Guillaume Brisebois – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Vancouver Canucks Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 22:39:00 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Rangers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Podkolzin is a dynamic winger with a lot of good assets in his toolbox. He is a strong skater with terrific balance and is technically solid. He can get to top speed within a few strides. He is exceptionally good at puck protection and has a creative hockey mind. He works hard and plays a physical game. He still lacks a bit of consistency in his production, but he has been a teenager playing against men and he gets pushed out physically when he tries to create. He is not a typical transition player; he likes to play tight to the body and create from down low which makes a lack of physical strength a natural problem. Podkolzin also sometimes tries to be too creative instead of just making the easy play. He will always aid his team’s puck possession with elite skills and do good things with that possession. Although he did not score many points, his underlying numbers were good, and it is expected that he will receive a bigger role in the KHL this season. He has one more year with St Petersburg after which he could compete for a top six role with the Canucks. - JH

Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

WJC star Hoglander plays intensively and is particularly strong in the corners and around the net. He will set up a power play or drive the play all over the ice. His passes to the slot were more frequent during the WJC than in the SHL as he was constantly trying to create. He is small and is not to able to break away from his opponents in the corners in the same way at the senior level as he did at the World Juniors, and that could be a concern as he prepares to transition to North America and the NHL, as his game prevails through stick handling, covering the puck and making quick turns and creative plays. That type of game will be tough for him in the NHL and he will need to vary his game. Hoglander was supposed to start the 2020-21 season with the Canucks organization, trying to earn a spot in the NHL; While he waits for the NHL to start, he has returned to the SHL, where his offensive game has begun to take off. - JH

Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 3)

After playing his first nearly full season as a professional with AHL Utica, Juolevi seemed to be playing back to the same high level as made him the fifth overall pick in 2016. He brings a high hockey IQ and composure to any situation and as he grew more comfortable facilitating more scoring chances as well. He is a good skater, a good puck handler, and the type of player you forget is on the ice until he helps out in scoring or putting the puck in the net himself. He should certainly be making his long-awaited debut with the Canucks’ bottom pairing in 2020-21, where he will stay until he has mastered the NHL game enough to move up the lineup. Juolevi will simply have to be more physical to differentiate himself and to earn added trust from the coaching staff, learning to protect himself better in an organization that is not known for their grit. - SC

Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Woo has the potential to play on a second pairing but lacks the offensive toolkit that many were expecting after his eye-popping seasons in Moose Jaw. He is an effective, physical, in-your-face defender who skates well and competes hard for every inch of ice. He is tenacious in his own zone using big hits, stick checks, good reads and aggression to minimize the opponent’s ability to get to his net. His gap control is good, and opponents know he will step up if they bobble the puck or show any hesitation in the neutral zone. He is a fine passer, capable of making good plays to start the transition, however his decision making in the offensive zone is concerning. His vision is good, but he frequently tries to do too much and turns over the puck at inopportune times. While Woo is capable of recovering better than most, he is more the complementary defender than the one the dictates the offense. He plays the game the right way and has an edge and abrasiveness in handling himself. He is willing to jump into the rush and has the speed to get himself into the play as a trailer. - VG

Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

From the moment Rathbone stepped on the ice at Harvard, even as a freshman, he made an impact. While there is usually an adjustment period for rookies when transitioning to college hockey, especially for those who come straight from prep school as he did, some, like Rathbone, are exceptions. An offensive defenseman, last year he ranked fourth on the team in scoring, leading all Crimson defenders. His shot is characterized by a quick release. He appeared on the team’s second penalty kill unit and the first power play unit. He was possibly the team’s best puck mover on the power play. He is excellent at running the unit from the point. Defensively, he has a very active and quick stick and is able to poke check effectively, minimizing the negative impact of his smaller stature. Rahtbone’s offensive capabilities as well as his solid defensive skills give him a legitimate chance at making the NHL in a top half of roster role, a journey which will move to the professional ranks next season. - JS

Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

On the small side, but incredibly feisty, Lockwood spent the full four seasons at the University of Michigan, before finally signing an ELC with the Canucks shortly after COVID-19 paused play the world over. The former USNTDP grinder had an up-and-down collegiate career with the Wolverines, but his best two seasons were certainly his last two. He is a strong skater who can flash creativity with the puck in the offensive zone, can tend to play too deliberately as well, negating his inherent skill set. When he plays decisively, Lockwood has been a disruptive presence at the collegiate level. He plays a physical game, especially when he plays angry and relishes open ice checking. He is the type of player who could be ready for the NHL within one season of turning pro, but whose reasonable upside is never more than a bottom six winger, who could frustrate with the hints of more, but who can’t show it consistently enough for the possibility to be reasonable. - RW

Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

DiPietro brings a new definition to the word ‘focus’ with an ultra-dialed-in and intense personality. He performs reliably well every game and gives maximum effort, no matter the opponent. He has a good track record for performing well under pressure and for keeping a good attitude, going above and beyond when it comes to athleticism, which he must due to his smaller size. He reads plays well and does well in one on one situations however he will have to battle harder to get to his position in net scrambles, as he works towards a permanent NHL role. The future is bright for DiPietro, who is so naturally gifted with the right instincts, attitude, and athleticism needed to be a top level goaltender, look for him to have a go at an NHL job within the next season should he start off the upcoming season the same way with Utica. - SC

Zack MacEwen, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

MacEwen is not a cookie cutter smooth-skating type. Instead he is the hard working, crash and bang guy that brings a lot of energy to a roster. He is not the most graceful of skaters and does not stand out for skill either, but he does well at completing the little things. He is a steady net front presence, forces turnovers, and plays the body at the right times. A little clumsy at times, he has learned to be a good backchecker and defend well in his own zone, however he still needs to work on his passing in order to avoid turnovers and better contribute to the breakout. It is no surprise that MacEwen has earned a spot on the Vancouver Canucks 2020 playoff roster as he brings the right energy and can get the job done in a way that the other players cannot, which is why he is an asset to their bottom six, and should continue to play at the highest level as long as his cap hit remains low. – SC

Jacob Truscott, D (144^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

In every game with the USNDTP, there will be one or two moments where Truscott authors a play that makes you take notice. And each of those moments were substantially different. Those good plays would not be at all possible if he were not an above average skater, with impressive acceleration, very good edges and pivots and top speed, and mostly incredible backwards skating. The package plays into his heads-up game. He reads and processes the game fast and is very decisive when the situation calls for action. He can react correctly to a broken play. He can also excel in driving the play, as he can set and alternately vary the pace. He plays with mature composure. On the other hand, Truscott lacks flash. He has a decent wrist shot from the point, but not a power play quarterback rocket. He can skate with the puck but doesn’t often execute high level trickery. He can time the odd big hit but lacks the big frame to play that style with regularity. At the end of the day, he can leverage what he has into a long and successful career on a good team’s second pairing. – RW

Joni Jurmo, D (82^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking NA)

Jurmo is a big-risk/big-reward player. The physical tools are impossible to miss. He skates beautifully, with a fast and powerful stride. His edges are solid and his has four-way mobility, and the speed is remarkable. His carries out of his own end are thrilling. On the other hand, he is still incredibly raw. He has not often shown the ability to slow the game down, regroup and let the play come to him. He has shown significant improvement in his own zone work this year, to his credit, reading the play better and forcing opposing forwards to the outside, but he still has a way to go in this regard. There could also be some concern that he lacks experience at high levels, or at prestigious age-group tournaments. Jurmo recently moved from the Jokerit system to JyP, where he is expected to play in Liiga this season. If Vancouver can be patient, he represents a potential play on a future top four defender with dynamic qualities. He has come a long way in the last two seasons and still has room for added development. He might not get there, but it was a gamble worth taking. – RW

Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Lind has finally had the breakout confidence-replenishing year that staff and writers were hoping for. He is a good shooter and good at making quick plays and reacting to what is going on around him. He can be relied upon to play special teams, however he is not the smoothest of skaters, but he makes up for it in the way he gets to the net and his work ethic on the forecheck. Lind will certainly have to get faster and more agile on his blades, but his hands and his passing are good and lead him oftentimes to contributing to good scoring opportunities or assisting on plays. He will most likely earn his chance to crack the Canucks lineup this coming season as a potential third liner alternating in the bottom six if he finds another gear for his skating and on ice agility while continuing to work on his two way play. - SC

Brogan Rafferty, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 1, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

After leading the AHL Utica Comets in points for defensemen it is safe to say that Rafferty is a strong and dependable defenseman in the Vancouver pipeline. All of his skills are good, and his positioning and hockey IQ are what lead him to stand out, earning points in nearly every game. He will need to get a bit tougher when it comes to physicality and taking the body, but aside from that there is nothing of concern. He brings a great two-way game and is nearly always in the right position which could be an asset for the Canucks looking into next season, despite this past season only being Rafferty’s rookie year. A late bloomer, his potential may be surprisingly high because of the progression he has had so far, however when he gets the call up look to see him as part of the bottom four to start proving himself. - SC

Aidan McDonough, LW (195^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

McDonough’s value may turn out to be higher than his seventh-round draft pick status. After graduating from prep school at Thayer Academy, McDonough spent one season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders before entering the collegiate ranks. As a freshman, he was one of the highest-scoring players for Northeastern and the highest-scoring freshman by a mile and earned the team’s rookie of the year award. He has a big frame but could be stronger on the puck, although he is not afraid to engage in puck battles. While he needs to pump his legs on his strides, he is very hard to contain in the offensive zone as he glides around. McDonough is a sharp passer and can score from multiple spots but buzzes frequently around the net. While he certainly held his own as a freshman, he is still raw and needs to refine his game more before turning pro. - JS

Marc Michaelis, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 19, 2020. Previous ranking: 13)

The NCAA’s top scorer over the past four seasons, Michaelis was a First Team WCHA All American through each of his four seasons at Minnesota State. The slight German winger already had a lengthy history of high-level international play, including two appearances at the World Championships for his homeland before signing as a free agent with Vancouver a few days into the COVID-19 lockdown. Michaelis makes himself seen through high end skating ability, which allowed him to skate laps around the WCHA competition, as well as very interesting playmaking potential, with vision and creativity. The skating will have to be his ticket to the NHL though, as his playmaking ability has been more a function of brains than pure skill, leaving in question how much those brains will allow him to play up as a pro. If Michaelis makes the adjustment to the pro pace and continues to make his presence felt in the offensive end, he could push himself up to the highest level for a lengthy stay. – RW

