Jett Woo – McKeen's Hockey

AHL: Hall: 11 Prospects in Make-or-Break Seasons

Dave Hall — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:57:11 +0000

_{LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 03: Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Alex Turcotte (38) celebrates a goal during a game between the New Jersey Devil and the Los Angeles Kings on March 3rd, 2024 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)}

A tale as old as time: a promising former junior star struggling to make the leap to the NHL.

Each year, some players see their dreams slip further out of reach, whether due to injuries, a failure to adapt their game, or simply falling out of favour with their team.

The pressure intensifies when a prospect reaches the ages of 24 to 26. Whether fair or not, hockey seems to have an unspoken rule: if a player hasn't solidified their spot by this age, the window to realize their potential begins to close rapidly. While a few defy the odds and break through the pattern, the margin for error narrows considerably.

Time may be on the verge of running out for these NHL hopefuls. Here’s a look at some players battling to keep their dreams alive as they approach one of their final opportunities to crack an NHL lineup.

Kole Lind, 25, Dallas Stars

Kole Lind, originally drafted 33rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks, has yet to implant his game at the NHL level. He is nearly 26, and with just 31 games on his resume, that dream is fading away by the day. Despite the lack of opportunity, his play in the AHL has steadily improved, going from a 17-point rookie campaign to subsequent seasons of 44, 35 (in just 46 games), 62, and most recently, 65 points. All of this is positive growth, but the question remains: can he translate this success to the NHL?

Now part of the Dallas Stars organization, Lind will be competing against names like Logan Stankoven and Colin Blackwell on the right side, with the likely scenario being that he remains a valuable call-up option rather than securing a permanent roster spot. Yet, given the lack of current depth on the wing in Dallas, the prospect of him seeing games doesn’t feel too far-fetched.

Valtteri Puustinen, 25, Pittsburgh Penguins

Valtteri Puustinen, a 2019 seventh-round pick, has defied expectations by becoming a consistent producer for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, highlighted by back-to-back 20-goal campaigns. Heck, he even posted 20 points in 53 NHL games during his only true audition last year (2023-24).

His play earned him a two-year extension, and at 25, Puustinen feels on the verge of becoming a fringe NHL player. However, his defensive acumen and play off the puck need polishing to establish trust with head coach Mike Sullivan. While a return to the minors seems likely, the time is now for Puustinen to make his move toward becoming a full-time NHL player.

Jett Woo, 24, Vancouver Canucks

Jett Woo, once known for his high-powered offensive ability in junior hockey, has struggled to maintain that form at the pro level. At one point, he was even utilized as a fourth-line winger. Slowly but surely, Woo has grown his game, though, posting improved point totals in consecutive seasons, including a career-high 31 points last season.

Now 24, Woo has become known more for his physical, hard-nosed style of play rather than his offensive contributions. He has placed himself in a position to be one of the Canucks’ top call-up options on the right side, but whether he can stick in the NHL remains to be seen. The reality of him becoming a full-time AHLer is becoming increasingly obvious with each season.

Alec Regula, 24, Boston Bruins

Alec Regula, a right-shot defender with a large 6-foot-4 frame, was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft. That pick was soon followed with high hopes after a career-high 60-point season with the London Knights in his draft-plus-two year. However, Regula’s career has been marred by inconsistency and injury since turning pro.

Now, after consecutive seasons focused primarily on AHL reps, Regula is trending in the right direction and could contribute at the NHL level soon. However, a recent summer surgery may derail his chances this season, but as a right-shot defender, his options will likely remain open a bit longer.

Raphaël Lavoie, 24, Edmonton Oilers

Raphaël Lavoie’s skillset puts him in a challenging spot when it comes to fitting into the Edmonton Oilers scheme. Known for his booming, NHL-caliber shot, the Quebec native has made a name for himself with his offensive contributions, scoring 71 goals across 202 AHL games.

However, his lack of foot speed and dynamic ability creates a dead-end road to evolving into a bottom-six role, which feels like his only pathway toward carving a spot within this team. At 24 years old, Lavoie may need an injury to a top-six player to get his shot at the NHL level, or perhaps a change of scenery where his offensive skills can be better utilized.

Alex Turcotte, 23, Akil Thomas, 24 & Samuel Fagemo, 24, Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings have long been lauded for their deep prospect pool, but at some point, these youngsters have to prove themselves, right? Sitting atop those expectations is Alex Turcotte, who has yet to truly establish himself since being drafted fifth overall in 2019. Injuries have played their part, but given the pedigree, his 0.67 point-per-game clip at the AHL level doesn’t necessarily scream top-5 pick. With his sights set on making the NHL team out of camp, the time for him to bring his A-game is now.

While their pedigree may not be as high, Akil Thomas and Samuel Fagemo, both 24, are also feeling the pressure to translate their AHL success to the NHL. Both players showcase two varying playing styles. With Thomas much more ready to provide bottom-six minutes, the time is ticking for both to take that next leap in development. Fagemo has proven his ability to score at the AHL level, so now it’s time to take that release to the pro level.

Adam Beckman, 23, New Jersey Devils

Adam Beckman, a third-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2019, had a standout junior career, including a 107-point season with the Spokane Chiefs. However, his transition to pro hockey has sung a slightly different tune, with just 108 points in 181 AHL games and only three assists in 23 NHL games.

This summer, Beckman was given a fresh start with the New Jersey Devils in a trade, but he faces stiff competition on a young and talented Devils roster. At this point, his best chance may come as a top call-up option, but at 23, time is running out for him to establish himself as a full-time NHL contributor.

Grigori Denisenko, 24, Vegas Golden Knights

Grigori Denisenko appeared to get the fresh start he needed after being plucked off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights early into the 2023-24 season. In Florida’s system, he managed just 63 points in 101 AHL games over three years and was soon on track to become a potential first-round disappointment. In Vegas, however, his game enjoyed some rejuvenation, nearly matching his previous three-season total combined, with 56 points in 65 games.

Despite his improved play, Denisenko, now 24, faces an uphill battle to crack the Golden Knights’ roster, especially given their depth. With only 32 NHL games under his belt, he’ll need to make his mark soon if he hopes to secure a spot in the league.

Trey Fix-Wolansky, 25, Columbus Blue Jackets

Trey Fix-Wolansky has everything you want in a middle-six forward: speed, work ethic, and consistent production at every level he’s played. Everything, that is, except size, since he is just 5-foot-7. At 25 years old, the window is closing for him to make a permanent jump to the NHL. Despite his size, Fix-Wolansky has proven himself to be a formidable player, and with a new coach in Columbus, he may still have a shot at breaking through. However, how many more 60-point AHL seasons will it take for him to earn that permanent role, if ever?

Playing Blue Jackets hockey is still well on his radar, and if a teetering AHL tweener is all the upside he has, then he’s not the worst player to have in that role. The problem is, with 224 AHL games under his belt, he’s trending awfully close to being considered a league veteran, which has put a long list of players without a chair in North America over recent years.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 13:00:13 +0000

_{231221 Jonathan Lekkerimäki of Sweden looks dejected after the under-20 international friendly ice hockey game between Sweden and USA on December 21, 2023 in Ängelholm. Photo: Maxim Thoré / BILDBYRÅN / kod MT / MT0513}

Prospect System Ranking – 22nd (Previous Rank - 16th)
GM: Patrik Allvin Hired: January 2022
COACH: Rick Tocchet Hired: January 2023

Everything seemed to fall into place for the Vancouver Canucks in 2023-24, with success resonating throughout the organization. Several players hit career highs, Rick Tocchet earned the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year, and Patrik Allvin was a finalist for GM of the Year.

Most importantly for the future and a prospect system dwindled by years of poor asset management, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, our 19th-ranked prospect at McKeen’s, had a breakout season overseas. He collected an impressive list of accolades, including team MVP, Rookie of the Year, and World Juniors MVP, all while leading all U23 skaters in points (31) in the SHL. Now officially in North America, Lekkerimäki is likely to spend some time in Abbotsford, but isn’t far off from earning minutes in Vancouver.

Lekkerimäki will join a group of prospects on the cusp of NHL duty, including Aatu Räty (ranked 79th), Arshdeep Bains (ranked 208th), Linus Karlsson (ranked 293rd), and Elias Pettersson (no, not that one), who is set to embark on his first full season in North America.

Tom Willander, who comes in as our 46th-ranked prospect, will spend at least one more season at Boston University but is another intriguing youngster capable of carving out a top four role in the next few years. With Montreal’s Lane Hutson no longer in the picture at BU, the blueline is there for Willander to command in 2024-25.

The biggest jump of 2024-25 will likely come between the pipes. With both Vancouver’s regular netminders–Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith–suffering playoff injuries, Arturs Silovs (202nd) was thrust into the crease, despite having just five regular season starts to his name. He played exceptionally well, helping the Canucks come within one goal of reaching the Western Conference Finals. His performance earned him a two-year extension and a shot at becoming the team’s permanent backup.

The system is still a work in progress, and with no picks in the first or second rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, there is still much ground to cover. However, it’s a step in the right direction under a new regime that appears to know what it’s doing.

Vancouver Canucks Top-15 Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Lekkerimaki really started to heat up during the 2023 HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs, and once that began happening you could see that a switch had flipped for him. He hasn’t slowed down at all since then, and has firmly re-established himself as one of the most dynamic and dangerous prospects in the sport. It’s not often that a teenager leads an SHL team in both goals and points, but the young Canucks sharpshooter did that this season for Orebro, which just goes to show how good he truly was. He’s a high-end goal-scorer both with his one-timer, which he can let rip with expert power and precision, as well as his ability to burst past opposing defenders with speed before then deking the goalie out of his pads. The highlight-reel that he will accumulate by the end of his career will be quite a long one.

2. Tom Willander

Willander was a late riser up everyone's 2023 draft boards, and his seamless transition to living in North America and playing hockey in the NCAA are great indicators that he will be able to adapt to the NHL one day and make an impact there as well. He is already a dominant two-way player with Boston University, using his powerful and flawless skating ability to tilt the ice whenever he's out there. The value he brings is less about the sheer number of points he produces, and more so the ability to control the flow of the game around him and dictate its outcomes. It's very easy to project him as someone who will be able to play in a Top 4 role in the NHL and match up well against the most dangerous forwards the league has to offer.

