Canucks' Guillaume Brisebois Clears Waivers, Set for Abbotsford Assignment

Guillaume Brisebois cleared NHL waivers on March 2 and can now be assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks, ProHockeyRumors reported, citing Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman: "3/2: Brisebois has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman." The 28-year-old defenseman is on a one-year, $775,000 contract that expires at season’s end, leaving Abbotsford a veteran option as the AHL club navigates injury-driven lineup changes.

Vancouver placed Brisebois on waivers on March 1 with the stated intent to send him to Abbotsford. General Manager Patrik Allvin announced the move with the team wording: "D Guillaume Brisebois has been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Abbotsford (AHL)." The placement came among a slate of NHL roster churn ahead of the trade and waiver deadline window.

Brisebois is a 6'2" left-shot defenseman from Longueuil, Quebec, drafted 66th overall by Vancouver in the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in February 2019 and has appeared in roughly 30 NHL games over his career, recording three career points - one goal and two assists. His single-season NHL high is 17 games in 2022-23, and organizational reporting has repeatedly described him as a depth defenseman Vancouver summons when thin on the blue line.

The 2025-26 season for Brisebois has been dominated by recovery. Multiple outlets note he underwent lower-body surgery in late September after participating in Canucks training camp and "has yet to make an appearance in the 2025-26 season." The Hockey News summarized the timeline this way: "After spending the entire season out due to injury, the Vancouver Canucks have announced that Guillaume Brisebois has been placed on waivers in preparation for assignment to the AHL." That account also noted: "Brisebois took part in Vancouver's training camp back in September, but was soon ruled out of play after undergoing surgery to repair a lower-body injury." At the same time, ProHockeyRumors contains a conflicting line that he "got into three games back in January, not recording any stats and averaging 15:48 a night," a discrepancy between sources that has not been reconciled in public game logs cited by those outlets.

Abbotsford stands to gain a familiar piece. Brisebois was part of the organization’s 2025 Calder Cup run, and a Vancouver-style summary credited him with appearing in all 24 playoff games of that championship stretch. The Hockey News framed his role in organizational depth, writing that "As one of the longest-tenured members of the Canucks organization…Brisebois has been a staple in Vancouver's D-core depth," and concluded that "Brisebois' return will give Abbotsford a massive boost on their blueline."

The waiver placement came on the same day the St. Louis Blues put veteran forward Robby Fabbri on waivers, a separate roster move driven by the activation of Robert Thomas. TSN reported Fabbri is 30 years old, has played 15 NHL games this season with one goal and three assists, played three AHL games with Charlotte scoring one goal and one assist, and carries career totals of 107 goals and 113 assists in 457 NHL contests.

With waivers cleared, Brisebois can be formally assigned to Abbotsford and should provide defensive depth as the AHL club works through call-ups and injuries. ProHockeyRumors offered an editorial view of the fit, adding as analysis that "With the Canucks at the bottom of the league, and Abbotsford hardly faring better, it would be nice to see Brisebois get some more action this spring considering his contributions to the organization over the past several years.