Dmitri Zlodeyev, C (175^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Zlodeyev is a strong two-way center who shows extremely well off the puck. He uses his strong skating to apply pressure on the forecheck and was one of the anchors of Russia’s penalty killing unit at the U18 level. Additionally, he excels at the faceoff dot. As an offensive player, he is at his best working the half wall, where he can use his quick feet to elude checks and create lanes to attack. He is more of a playmaker than a goal scorer but is willing to drive the net and can finish from in tight with a quick release. The remaining question is his upside. Zlodeyev is a skill player, but it is not clearly enough yet to project to a scoring line role in North America, and without the strength to play in a bottom six role, he may be stuck as a tweener. His early work this year in the VHL (Russia’s second men’s league) is promising enough that he might just make it work, even if he is only in the early stages of his journey. – BO

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87^thoverall, 2018 [San Jose]. Previous ranking: 14)

A big center with nice hands who was acquired in a pure Swedish prospect trade, as Jonathan Dahlen was sent the other way to San Jose. Karlsson is not as a big name in Sweden as Dahlen is but Karlsson is a decent prospect in his own right, and he scored 40 points in Allsvenskan as a 20-year-old. He is an offensive minded center with an above average shot and above average hands. He is not elite an any way but a decent depth prospect, and if everything goes well, he could be a good third line option in the future. He needs to work on his skating and play at a faster pace to reach the highest level. He will have a couple more years of development before he can be ready to compete for a spot. I would be surprised if he has a long NHL career, but I can definitely see him being a good SHL player in near future. – JH

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 11)

The last three seasons with the Utica Comets for Brisebois have not gone as originally hoped since his near fifty-point final season in the QMJHL. Brisebois has struggled to produce a similar offensive output and anywhere near the success he had in major junior. He plays with grit and passion and brings a focus to every game that is admirable as he is always ready to make a play. The downside to his game is the fact that he has not been able to find the same confidence as he once had, and he has struggled to even get his passing game going. The hope is that next season Brisebois will finally find the extra gear he once seemed to have and reach his potential before it is too late. He will most likely be able to qualify for one more crack at a roster spot on the Canucks, hoping to find a home at the bottom of the defensive rotation. - SC

Arvid Costmar, C (215^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

The 215th pick in 2019 took good steps during the season. He was a steady top line center for the junior team and played big minutes. His production went up and he doubled his goal total last season despite playing 15 games less than the year before. He received some cups of tea at the senior level as well, but without success. In Allsvenskan he had a more diminished role when he played. His skating speed needs to improve but is a skilled offensive-minded player with good hands. His puck skills excel well on the power play as he likes to set up the play. He is also skilled one-on-one and can make nice dekes. For next season, I would like to see him earn a top six role on an Allsvenskan team and compete for a WJC roster spot. To do so he will need to work on his all-around game and play at a higher pace. – JH

Petrus Palmu, LW/RW (181^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 16)

One of the smallest drafted prospects around, Palmu tore up the OHL as an Import player, but has spent the bulk of the past three seasons back in Finland. At every stop, he has left little doubt but that he is a dynamic, productive offensive player, with only the mild exception of his 12-game stint in the AHL in 2018-19. Just from a tools perspective, he isn’t the most impressive. He skates well, but questionably whether he is fleet enough to overcome his size concern. He has fast hands, and reads the game well, but neither approaching elite. He is not a sniper. But somehow, he has made it all work well together to give him an overall package that has been greater than the sum of his parts. Like all players of his stature, even ones who play with his courage, Palmu will need to prove himself anew at every new level, and next up is the AHL, to which he is expected to play this year. - RW

Carson Focht, C (133^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 17)

Drafted as a moderately offensive second year eligible, Focht’s post draft performance was somewhat disappointing, as he failed to take his game to another level in the WHL. Not meeting expectations is not new for Focht, the one-time seventh overall pick in the WHL Bantam Draft. This is not to imply that his professional prospects are dead, as his game has elements that could fit in a bottom six role. He has decent size, and he can play with some grit up and down the ice. When his team has possession, he some smooth hands and the wherewithal to keep the play moving in the right direction. On the right day, he can even look like a sniper, with a very quick release on his snapshot. He just doesn’t do it all at once, or consistently. Still unsigned, it is unclear where he will play this year, as he turns 21 in early February. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 13

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 13:01:28 +0000

Vancouver Canucks

As of the day of this writing (Jul. 10, 2020), there have been three truly notable occurrences in the world of Vancouver Hockey. From most recent to earliest:

Reports surfaced of the Canucks exploring a possible trade of Brock Boeser, possibly related to their desire to re-sign mid-season trade pickup Tyler Toffoli
Vancouver was seemingly a strong consideration to be named as one of the NHL’s hub cities, as the league sought to complete it season. Eventually, Vancouver fell short with Edmonton named Hub host for the Western Conference and Toronto handling the duties for the Eastern Conference
The Vancouver Canucks parted ways somewhat acrimoniously with their highly touted Director of Amateur Scouting (and a McKeens Hockey alum!) Judd Brackett.

You might have been able to guess that this space will focus on the third item in the above list, and not because of Brackett’s ties to our humble enterprise.

Brackett had been with Vancouver since 2008-09, starting as an Amateur Scout, and rising to the role of Director of Amateur Scouting in 2015-16. Brackett worked in the USHL before moving to the Canucks organization, and as a onetime collegiate player himself, was never averse to selecting players on the NCAA route. That started with his first ever pick, the aforementioned Boeser, at the time lighting it up for the Waterloo Black Hawks, and spent two strong seasons at the University of North Dakota before turning pro.

Boeser was the first of eight college-bound players drafted in Brackett’s five drafts. While it is too early to pass judgement on many of those, every single one of them is trending in the right direction and looking like they will provide great value for where they were drafted. Think Adam Gaudette and Quinn Hughes, in addition to Boeser, in the NHL, Tyler Madden who was the bait in the Toffoli trade, and top 15 prospects Will Lockwood, Jack Rathbone, and Aidan McDonough.

Brackett’s tenure was most notable for its draft day focus on players of skill, as opposed to size. Of the collegians, only Boeser and McDonough had average or better size. His five first round picks averaged a hair under 6-1”, and 185 pounds. Not small, but not bangers either. In fact, the Canuks were just as likely to look for grit as free agents, such as the signings of the unsigned CHL’ers Zack MacEwen and Jalen Chatfield. The former is on this list and spent 17 games up with the Canucks this season to boot.

If you can acquire good depth later on, why spend valuable assets at the draft on those same types who could end up as free talent acquisitions down the road? If anything, Brackett’s Canucks would seek players long on brains and intangibles (leadership types, gritty despite moderate size) in the later rounds, after the high skill players had already been taken off the board. Those types include the likes of the aforementioned Lockwood and Madden, but also Guillaume Brisebois, Kole Lind, Toni Utunen, etc.).

Based on comments from Vancouver GM Jim Benning, the replacement Director of Amateur Scouting in Vancouver will require more synergy with the rest of the Hockey Operations Department, particularly the GM himself. This doesn’t tell us how the Canucks will draft this October (presumably) but that second or third round pick might look less like Nils Hoglander, and more like Nikita Tryamkin or Cole Cassels. These were the last two third rounders selected by Vancouver before Brackett’s regime began. Vancouver’s loss will be Minnesota’s gain – the Wild just recently hired him to take on the same position he held with Vancouver – and the incoming Director of Amateur Scouting will lack the benefit of a first round pick to really give us a sense of what’s coming.

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 21: Vasily Podkolzin puts on a hat after being selected tenth overall by the Vancouver Canucks during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

An elite NHL prospect who, as a teenager, plays on one the big clubs in the KHL, St Petersburg, where he had a limited role, playing less than nine minutes per game last season. Podkolzin is a dynamic winger with a lot of good assets in his toolbox. He is a strong skater with terrific balance and is technically solid. He can get to top speed with ease within a few strides. He is exceptionally good at puck protection and has a creative hockey mind. He works hard and plays a physical game.

He still lacks a bit of consistency in his production, and I can see two explanations for that. One is that he still is a teenager physically playing against men and he gets pushed out physically when he tries to create. He is not a typical transition player; he likes to play tight to the body and create from down low which makes a lack of physical strength a natural problem. When he gets stronger his style of play will fit well with the modern NHL game.

The other explanation is that he tries to be too creative and lacks instincts to just make the easy play, especially when his game is struggling, and he is lacking confidence. Podkolzin will always aid his team’s puck possession with elite skills and do good things with that possession. Although he did not score many points, his underlying numbers were good, and it is expected that he will receive a bigger role in the KHL this upcoming season. He has one more year with St Petersburg but after that I can see him competing for a top six role with the Canucks. - JH

Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Hoglander is exciting to watch and is an expert on the lacrosse-goal move, which he has used with success in both the SHL and the WJC. At the WJC he was excellent on the top line with and was one of the most productive players in the tournament. His production at the SHL level was not as impressive, at least not in line with the reputation of a soon to be NHLer.

Hoglander plays intensively and is particularly strong in the corners and around the net. He will set up a power play or drive the play all over the ice. At the WJC he showcased some nice playmaking ability and a fast thinking mind deep into the offensive zone. His passes to the slot were more frequent than in the SHL as he was constantly trying to create.

One obvious answer to the question why he was more dangerous at the WJC is his role. In the SHL he rarely played more than 12 minutes per game. Another issue is that he is small and is not to able to break away from his opponents in the corners in the same way at the senior level and that could be a concern as his game prevails through stick handling, covering the puck and making quick turns and creative plays. That type of game will be tough for him in the NHL and he will need to vary his approach.

Hoglander was supposed to start next season with the Canucks trying to earn a spot in the NHL; Now he will start in the SHL while he waits for the NHL to start. I don’t think he is ready to play in the NHL right away and when he makes it, I am not yet sure if he is dynamic enough for a top six role. - JH

Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

In the last year or so, Juolevi had been highly associated with injury and speculation as to if he would – or could - ever make a comeback befitting a top five pick. After playing his first nearly full season as a professional with the AHL Utica Comets, earning 25 points in 45 games, he seemed to be playing back to the same high level as he was before.

Juolevi brings a high hockey IQ and composure to any situation and as he became more comfortable throughout the season, he ended up facilitating more scoring chances as well. He is a good skater, a good puck handler, and the type of player you forget is on the ice until he helps out in scoring or putting the puck in the net himself. With the Vancouver organization the potential is there for Juolevi to become a top two defenseman at some point, but the worry is simply that he struggles to remain healthy enough to do so in the future.

By next season he should certainly be making his long-awaited debut with the Canucks’ bottom pairing, where he will stay until he has mastered the NHL game enough to be moved up the lineup. Juolevi will simply have to be more physical to differentiate himself and to earn added trust from the coaching staff, meaning that he does not have to go out and kill his opponents but he will need to protect himself better in an organization that is not known for their grit. - SC

Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Woo regressed a bit this year production-wise and that has left expectations at a more realistic level as he starts his pro career. He has the potential to play on a second pairing but does not have the offensive toolkit that many were expecting after his eye-popping seasons in Moose Jaw.