3. Aatu Raty

Raty spent the entirety of his 2023-24 campaign with Abbotsford, and while he might be personally disappointed that he didn’t get to play any games for Vancouver, the argument could be made that all that consistency was important to stabilize his development, because there was a lot of moving around and mixed results for him over the past few seasons. The results were encouraging, with better production rates and him taking on a bigger role within his team. Next season will likely be a similar story, considering the competition among forwards in the organization right now, but if he truly plays himself up the depth chart, he’ll get rewarded for it. A two-way center with size and skill, he could be a very impactful NHLer one day if he continues to stick to the plan and takes things as they come to him.

4. Arturs Silovs

Silovs has turned out to be a very valuable find for the Canucks as a 6th-round draft selection. He hasn’t exactly knocked anyone’s socks off since he was picked, but he’s certainly proven himself to be a good supporting goalie at the very least, with the possibility of him still becoming something more one day. He lets his large frame do most of his work while he’s between the pipes, while also doing a good job of keeping his head clear and not riding the highs and the lows of the game situations in front of him. His surprise success for Vancouver in last year’s playoffs, stepping up in relief of the injured Thatcher Demko, all but cemented his right to play full-time in the NHL in 2024-25, which will be his biggest and most important challenge yet. What he does next could change the entire trajectory of his career.

5. Arshdeep Bains

What an incredible story Bains continues to write for himself. In the span of a few short years, he's gone from being an undrafted longshot, to earning a contract with his favourite childhood hockey team, to establishing himself as one of their very best prospects. His success also extends well outside of the Canucks organization, providing valuable representation for the Canadian Sikh community's growing love of the sport. He thinks the game at a very high level, which has been the primary source of his ability to keep making repeated gains in a multitude of areas and consistently year over year. It’s fair to say that he’s exceeded everyone’s expectations thus far into his career. A track record like his, along with how well-rounded his game already is, signals that he won't be confined to just a single NHL pathway and could earn different roles within a roster.

6. Linus Karlsson

Karlsson has quietly emerged within the Canucks system as quite a steady point producer. That was true of his time in the Swedish professional ranks and has carried over nicely to North America. He’s a little on the older side for a prospect, at 24 years of age now, but him leading Abbotsford in scoring at a point-per-game clip should not be undervalued. He’s a real jack-of-all-trades type of center, and that will either end up being a blessing or a curse for him as he tries to make Vancouver full-time, because he’ll be at the whim of the team’s roster construction and whether they need another guy like him, versus someone who fills a more specialized role. The good news is that there should be a small number of forward spots open next fall for someone promoted internally.

7. Kirill Kudryavtsev

The Greyhounds pulled off a major turnaround this past season compared to the last one, and Kudryavtsev played an essential role in how they did it as one of their most trusted defensemen. His game didn’t necessarily get an overhaul from one year to the next, but he fine-tuned his play, increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of how he plays. Sometimes it’s about perfecting what you have, not looking for something else. He’s a mobile two-way defender who plays a heads-up brand of hockey and displays a lot of comfort when the puck is on his stick. Will he ever be a go-to powerplay specialist or penalty killer for the Canucks? Probably not. But he could still bring value to the team through an ability to reliably pick up retrievals, evade forecheck pressure, and turn the puck back up the ice quickly and accurately.

8. Elias Pettersson

All jokes aside about the Canucks having two players in the organization with the exact same name, this Elias Pettersson is a very solid young defenseman in his own right and is on a promising course to make it to the NHL one day. He’s very well equipped as a modern-day shutdown defenseman, with a good blend of reach, mobility, and poise with the puck. He also understands how to play physically and land big hits without getting himself into penalty trouble, though he will have to get his hands dirty a little more often once he starts playing in North America full-time. Him being a part of Abbotsford’s AHL playoff run this spring is a good introduction to that. Adding a more of an offensive element to his game would be nice as well, but it won’t be a necessity for him.

9. Sawyer Mynio

It's amazing what being surrounded by elite talent can do for a player, especially when they are good learners and know how to make the most out of the opportunity. Mynio is a textbook example of what that looks like. The spotlight rarely shone on him last year as a member of the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds, with it understandably getting hogged instead by the team's surplus of stars, but Mynio was out there every game too, grinding and growing. The results of that work have been incredible to see, as he managed to improve every facet of his game, while also becoming the new face of the organization and one of its leaders on and off the ice as they look to usher in a new era. That kind of experience is hard to find and even harder to replicate.

10. Jett Woo

The hype about Woo has cooled off significantly since he was picked 37th overall in the 2018 NHL entry draft, and for a while it looked like it was going to freeze completely, but give him credit: he’s dug in, battled hard, and has made himself look like a legitimate NHL prospect again. He’s a stocky, physical blueliner who developed a reputation for delivering sturdy hits, and after a bit of a warming-up period in the AHL has started to look more like his old self. The offensive side of his game has fluctuated a lot from year to year, but this season was his best one yet as a pro, and he led all defensemen on his team in scoring. It looks like there won’t be any room for him on the big club at first, but if injuries occur on the blueline Woo could be first in line to get a look.

11. Max Sasson

Just how far has Sasson come in his development? To put it into perspective, in 2017 he was selected in the 19th round in the USHL draft. Three years later he was an assistant captain in the league. Three years after that he was scoring at a point-per-game pace in the NCAA. Now he's thriving in the AHL. Even if he never becomes more than a high-character glue guy, someone like that often finds a way to take their careers farther than others.

12. Cole McWard

It must have stung a little for McWard to play all but one game in the AHL last season, after going straight from the NCAA to the moribund Canucks at the end of 2022-23 and even scoring his first NHL goal. The organization might have hoped that he’d grab the bull by the horns down in Abbotsford and then force his way back up, but it hasn’t happened yet. Any look he gets now will need to be earned, not given.

13. Melvin Fernström

No player picked in the 2024 NHL draft had a stronger disconnect between their stats and their on-ice performance than Fernström. How he scored so much last year still remains something of a mystery, but a large part of it is his uncanny anticipation, knowing how to be in the right place at the right time. It will be fascinating to see if that continues to work for him, since he doesn’t drive much play off his own stick.

14. Anthony Romani

It’s a downright travesty that Romani had to miss almost all of North Bay’s big playoff run due to injury, because he was having one of the best Cinderella seasons in recent league history. Nobody expected him to more than double his goal and point totals from the prior year and challenge for the league scoring title. Was it all just a flash in the pan? Nobody knows for sure yet, but the Canucks picked Romani on the off chance that it wasn’t.

15. Josh Bloom

The jump from junior hockey to professional hockey isn’t always easy, and Bloom experienced that the hard way last season, struggling in both the AHL and the ECHL before going back to Saginaw as an overage player. On the bright side, he did get to win a Memorial Cup with the Spirit, so it’s not all bad. Prior flashes of offensive upside haven’t fully materialized, so focusing on his checking work might be a necessary shift.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #16 Vancouver Canucks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:00:46 +0000

240127 Örebros Jonathan Lekkerimäki under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Örebro och Timrå den 27 januari 2024 i Örebro.
Foto: Aron Broman / BILDBYRÅN / COP 341 / AM0032

The first full season under Rick Tocchet was a resounding success resulting in a landslide win for the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year. While not being able to close their second series with Edmonton, despite being up three games to two, they performed admirably and had some tough luck with injuries. The Canucks outpaced the Oilers in the regular season to win the Pacific Division with 109 points, a massive improvement over last season’s 83 points. GM Patrik Allvin was a buyer at the deadline orchestrating a massive trade for Elias Lindholm, a free agent following the season. It cost the organization their first-round pick, plus Andrei Kuzmenko along with promising prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo. A bold play for a potential rental that looked like it might backfire as he acclimatized to his new surroundings, producing a disappointing 12 points in 26 games. He finished third in team scoring in the playoffs with 10 points in 13 games, including some key ones.

The prospect pool remains in the middle of the pack and actually up from 23rd to 16th. The reason is the presence of three prospects that rank in our top 60. Jonathan Lekkerimaki is ranked at #12 and had a tremendous season and developing quickly in Sweden and joining Abbotsford to end the season. A late riser in the draft last season, Tom Willander was selected at #11 overall and ranked by McKeen’s in our top 200 at #28, He transitioned seamlessly to North America at Boston College and was a dominant two-way player. Aatu Raty, a two-way center, is ranked 59th by McKeen’s and had a strong season in Abbotsford. Without their first two picks in this year’s draft, the prospect ranking is only likely to fall at this point.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	`22(15th)	46	19	12	31	10
					Abbotsford (AHL)	`22(15th)	6	1	1	2	0
2	Tom Willander	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	`23(11th)	38	4	21	25	12
3	Aatu Raty	C	21	6-2/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	T(NYI-1/23)	72	18	34	52	18
4	Arshdeep Bains	LW	23	6-0/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	FA(3/22)	59	16	39	55	28
					Vancouver (NHL)	FA(3/22)	8	0	0	0	6
5	Linus Karlsson	C	24	6-1/180	Abbotsford (AHL)	T(SJ-2/19)	60	23	37	60	30
					Vancouver (NHL)	T(SJ-2/19)	4	0	0	0	0
6	Arturs Silovs	G	23	6-4/205	Abbotsford (AHL)	`19(156th)	34	16	11	2.74	0.907
7	Sawyer Mynio	D	19	6-1/175	Seattle (WHL)	`23(89th)	63	16	37	53	66
8	Max Sasson	C	23	6-1/180	Abbotsford (AHL)	FA(3/23)	56	18	24	42	36
9	Jett Woo	D	23	6-0/205	Abbotsford (AHL)	`18(37th)	62	7	24	31	93
10	Elias Pettersson 2	D	20	6-1/185	Vasteras (HockeyAllsvenskan)	`22(80th)	34	3	11	14	8
11	Aidan McDonough	LW	24	6-3/190	Abbotsford (AHL)	`19(195th)	58	11	8	19	10
12	Cole McWard	D	22	6-1/205	Abbotsford (AHL)	FA(4/23)	57	4	13	17	16
13	Filip Johansson	D	24	6-0/175	Abbotsford (AHL)	FA(6/22)	55	5	13	18	10
14	Kirill Kudryavtsev	D	20	5-11/200	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	`22(208th)	67	5	42	47	18
15	Nikita Tolopilo	G	23	6-6/230	Abbotsford (AHL)	FA(3/23)	35	20	13	2.83	0.905

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Orebro HK (SHL)

Lekkerimaki really started to heat up during the 2023 HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs, and once that began happening you could see that a switch had flipped for him. He hasn’t slowed down at all since then and has firmly re-established himself as one of the most dynamic and dangerous prospects in the sport. It’s not often that a teenager leads an SHL team in both goals and points, but the young Canucks sharpshooter did that this season for Orebro, which just goes to show how good he truly was. He’s a high-end goal-scorer both with his one-timer, which he can let rip with expert power and precision, as well as his ability to burst past opposing defenders with speed before then deking the goalie out of his pads. The highlight-reel that he will accumulate by the end of his career will be quite a long one.

