Canucks place Matthew Stienburg on NHL waivers; three earlier waivers cleared and sent to Abbotsford

# What happened

Thursday morning, Sept. 24, 2026. This move came just ahead of the team's first home game of the preseason.

Three players the Canucks put on waivers the previous day—Trey Fix-Wolansky, Cole Clayton and Jimmy Schuldt—cleared waivers and will report to the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks.

# Who is Matthew Stienburg

• Age and contract: Stienburg is 25 and signed a one-year, $850,000 two-way contract with Vancouver on July 2, 2026.
• Draft and development: He was selected in the third round, 63rd overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Draft.
• Amateur stats: In his draft year at St. Andrew's College he scored 31 goals and 66 points in 48 games and served as captain.
• NCAA: He played three seasons at Cornell University, totaling 18 goals and 47 points in 73 games.
• Early professional career: After the 2022–23 season he turned pro, appearing in four AHL games with the Colorado Eagles (one assist) and adding one postseason assist. He then played a 54-game rookie season in the AHL before making his NHL debut with the Avalanche in 2024–25.

# What cleared waivers and where they'll go

Trey Fix-Wolansky, Cole Clayton and Jimmy Schuldt—all placed on waivers by the Canucks previously—cleared and will report to AHL Abbotsford. The team announced those clearances the morning Stienburg was placed on waivers.

# Why this matters now

Placing Stienburg on waivers is part of roster trimming as the preseason wraps and teams set their opening-night groups. For a player on a two-way deal who has missed extended time due to injury, waivers allow the Canucks to try to assign him to their AHL affiliate while giving other NHL teams a chance to claim him and keep him on an NHL roster.

# Immediate implications for Stienburg and the Canucks

If Stienburg clears waivers he will likely be assigned to Abbotsford so he can play regular games and work through health and performance consistency. If another NHL club claims him, the Canucks would lose his rights but free up an NHL roster spot. For the three players who already cleared—Fix-Wolansky, Clayton and Schuldt—assignment to Abbotsford means they will get game action and depth minutes to start the season.

# Bottom line