He is an effective, physical in-your-face defender who skates well and competes hard for every inch of ice. He is tenacious in his own zone using a combination of big hits, stick checks, good reads and aggression to minimize the opponent’s ability to get to his net. His gap control is good, and opponents know he will step up if they bobble the puck or show any hesitation in the neutral zone.

He is a fine passer, capable of making good plays that start the transition, however his decision making in the offensive zone is concerning. His vision is good in that he sees the ice well, but he frequently tries to do too much and turns over the puck at inopportune times. While Woo is capable of recovering better than most, he is more the complementary defender on a pairing rather than the one that dictates the offense.

He plays the game the right way and has a real edge and abrasiveness to how he handles himself. Offensively he has some skills, his puck handling is pretty good, and he moves down the wall offensively well but his decision making when under pressure is a concern. He is willing to jump into the rush and has the speed to get himself into the play as a trailer where he is most effective generating offense. His even strength points were less than half of his production this year which is a bit concerning for anyone expecting him to be an offensively dynamic blueliner at the pro level. - VG

Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

A fourth-round draft pick, Rathbone has improved well even in just two years at Harvard. The Massachusetts native was a captain at his prep school for two years. He entered college hockey as a freshman with nothing more than four games at the USHL level as far as high-level competition under his belt.

While in high school, he was named to the All-USA Hockey First Team in 2016-17 and the All-USA Hockey Second Team in 2017-18. As a freshman at Harvard, he was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team. As a sophomore, Rathbone was named to the ECAC First All-Star Team, the All-Ivy League First Team and the NCAA First All-American Team.

From the moment Rathbone stepped in, even as a freshman, he made an impact. While there is usually an adjustment period for rookies when transitioning to college hockey, especially for those who come straight from prep school, that didn’t hinder Rathbone. An offensive defenseman, he ranked fourth on the team in scoring and led all Crimson defenders. His shot is characterized by a quick release. He appeared on the team’s second penalty kill unit and the first power play unit. Rathbone was possibly the team’s best puck mover on the power play. He is excellent at running the unit from the point.

Defensively, Rathbone has a very active and quick stick and is able to poke check effectively. Rahtbone’s offensive capabilities as well as his solid defensive skills give him a legitimate chance at making the NHL in a top half of roster role, a journey which will move to the professional ranks next season, as Vancouver recently signed him to an entry level contract. - JS

Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 5)

He is a strong skater who can flash creativity with the puck in the offensive zone, can tend to play too deliberately as well, negating his inherent skill set. When he plays decisively, Lockwood has been a disruptive presence at the collegiate level. He plays a physical game, especially when he plays angry and relishes open ice checking.

He is the type of player who could be ready for the NHL within one season of turning pro, but whose reasonable upside is never more than a bottom six winger, who could frustrate with the hints of more, but who can’t show it consistently enough for the possibility to be reasonable. - RW

Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 8)

The future is bright for DiPietro, who is so naturally gifted with the right instincts, attitude, and athleticism needed to be a top level goaltender, look for him to have a go at an NHL job within the next season should he start off the upcoming season the same way with Utica. - SC

Zack MacEwen, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

A little clumsy at times, he has learned to be a good backchecker and defend well in his own zone, however he still needs to work on his passing in order to avoid turnovers and better contribute to the breakout. It is no surprise that MacEwen has earned a spot on the Vancouver Canucks 2020 playoff roster as he brings the right energy and can get the job done in a way that the other players cannot, which is why he is an asset to their bottom six, and should continue to play at the highest level as long as his cap hit remains low. - SC

Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

Lind will certainly have to get faster and more agile on his blades but his hands and his passing are good and lead him oftentimes to contributing to good scoring opportunities or assisting on plays. He will most likely earn his chance to crack the Canucks lineup this coming season as a potential third liner alternating in the bottom six if he finds another gear for his skating and on ice agility while continuing to work on his two way play. - SC

Brogan Rafferty, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 1, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

He brings a great two-way game and is nearly always in the right position which could be an asset for the Canucks looking into next season, despite this past season only being Rafferty’s rookie year. A late bloomer, his potential may be surprisingly high because of the progression he has had so far, however when he gets the call up look to see him as part of the bottom four to start proving himself. - SC

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 12)

The downside to his game is the fact that he has not been able to find the same confidence as he once had, and he has struggled to even get his passing game going. The hope is that next season Brisebois will finally find the extra gear he once seemed to have and reach his potential before it is too late. He will most likely be able to qualify for one more crack at a roster spot on the Canucks, hoping to find a home at the bottom of the defensive rotation. - SC

Aidan McDonough, LW (195^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

He has a big frame but could be stronger on the puck, although he is not afraid to engage in puck battles. While he needs to pump his legs on his strides, he is very hard to contain in the offensive zone as he glides around. McDonough is a sharp passer and can score from multiple spots but buzzes frequently around the net. While he certainly held his own as a freshman, he is still raw and needs to refine his game more before turning pro. - JS

Marc Michaelis, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 19, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Michaelis makes himself seen through high end skating ability, which allowed him to skate laps around the WCHA competition, as well as very interesting playmaking potential, with vision and creativity. The skating will have to be his ticket to the NHL though, as his playmaking ability has been more a function of brains than pure skill, leaving in question how much those brains will allow him to play up as a pro. If Michaelis makes the adjustment to the pro pace and continues to make his presence felt in the offensive end, he could push himself up to the highest level for a lengthy stay. - RW

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87^thoverall, 2018 [San Jose]. 2019 Rank: UR)

He is an offensive minded center with an above average shot and above average hands. He is not elite in any way but a decent depth prospect, and if everything goes well, he could be a good third line option in the future. He needs to work on his skating and play at a faster pace to reach the highest level. He will have a couple more years of development before he can be ready to compete for a spot. I would be surprised if he has a long NHL career, but I can definitely see him being a good SHL player in near future. - JH

Arvid Costmar, C (215^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

In Allsvenskan he had a more diminished role when he played. His skating speed needs to improve but is a skilled offensive-minded player with good hands. His puck skills excel well on the power play as he likes to set up the play. He is also skilled one-on-one and can make nice dekes. For next season, I would like to see him earn a top six role on an Allsvenskan team and compete for a WJC roster spot. To do so he will need to work on his all-around game and play at a higher pace. - JH

Vancouver Canucks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:21:23 +0000

For as much as the last four postseason-less seasons (and five of the last six) have been dismaying to Vancouver fans, there is currently a great deal of hope in the future. The rebuild has not been seamless, but a number of the high picks made by the franchise in the last few years are panning out.

2013 top ten pick Bo Horvat was given a letter to ear on his chest last year and took a step forward into being a star, if not quite a superstar, with a career high 61 points. 2015 first rounder Brock Boeser was the first gem of the current rebuild to emerge, giving the Canucks a probable 30+ goal machine after he had scored over 25 goals in each of his first two season, despite being limited to under 70 games played in each. He was followed last season by the explosive Elias Pettersson, a true game breaker who took the league by storm as a rookie, with 66 points in his way to capturing the Calder Trophy.

Other young players have also stepped forward in smaller roles, including netminder Thatcher Demko, who is healthy and ready to earn the backup job in the NHL . Beefy Jake Virtanen is also rounding out his game to be a dependable bottom six power forward, a useful player even if he never meets the expectations heaped on him as a former top ten draft pick. Later round find Adam Gaudette’s rookie season was more challenging, but his upside is still tantalizing.

Some of the players mentioned above will form the core of the next competitive Vancouver team. Others will fill in valuable, low cost roles. But if you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that something is missing from the above names. Specifically, five of the six are forwards and the other is a goalie. There were no defensemen named.

That’s about to change. Read on and you will note that eight of the Vancouver top 20 prospects are blueliners. Not only that, but there are three in the top six, including the top prospect in the system. Quinn Hughes, the aforementioned top prospect has had fans drooling ever since the Canucks called his name at the draft in Dallas. More on him below, but he got his feet wet over five games with the Canucks at the end of last season and is set to star for the team from day one this year. The number four prospect, Olli Juolevi. Was actual drafted higher in his year than Hughes. He was enjoying a great start to his North American professional career before a knee injury put an early end to his season. It might not take long for him to join Hughes in the NHL as a top four defender. Number six prospect Jett Woo is unlikely to play in the NHL this year (possible cameo notwithstanding), but he took a huge step forward with his offensive game last year and now projects as another possible top four defenseman.

The jump from these players may not be soon enough for some Vancouver fans, or those in the front office, especially after the team traded a first round pick in either 2020 or 2021 to Tampa Bay in a package for grinding/scoring winger JT Miller. Clearly, they want to be good enough very soon to avoid that pick being a lottery pick. The core is in place, but we do not yet know how long it will all take to gel.

-Ryan Wagman

Vancouver Canucks Defenceman Quinn Hughes (43) (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

1 Quinn Hughes, D (7^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) In a group with Cale Makar, Erik Brannstrom, and Bowen Byram as the best defensive prospects in hockey. Hughes is an electric skater and the ideal modern-day quarterback. His hands are as quick as his feet leading to dynamic play whenever he is on the ice. A great four-way skater, he also adds an element of unpredictability to the game, making him very tough to defend. Despite being undersized, he has learned to use his stick to come away with the puck from board battles. He will gamble occasionally when pressured at the point. Usually, thanks to his sublime skill level, he wins. When he loses, an odd-man rush will occur, although to his credit, he gets back very quickly. Hughes is ready for the NHL and can log heavy minutes and led the power play. He will have to prove that he can defend at the NHL level to avoid being protected, but he has star level talent. - RW

2 Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Podkolzin had a busy season last year, playing in three leagues, two world championships, and he lined up for team Russia on more than 30 occasions. He showed phenomenal talent in most of these games, imposing his game on the opposition with his technique and skating, and of course, scoring a lot. He is a potential franchise player for the Canucks. He plays hard and with fierce determination, but at the same time he is a disciplined player who can be incredibly dangerous when the game opens up and he can use his explosive first three or four steps. A fantastic goal scorer and overall complete player, Podkolzin is expected to move overseas once his entry-level KHL deal runs out in April 2021. - ASR

3 Thatcher Demko, G (36^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 4) The former Boston College goaltender is a beast in the net and a future starting goalie with the Canucks. Demko sees the play very well and his form is structured but fluid enough to prove his agility and energetic nature in the net. At times he can tend to over push and force himself out of position but with more NHL games under his belt he will settle into the pace better. He stays focused and his tracking abilities lead him to control rebounds very well. There is not much to be said about his puck abilities as he is not a goaltender that actively strives to play the puck a lot, however Demko is very smart when he deflects pucks and can read the play very well. His composure in net and the way he faces every puck is indicative of his readiness to move up to the top level and he is set on the NHL for this season. - SC