2. Tom Willander, D, Boston University (NCAA)

Willander was a late riser up everyone's 2023 draft boards, and his seamless transition to living in North America and playing hockey in the NCAA are great indicators that he will be able to adapt to the NHL one day and make an impact there as well. He is already a dominant two-way player with Boston University, using his powerful and flawless skating ability to tilt the ice whenever he's out there. The value he brings is less about the sheer number of points he produces, and more so the ability to control the flow of the game around him and dictate its outcomes. It's very easy to project him as someone who will be able to play in a top four role in the NHL and match up well against the most dangerous forwards the league has to offer.

3. Aatu Raty, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

Raty spent the entirety of his 2023-24 campaign with Abbotsford, and while he might be personally disappointed that he didn’t get to play any games for Vancouver, the argument could be made that all that consistency was important to stabilize his development, because there was a lot of moving around and mixed results for him over the past few seasons. The results were encouraging, with better production rates and him taking on a bigger role within his team. Next season will likely be a similar story, considering the competition among forwards in the organization right now, but if truly plays himself up the depth chart he’ll get rewarded for it. A two-way center with size and skill, he could be a very impactful NHLer one day if he continues to stick to the plan and takes things as they come to him.

4. Arshdeep Bains, LW, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

5. Linus Karlsson, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

6. Arturs Silovs, G, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

Silovs has turned out to be a very valuable find for the Canucks as a 6th-round draft selection. He hasn’t exactly knocked anyone’s socks off since he was picked, but he’s certainly proven himself to be a good depth goalie at the very least, with the possibility of him still becoming something more one day. He lets his large frame do most of his work while he’s between the pipes, while also doing a good job of keeping his head clear and not riding the highs and the lows of the game situations in front of him. He’s done a good enough job over the past two years in his call-ups to Vancouver, but he’ll probably need to beat out his competition and prove himself as a quality AHL starter — which hasn’t exactly happened yet — before he’ll get trusted as a proper backup at the NHL level.

7. Sawyer Mynio, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

8. Max Sasson, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

Just how far has Sasson come in his development as a hockey player? To put it into perspective, in 2017 he was selected in the 19th round, 303rd overall, in the USHL Entry Draft. Three years later he was an assistant captain in the league. Three years after that he was scoring at a point-per-game pace in the NCAA. Now, at age 23, he's thriving in the AHL. With a story like that, and a proven track record of improving himself year over year and exceeding all expectations, how could you doubt his ability to reach the NHL one day, too? Even if he never becomes more than a high-character glue guy for the Canucks, someone like that is always welcome among a coaching staff and in the locker room, and they often find ways to take their careers farther than other prospects who have more skill but lack the same intangibles.

9. Jett Woo, D, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

The hype about Woo has cooled off significantly since he was picked 37th overall in the 2018 NHL entry draft, and for a while it looked like it was going to freeze completely, but give him credit: he’s dug in, battled hard, and has made himself look like a legitimate NHL prospect again. He’s a stocky, physical blueliner who developed a reputation for delivering sturdy hits, and after a bit of a warming-up period in the AHL has started to look more like his old self. The offensive side of his game has fluctuated a lot from year to year, but this season was his best one yet as a pro, and he led all defensemen on his team in scoring. With the big club set to lose four NHL defenders to free agency this summer, how much consideration will Woo get at making the team?

10. Elias Pettersson, D, Vasteras IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

All jokes aside about the Canucks having two players in the organization with the exact same name, this Elias Pettersson is a very solid young defenseman in his own right and is on a promising course to make it to the NHL one day. He’s very well equipped as a modern-day shutdown defenseman, with a good blend of reach, mobility and poise with the puck. He also understands how to play physically and land big hits without getting himself into penalty trouble, though he will have to get his hands dirty a little more often once he starts playing in North America full-time. His being a part of Abbotsford’s AHL playoff run this spring is a good introduction to that. Adding a more of an offensive element to his game would be nice as well, but it won’t be a necessity for him.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:39:11 +0000

Top 20 Vancouver Canucks Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Lekkerimäki didn't have the smoothest post-draft season, but he's not the first or the last top prospect to experience that, especially among ones who still have a lot of physical development left to undergo. At his best he is an electrifying offensive winger, able to skate through or around traffic, control the puck at high speeds, and then beat a goalie with slick hands or a well-placed shot. Where he gets into trouble is in his lack of strength and resistance, as it isn’t hard right now for pro defenders to pin him to the boards, box him out of the slot, or otherwise neutralize him when they catch him. Conditioning can be a problem too, struggling to keep his engine running all game or through busy schedules. But once the training catches up to the talent, watch out. He finished his year on a high note , with postseason scoring totals that matched what he produced during the regular season.

2. Tom Willander

Willander’s rise up the draft rankings (including ours) was steady last year. Starting with a standout performance at the World Junior A Challenge and culminating with a steady showing at the U18’s, Willander made himself an attractive option to teams picking around where the Canucks ultimately selected him. One admirable element about Willander’s game is how consistent his decision making is with the puck. He has such a high panic threshold in the defensive end and he rarely gets hemmed in his own zone as he uses his feet and head-up approach to confidently clear the zone. One area of Willander’s game that really improved over the course of the season was his physical intensity level. He slowly became a defensive force and was very difficult to beat one-on-one. With a strong two-way base, good size, a right shot, and a high-end IQ, he has a chance to be a very good NHL defender. He will be taking a rather unorthodox route by attending Boston University next year and should be a standout right away at the NCAA level.

3. Aatu Raty

Räty has a reputation for swinging wildly between hot and cold, which dates back to his time in Finland's highest junior league and has now followed him all the way to British Columbia. It's a real shame too, because when he gets everything clicking in unison, he is legitimately one of the best prospects in the sport. He's at his best when the puck is on his stick and he's feeling determined and confident, maintaining possession in traffic, and making defenders look foolish by throwing them on his back, undressing them, or threading passes right through them. It remains a mystery why he has such a bad habit of taking his foot off the gas and being a passenger instead of a driver. Any coach that can light a consistent fire under him will look like a genius.

4. Jack Rathbone

Rathbone lost a lot of the momentum that he had going for him in 2021-22 and his point totals took a dramatic tumble. Vancouver's early struggles and desperate lineup turnover had ripple effects throughout the organization, and some players never fully regained their balance. The good news is that the Boston native is still wildly talented and should be more than fine in the long run. He is a premier puck-moving blueliner with plus offensive instincts, and that type of player is arguably more valuable in the NHL now than ever before. He manages opposing forechecks with his escapability since he doesn't have enough bulk to help him absorb a lot of hits. Vancouver will need to be careful with Rathbone next season, because he will require waivers to go to the AHL and a lot of teams would jump at the chance to acquire him for free.

5. Aidan McDonough

Convincing McDonough to sign with the team that drafted him instead of going the free agent route after college was a top priority for Vancouver, and they accomplished their mission. Promising him NHL games straightaway was a smart carrot to dangle, and he was rewarded for his loyalty to the team by scoring his first career goal in the show. He is a strong, shoot-first winger who is difficult to box out or tie up when he really wants to get to the net front. Staying with Northeastern for four seasons was a smart decision for the player, because that extra time in the gym allowed him to fill out his frame and improve his conditioning, two necessary gains that he should be easier to maintain moving forward. McDonough might have to start next season in the AHL, but some time down at that level won't stunt his long-term development or progress.

6. Hunter Brzustewicz

Brzustewicz requires many viewings to gain a proper appreciation for. He is far from flashy, but there is real value in his heads-up puck moving ability. Thanks to quick feet, he rarely gets trapped in his own end, making him a breakout machine. He was about as consistent as can be through his first OHL season and his leadership on the backend was one of the main reasons why Kitchener improved so drastically in the second half, enabling them to upset the Windsor Spitfires in round one of the OHL playoffs. His defensive play improved in the second half, too as he learned to use his mobility to put himself in better position to make defensive plays without elite physical tools. Of course, the real concern here is that Brzustewicz tops out as a really good junior defender, without a true role at the NHL level because his game lacks dynamic qualities. However, he’ll return to the OHL this season with an eye on improving his strength and projection, although it may be part of a new OHL organization with Kitchener set to rebuild.

7. Linus Karlsson

Karlsson transitioned quite nicely to North America in his first season, immediately slotting into a top six job in the AHL and eclipsing the 20-goal mark. That was what was expected, as an older prospect who has enjoyed a lot of professional success in Sweden beforehand, but it wasn't a guarantee. He is a Jack-of-all-trades forward who can play different forward positions, do damage as a shooter or a playmaker, handle and protect the puck well, and he doesn't usually sacrifice his defensive responsibilities to cheat for offense. Karlsson has been a go-to guy at times but might be better suited as more of a supporting piece. The Canucks acquired Karlsson from San Jose in exchange for Jonathan Dahlén, and since Dahlén played only one uneventful season with the Sharks before heading back to Europe, it's safe to assume that Vancouver is happy with how that transaction has worked out.

