Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Anthony Romani’s season ended in chaos Saturday, and Adam Foote now sees another painful blow land on the Canucks’ prospect group.
Heartbreak didn’t hit Vancouver in one place. It hit twice in a few hours, wiping out Anthony Romani and Matthew Lansing before either could reach the Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
Romani’s exit was the one that stings most. Michigan State had Wisconsin on the ropes with a 3-1 lead and a trip to Vegas sitting right there late in the third.
Then it fell apart fast. The Spartans gave up 2 goals in roughly 30 seconds, and Wisconsin finished the comeback 24 seconds into overtime.
Romani still left his mark before the collapse. He picked up an assist on Michigan State’s opening goal, a reminder of the playmaking touch that kept him relevant all season.
That’s the part Vancouver will hang onto once the sting wears off. Romani wrapped up his freshman year with 28 points in 38 games, strong enough to keep the next-step conversation alive.
Vancouver’s pipeline takes a double hit
There was no late push for Lansing and Quinnipiac. Their regional final turned into a dead-end night, with North Dakota rolling to a 5-0 win.
Lansing’s numbers still give the Canucks something to watch. He finished with 18 points in 40 games, and he did it while working from a bottom-six role instead of prime offensive deployment.
That matters inside a prospect pool. Coaches notice players who can stay involved without top-unit power-play time or soft minutes, and Lansing showed he could handle that kind of work.
Romani’s situation feels more urgent. The Canucks now wait on a decision between another NCAA season and the pro route, with a bigger role at Michigan State sitting there if he goes back.
For Vancouver, this is the harder truth from Saturday. It wasn’t just 2 prospects losing. It was the organization losing 2 live opportunities to watch meaningful spring hockey from players in its system.
And the damage stretches even wider than that. With Romani and Lansing out, all 6 of the Canucks’ NCAA prospects have now finished their 2025-26 seasons.
So the Frozen Four moves on without a Vancouver prospect in sight. For an organization trying to build from every level, that’s a rough ending and a long ride into the offseason.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
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Anthony Romani’s late collapse deals Canucks prospects a terrible double blow
Did the Canucks lose a major development chance with Anthony Romani’s exit ?