4 Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 3) Although Juolevi has been battling injury, he is still considered to be one of Vancouver’s top prospects. He is a smart defenseman capable of reading the play and being one step ahead. He is a spot on passer and he can shoot from anywhere on the ice with speed and precision. Being back to one hundred percent will be big for Juolevi when he starts back with Utica this season. He will need to readjust to the pace of the breakouts and turnovers at the AHL pace so as to not fall behind or be dummied on any potential odd man rushes. His goal should be to keep his feet moving equally in all zones of the ice and to get back to playing a physical game. Having taken a slight detour, he still has the potential to be a top pairing blueliner with the Canucks once he is back to feeling confident and comfortable in the minor leagues. - SC

5 Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) Outside of the All-World skill players, Lockwood has long been one of my favorite prospects to watch, both as a junior and in college. Recovered from the injury that curtailed his sophomore campaign, he was much more involved in the offensive attack as a junior, without losing that sandpaper edge that had previously defined his game. He will barge in on the forecheck and make life very difficult for the defensemen and goalies who try to play the puck out. He has quick feet that allow him to get and maintain ideal positioning. Even though he has only recently become a top six scoring option, he is a skilled forward and has a knack for turning blasé possessions into legit scoring chances. While the Canucks were rumored to be trying to get Lockwood under contract he has elected to return to Ann Arbor for his senior year. He projects to a middle six role in the NHL within one to two years. - RW

6 Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 10) Woo has put the injury woes of his draft year behind him and turned in a very impressive offensive season. Scoring 66 points in 62 game has helped to stave off worry that he was destined to be a bottom pairing defender. He looks much more likely to take a top four role in the NHL someday. His physical play and compete level stand out as he battles for every loose puck, and every inch of ice in his own zone. He uses a nice combination of strength and quickness to control his own zone. Offensively, he moves the puck well and has a good shot. He isn’t scared to carry the puck in deep and trusts that his forwards will cover his position. His movement along the blue line opens up lanes to receive or send a pass through making him a valued part of the offense. - VG

7 Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Hoglander’s puck skills, tenacity and strong balance are individual assets that had him ranked in the first round by some and a case can be made that the Canucks got a steal with him in the second round. We didn’t have him the first round and that’s more a case of his whole game. His hockey sense doesn’t suggest him to be a top six driver in the NHL. Individually, there is a lot to like with Hoglander but if we want someone to drive play for his teammates, make others better, controlling the pace, there are concerns. Even though he is small in size, he plays fearless physically and with some edge to his game. He is aggressive and intense and will always keep a defense occupied when on the ice. He will play another year in SHL, hopefully in a bigger role. - JH

8 Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9) It was a season to forget for DiPietro, a talented netminder out of the OHL. He was ripped apart by the San Jose Sharks in an emergency recall start, (which never should have happened), and he suffered an ankle injury in the OHL playoffs just as he was regaining his confidence. He is mature and determined and should bounce back and eventually become an NHL netminder. It may take patience and time as there will be an adjustment period. He is highly athletic, but one who is undersized by today’s standards. He relies on his reads and his athleticism to make saves and he can be a real game changer because of it. At the pro level, there are often growing pains for these types of goaltenders because the game moves faster, the top part of the net becomes an easier target, and confidence can wane. But DiPietro remains a very solid pro prospect and should eventually develop into an asset. - BO

9 Tyler Madden, C (68^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) They are not common, but once in a while you cross a prospect who had skill but could not produce a great deal in his draft year and before, but then upon moving up a level, finds a new, more exciting level of offensive production. In most of these cases, the player in question had high hockey IQ, but was either playing with lesser talents, and/or being forced to play in a more defensive-oriented role. As McKeens is blessed with smart readers, I know you have figured out that Madden is one such player. The son of Selke winner John Madden, he is smart enough to read this site, too, but also to play in any situation for his team. He plays a skilled game, with good positioning in both zones and the ability to drive possession. He is on an upward trajectory and currently looks like a future middle six option. - RW

10 Lukas Jasek, RW (174^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 12) An underdog type of player, Jasek has the ability to sneak past opponents and get into open ice without notice, giving him a leg up on his counterparts. He is a lightweight and a rather small looking player but his deceptiveness is scary when it comes to how aggressive he is on the puck. He plays with energy and passion and never gives up on a play. Due to his energetic style of play however, he can sometimes seem scattered and out of position because his work ethic is so high and strives to do so much at once. He will need to spend another season adjusting to the ice size in North America as well as the pace of the game to better know how to use his energy and where to focus most on the ice. Jasek is a hard-working, developing player with the potential to join Vancouver in a bottom six role but he will have to get bigger and strive for a more focused game. - SC

11 Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 6) For a player who had a lot of success in the WHL, Lind has had a difficult adjustment to the AHL pace with Utica. He is not the quickest nor the smoothest of skaters but works hard to keep up with the play. His shot is a rocket and his release is impressive but he lacks the ability to consistently get to the net which is a problem. He has matured a lot over the course of his first professional year and his positional play has likewise gotten a lot better. Should he continue to develop his positional game at this pace, he will be mature enough to be called up to Vancouver but his skating will still need to improve a lot in order to earn a full time bottom six NHL spot. Lind brings the right attitude and skill to his game but he will need to keep up with the play and drive the net harder to get into better scoring positions next season. - SC

12 Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 14) Brisebois is a dynamic and energetic defender who can easily maneuver his way down the ice or weave his way from the blueline down to the slot. He has great hands and can shoot the puck from all angles. However, his adjustment to the AHL level with Utica has been a little rocky as he does not have the time that he used to have with the puck that he had in the QMJHL. Although he still likes to play the outside he will need to work to up his confidence to walk the line a little more and create more space for himself. It will not be as easy for him to walk in and get quality scoring chances as a pro and he will have to find other ways to create chances for himself. Brisebois has the skill to be a bottom four defenseman but he will have to start thinking outside the box to generate more chances. - SC

13 Ethan Keppen, LW (122^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Keppen is a power winger with good vision in the offensive end, a rarity for junior aged players. While he can drive the net using his strength on the puck, he is most effective working the cycle deep in the offensive zone, prolonging possession time and opening up passing lanes with his motor and determination. He finished second in the OHL last year among draft eligible players in even strength primary assists. He also possesses a heavy shot and the confidence to use it, something that should see him develop into a very well rounded offensive player. As he improves his skating to become a little more explosive, and as his ability to make plays at a quicker pace improves, Keppen could become a very good prospect for Vancouver. His projection is that of a middle six winger, but one who is several years away from helping the big club. - BO

14 Toni Utunen, D (130^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 17) Utunen is a reliable defenseman whose biggest asset is definitely his hockey sense. He reads the game well. Maintains good gap control and is positionally sound. He can keep opposing forward to the outside. He moves the puck with short passes and gets pucks up the ice quickly. He possesses strong leadership qualities and does not hesitate to sacrifice his body as a shot blocker. Utunen is neither flashy nor creative, but he makes very few mistakes with the puck. His skating won’t wow you, but he has the foot speed, nobility, and backwards skating ability to hold his own in the Liiga. That said, there are questions about whether he has sufficient upside to develop into more than a third pairing NHL defenseman. - MB

15 Zach MacEwen, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. Last Year: 20) MacEwen is a great player to watch, a strong, gritty power forward who stops at nothing to put the puck in the net. He plays a simple game all over the ice, always making sure to keep his feet moving. He is not the smoothest of skaters but he has a good jump to his stride and can go from one zone to another in just a few strides. He is an efficient player but at times over-skates his forechecks and gets caught too deep or behind the play. For a bigger forward who plays with as much intensity as MacEwen does, he will have to make sure to be more careful with how he plays and pay better attention to how deep he gets caught on plays. His speed is at par but he will need to clean up his game and work on discipline next season to secure a bottom six forward spot at the highest level. - SC

16 Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) A wild stallion from the blueline in his draft year, Rathbone was difficult to adequately scout, playing for a Massachusetts area prep school, with four games with Youngstown as a change of pace. He took the rare step of returning to his school after being drafted, keeping him firmly under the radar. Now that he has finally spent a full season playing top level competition for Harvard, we can see what Rathbone really is. He is an undersized, offensive defenseman. He gets his feet moving quickly, although his top speed is less than I would like for a blueliner his size. He has good vision and likes to load up for a long bomb pass. Considering both size and play style, he cannot play effectively in the greasy areas. He still has a long way to go before the Canucks will know what they have, but last year was a step in the right direction. - RW

17 Jack Malone, RW (180^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) After a season in a depth role for Youngstown, Malone played with far greater assertiveness in his draft year finishing second on the Phantoms, and in the top 15 leaguewide in scoring. More a playmaker than a finisher, he does play enough around the crease area to get his share of goals from in tight, but he really shines when he executes cutting paces off the rush and with pace to a steaking linemate. His skating had also shown marked improvement as his draft year progressed, to the point where he can now blow past defenders with some regularity. Malone still has a lot to work on with his game, such as not forcing plays and tightening up his own zone work. He has talent, but not enough to play on a top six, making his ability to defend more important. - RW

18 Josh Teves, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 12, 2019. Last Year: IE) Teves has a gift of getting the puck up the ice. He is not the fastest skater, but he can find the seams for getting the puck onto the offensive zone. He makes a good first pass. He is also an excellent backwards skater. He can really freeze the puck in the corners in win puck battles with impressive strength, even at 6-0”, 170 lbs. With that size, he may be able to hang in the NHL for stretches, but not necessarily as a defenseman. He played some on the wing for Princeton as a test when they needed more offense, and it is possible that Vancouver might try using him like that if they are unsatisfied with his defensive coverage. In 2017-18, when the team was at its best, he put up 33 points in 31 games, with a hefty percentage of that on the man advantage. The next season will go a long way in seeing how the Canucks want to develop him. - RC

19 Jonah Gadjovich, LW (55^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 11) Gadjovich is a difficult player to watch because his skating is so weak, but his strength on the puck, paired with his shooting ability, make up for his lack of movement. His hockey sense is good and he sees the play well from all areas of the ice. With Utica last year, many of his best shifts were spent on the powerplay in front of the net where his strength and hockey sense were best demonstrated. He is a bottom six forward at best in the NHL but his work ethic may take him further if he can improve his start up speed and work on his fluidity and being lighter and more comfortable on his skates. Gadjovich has a good attitude and work ethic and his redeeming qualities, such as his physicality and good hands, paired with his high hockey IQ, feed hope for his continued development, starting with a better season in 2019-20. - SC

20 Mitch Eliot, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Dec. 14, 2018. Last Year: IE) Eliot, a free agent signing out of Sarnia last season, is a very similar player to Jalen Chatfield, who Vancouver also signed out of the OHL a few years ago. He skates well and is a well-rounded defender who can play in all situations. Defensively, he takes away space with his mobility and his strength. Offensively, he can move the puck and attack the offensive zone, confidently handling the puck when leading the rush. The question is, can he do any of these things at an elite level? The answer would be no at this current time, but a few seasons in the AHL could elevate his skill set to the point where he could be a reliable two-way third pairing defender. - BO

Vancouver Canucks Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 14:58:51 +0000

There are teams that have depth throughout their organization. They draft from everywhere, and affiliated players of theirs dot rosters across the planet, from their own AHL and ECHL affiliates, and found here and there on various CHL teams, on college campuses in the US and on teams in the best European leagues. And if a player passes through the draft and catches their eyes, the team does not hesitate to sign that player as an undrafted free agent to round out the system.