8. Arturs Silovs

Over the past few years, Silovs has played relatively little, even going back before the pandemic, but somehow it appears to have not really hindered his development, which can't be said for a lot of netminders in his age range. He's also one of the few pro-level prospects in the organization who maintained stability amid all the turbulence, and you always want to see unflappable composure in a goaltender. He has done a very good job taking the natural foundation provided by his huge frame and then stacking improvements in all areas on top. It's still not certain whether Silovs has what it takes to become a true NHL starter, but he has played well enough that the Canucks will now commit to try grooming him for that role.

9. Joni Jurmo

Jurmo is often the epitome of firewagon hockey and while it probably drives his coaches crazy, you can't deny that he's entertaining as hell to watch. Every time the big, mobile defenseman winds up behind his own net with the puck there is an exhilarating chance that something dramatic happens, though that could either be a highlight-reel-worthy rush that leads to a goal, or an utterly brutal turnover from close to his own net that leads to an easy goal against. While his macro game is high risk, high reward, his micro game and fine details are mostly riddled with concerns. It's difficult to rely on a blueliner too heavily when their puck management is not trustworthy. Still, Jurmo is worth continually investing development resources into due to the possibility that he can further utilize his fantastic raw tools to increase the good moments while significantly reducing the bad ones.

10. Josh Bloom

Acquired for depth defender Riley Stillman, Bloom has a chance to develop into a nice piece for the Canucks moving forward. He brings such great versatility to his coaches with his well-rounded game. Thanks to his strong skating base and high IQ, his mark is left all over the ice and he can excel in a variety of different roles. He can lead the charge on the counter-attack, playing an aggressive North/South game. He finds soft spots well in coverage that he can exploit as both a shooter and passer. Over his OHL career, Bloom also developed into a tremendous penalty killer, a role that he should be able to continue to fill at the pro level. Is he the most skilled or creative player? No, and that may ultimately cap his upside as a future NHL winger. We feel that Bloom is an underrated prospect who could make an immediate impact in Abbotsford this season as a first-year pro.

11. Elias Pettersson

The second coming of Elias Pettersson in Vancouver, this one is a mobile defender with the potential to develop into a standout in the defensive end. He’ll return to Sweden this year to play with Orebro and look to continue improving his play with the puck.

12. Danila Klimovich

At first glance, Klimovich’s production in the AHL last year was disappointing, but his 17 goals were tied for second on Abbotsford. He can really shoot the puck and he works hard to use his size to his advantage in that home plate area.

13. Jett Woo

After a weak rookie year with Abbotsford, Woo was much better as a sophomore last season. He may never reach the ceiling that was once prognosticated for him, but he can still be a quality NHL defender, likely in a third pairing, PK role because of his physicality and mobility.

14. Arshdeep Bains

The Canucks signed Bains out of Red Deer after he led the WHL in scoring in 2022. He proceeded to have a solid rookie year in the AHL. A well-rounded offensive player, there is a lot of hope that Bains can develop into a solid bottom six option for the Canucks in the future.

15. Akito Hirose

Signed out of Minnesota State late last year, Hirose was a pleasant surprise as he closed out the year with the Canucks. It’s clear that his high-end hockey sense and mobility will give him a chance of being a longtime pro. The primary remaining question is how well can he defend at the pro level?

16. Filip Johansson

A former first round selection of the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks signed the strong skating defender after the Wild elected not to sign him (a rarity). There is some concern that he’ll never defend well enough to be an NHL defender, but more will be known after his upcoming first AHL season.

17. Tristen Nielsen

Playing on an AHL deal with Abbotsford the last two seasons, the Canucks signed Nielsen this offseason after a strong 2022-23 year. He is a competitive, two-way center who brings versatility to a lineup. Like Arshdeep Bains, there is some hope that he can become a quality bottom six player in the future.

18. Kirill Kudryavtsev

There wasn’t a lot of hype attached to Kudryavtsev’s year in the OHL given his late round selection and how poor the Greyhounds were, however he nonetheless took a very nice step forward. He is continuing to refine his approach, improving the picking of spots to activate, while also improving in the defensive end.

19. Cole McWard

Signed out of Ohio State late last year, McWard finished the year with Vancouver and did not look out of place on the blueline. At the very least, he projects as a quality defensive player because of his size and mobility combination. More will be known about his upside this year over a full year of pro.

20. Max Sasson

Signed out of Western Michigan late last year, Sasson is a potential future bottom six center thanks to his strong two-way commitment. The offensive upside may ultimately be limited, but he could develop into a shutdown, PK type.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #23 Vancouver Canucks

Derek Neumeier — Sun, 14 May 2023 14:48:30 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 23rd (28^th last year)

The Jim Benning era as GM came to a close December 2021, and new GM Patrik Allvin has been adding his imprint to the team since then, running last year’s draft and selecting Jonathan Lekkerimaki 15^th overall. It may be early to draw any conclusions as he inherited a complicated cap situation, that remains an issue to be resolved this offseason. Bo Horvat was moved for a 1^st from the Islanders (18^th overall) for 2023, along with prospect Aatu Raty (plus Anthony Beauvillier). He then traded that pick plus a second for Filip Hronek and a fourth from Detroit. Are they sellers or buyers? They have some foundational pieces in Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. The supporting cast is generally in their mid-20’s. Their graduated prospects are solid pieces in Nils Hoglander, Vasily Podkolzin and Quinn Hughes. However, they are forced to clear some cap space this offseason, perhaps surrendering more future pieces to get the relief they need.

They retain their first three picks for 2023,2024, and 2025 with a healthy slate of picks. Having only made the playoffs once in the last eight years, the fan base is growing impatient given the young stars are entering their prime. Rumours attached to Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and even J.T. Miller have been rampant in a dispirited season, in which their coach, Bruce Boudreau, was left twisting in the wind for much of it. They get a fresh start this season, but Allvin has a complicated puzzle to untangle before they begin to make progress.

VANCOUVER, BC - OCTOBER 24: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Jack Rathbone (3) passes the puck during their NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Arena on October 24, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Lekkerimäki hasn't had the smoothest post-draft season, but he's not the first or the last top prospect to experience that, especially among ones who still have a lot of physical development left to do. At his best he is an electrifying offensive winger, able to skate through or around traffic, control the puck at high speeds, and then beat a goalie with slick hands or a well-placed shot. Where he gets into trouble is due to his strength and resistance, as it isn’t hard right now for pro defenders to pin him to the boards, box him out of the slot, or otherwise neutralize him when they catch him. Conditioning can be a problem too, struggling to keep his engine running all game or through busy schedules. But once the training catches up to the talent, watch out. He is finishing his year on a high note though, with scoring totals that match what he did during the regular season.

2. Aatu Raty

Räty has a reputation for swinging wildly between hot and cold, which dates all the way back to his time in Finland's highest junior league and has now followed him all the way to British Columbia. It's a real shame too, because when he gets everything clicking in unison, he is legitimately one of the best prospects in the sport. He's at his best when the puck is on his stick and he's feeling determined and confident, maintaining possession in traffic and making defenders look foolish by throwing them on his back, undressing them or threading passes right through them. It remains a large mystery why he has such a bad habit of taking his foot off the gas and deciding that he's content being a passenger instead of a driver. Any coach that can light a consistent fire under him will look like a genius.

3. Jack Rathbone

Rathbone lost a lot of the momentum that he had going for him last season, and his point totals took a dramatic tumble. Vancouver's early struggles and desperate lineup turnover had ripple effects throughout the organization, and some players never fully regained their balance. The good news is that the Boston native is still wildly talented and should be more than fine in the long run. He is a premier puck-moving blueliner with plus offensive instincts, and that type of player is arguably more valuable in the NHL now than ever before. He manages opposing forechecks with escapability since he doesn't have enough bulk to help him absorb a lot of hits. Vancouver will need to be careful with Rathbone next season, because he will require waivers to go to the AHL and a lot of teams would jump at the chance to acquire him for free.

4. Aidan McDonough

Convincing McDonough to sign with the team that drafted him instead of going the free agent route after college was a top priority for Vancouver, and they accomplished their mission. Promising him NHL games straightaway was a smart carrot to dangle, and he was rewarded for his loyalty to the team by scoring his first career goal in the show. He is a strong, shoot-first winger who is difficult to box out or tie up when he really wants to get to the net front. Staying with Northeastern for four seasons was a smart decision, because that extra time in the gym allowed him to fill out his frame and improve his conditioning, two necessary gains that he will now have an easier time maintaining moving forward. McDonough might have to start next season in the AHL, but some time down at that level won't stunt his progress.

5. Linus Karlsson

Karlsson transitioned quite nicely to North America in his first season, immediately slotting into a top six job and eclipsing the 20-goal mark. That was what was expected, since he's an older prospect and enjoyed a lot of success professionally in Sweden beforehand, but it wasn't a guarantee. He is a Jack-of-all-trades forward who can play different forward positions, do damage as a shooter or a playmaker, handles and protects the puck well, and doesn't usually sacrifice his defensive responsibilities to cheat for his offense. He has been a go-to guy at times but might be better suited in general as more of a supporting piece The Canucks acquired Karlsson from San Jose in exchange for Jonathan Dahlén, and since Dahlén played one uneventful season with the Sharks before heading to Europe it's safe to assume that Vancouver is happy with how that transaction is currently looking.

6. Arturs Silovs

Over the past few years Silovs has played a relatively sparse number of games for a goalie, even going back before the pandemic hit, but somehow it appears to have not really hindered his development, which can't be said for a lot of netminders in his age group. He's also one of the few pro-level prospects in the organization who maintained stability amid all the turbulence, and you always want to see unflappable composure in a goaltender. He has done a very good job taking the natural foundation provided by his huge frame and then stacking improvements in all areas on top. It's still not quite certain whether Silovs has what it takes to become a true NHL starter in the future, but he has played well enough that the Canucks will now commit to try grooming him for that role.

