponents.
The London Knights sophomore puck stopper is the reigning OHL goaltender of the week after going 2-0 with a 1.00 goals against average and a .970 save percentage (65-of-67) across a pair of road wins. That included a 30-stop effort in a 6-1 London triumph over the Kingston Frontenacs on Sunday that had Kingston coach Troy Mann telling media afterwards that “Medvedev is probably the best goaltender in the league this season.”
As of Wednesday morning, the Canucks’ second-round selection from this past summer’s NHL Draft leads the OHL in goals against average (1.86) and sits second in save percentage (.929), to go along with his 6-1-1-0 record. As a rookie last season, Medvedev was 22-8-2-0, with a 2.79 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.
He was the No. 47 overall pick this summer, and the fourth goaltender taken. Medvedev’s selection marks the earliest Canucks have chosen a goaltender since Thatcher Demko at No. 36 in 2014.
Medvedev, 18, signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks two weeks after the draft. The 6-foot-3, 180 pounder has aspects of his game that drew comparisons to both Tuukka Rask and Andrei Vasilevskiy from Canucks goalie coach Marko Torenius during development camp this summer.
Medvedev remains in the No. 2 spot on our weekly Canucks top-10 prospects power rankings, trailing only Seattle Thunderbirds centre Braeden Cootes, who was Vancouver’s first rounder this summer.
To be eligible for our Canuck prospect list, players need to be born in 2001 or later. Players currently with the big club aren’t eligible, so that’s why the likes of Jonathan Lekkerimäki or Tom Willander aren’t included.
Here’s our latest instalment of the top-10. Stats are as of Tuesday. (Last week’s ranking is in parentheses.)
1. Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle (1)
Seattle (6-7-1-0) is in Penticton on Friday and home to Vancouver on Saturday. The 18-year-old Cootes (6-3-4-7) had a goal in a 5-1 win over Saskatoon on Friday and an assist in 4-3 overtime loss Saturday to Prince George. He was 13-for-18 in the faceoff circle against Saskatoon and then 18-for-30 versus Prince George. He took 41 per cent of the 73 draws for Seattle that game. He’s at 56.5 per cent (78-for-138) in the circle this season, compared to 49.1 per cent (505 for-1,028) last season.
2. Aleksei Medvedev, G, London (2)
Medvedev has been splitting netminding duties with 19-year-old Sebastian Gatto (3-2-2-0, 2.93, .893) so far this season for London (9-3-3-0). Gatto had a local tie, since he played in the BCHL last season for the Chilliwack Chiefs. London was set to play at Guelph on Wednesday. They’re home to Kingston on Friday, and at Owen Sound on Friday.
3. Kirill Kudryavtsev, D, Abbotsford Canucks (NR)
Vancouver announced Wednesday morning that they had reassigned Kudryavtsev, 21, to their AHL farm team. The 2022 seven rounder was called up from Abbotsford on Oct. 26, but didn’t get into a game with the big club. Kudryavtsev (5-0-5-5) remains third in scoring with Abbotsford (2-7-0-1), whose roster has been hit hard by the injuries with Vancouver. Abbotsford carries an eight-game losing streak (0-7-0-1) into a weekend doubleheader on the road versus Colorado starting Friday. They’re home Tuesday and Wednesday against San Jose.
4. Sawyer Mynio, D, Abbotsford (3)
Mynio, 20, who was a 2023 third rounder, has been one of the bright spots in Abbotsford. Dave Hall over at Canucks Army pointed out Sunday about how Mynio had eclipsed the 27-minute mark in ice time in Abbotsford’s last three games and is being used on both the top power-play and penalty-kill units. Mynio (10-2-1-3) had an assist in a 6-1 loss to Henderson on Saturday.
5. Riley Patterson, C, Niagara IceDogs (4)
Patterson (14-8-8-16) is on a six-game point streak, including scoring both goals in a 6-2 loss to North Bay on Sunday. The 19-year-old, who was a 2024 fourth rounder, has been playing on a line with Ryan Roobroeck, who is getting buzz as a potential top-five pick in this summer’s NHL Draft. Niagara (10-5-0-1) hosts Ottawa on Thursday and is at Erie on Saturday.
6. Kieren Dervin, C, Kingston Frontenacs (5)
The 2025 third rounder scored once in a 4-3 loss to Peterborough on Saturday. The 18-year-old Dervin (13-7-7-14) and Kingston (7-7-0-1) are at Windsor on Thursday, at London on Friday, and Sunday at Kitchener.
7. Parker Alcos, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (9)
Alcos (15-0-7-7) had assists in an 8-6 win over Lethbridge last Wednesday and a 6-1 win over Medicine Hat on Saturday. The 2024 sixth rounder, who is 19, and Edmonton (12-4-1-1) were slated to face Red Deer on Wednesday. They’re at Medicine Hat on Friday.
8. Gabriel Chiarot, RW, Brampton Steelheads (6)
Chiarot (12-5-4-9) and Brampton lost 4-0 to Niagara on Friday and 4-0 to Kitchener on Saturday. Brampton (6-9-1-0) is at Sarnia on Friday and at Windsor on Saturday. Chiarot, 19, was a sixth rounder this past summer.
9. Ty Mueller, C, Abbotsford (8)
The 22-year-old had the tally in Abbotsford’s 6-1 loss Saturday to Henderson Silver Knights. Mueller (9-1-0-1) was a 2023 fourth rounder.
10. Anthony Romani, RW, Michigan State Spartans (7)
The 2024 sixth rounder and his Michigan State mates were idle last week but remain the No. 1 ranked team in the NCAA. Michigan State (5-1-0-0) has a showdown on home ice this weekend with No. 3 Penn State (9-1-0), who feature Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old Romani (6-1-2-3) was a 2024 sixth rounder.
Dropped off the rankings from last week: Vilmer Alriksson, LW, Abbotsford (10).