Those teams have high end talent, young men who are destined to challenge for roles atop the NHL lineup, they have versatile players who can be plugged in and play wherever and however needed. And they have depth in numbers, understanding that not all shiny new prospects reach their projected ceilings. It is always good to have players in the system who can hold their own without too much embarrassment, ready to fill in at a moment’s notice, even if the filling is only for a moment.

The Canucks do not have all of that in their system. They have some, but not everything.

They have players from everywhere. Prospects from the Vancouver system spent last year in the AHL of course. There were a few collegians. They had eyes on players from the top leagues in both Sweden and Finland, as well as the top flights of both Russia and the Czech Republic. They did not have anybody who was playing in the QMJHL (which is not all that rare), but there were Canucks’ prospects playing in the OHL, WHL, USHL and even the MJHL and in a Massachusetts prep school.

As will be discussed in more detail below, this organization certainly has its share high end prospects, with 6-9 of these players projected as top half of lineup players and up to four of them who could for whom stardom could be in the offing.

The Canucks also have a second tier below those guys, a tier perhaps five or six deep with guys who could fit into that comfortable middle of the team. The Canucks don’t need to count on these guys, but they are glad to have them. But what the Canucks lack is that depth. When we talk about depth, we are usually looking at guys already in the AHL, who have some professional experience and are ready to contribute, even if those contributions are mild.

When the Canucks needed a decent player to come up as an injury replacement, their options were painfully limited. Instead of using that as an opportunity to give a potential future contributor a cup of NHL coffee, instead they had to bring up older journeymen, such as Ashton Sautner (five games), Jayson Megna (one game), Philip Holm (one game), and Michael Chaput (nine games). Those four players combined for a grand total of two points, both from Sautner.

This lack of viable depth is a direct result of questionable drafting in the later rounds. Those top players were selected early, but the Canucks have neglected to sign a number of recent late round picks, such as Carl Neill and Tate Olson from their 2015 draft class and fully two thirds of their 2016 draft class in Cole Candella, Jakob Stukel, Rodrigo Abols, and Brett McKenzie.

The Canucks seem to be acing the hardest part of the rebuild but are flunking the easiest portion.

Elias Pettersson

1 Elias Pettersson, C/LW (5^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 2^nd) Among the handful of most dynamic prospects in the game, Pettersson laid the SHL to waste in his age 18 season, winning both league rookie of the year and MVP awards. His season with Vaxjo was simply one of the best by a teenager in any European league ever. A ridiculously talented sniper, his shot is near elite on a few fronts. The release is incredibly quick, but his patience with the puck helps the release seem even quicker. A talented dangler, he can use his hips to great effect to sell a deke. Unlike many scoring sensations of his ilk, Pettersson is also responsible in his own end. One of the top candidates to win the Calder this season, he should pair with the Canucks’ other recent Calder finalist to give the team two high caliber goal scorers for years to come.

2 Quinn Hughes, D (7^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The most dynamic draft eligible defenseman in North America last season, Hughes played a minor role as a double under-ager for Team USA at the WJC and then saw his game absolutely take off over the second half of the NCAA season. By the end, he was the engine for Michigan’s Frozen Four team. A brilliant skater and thrilling puck handler, his rushes up the ice are breathtaking, yet he still has the wherewithal to slow the game down in the offensive end. As he acclimatized to the collegiate game, Hughes also began to show more reliability in his defensive responsibilities. If he did not elect to return to the Wolverines for his sophomore season, he would have stood a chance of playing in the NHL right away. Hughes looks like Vancouver’s future number one defender.

3 Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 1^st) As much as Olli Juolevi has been somewhat disappointing since being drafted fifth overall in 2016, thanks to an underwhelming follow up campaign with the London Knights, make no mistake, but he is still trending towards a career with first pairing potential. Instead of going back to London for a third go-round, Juolevi returned home to Finland instead, spending the year with TPS, where he impressed playing for the first time against men, while dominating in his third WJC. He is an excellent passer and puck mover who has an advanced understanding of the game and rarely makes the wrong play. He is expected to come back to North America this year and challenge for an NHL job, although some time in the AHL would not hurt him, or the rebuilding Canucks.

4 Thatcher Demko, G (36^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 7^th) Drafted as a true freshman out of Boston College, Demko improved his save percentage year over year over year during his collegiate career, going from .919 to .925 to .935 before leaving campus for the professional world. In that final year, he was named Hockey East Player of the Year, was an NCAA East All American, and took home the Mike Richter Award as the best netminder in the country. While his first season in the AHL was occasionally rocky, he rebounded in his second season, finishing tied for sixth in save percentage in the league. Demko has ideal size for the net, and grades out very highly for his calm demeanor, ability to read the play, mature technical form, and ability to stifle second chances. Expect him to battle for an NHL job out of camp this year.

Jonathan Dahlen

5 Jonathan Dahlen, LW/C (Trade: Feb. 27, 2017 [Ottawa]) Last Year: 4^th) Coming off a season in which he was named best forward and MVP of Sweden’s second tier men’s league (Allsvenskan), Dahlen, who was on loan at Timra, is ready for the AHL game. He has never been a high-end skater, but the smallish winger has improved a fair bit in that area since he was drafted and there is no longer reason to believe that it will hold him back. Both his puck skills and his hockey smarts are at very high levels, and he has proven able to score at every single level he has played at thus far in his burgeoning career. He will need some time in the AHL to get used to the rougher physical game in North America but should be able to find himself playing in in the NHL by the end of the season.

6 Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 6^th) The Canucks would have been very pleased to track Lind’s development in his first post draft season. He showed the ability to play with greater pace and was more assertive all around. Already an accomplished offensive player, he contributed eight more points for Kelowna this year, even though he played in 12 fewer games. He is a gifted puck player who couples finishing skills with the instincts of a playmaker. He does not play a soft game, although he could stand to put on a few pounds as he prepares for a full season as a professional, likely in the AHL. He could be knocking on the NHL door before the season is out.

7 Adam Gaudette, C (149^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 9^th) It is easy to look at the gaudy point totals of the 2018 Hobey Baker Award winner and think that Gaudette is a sure-fire top prospect. He is not without skill. He skates well, has a nice shot and is a very talented playmaker and stick handler. He even played some on the PK with Northeastern and has a well-developed hockey IQ. The reason why we cannot rank him higher up this list is that a very hefty proportion of his offensive output cam on the man advantage (27 of 60 points). Yes, there were former first rounders in the NCAA that could not match his even strength output, but there are questions about whether he is dynamic enough to continue to earn time on the power play as a pro. Either way, he will have a chance to play in Vancouver this year.

8 Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 11^th) A skilled grinder, Lockwood plays with an immense amount of energy that brings to mind a slightly taller Brendan Gallagher. This is not to say that Lockwood is a future 30 goals scorer in the NHL, but he is a future fan favorite. A born hustler, he has the wheels to match his intensity, and despite underwhelming point totals over the years, a fair bit of individual skill lurking in his stick. As he prepares to return from major shoulder surgery to fix an injury sustained in the WJC, he will have to show that he can rein in his physical proclivities and play smart when playing tough might not be the answer. If he can remain healthy, he should rank higher on this list next year.

9 Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) If you don’t like DiPietro, “you must not like winning.” That quote, reportedly spoken by DiPietro to unnamed team officials during interviews at the NHL scouting combine last year will follow him throughout his career, wherever it takes him. He had reason to be cocky, having just come off leading his Windsor Spitfires to a Memorial Cup championship on home ice. Although his numbers slumped somewhat as Windsor iced a much younger, less talented roster this year, he is still the same athletic, hyper-competitive netminder who reads the ice well and controls rebounds. He will head back to the OHL for one more season and is expected to challenge for a spot with Team Canada at the next WJC – in Vancouver.

Jett Woo

10 Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Like Lockwood above, Woo is a hard-hitting throwback type of player who missed a large chunk of last season with a shoulder injury. In Woo’s case, as it was hist draft year, not only did it take away crucial development time, but also likely hurt his draft stock, leaving him on the board for Vancouver’s second round pick. A defender whose game is predicated on a dollop of hockey IQ and a heaping of truculence, he has shown just enough offensive skill and mobility to suggest better health could allow him to profile as a top four blueliner at the highest level. Is work ethic and other intangibles should help him maximize his abilities.

11 Jonah Gadjovich, LW (55^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10^th) Somewhat of a surprise selection to represent Team Canada at last year’s WJC, the former 46 goal scorer with Owen Sound took on more of a depth line role at the prestige tournament, killing penalties and scrumming for space in front of the opponent’s net on the power play. An instinctual goal scorer, he has an impressively long reach and a strong shot when he can lean on one from the slot. Gadjovich has a big, burly frame, and while that helps him at times, it works against him at others, as his first few steps can be sluggish. Further, while his strength was a clear asset in the OHL, he was so much more physically mature than most of the competition, that he often left observers wanting more. He is ready for AHL action.

12 Lukas Jasek, RW (174^th overall, 2015. Last Year: not ranked) Jasek was puttering along anonymously in the lower reaches of the Czech hockey system, occasionally popping up (and not doing anything) at an international tournament for his age group. He finally spent most of last year in the top Czech division and did relatively well for a 20-year-old (second in league scoring among the 21U set) while he dazzled in the European Champions Hockey League for Bili Tygri. To top it off, he came to Utica at the tail end of the season and put up seven points in six games. An energetic, conscientious player, he plays hard and recognizes scoring chances well, making up for a moderate skill set.

13 Tyler Madden, C (68^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A chip off the old block. Madden, whose father John was a Selke Award winner in the 1990s with New Jersey, is a defense first center with some skill. Short and slight, he is more than just a defensive specialist as he has flashed plus skills as a playmaker and puckhandler, while his shot makes up in timing what it lacks in force. As he moves to offensive powerhouse Northeastern for the next few years, he will have every opportunity to not only add bulk to his underdeveloped frame, but also to explore the extent of his offensive skills as he is very refined away from the puck.