7. Joni Jurmo

Jurmo is often the epitome of firewagon hockey, and while it probably drives his coaches crazy at times you can't deny that it's entertaining as hell to watch. Every time the big, mobile defenseman winds up behind his own net with the puck there is an exhilarating chance that something dramatic happens, though that could either be a year-end highlight-reel-worthy rush that leads to a goal, or an utterly brutal turnover barely past his own net that leads to an easy goal against. And while his macro game is high risk, high reward, his micro game and fine details are mostly riddled with concerns. It's difficult to rely on a blueliner too heavily when their puck management is not trustworthy. Still, Jurmo is worth continually investing development resources into due to the possibility that he can further utilize his fantastic raw tools to increase the good moments while significantly reducing the bad ones.

8. Danila Klimovich

Klimovich has taken a genuine step forward this season compared to last season, though the question still persists about whether spending the last of his teenage years in the AHL was the right decision for his long-term development. With his combination of size, athleticism, puck skill and long skating strides he has so much growth potential, but the less a young guy plays, the harder it is to master those tools. After his breakout performance for Belarus at the 2021 IIHF U18s it wouldn't have been surprising to see him once again dominate against his age group, this time in the QMJHL, as Rouyn-Noranda held his North American rights. Luckily for him, Vancouver's shallow prospect depth puts him in a favourable position to play a prominent role and log a lot of ice time for the Canucks in the foreseeable future. However, will the finished product be as good as it could have been?

9. Elias Pettersson

No, that's not a typo: there is another Elias Pettersson in the Canucks organization. This one is nowhere near the same caliber of player as the older, 100-point-scoring forward, but don't assume that Vancouver drafted him for some kind of novel reason: the young blueline is a top-notch prospect, and that selection is already looking like one of the smartest mid-round picks from the 2022 draft. He scored at a point-per-game pace in Sweden's top under-20 league this season, but his ability to defend is his real bread and butter, and that's how he carved out a role on his SHL club that carried over into the playoffs. With a good blend of size, skating, puck control, smarts and grit, Pettersson is ideally equipped to eventually become a bottom four NHL defenseman and might even reach a top pairing with the right partner to work with.

10. Jett Woo

The hype that once followed Woo has disappeared, and it's never coming back. The big question now, however, is whether he will ever actually make the cut as an NHLer in any capacity. There are things to like about his game, such as his heavy shot from the point and his propensity to throw thunderous hits. The problem is that he just doesn't leave enough of a positive impact on a regular basis. He goes through long stretches where he is unnoticeable, but then pops into focus for an unwanted reason. Even though there aren't really any red flags to worry about he desperately needs to find another element in his game that he can really hang his hat on, whether that's puck transportation, playmaking, off-puck defending or something else. If Woo isn't careful his shot at making the NHL could dry up sooner than he might think.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Chapin Landvogt, Ethan Hetu, Zack Szweras — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 21:51:37 +0000

211021 Djurgårdens Jonathan Lekkerimäki under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Djurgården och Oskarshamn den 21 oktober 2021 i Stockholm.
Foto: Andreas L Eriksson / BILDBYRÅN / COP 106 / AE0062

1 - Jonathan Lekkerimaki RW

Lekkerimaki was recently selected with the 15^th pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022 NHL draft. He is the first of three Djurgårdens teammates who played together in the J20 this year to be selected in the first round, alongside Noah Ostlund (16^th) and Liam Ohgren (19^th). Lekkerimaki’s best offensive trait is his shot. He is able to set it up with slick hands allowing him to get into shooting position. When he shoots, he has a deceiving release, which helps to fool goalies. He has a habit of firing shots near the lower half of goaltenders, either five-hole or low blocker side. On top of his goal scoring ability, Lekkerimaki has immensely improved his playmaking ability, in part due to his sly hands. This past season he split time between J20 and the SHL. In the former level, he scored 20 goals and 35 points in 26 games, enough to impress Djurgårdens to give him 26 games in the SHL, in which he contributed nine points in a larger role than most draft eligible get in the top Swedish men’s league. Lekkerimaki really shined in this past April’s U18 tournament, where he led Sweden to gold and finished the tournament with a competition-leading 10 assists and 15 points in six games. With that performance, he was named to the U18 all-star team. Lekkerimaki looks to play the entirety of next season in the Allsvenskan with Djurgårdens and to continue to carve out a top-six role. - ZS

2 - Jack Rathbone D

The former Harvard standout is well positioned to take on a permanent role with the Vancouver Canucks this season. Among defenders who played 35 games or more in the AHL last season, Rathbone was one of two (along with Jordan Gross) to average over a point per game. Simply put, he was dominant at the AHL level with Abbotsford. In his short stints at the NHL level so far, things have been a little different. He has struggled in the defensive end, and he has looked tentative with the puck; that definitely wasn’t the case in the AHL. You can likely just chalk that up to nerves and a lack of confidence because Rathbone has the skill set to be a top four NHL defender. He skates well. He is electric when leading the attack out of the defensive zone with his ability to control the puck at full speed. He shows great offensive instincts inside the opposing blueline and is aggressive in looking to pinch down low to earn scoring chances. His mobility also helps him to defend well in transition. His zone coverage needs to improve, and he needs to get stronger on attackers down low, but if he is creating offense the way that he is capable of, these types of things can be overlooked (especially if he continues to work on them). Right now, the Canucks are heading into training camp with a hole in their top four, a hole many people are expecting Rathbone to fill. If he finally gains the confidence, he could be a sneaky Calder candidate. - BO

3 - Dmitri Zlodeyev C

It is extremely easy to root for Zlodeyev, as while he isn’t that naturally gifted in terms of size or athleticism – both particularly important in playing his natural position up the middle - he has the smarts to process the game in the right way. Last season was pretty tough for him, as he was first stuck playing junior hockey in the MHL and then he was traded to the Spartak organization, which was more willing to provide him the right development opportunities. Zlodeyev didn’t disappoint his new bosses, as he played well at all the levels for them, even if his stats didn’t always reflect that assessment, and he was ultimately rewarded with a two-year contract extension. As he is highly unlikely to be NHL ready in that timespan, the new contract should not be seen to alter his likelihood of coming to North America, and the fact that his Russian team was open to releasing him to join Vancoiver’s prospect camp is another good sign in that regard. There are good reasons to be excited about Zlodeyev’s near-term future, considering his great KHL preseason and the availability of KHL opportunities with his new team. On the other hand, he displays late-blooming qualities suggesting that the best is yet to come. Stay tuned. - VF

4 - Aidan McDonough LW

Aidan McDonogh was a seventh-round pick at the 2019 draft, coming off of a productive goal-scoring season in the USHL. McDonough had gone undrafted the year prior, having played at the high school level, but the Canucks evidently saw enough from him in the USHL to deem him worth a seventh-round investment as a wait-and-see prospect who would likely spend significant time at the college level. At Northeastern, McDonough has made the Canucks’ investment look shrewd. McDonough was one of the best pure goal scorers in the NCAA last season, potting 25 goals in 38 games. He has scored double-digit goals in each college season he’s played. McDonough has a filled-out six-foot-two frame and is quicker and better on his feet than one might expect from a seventh-rounder with his size/weight profile. That doesn’t mean McDonough is particularly fast, of course, it simply means he’s shown himself to be more capable of keeping up with an up-tempo offensive pace at the college level than might have been expected of him. McDonough’s shot is his best tool, but his goal-scoring is a bit too one-dimensional. He doesn’t attack the dirty areas of the ice like other goal scorers and doesn’t deviate from reliance on his shooting talent enough for me to have confidence that he’ll find other ways to contribute when he’s having an unlucky stretch with a low shooting percentage. His shot and overall level of skill offensively gives him a chance to be something more, but whether or not he has real NHL upside will depend on if his goal-scoring can translate from the NCAA to the pro level. - EH

5 - Jett Woo D

Woo’s transition to the pro level has been quite interesting thus far. For one, the offensive prowess that he showed in the WHL has not translated at all, with Woo showing himself to be more of a potential shutdown type at the pro level. For two, Woo’s second season in the AHL saw him playing on the wing to close out the year, with the coaching staff unimpressed with his development as a defender. Obviously, his future is still on the blueline, but it is also obvious that he will need to improve in his upcoming third pro season if he wants to remain in Vancouver’s long-term plans. Even if the offensive game only improves moderately, Woo still has the capability of being a defensive specialist at the NHL level. His mobility is excellent. He hits like the truck. He has a good stick in the defensive zone. However, if his confidence with the puck does not improve, his ceiling is likely limited to being more of a depth type who can play the PK and pair with an offensive type on the third pairing. In the final year of his ELC, Woo will be looking to earn another contract with improved play this coming season. - BO

6 - Michael DiPietro

Has there been a prospect whose development has been more mishandled than DiPietro’s thus far? A once promising goaltending prospect out of the OHL, his career has been sidetracked by mismanagement. First the Canucks embarrassed him in an emergency callup, allowing him to be shelled because they did not have the necessary organizational depth to cover for injuries. Then, in his second pro season, they opted to keep him on the taxi squad all year rather than allow him to play games in the AHL. Last year, he looked lost at times, with his confidence clearly broken. As such, his agency had asked for a trade out of Vancouver, but a partner has not yet been found. DiPietro still has NHL potential. He is extremely athletic. He never quits on a play and his maturity off the ice and his practice habits were lauded by those in the know in the OHL. There was always going to be a learning curve for him. He is not a huge goaltender, and his scrambling tendencies were going to have to be replaced by a more technically advanced approach. He showed great potential in his pro season, but then it all went downhill. So what’s next for Dipietro? His relationship with the Canucks’ organization appears fractured and it would be shocking if he were still part of the team next year. Wherever he goes next, there is a strong chance that he turns things around and re-establishes himself as a quality netminding prospect. - BO

7 - Arturs Silovs G

The 6’4”, 203-pound Silovs is coming off his first complete season of professional play in North America, consisting of 10 AHL appearances and another 10 in the ECHL. He also split the goaltending duties for Latvia at the men’s World Championship in Finland where he put up an outstanding 1.22 GAA and .952 save percentage. His play for the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL – an assignment that was all about getting playing time – was promising with a solid 2.37 GAA and .920 save percentage. Those numbers were not duplicated with AHL Abbotsford, where he allowed 3.10 goals against per game while footing a sub-.900 save percentage. After Spencer Martin and Michael DiPietro assumed most of the AHL duties last season, Silovs will now have to duke things out with DiPietro and incoming veteran Collin Delia, should he not be loaned out to another club. Drafted as a player with 20 games of pro play in Latvia already under his belt, Silovs then split duties for the OHL Barrie Colts in his DY+1, before seeing very little play in the 20-21 season, meaning he's had some catching up to do. A tall goaltender with generally strong post-to-post movement, the hope is that he will take additional steps next season, ideally legitimizing his prospect status as a future NHL option. Alas, the competition within the organization is heavy and Silovs simply needs to see more action to earn continued reps. – CL

8 - Linus Karlsson C

Karlsson was selected in the third round, 87^th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2018 NHL draft. His best attribute is his shooting ability. He is often able to find the holes in the offensive end and set himself up for a scoring chance. When he receives the puck, he utilizes a quick release to beat goaltenders. On top of his offensive game, Karlsson also plays a strong two-way game. He has consistently been solid in the faceoff circle and is willing to be the first forward back on every shift. Something he should look to improve is the quickness in his skating stride. Adding some more strength to his frame could improve his first step, giving him an extra boost of speed. Since he was drafted by the Canucks, he has spent majority of his time in Sweden’s second league, the Allsvenskan. His game was truly elevated during the 2020-21 season, when he produced 51 points in 52 Allsvenskan games. That year he also helped his team qualify for the SHL, finishing second on his team in points in the qualification tournament with 15 in 11 games. He carried that success into the SHL this year where he scored 26 goals and 46 points in 52 games. This production led to the Canucks signing him to an entry level contract. This upcoming season, Karlsson is expected to play for AHL Abbotsford. The hope is that he can transition smoothly to North American ice and contribute for the Canucks as soon as next season. - ZS

9 - Danila Klimovich RW

Klimovich was selected in the 2^nd round of the 2021 draft after he opened eyes at that year’s U18 Worlds with six goals in five games for his native Belarus. His 6’2”, 200-pound build was already mature and several of his goals were downright Ovechkin-esque in nature. He immediately moved to North America last season, a big jump in quality of competition to the AHL from the Belorussian league. His season with Abbotsford was statistically underwhelming, but was nonetheless quite impressive for an teenager. Physically and athletically, he did not look out of place in the AHL by season’s end. Making use of considerable lower body strength, Klimovich skates with bent knees and rather straight upper body posture. He has become adept at the forecheck and will bust his behind to get back to his own end. The speed of the AHL game has forced him to make quicker decisions with and without the puck, but his hard, accurate shot still gets released quickly and from as many angles as possible. His wrist shot, his snapshot, and his slapshot – including the one-timer – are all NHL-level and will be his calling card as a pro. Klimovich loves to shoot and although he has some moves and is willing to pass, especially in transition, his propensity for shooting is what will be his calling card as a pro. - CL

10 - Will Lockwood RW

The 64^th overall selection in the 2016 draft by the Vancouver Canucks, Lockwood has had a long journey from there to his NHL debut. He was originally drafted after showing his two-way, tenacious game playing for the USNTDP. While his offensive skill wasn’t necessarily shining, his combination of speed, grit, and ability to play a 200-foot game made him a valuable asset that the Canucks were happy to add. After his selection, Lockwood elected to take the NCAA route, committing to play for Michigan. In his first season with the Wolverines, he showed intriguing offensive skill, netting 20 points in 30 games. Through the rest of his four years at Michigan he continued to play at just under a point per game pace. Lockwood was named captain as a senior in 2019-20. After completing his time at Michigan, he signed an entry level contract with the Canucks, and has spent the majority of the past two seasons playing in the AHL, producing 36 points in 70 games. During that time, he also made his NHL debut, appearing in 2 games during 2020-21 season and an additional 13 games last season, however he is yet to record his first NHL point. With his two-way ability, Lockwood projects to be valuable depth forward for the Canucks and an option for their NHL team if needed. - ZS

11 - Arshdeep Bains

The WHL’s leading scorer from last season inked an entry level contract with the Canucks and will begin his pro journey this year. Bains is skilled and smart, but is he a strong enough skater?

12 - Filip Johansson

A former first rounder of the Minnesota Wild, they opted to let Johansson walk to get a second-round compensatory pick in 2022. The Canucks signed the mobile puck moving defender and will loan him back to Frolunda for the year.

13 - Lucas Forsell

A speedy playmaking winger, Forsell had a strong finish to last season in the SHL. Now he will try to play a larger role with Farjestad this season and become a more consistent point producer.

14 - Connor Lockhart

A recent trade to the Peterborough Petes (OHL) should do well for Lockhart’s development. Lockhart is both a strong skater and scorer, but the rest of his game is a work in progress. He will need a big year to be signed.

15 - Daimon Gardner

A McKeen’s hockey favourite heading into the 2022 draft, offers an intriguing package of size and skill from the center position. He is a long-term project. Gardner will play in the BCHL with Chilliwack this season before attending Clarkson (NCAA).

16 - Elias Pettersson

Yes, it is hilarious that the Canucks selected Pettersson in 2022, given that they already have one (terrific) Elias Pettersson. However, this Elias is a potential two-way blueliner because of his strong mobility and assertiveness.

17 - Jacob Truscott

Truscott has been good, but not great through his two seasons at Michigan. He has a well-rounded skill set but may lack a true standout quality that makes him an NHL defender.

18 - Jonathan Myrenberg

A right shot defender with good size and intriguing athleticism, Myrenberg will try to be a full-time pro defender this year in Sweden, switching to Mora in the Allsvenskan (second tier).

19 - Joni Jurmo

The big and mobile defender is coming off his best season yet in Finland as a full time Liiga player. The former third round pick is still a project whose long-term upside remains a bit of a mystery.

20 - Jackson Dorrington

One of the most physically imposing defenders available in 2022, Dorrington will head to Northeastern this year where he should be able to solidify a full-time lineup spot as a freshman.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: VANCOUVER CANUCKS- RANK: #27 – TIER V

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:14:09 +0000

Vancouver Canucks

#27 Vancouver - Too many low upside picks limit the overall upside of the Vancouver system.

PLANO, TX USA - APRIL 27: Belarus's Danila Klimovich #20 controls the puck against Switzerland's Lilian Garessus #22 in preliminary round action at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Children’s Health StarCenter on April 27, 2021 in Plano, TX USA. (Photo by Ryan McCullough/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Vasili Podkolzin

Podkolzin had a rather uneven season last year, as he was not able to fully convince his KHL coaches that he could be a key player for the team and therefore was given a rather limited role and opportunity. He was a true leader and captain of the U20 Team Russia at the World Juniors though; however, it would be fair to say that his offensive production underwhelmed in the same way that it did in the KHL. In general, the season showed that he is still undergoing some "growing pains" and has some deficits in his attacking game, making people question his overall upside as a skill-based player.

Next season will be an interesting one for him as he begins his journey in North America with the Canucks, after signing his ELC. With some unanswered questions about his potential, he will look to earn the trust of the coaches in training camp to earn a roster spot with the Canucks to further his development at the NHL level. However, he may have to start in the AHL. Given his high energy level and strong two-way abilities, Podkolzin should have little difficulty transitioning. However, just how much he produces offensively remains to be seen. At this point, Podkolzin is beginning to look more like a high end third line center than a top six forward, but this year will tell us more. - VF

Jack Rathbone

A scouting find for the Canucks, Rathbone was a pre-school wunderkind who actually stayed at school for an extra year after being drafted, before finally moving on to Harvard. While Ivy League schools usually keep their players on campus for at least three, if not four years before they turn pro, Rathbone left after only two seasons, partially because the school wouldn’t be playing hockey this year anyway, in light of the pandemic, and partially because he had little left to learn by playing against collegians. He was very good as a freshman, but as a sophomore, Rathbone was a First-Team All-Star among his conference peers, finishing the season with over one point per game as a defender.

His rookie pro season was a little up-and-down, but the downs only meant that he spent the first chunk of the abbreviated campaign on Vancouver’s taxi squad, not seeing game action until he was sent down to the AHL in late February. He was immediately too good for the AHL and by May, he was in the NHL. Rahtbone’s speed and dynamic puck game are reminiscent of another young Vancouver defender, Quinn Hughes, although it is hard to assume that kind of upside for anyone. The additions of Ekman-Larsson, Schenn, and Poolman will have eased the pressure on Rathbone to make the NHL roster right away, but he just might get there anyway. - RW

Michael DiPietro

It was a very weird year for DiPietro’s development in 2020/21. He spent the majority of the year on Vancouver’s taxi squad, rather than getting in games with Utica to aid in his development. This brought forward a lot of criticism towards Vancouver’s development model. The reality is that the pandemic situation (coupled with the US/Canada border issue) forced the Canucks’ hand as they needed a third goalie up with them and could not risk the quarantine policy in place given possible emergency situations. What effect playing four games in his second year as a pro has on his development remains to be seen.

When he did play with Utica towards the end of the year, DiPietro performed well. His performance even earned him a spot on Team Canada at the World Championships, where he was the third goalie. Always lauded for his athleticism and professionalism, DiPietro has the work ethic and the talent to be an NHL netminder and is one of the top goalie prospects on the planet for a reason. With the Canucks’ AHL team moving North to Abbotsford this season, he will get in another full year as a starter at that level and will be ready to contribute in the NHL should Demko or Halak get injured. - BO

Jett Woo

It was a year of transition for Woo, who embarked on his pro career with a shortened season for the AHL’s Utica Comets, posting five points in 28 games. It was a solid start for the young blueliner, who brought his physical brand of hockey to the pro level and finally began to see some secondary powerplay duties towards the end of the season.

A throwback style defenseman, Woo is known most for his aggressive, physical style that gets in the face of opponents. He is an excellent skater who can move the puck effectively and likes to jump into the rush. He has good instincts offensively but needs to continue to improve positioning without the puck and gain a better understanding of when to go for the big hit. In junior, he was able to recover from these situations due to his great mobility, but the pro level doesn’t afford those mistakes to the same degree. Additionally, his shot is accurate but lacks velocity from the point. Woo projects to be a solid #4-5 at the NHL level if he can continue to develop his game in the next couple of seasons. A full AHL campaign awaits. - AS

Olli Juolevi

It is hard to believe that Juolevi still has prospect eligibility as it feels like the 23-year-old former fifth overall selection has been around forever already. However, injuries have really derailed his development. Last year, Juolevi did spend the whole year with the Canucks, but was in and out of the lineup (as a scratch). In 23 games, he played relatively sparingly as part of Vancouver’s third pairing.