Guillaume Brisebois

14 Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 12^th) Tall, yet slight, Brisebois is a strong skater who took his lumps last year as an AHL rookie but played well enough throughout to maintain his standing as a prospect. He is not a flashy player but moves the puck with efficiency. He plays well away from the puck and was trusted with heavy usage with a Utica team that much in the way of high end skill. Mostly playing a finesse game, he has the frame to handle burly opposition, although he still looks as if he could use 10-15 more pounds of bulk to give back as good as he gets. A second AHL season will go a long way to letting the Canucks know what they have in Brisebois.

15 Matthew Thiessen, G (192^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The top draft eligible netminder in any of the Tier I leagues across Canada, Thiessen gained some public notoriety as he backstopped the Steinbach Pistons to the MJHL championship and a spot in the RBC Cup. Athletic and competitive, he has decent size for the modern game and has demonstrated a strong ability to read the play in front of him. As with any netminder (or skater for that matter) coming out of a lower level of competition such as the MJHL, he will have to answer questions about his ability to perform at a high level against better opponents. He will get his first chance to step up next year, playing with Dubuque of the USHL, before moving on to Maine, in Hockey East.

16 Matt Brassard, D (188^th overall, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) Although he went undrafted in his first year of eligibility, the Canucks took a chance on the puck moving Brassard after a strong age 18 season split between Barrie and Oshawa of the OHL. He rewarded them with even better performance at age 19 last year, although it was not enough for Vancouver to extend an ELC his way (yet). A decent at best skater, Brassard has good offensive tools between his point shot and his puck handling skills. While he also has good size, he does not it to good effect. His defensive zone reads are also unrefined which will impact his potential to advance if it is not addressed.

17 Toni Utunen, D (130^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Small, and not very toolsy, everything about Utunen plays up thanks to his highly advanced hockey IQ. While he rarely flashes high end skill, he is seemingly always in the right place to impact the game positively for his team. It could be by starting the transition out of his own zone, as he is equally comfortable carrying the puck out or passing it upstream to a waiting teammate. It could also be his fearlessness in getting into the shooting lane while killing a penalty. It could be the fact that he spent his draft year playing with men in Finland, splitting the year between the top two leagues in the land. Expect this sleeper to play a bigger role this year.

18 Petrus Palmu, LW/RW (181^st overall, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) Ten or fifteen years ago, a player of Palmu’s stature would likely have been passed over at the draft, as 5-7” just would not play in that era, no matter how fast or skilled the player was. Even today, a player as small as he is needs to prove himself over and over before getting the call. Vancouver selected Palmu in his third year of draft eligibility, after he doubled his offensive output from 49 too 98 points for Owen Sound. Having completed his CHL eligibility, he went back to Finland and had a very strong rookie season, earning an ELC. Prone to overhandling, he is stronger than he looks and can take a hit to make a play, although he will never be a force at any level. He should spend this upcoming season in the AHL.

19 Jalen Chatfield, D (UDFA: Mar. 13, 2017. Last Year: 19^th) A teammate of Michael DiPietro’s on the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires in 2016-17, Chatfield showed enough two-way potential, along with intangibles, to earn an ELC as an undrafted free agent towards the end of the OHL regular season. While his offensive game cratered in his professional debut, to his credit, he never really looked out of place with the Comets. Chatfield profiles as no more than a third pairing, or seventh defenseman in the NHL, but his hockey IQ is refined enough that he could carve out a long career despite a lack of any one high end tool.

20 Zack MacEwen, C (UDFA: Mar. 3, 2017. Last Year: 13^th) A big rugged forward signed as an undrafted free agent out of Gatineau in the QMJHL, MacEwen struggled with parts of the transition to the pros. On the one hand, he was able to contribute offensively at a reasonable clip, finishing fourth in team scoring with Utica – and tops among prospect eligible players. On the other hand, he struggled on the other side of the puck. As flawed as the plus-minus metric is, it can be telling, and MacEwen’s negative 22 (second worst on the team) is a black mark. Between his great size and willingness to crash and bang, he could carve out a role at the bottom of an NHL lineup, but needs to prove he can be reliable in his own end.

Vancouver – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:01:40 +0000

An old team with little to be hopeful for in either the near or mid-term future, the Vancouver Canucks managed to brighten an otherwise dark system with two deadline day swaps. For a team that had been spinning its wheels since a somewhat surprising competitive 2014-15 season, a concrete step towards the future before the twin expirations of the twin Sedin contracts was thought unlikely, if not impossible.

With the Sedins on pace to cede the label of team leader to up-and-comer Bo Horvat, the need to placate the heroes of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup run has subsided. In the space of two days, GM Jim Benning dealt Alexandre Burrows and his expiring contract to Ottawa for scoring winger Jonathan Dahlen, less than 12 months removed from being a second round draft pick and completing a near point-per-game tour-de-force in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second men’s league.

The next day, they sent Jannik Hansen, in the midst of a down season, to San Jose in exchange for former first round pick Nikolay Goldobin, who was also at close to a point-per-game in his second full season in the AHL. As part of this trade, Vancouver also picked up a conditional 2017 fourth rounder, which they later swapped for picks in the fifth and sixth rounds.

While those that wanted to see the Canucks competitive right away may have chafed at the deals, the Canucks were not going to succeed with a few more weeks of games with Hansen and Burrows patrolling the wings. Already in last place with two aging and expensive veterans, Benning heeded the sage advice of baseball immortal Branch Rickey, on dealing with fellow future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, a star on an otherwise non-competitive club. “Son, we can finish last without you.”

The much derided Benning accepted the inevitability that the Canucks would continue to scuffle at or near the bottom of the standings with those two and made the best of it, accepting pretty compelling offers to move on. While Dahlen and Goldobin are both with their own flaws - questions about footspeed for the former and a reputation for one-way play for the latter – they are both young, talented and far more likely to be viable contributors on the next competitive Canucks team.

The Canucks are still rather far from the path back to contention, and seem likely to play out the final year of the Sedin deals this year, before they will feel free to fully complete the tear-down. Expectations may have been marginally more optimistic had the team not wiped out the top end of the 2014 draft. From two first round picks, one (Jake Virtanen) is perhaps 12 months from bust territory and they gave up on the other (Jared McCann) very early, shipping him to Florida for stay-at-home defenseman Erik Gudbranson. While there is still work to be done, at long last, with a fairly promising top five in the system, Canucks fans can begin to see a happier future for their club.

Olli Juolevi of the London Knights was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

1 Olli Juolevi – His top tier point totals during his draft year were always going to be hard to top, especially as many of his elite teammates had since turned pro. So the fact that Juolevi equaled his regular season point total should be looked at favorably. A fantastic skater, he is among the calmest puck carrying blueliners you are likely to find. Puck skills and game reads are also top quartile, if not decile. He may be ready for the NHL, but one final year of junior hockey wouldn’t hurt in the meantime.

Sweden's Elias Pettersson #21 (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

2 Elias Pettersson – One of the best puck skill players available in the 2017 draft class, Pettersson was near a point-per-game player as a 17 year old playing among men in Sweden’s Allsvenskan. As good as his puck skills are, his hockey IQ may be its equal. He is versatile, able to play both center and on the wings. He seems to see the game a few steps ahead of everyone else, leading to generally correct decisions. Moving up to the SHL this year, his biggest area for improvement is accepting the simple play more often.

3 Brock Boeser – Although his sophomore season was injury riddled, affecting his production even when he was healthy, Boeser was still an elite goal scorer at the NCAA level. Despite his extremely high marks for his shooting ability, he is not selfish with the puck and utilizes his linemates very well. He also shows admirable commitment to the game away from puck, often used on the PK with North Dakota. With four goals in a nine game NHL cameo at year’s end, Vancouver has gotten a taste of what’s to come.

MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 26: Sweden's Jonathan Dahlen #27 - 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

4 Jonathan Dahlen – Vancouver’s prize for keeping Alexandre Burrows for as long as they did, Dahlen was both a teammate and a linemate of Elias Pettersson last year in Timra. While Pettersson is staying in Sweden for now, Dahlen, a 2016 second rounder, is coming over to North America. More agile than fast, Dahlen gets high grades for his shot, puck skills and hockey IQ. Son of long-time NHLer’ Ulf Dahlen, his time in the AHL may be short. Looks like a future top six forward.

5 Nikolay Goldobin – After coming over in trade from San Jose, Goldobin spent most of the rest of the season in the NHL with Vancouver, scoring three times in 12 games. The former San Jose first rounder, he is a plus puckhandler, with a number of tricks up his sleeve to get past pesky defenders. An offense first player with plus acceleration, he has spent much of the last two years in the Sharks’ system learning to be more active away from the puck. The work will come in handy for his new organization.

6 Kole Lind – The kind of player who does everything well, but nothing exceptionally, Lind is also notable for his plus hustle. He has great work ethic and with a bit more consistency, he projects as a power forward down the line. During prolonged offensive shifts, the second round pick can often be found parked in front of the opponent’s net, which is where he does most of his damage on the scoresheet. Will need to show this year that he can produce without some of the high producing veterans now aged out of the league.

7 Thatcher Demko – The last great hope from the doomed draft class of 2014, Demko had a solid, if occasionally shaky rookie pro season with Utica. He has a very large frame and moves very well for his size to boot, but his positioning is still in the development stages. So while he gets from post to post relatively quickly, his long, spidery legs leaves him with a sizable five-hole when in motion. Bumps aside, he has all of the attributes you look for when projecting workhorse starts.

8 Michael DiPietro – If not Demko, the Canucks used a third round pick this year on the undersized but ultra-competitive DiPietro, fresh off backstopping his Windsor Spitfires to an unexpected Memorial Cup Championship. A very athletic netminder, he reads plays well and is aggressive about securing his crease. Very calm between the pipes as well, rarely over-committing himself for a given shot. He will eventually give Demko a run for his money as netminder of the future in Vancouver.

9 Adam Gaudette – An unheralded prospect in the USHL in his draft year, Gaudette has taken multiple steps forward in his two years with Northeastern. Now one of college hockey’s premier offensive players, he combines above average puck handling and offensive vision. Questions remain about his pace as he can struggle to keep up against faster opponents, but he will have the chance to answer some of them this year, as at least one of his linemates (Zach Aston-Reese) has turned pro.

10 Jonah Gadjovich – A big bodied forward who makes most of his noise from in front of the net, Gadjovich more than tripled his previous goal scoring production, ending his draft year with 46, before struggling throughout Owen Sound’s long playoff run. On the downside, his skating comes and goes, which may be more effort related as he can get to impressive top speeds on occasion. In general, his effort has been known to waver in the late stages of the game.

11 Will Lockwood – Deployed as a two-way, energy forward with the USNTDP, the Canucks drafted Lockwood in the third round in 2016, betting on his tools playing up. Through his freshman year with Michigan, they may be rewarded. He is a high work rate player who always finds his way to the puck. A grinder, he has skill, but has yet to learn his limits, and will sometimes try to do too much, getting into trouble. Projects as a bottom six winger who can provide secondary offense and penalty kill utility.