A competent two-way defender, the key for Juolevi is finding that niche at the NHL level. He skates well. He shows promise as a puck mover. He can be an effective player in the defensive end with his four-way mobility and transitional strengths. However, his decision making needs to tighten up and he needs to increase his physical intensity level. A long shot to be the kind of impact player normally expected of fifth overall selections, Juolevi still has a chance to develop into a serviceable #4-5 defender for Vancouver. However, he needs to stay healthy, and he needs to re-discover his confidence as a puck mover. There is an opportunity for him to grab an everyday lineup spot this season, but without significant progression, he runs the risk of being passed by others like Jack Rathbone and Jett Woo soon. - BO

Danila Klimovich

After tearing up the Belarussian junior league last season, Klimovich went to the World U18 Championships and put himself firmly on the draft radar, with six goals in five games. An offensive machine, both his shot and puck skills stand out as high-end. While the rest of his game is raw and in need of development, his strengths are strong enough to work with him to get his weaknesses mitigated enough to play. That is why the Canucks made him an early second round pick in 2021.

Like many players with his obvious offensive tools, Klimovich’s play off the puck needs some work. He will work hard in his own zone, but he is too often in the wrong spot to be really effective. He is very much a shoot-first forward, so his decision making with the puck is also at times lacking. Playing with a more uniformly higher quality of teammate and against a more uniformly higher quality of opponent will be necessary for him to begin to eliminate those bad habits. Despite the flaws in his game, Klimovich’s upside is rare, with easy top six potential. Vancouver will need to be patient, but the payoff is possibly immense. He was drafted in the CHL Import Draft last year by Rouyn-Noranda, but the pandemic prevented most imports from coming over for the 2020-21 season. Playing in the Q is an option this year, but he does look to be playing in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Jonah Gadjovich

The Vancouver Canucks have to be really happy with the way Gadjovich has steadily improved in each of his first three pro seasons in the organization. His goals per game mark have steadily risen each season (0.09, to 0.34, to 0.79). The big power forward finally looks like he is ready for an NHL role this upcoming season, where he will compete for a bottom six role in training camp.

The key to Gadjovich’s improvement on the ice has been directly tied to his ability to become quicker. A big power forward, Gadjovich has always found his way to the net and brought a physical element, however with improvements to his explosiveness and agility, he has become a consistent scoring threat. Armed with an extremely heavy shot and great scoring instincts, the next test will come at the NHL level. Can Gadjovich keep up? Just how much has his skating improved? Vancouver will have a tough choice to make, as Gadjovich is out of options and will need to be rostered in order to avoid waivers. The hope is that he can play a consistent fourth line role this upcoming season and then slowly become more involved offensively as he gains confidence. His high-end upside is that of a middle six scoring winger and powerplay threat. - BO

Will Lockwood

With the possible exception of his junior year in Ann Arbor, Lockwood has always shown himself to be an energy winger with just enough skill to allow teams to hope for more than bottom line production at his best. The junior year was an exception (maybe), as it was the only season since his U16 days in which he even approached point-per-game production. Lockwood’s senior season with Michigan saw his numbers regress back to his normal range (23 points in 33 games) and his rookie professional season last year was even lower, although the smaller sample size may have prevented him from showing adjustments, and in fairness, he did end the year on a three-game point streak.

At the end of the day, though, Vancouver will not be looking to Lockwood for more than moderate, supporting offense. They would be happy for him to be effective as a disruptor and agitator on a bottom six line, possibly supporting the penalty kill while he’s at it. He is a solid skater, plays a ‘hit first, ask questions later’ style game, and has just enough skill with the puck that the opposition can’t take him for granted. Given the Canucks’ lack of forward depth, he will likely have a chance to open the season in the NHL, but his general lack of professional experience indicates that more AHL time would be ideal. - RW

Jacob Truscott

Going from a depth role with a strong USNTDP to a depth role in a ridiculous Michigan program, Truscott has seen his chances to show what he can do limited of late. Our belief in him stems from the variety of things he showed as capable during his pre-draft year, indicative of a player with a broad skill set, if not the deepest skill set, and the creativity and quickness of thought to always be capable of surprising.

Watching him in his bottom pairing job last year, we saw a defender who was playing somewhat tentatively, overly carefully, trying to earn the trust of his coaching staff, and by extension, a greater role in the following seasons. He avoided overt displays of rugged physicality, seemingly to avoid spending time in the penalty box. To his credit, Truscott held his own in his own end, earning some regular penalty killing duties in the process, and hopefully setting the stage for an expanded role there next year. And every now and then, if you watched closely, he demonstrated that his offensive tools could work at this new level. Continued progress would mean the removal of his shackles – whether they were put on himself or placed upon him by the coaching staff – and working to expand his comfort zone. We will know more about his ultimate projection once we see him play more comfortably in college. - RW

Carson Focht

Carson Focht seemingly plateaued over his WHL career. He never reached a point per game pace even in his last season. However, Focht is a hard nose player that brings a bit of grit and sandpaper to your line up. He seems destined for a bottom-line role where he can be an effective agitator and good sized player who can lean on opponents and patrol the center of the ice. He is a pretty sound player in his own end and plays a simple and effective game. His speed is fine, and he is willing to throw his body around, especially on the forecheck. His hands are average, but he doesn’t flash high end skill when he has the puck on his stick.

Certainly, his effort and attention to details away from the puck give him a shot at carving out a bottom six role. His production in his first AHL season while not spectacular was enough to show he can translate his game to a bottom six pro style role. He will return to the AHL this year, now with the newly minted Abbotsford Canucks and will look to improve his offensive production, while also becoming an elite level shutdown forward. - VG

Karel Plasek

Drafted in 2019, the Canucks are still looking for Plasek to find greater consistency in his game. He has all the tools to become a solid middle six winger, but his performance in the Czech men’s leagues has been underwhelming thus far. He will finally make the trek to North America to play in the AHL next season and Canucks’ fans are incredibly interested to see how he performs.

Joni Jurmo

A third-round selection in 2020, Jurmo combines size and mobility on the back end and was drafted because of his projectable skill set. Most certainly a project, Jurmo will look to play full time at the Liiga level this coming season, joining the Jukurit organization.

Dmitri Zlodeyev

Injuries were a bit of a problem for the competitive two-way center this past season, but he still managed to win an MHL Championship with MHK Dynamo Moskva. Next season, the Canucks will be looking for Zlodeyev to finally get some experience at the KHL level, in addition to making the Russian World Junior’s roster.

Aidan McDonough

The first two seasons at Northeastern have gone swimmingly for McDonough as he has become a go-to offensive weapon for the program. A big winger with a goal scorer’s touch, McDonough is deadly in tight. As he returns to college for his junior season, the Canucks will be looking for him to take that next step and become one of the better offensive players in the Hockey East.

Arvid Costmar

A strong two-way forward, Costmar has performed exceptionally well at the J20 level in Sweden since being drafted. However, his offensive production at the SHL level has been underwhelming. Costmar will attempt to breakthrough this season with Linkoping and take that next step to prove to Vancouver management that he is deserving of an NHL ELC.

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 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

McKeens Hockey; Article by Ryan Wagman — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:50:55 +0000

I write these words less than 24 hours after the Dallas Stars took game one of the Stanley Cup Finals against the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike most seasons wherein the end of the Stanley Cup marks the beginning of off-season player movement, this year teams have taken an early start to the transactional Ferris wheel as many expect the upcoming offseason (from the awarding of the Cup, through to the draft in the first week of October to the start of the 2020-21 season perhaps as soon as early December, pending COVID trends in North America) to be especially turbulent.

We have seen a few trades of NHL pieces, one deal which impacted this guidebook, as Toronto sent Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh and Swedish winger Filip Hallander was among those coming back to Toronto. Hallander was our selection for the second-best prospect in the Penguins system and now holds that title for the Maple Leafs. That trade knocked the Penguins down a few slots on our organizational rankings and allowed Toronto to go the other way accordingly.

Of course, with the draft roughly 17 days away, and with it a complete re-shuffling of the organizational rankings, this is just a snapshot in time of how every team’s system shakes up. We will re-run this list, incorporating the drafted players, in our pre-season fantasy guide, where we will expand the lists up to 20.

What you are about to dive into is a comprehensive list of all prospect eligible players on all 31 teams. To hold prospect eligibility, a player needs to 25 or younger, as of September 15, 2020. All skaters need to have played less than 60 career games, with no more than 35 of those games coming in a single season (or 25 for this past shortened season). For goalies, the age criteria remain the same, but the games played benchmark drops to 30 career games and 20 in a given season (or 15 last year). Any cutoff that does not hew exactly to the Calder Trophy award criteria is, by nature, arbitrary, but we aim to be inclusive for all players who have not yet cemented NHL jobs and/or have not had a prolonged chance to prove himself capable – or incapable.

We rank 15 per team, as depth is as important as the high end. Our goal is to identify players who could – if they have an advocate for them within the team’s braintrust – play a role in the NHL. These players were identified through our thorough vetting of each prospect across the globe, assigning scores, or grades, to five areas for skaters (skating, shot, puck skills, smarts, physicality) and six for netminders (athleticism/speed/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, positioning/technique, rebound control, and puck handling). Depending on the position, the grades are run through an algorithm to come up with an overall future projection (OFP).

The OFP, if the scout is being honest, measures the future role we anticipate the prospect being able to hold. A 50 score is the lower threshold to be a regular 4^th line forward, or bottom pairing defender. Grades over 56 are potential top line/pairing skaters. The grades in between, obviously project to the middle of the lineup.