12 Guillaume Brisebois – A lanky, puck-moving defender, Brisebois is mobile and loves to join the rush as a lead option. Very effective as a power play quarterback in the junior ranks, he is also proficient in his own zone, using his long reach to close gaps and snuff out opposition rushes. After improving his offensive output year-over-year throughout his QMJHL career, he should be ready to face the challenges of the AHL game.

13 Zack MacEwen – Not the toolsiest player in the system, MacEwen has worked his way into an offensive role in the Q, crashing and banging his way from being passed over in the draft three times, to signing a free agent contract with the Canucks late this season. He has a decent enough shot, but his hands may not be an asset at the next level. His physical play will determine his ultimate upside as a pro.

14 Dmitri Zhukenov – Drafted out of Russia in 2015, Zhukenov spent two years learning the North American game in the QMJHL, but will continue his career next year back in Russia with Avangard Omsk. A high motor skilled center, he has above average offensive instincts and is a hard worker in his own zone as well. Due to the undersized forward’s contract situation for the near future, this is a rare case where the “Russian Factor” affects his ranking.

15 Griffen Molino – Another late bloomer, Molino developed into a strong two-way forward as an undrafted player at Western Michigan. Although his offensive numbers appear middling, he can display good offensive vision and some playmaking ability. A solid skater, he is patient with the puck and has plus possession ability. He should be able to play in the NHL in some role, but his ceiling is admittedly limited.

16 Jordan Subban – Smaller and less heralded than his brothers Pernell Karl and Malcolm, Jordan Subban is an exciting player who has power play specialist potential, but is vulnerable in the back through lack of strength or reach, or for lack of effort. He has a very nice wrist shot and is strong with the puck, but his opportunity will be largely a function of whether his coach believes he can fulfill a specific role. As Vancouver’s new head coach was behind the bench in Utica over the past two years, that comfort level may now be in place.

17 Jack Rathbone – One of the top talents playing prep hockey in New England this year, the Harvard commit was able to overcome his small stature at that level through plus skating and always pushing the play forward. He likes to pinch in deep and float around, waiting for a chance to strike. There will be a big adjustment once he moves on to play against a better level of competition, but he has some of the tools needed to be an impact player down the road.

18 Evan McEneny – A decent skating blueliner, the Canucks stole him as a free agent after he went undrafted after being limited by injury to two games in his first draft year. After completing his OHL career, his rookie pro season was mostly spent in the ECHL, but he continued to produce decent offensive numbers in his first AHL season. He has good size, but has never been very physical.

19 Jalen Chatfield – Another undrafted free agent in the Vancouver system, Chatfield is more of a defensive-minded player than McEneny. Generally one of the go-to defensive defensemen on the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires. His skating is above average, but he lacks the stick handling skills to provide much more than concise first passes to help clear his own zone.

20 Brett McKenzie – Fitting to end this list with another late bloomer, the Canucks drafted McKenzie in the seventh round during his second year of eligibility. McKenzie plays a power forward game when he is on the puck and can be a solid threat barreling down the wing. He can finish himself or dish off to teammates due to advanced vision. May be returned to the OHL for an overage season.

The preponderance of undrafted players making up the back half of the above list is a reminder of the dark recent past that this organization is only now starting to climb out of. While there are certainly many players who have gone from undrafted to long-time NHLers, many more never make it, or have limited roles if they do.

2016 NHL Draft Guide: Vancouver Canucks Draft Strategy

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:21:36 +0000

09 Apr 2016; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen (18) against the Edmonton Oilers

Eric Crawford, the man who led the previous two Canucks drafts, seeing the team select strong two-way forwards with offensive upside in Jarred McCann (recently traded to Florida for Erik Gudbranson in a multi-player deal), Jake Virtanen and Brock Boeser, is now a pro scout with Montreal. His position, as Director of Player Personnel, does not seem to have been filled. Instead, the Canucks look to have a four-headed management team with their fingers on the amateur draft. GM Jim Benning is long known for his scouting acumen, having held key personnel roles with the Bruins before being hired by Vancouver. Judd Brackett is the new Director of Amateur Scouting. He has significant background working both the QMJHL and USHL. There are also two “Chief” amateur scouts in Ron Delorme and Thomas Gradin, the former focusing on North America and the latter on Europe. They preside over a network of 18 amateur scouts.

April 09, 2016: Brock Boeser (16) of North Dakota rushes through the neutral zone during the 2016 NCAA Frozen Four championship game between North Dakota and Quinnipiac

In light of the newness of this management structure, looking at previous Canucks drafts – even though Delorme and Gradin had both ranked highly in the organization for many years – is less instructive than finding a type of player that is attractive to Benning. He spent eight years as the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Buffalo Sabres, covering drafts from 1999-2006. During that period, the Sabres drafts were very much hit and miss. On the positive end, early picks were used on relative successes like Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, Keith Ballard, and Daniel Paille. On the negative, other first round selections under Benning included Barrett Heisten, Artyom Kryukov, Marek Zagrapan and Denis Persson. To Benning’s credit, there were also a number of mid- and late-round finds, including Ryan Miller, Paul Gaustad, Andrej Sekera, Clarke MacArthur and Jan Hejda. Since taking over in Vancouver, Benning’s Canucks have drafted heavily out of the CHL, but have not hesitated to select Europeans from any major hockey playing nation, and as the Boeser pick proved, the USHL is also a possibility. Big players are the norm, but the Canucks have also used one pick in each of the past three drafts on an undersized blueliner, with some early success in Jordan Subban, Gustav Forsling and Guillaume Brisebois. Also notable is that all of their first round picks in the Benning age have been used on forwards.

USA NTDP u18 vs Sioux City Musketeers

Possible picks: In all honesty, I don’t think the Canucks will pigeon-hole themselves into any specific position or player type in the early going. There is no reason for them not to select the best player on their board at fifth overall. That might be Olli Juolevi, or Alexander Nylander and Michael McLeod would also not be too surprising, if not one of the other available centers in Clayton Keller or Logan Brown. With their remaining six picks, I expect the Canucks to spread their nets as wide as possible and draft from different areas. Tyler Benson or Jonathan Dahlen would be great ‘gets’ in the second round, but their draft board will not be easy to read. Also a possibility is the Canucks trading more late rounds picks as sweeteners in various NHL trades.

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:17:44 +0000

Ilya Samsonov made the most of his opportunity in front of NHL scouts last month in the Czech Republic.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound native of Magnitogorsk helped lead Russia to victory at the Five Nations Tournament.

Samsonov showcased a full package of skill and smarts while upsetting Team USA in a 5-4 overtime win - being outshot 51-to-16 - and then shutting down Sweden 5-1 in the final game.

He played this season in the MHL with Stalnye Lisy, Magnitogorsk's junior team, and will get another chance to bolster his draft stock at the U18 World Championships next month in Switzerland.

A number of Samsonov's U18 teammates could draw some draft interest with strong showings in Zug and Lucerne, the two host cities for the U18 Worlds.

Big, strong-shooting winger Denis Gurianov of Lada Togliatti is rated in the second round - 40th overall - on the McKeen's Top 120 rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Mikhail Vorobyev (Salavat Ufa) is rated 78th overall and is a smart, well-structured pivot in the classic old Russian style, while diminutive winger Kirill Kaprizov (Novokuznetsk) is listed as a late third-rounder - 89th overall. Just 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Kaprizov was a creative force throughout the Five Nations and demonstrated that he has the courage and work ethic to help overcome the size factor.

Samsonov is the top-rated goaltender in the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - debuting in the first round in the 29th spot.

Drafting goalies in the opening round has becoming increasingly less common. In fact, only six goaltenders have been selected in the first round over the past eight drafts (2007 to 2014). That compares to the five-year period from 2002 to 2006 in which a total of 14 goalies were first-round picks.

Samsonov is one of 11 goaltenders to earn spots in the McKeen's Top 120 rankings.

Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts is next on the goalie list - ranked as an early second-rounder at 33rd overall - while a pair of QMJHL goalies hold down the next two spots - Callum Booth of Halifax at 61st and Samuel Montembeault of Blainville-Boisbriand in the No. 68 spot.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
6	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
7	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
9	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
11	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
12	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
13	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
14	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
16	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
17	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
18	Joel Ek Eriksson	C	Farjestads (Swe)	6-2/180	29-Jan-97
19	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
20	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
21	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
22	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
23	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
24	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
25	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
26	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
27	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
28	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
29	Ilya Samsonov	G	Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-3/200	22-Feb-97
30	Jack Roslovic	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	29-Jan-97

31	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
32	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
33	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
34	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
35	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
36	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
37	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
38	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
39	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
40	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
41	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
42	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
43	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
44	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
45	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
46	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
47	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
48	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
49	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
50	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
51	Robin Kovacs	RW	AIK (Swe)	6-0/170	16-Nov-96
52	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
53	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
54	Travis Dermott	D	Erie (OHL)	5-11/195	22-Dec-96
55	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
56	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
57	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
58	Christian Fischer	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/215	15-Apr-97
59	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/185	29-Jul-97
60	Dennis Gilbert	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-2/200	30-Oct-96

61	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
62	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
63	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
64	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
65	Austin Wagner	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-1/180	23-Jun-97
66	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
67	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
68	Samuel Montembeault	G	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-2/165	30-Oct-96
69	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
70	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
71	Kyle Capobianco	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/180	13-Aug-97
72	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
73	Bailey Webster	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-3/210	8-Sep-97
74	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
75	Jesper Lindgren	D	MoDo (Swe)	6-0/160	19-May-97
76	Keegan Kolesar	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	8-Apr-97
77	Kevin Davis	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/185	14-Mar-97
78	Mikhail Vorobyev	C	Salavat Ufa (Rus)	6-2/195	5-Jan-97
79	Vince Dunn	D	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/185	29-Oct-96
80	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
81	Gustav Bouramman	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/185	24-Jan-97
82	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97
83	Lukas Jasek	RW	Trinec (Cze)	5-11/165	28-Aug-97
84	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
85	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
86	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
87	Jean-Christophe Beaudin	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	27-Mar-97
88	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
89	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	Novokuznetsk (Rus)	5-9/185	26-Apr-97
90	John Marino	D	South Shore (USPHL)	6-0/175	21-May-97

91	Chaz Reddekopp	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-3/220	1-Jan-97
92	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
93	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
94	Loik Leveille	D	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	5-11/220	25-Sep-96
95	Adam Gaudette	C	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-1/175	3-Oct-96
96	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
97	Gabriel Gagne	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-5/190	11-Nov-96
98	Thomas Schemitsch	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-96
99	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
100	Jonne Tammela	LW	KalPa (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Aug-97
101	Christian Jaros	D	Lulea (Swe)	6-3/200	2-Apr-96
102	Ales Stezka	G	Liberec (Cze)	6-3/180	6-Jan-97
103	Ethan Bear	D	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/200	26-Jun-97
104	Mathieu Joseph	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	9-Feb-97
105	Jeremiah Addison	LW	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	21-Oct-96
106	Devante Stephens	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Jan-97
107	Michael McNiven	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/205	9-Jul-97
108	Jeremy Lauzon	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/195	28-Apr-97
109	Luke Opilka	G	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	27-Feb-97
110	Philippe Myers	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-5/195	25-Jan-97
111	Adam Werner	G	Farjestads (Swe)	6-5/185	2-May-97
112	Brendan Warren	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/190	7-May-97
113	Julius Nattinen	C	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/190	14-Jan-97
114	Colton White	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	3-May-97
115	Samuel Dove-McFalls	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-2/205	10-Apr-97
116	Veeti Vainio	D	Blues (Fin)	6-2/170	16-Jun-97
117	Matt Bradley	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/185	22-Jan-97
118	Tyler Soy	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-11/170	10-Feb-97
119	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
120	A.J. Greer	LW	Boston University (HE)	6-2/205	14-Dec-96

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 QMJHL Prospects

McKeen's Hockey — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:13:10 +0000

Saint John defenceman Thomas Chabot and Halifax forward Timo Meier have followed similar paths this season.

Both were initially tabbed as early second-round projections - and have soared up the rankings throughout the campaign.

The pair are the top players from the QMJHL in the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - Meier ranked 13th overall with Chabot at No. 15 - and Saint John teammate and blueline partner Jakub Zboril right behind in 16th place.

Chabot's progress has been particularly impressive considering a shaky start which included being a healthy scratch for an early game.

The native of Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec grew in confidence as a puckmover and offensive catalyst, taking advantage of his outstanding skating mobility.

He found a complementary partner in Zboril, whose steady all-around game brought a sense of stability to a Sea Dogs team that raced to a 20-9-5 record by Christmas.

Saint John came back to earth over the second half, however, due in part to a knee injury to Zboril that cost the Czech import 19 games.

Zboril's absence did present a silver lining though as unheralded blueliner Bailey Webster stepped into a bigger role and has thrived.

Saint John have five players ranked in the top 20 for the QMJHL - and a sixth just outside in fast-rising winger Mathieu Joseph - currently sitting 23rd on the Q list - 104th overall.

QMJHL	ALL	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	13	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
2	15	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
3	16	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
4	22	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
5	23	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
6	32	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
7	36	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
8	38	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
9	47	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
10	49	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
11	61	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
12	64	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
13	68	Samuel Montembeault	G	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-2/165	30-Oct-96
14	69	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
15	73	Bailey Webster	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-3/210	8-Sep-97
16	80	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
17	84	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
18	87	Jean-Christophe Beaudin	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	27-Mar-97
19	92	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
20	94	Loik Leveille	D	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	5-11/220	25-Sep-96

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Draft Rankings – January, 2015

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:26:33 +0000

If the World Juniors serve as any indication, the next NHL draft could turn out to be a very special affair.

The pinnacle event for world junior hockey has historically been a tournament dominated by 19-year-old's, however this year's event saw numerous underage players make substantial impacts.

The U-20 World Juniors had been billed as the 'Mac vs Jack' showdown with a pair of 'generational' talents in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel battling for supremacy on the world stage - and ultimately for the first-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Eichel led a Team USA squad which also featured a pair of high-end 1997-born blueliners in Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski - the trio already having revived the U.S. collegiate scene.

The leading scorer among NCAA Div. 1 players, Eichel began the tournament on fire but gradually faded (5-1-3-4) as the Americans finished a disappointing fifth place.

It was all a rather conservative performance from the U.S. which served to mute the contributions of Hanifin (5-0-2-2) and Werenski (5-1-1-2), albeit the latter still managed to supercharge his draft stock.

Werenski (Grosse Pointe, MI) showed off his skating, skills and poise, following up a stand-out collegiate start which saw him leading the University of Michigan Wolverines blueline in scoring as a 17-year-old freshman (15-3-9-12).

Cracking the top 10, Werenski moves up to No. 7 - hotly pursued by another WJC underage phenom in Brandon's Ivan Provorov.

The Yaroslavl native played an integral role for Team Russia en route to winning a silver medal - and then celebrated his return to the WHL with a spectacular end-to-end goal against the Calgary Hitmen.

Mikko Rantanen of TPS Turku was another draft-eligible standout at the world juniors, turning heads throughout the tournie with his two-way play.

Rantanen was a one-man show for Team Finland, the defending champions, firing four of the team's eight goals.

Team Canada captured gold for the first time since 2009, receiving stalwart contributions from the only two draft-eligible players on the team - Connor McDavid and Lawson Crouse.

McDavid started tentatively fresh off a lengthy injury layoff, but got better each shift to produce some dazzling moments - not the least of which was his sublime cut behind the net to set up Nic Petan for a sitter in the semi-finals against Slovakia.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Crouse of the Kingston Frontenacs cemented his status as a premier prospect with an outstanding performance.

Crouse emerged a leader on Canada's unstoppable fourth line which ground opponents down with a heavy cycle - alongside bulky linemates Nick Ritchie and Frederik Gauthier.

Despite a disappointing tournament for Team Switzerland, who needed a playoff win over Germany to avoid relegation, the Swiss underager's also made waves.

Jonas Siegenthaler was a rock on the Swiss blueline posting a remarkable plus-9 rating - the only non-Canadian among the tournament's top 10.

Another steady force for the Swiss was Timo Meier (6-2-4-6) who built on a strong opening half with the Halifax Mooseheads.

Meier earned a berth in the McKeen's Top 30 rankings - sitting at No. 24 - while Siegenthaler is ranked as an early second-rounder - at No. 36.

Jens Looke of Brynas also makes his debut in the top 30. As the only `97-born player on Team Sweden, Looke began the tournament as the 13th forward but gained a regular spot in the lineup and wound up scoring three goals - tied for third on the team.

Alexander Dergachyov (Russia), Sebastian Aho (Finland), and David Kase (Czech) added to the list of underager's who excelled at the world juniors - each of whom are ranked in the second round.

Here is a look at the McKeen's Top 30 Rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL TOP 75 RANKINGS.

RANK	PREV	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	6	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	5	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
6	7	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
7	11	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	22	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
9	4	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	9	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
11	18	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
12	10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
13	17	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
14	8	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	26	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
16	13	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
17	14	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
18	12	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
19	16	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
20	NR	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
21	15	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
22	20	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
23	30	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
24	NR	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
25	19	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
26	28	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
27	24	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
28	NR	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
29	NR	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
30	NR	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:24:53 +0000

A quick demographic breakdown of the McKeen's Top 75 rankings suggests the 2015 NHL Draft is shaping up to have not only good depth but also balance.

The five primary regions are represented fairly equally with the QMJHL leading the way with 17 prospects ranked - followed closely by the OHL (16), Europe/International (16), the WHL (15), and the U.S. (11).

RANK	PREV	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	6	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	5	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
6	7	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
7	11	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	22	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
9	4	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	9	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
11	18	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
12	10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
13	17	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
14	8	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	26	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
16	13	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
17	14	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
18	12	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
19	16	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
20	NR	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
21	15	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
22	20	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
23	30	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
24	NR	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
25	19	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
26	28	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
27	24	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
28	NR	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
29	NR	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
30	NR	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
31	NR	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
32	21	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
33	25	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
34	NR	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
35	NR	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
36	NR	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
37	29	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
38	NR	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
39	NR	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
40	NR	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
41	NR	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
42	23	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
43	NR	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
44	NR	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
45	NR	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
46	NR	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
47	NR	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
48	NR	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
49	NR	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
50	NR	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
51	NR	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
52	NR	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
53	NR	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
54	NR	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
55	27	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
56	NR	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
57	NR	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
58	NR	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
59	NR	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
60	NR	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
61	NR	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
62	NR	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
63	NR	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
64	NR	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
65	NR	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
66	NR	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/180	29-Jul-97
67	NR	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
68	NR	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
69	NR	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
70	NR	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
71	NR	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
72	NR	Rasmus Andersson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/215	27-Oct-96
73	NR	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
74	NR	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
75	NR	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97

Guillaume Brisebois – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Vancouver Canucks Top 20 Prospects

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Nils Hoglander, LW (40th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Olli Juolevi, D (5th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 3)

Jett Woo, D (37th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Jack Rathbone, D (95th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Will Lockwood, RW (64th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

Michael DiPietro, G (64th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Zack MacEwen, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Jacob Truscott, D (144th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joni Jurmo, D (82nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking NA)

Kole Lind, RW (33rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Brogan Rafferty, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 1, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Aidan McDonough, LW (195th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

Marc Michaelis, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 19, 2020. Previous ranking: 13)

Dmitri Zlodeyev, C (175th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87th overall, 2018 [San Jose]. Previous ranking: 14)

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 11)

Arvid Costmar, C (215th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Petrus Palmu, LW/RW (181st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 16)

Carson Focht, C (133rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 17)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 13

Vancouver Canucks

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Nils Hoglander, LW (40th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Olli Juolevi, D (5th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

Jett Woo, D (37th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Jack Rathbone, D (95th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

Will Lockwood, RW (64th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 5)

Michael DiPietro, G (64th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 8)

Zack MacEwen, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. 2019 Rank: 15)

Kole Lind, RW (33rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

Brogan Rafferty, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed 1, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 12)

Aidan McDonough, LW (195th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Marc Michaelis, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 19, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87th overall, 2018 [San Jose]. 2019 Rank: UR)

Arvid Costmar, C (215th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Vancouver Canucks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Vancouver Canucks Prospect System Overview

Vancouver – System Overview

2016 NHL Draft Guide: Vancouver Canucks Draft Strategy

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 QMJHL Prospects

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Draft Rankings – January, 2015

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 3)

Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Jacob Truscott, D (144^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joni Jurmo, D (82^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking NA)

Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Aidan McDonough, LW (195^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 12)

Dmitri Zlodeyev, C (175^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87^thoverall, 2018 [San Jose]. Previous ranking: 14)

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 11)

Arvid Costmar, C (215^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Petrus Palmu, LW/RW (181^st overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 16)

Carson Focht, C (133^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 17)

Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 16)

Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 5)

Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 8)

Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 11)

Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 12)

Aidan McDonough, LW (195^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Linus Karlsson, C (Trade: Feb. 25, 2019. Originally: 87^thoverall, 2018 [San Jose]. 2019 Rank: UR)

Arvid Costmar, C (215^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)