As we are reminded every year, development is not linear. Some players take unexpected sudden leaps forward (see Marino, John), and others stagnate (see Ho-Sang, Josh), and many do exactly what we expect of them when they are given the chance. As much as I trust the analysts in our team, I can also tell you that this exercise is always humbling. There will be at least one player who we rate highly who bombs. There will be at least one player who did not feature on his team’s top 15 who becomes an NHL regular next year. We accept those errors in judgment and promise you, our faithful subscriber, that we will learn from them and refine our work for next year, as we learn just as NHL teams learn.

Until then, please enjoy this snapshot view of the future of the beautiful, frozen game. Putting this together has provided at least some sense of normalcy during this crazy summer.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired
Ana	1	Trevor Zegras	C	19	6-0/170	Boston University (HE)	`19(9th)
Min	2	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	23	5-10/200	CSKA (KHL)	`15(135th)
Col	3	Bowen Byram	D	19	6-0/195	Vancouver (WHL)	`19(4th)
Buf	4	Dylan Cozens	C	19	6-3/185	Lethbridge (WHL)	`19(7th)
Fla	5	Spencer Knight	G	19	6-3/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(13th)
VGK	6	Peyton Krebs	C	19	5-11/180	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(17th)
Ari	7	Victor Soderstrom	D	19	5-11/180	Brynas (Swe)	`19(11th)
Mtl	8	Cole Caufield	RW	19	5-7/165	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(15th)
Van	9	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	19	6-1/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`19(10th)
Edm	10	Philip Broberg	D	19	6-3/200	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`19(8th)
Tor	11	Nick Robertson	LW	19	5-9/160	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(53rd)
Col	12	Alex Newhook	C	19	5-10/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(16th)
Det	13	Moritz Seider	D	19	6-3/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`19(6th)
Fla	14	Grigori Denisenko	LW	20	5-11/185	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(15th)
Min	15	Matthew Boldy	LW	19	6-1/190	Boston College (HE)	`19(12th)
NJ	16	Ty Smith	D	20	5-10/180	Spokane (WHL)	`18(17th)
LA	17	Alex Turcotte	C	19	5-11/185	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(5th)
Nsh	18	Philip Tomasino	C	19	5-11/180	Nia-Osh (OHL)	`19(24th)
Pit	19	Samuel Poulin	LW	19	6-1/205	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	`19(21st)
Wsh	20	Connor McMichael	C	19	5-11/175	London (OHL)	`19(25th)
LA	21	Gabriel Vilardi	RW	21	6-3/200	Ontario (AHL)	`17(11th)
NYR	22	Igor Shesterkin	G	24	6-1/190	Hartford (AHL)	`14(118th)
Dal	23	Thomas Harley	D	19	6-3/190	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(18th)
Ari	24	Barrett Hayton	C	20	6-1/190	Arizona (NHL)	`18(5th)
NYR	25	Nils Lundkvist	D	20	5-11/180	Lulea (Swe)	`18(28th)
LA	26	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	19	6-2/190	Hamilton (OHL)	`19(33rd)
Cgy	27	Juuso Valimaki	D	21	6-2/205	DNP - Injured	`17(16th)
Det	28	Jared McIsaac	D	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(36th)
NYR	29	Vitali Kravtsov	RW	20	6-3/185	Hartford (AHL)	`18(9th)
Edm	30	Evan Bouchard	D	20	6-2/195	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(10th)
NYR	31	K'Andre Miller	D	20	6-3/205	Wisconsin (B1G)	`18(22nd)
Edm	32	Raphael Lavoie	RW	19	6-4/195	Hal-Chi (QMJHL)	`19(38th)
NYI	33	Ilya Sorokin	G	25	6-2/180	CSKA (KHL)	`14(78th)
Det	34	Albert Johansson	D	19	5-11/165	Farjestads (Swe)	`19(60th)
Ari	35	Matias Maccelli	LW	19	5-11/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(98th)
Van	36	Nils Hoglander	RW	19	5-9/185	Rogle (Swe)	`19(40th)
Ari	37	Jan Jenik	RW	20	6-1/180	Hamilton (OHL)	`18(65th)
Phi	38	Cam York	D	19	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`19(14th)
Phi	39	Morgan Frost	C	21	5-11/180	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`17(27th)
Ana	40	Lukas Dostal	G	20	6-1/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`18(85th)
LA	41	Tobias Bjornfot	D	19	6-0/200	Ontario (AHL)	`19(22nd)
SJ	42	Ryan Merkley	D	20	5-11/170	London (OHL)	`18(21st)
NYI	43	Kieffer Bellows	LW	22	6-0/200	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(19th)
NYI	44	Oliver Wahlstrom	RW	20	6-1/205	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(11th)
LA	45	Rasmus Kupari	C	20	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	`18(20th)
CBJ	46	Liam Foudy	C	20	6-0/175	London (OHL)	`18(18th)
LA	47	Tyler Madden	C	20	5-10/155	Northeastern (HE)	T(Van-2/20)
Mtl	48	Alexander Romanov	D	20	5-11/185	CSKA (KHL)	`18(38th)
NYI	49	Bode Wilde	D	20	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(41st)
Ott	50	Jacob Bernard-Docker	D	20	6-0/180	North Dakota (NCHC)	`18(26th)
Cgy	51	Jakob Pelletier	LW	19	5-9/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(26th)
LA	52	Akil Thomas	C	20	5-11/170	Nia-Pbo (OHL)	`18(51st)
Wpg	53	Dylan Samberg	D	21	6-3/190	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`17(43rd)
Chi	54	Ian Mitchell	D	21	5-11/175	Denver (NCHC)	`17(57th)
Ott	55	Josh Norris	C	21	6-1/195	Belleville (AHL)	T(SJ-9/18)
NYR	56	Matthew Robertson	D	19	6-3/200	Edmonton (WHL)	`19(49th)
VGK	57	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	19	6-1/170	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	`19(79th)
Dal	58	Jake Oettinger	G	21	6-4/210	Texas (AHL)	`17(26th)
Ott	59	Drake Batherson	RW	22	6-1/190	Belleville (AHL)	`17(121st)
LA	60	Samuel Fagemo	RW	20	6-0/195	Frolunda (Swe)	`19(50th)
Col	61	Justus Annunen	G	20	6-4/215	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`18(64th)
Bos	62	John Beecher	C	19	6-3/210	Michigan (B1G)	`19(30th)
Phi	63	Egor Zamula	D	20	6-4/175	Calgary (WHL)	FA(9/18)
NYR	64	Zac Jones	D	19	5-10/175	Massachusetts (HE)	`19(68th)
CBJ	65	Kirill Marchenko	LW	20	6-3/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(49th)
VGK	66	Jack Dugan	RW	22	6-2/185	Providence (HE)	`17(142nd)
StL	67	Scott Perunovich	D	22	5-10/175	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(45th)
Bos	68	Jack Studnicka	C	21	6-1/170	Providence (AHL)	`17(53rd)
Dal	69	Ty Dellandrea	C	20	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	`18(13th)
Min	70	Calen Addison	D	20	5-10/180	Lethbridge (WHL)	T(Pit-2/20)
NYR	71	Julien Gauthier	RW	22	6-4/225	Charlotte (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Van	72	Olli Juolevi	D	22	6-3/200	Utica (AHL)	`16(5th)
NJ	73	Nolan Foote	LW	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	T(TB-2/20)
NJ	74	Janne Kuokkanen	LW	22	6-1/190	Cha-Bng (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Ott	75	Alex Formenton	LW	21	6-2/165	Belleville (AHL)	`17(47th)
Det	76	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	19	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	`19(54th)
NYR	77	Morgan Barron	C	21	6-2/200	Cornell (ECAC)	`17(174th)
Mtl	78	Jesse Ylonen	RW	20	6-1/185	Pelicans (Fin)	`18(35th)
Car	79	Dominik Bokk	RW	20	6-1/180	Rogle (Swe)	T(StL-9/19)
Nsh	80	Egor Afanasyev	RW	19	6-3/205	Windsor (OHL)	`19(45th)
Ana	81	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	C	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(54th)
Min	82	Alexander Khovanov	C	20	5-11/195	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(86th)
Det	83	Joe Veleno	C	20	6-1/195	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`18(30th)
NJ	84	Kevin Bahl	D	20	6-6/230	Ottawa (OHL)	T(Ari-12/19)
Car	85	Ryan Suzuki	C	19	6-0/180	Bar-Sag (OHL)	`19(28th)
Van	86	Jett Woo	D	20	6-0/205	Calgary (WHL)	`18(37th)
Mtl	87	Mattias Norlinder	D	20	5-11/180	MODO (Swe 2)	`19(64th)
Min	88	Adam Beckman	LW	19	6-1/170	Spokane (WHL)	`19(75th)
Bos	89	Jeremy Swayman	G	21	6-1/190	Maine (HE)	`17(111th)
Wpg	90	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	21	6-3/205	Manitoba (AHL)	`17(24th)
Tor	91	Filip Hallander	LW	20	6-1/185	Lulea (Swe)	T(Pit-8/20)
Fla	92	Owen Tippett	RW	21	6-1/200	Springfield (AHL)	`17(10th)
Car	93	Jake Bean	D	22	6-1/175	Charlotte (AHL)	`16(13th)
Ott	94	Shane Pinto	C	19	6-2/190	North Dakota (NCHC)	`19(32nd)
Col	95	Martin Kaut	RW	20	6-1/175	Colorado (AHL)	`18(16th)
Van	96	Jack Rathbone	D	21	5-10/175	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(95th)
Tor	97	Nick Abruzzese	C	21	5-9/160	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(124th)
Bos	98	Urho Vaakanainen	D	21	6-0/185	Providence (AHL)	`17(18th)
Wsh	99	Alexander Alexeyev	D	20	6-3/200	Hershey (AHL)	`18(31st)
NYI	100	Simon Holmstrom	RW	19	6-1/185	Bridgeport (AHL)	`19(23rd)
LA	101	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	21	5-11/190	Ontario (AHL)	`17(41st)
Car	102	Joey Keane	D	21	6-0/185	Hfd-Cha (AHL)	T(NYR-2/20)
Wsh	103	Martin Fehervary	D	20	6-1/190	Hershey (AHL)	`18(46th)
StL	104	Tyler Tucker	D	20	6-1/205	Bar-Fnt (OHL)	`18(200th)
SJ	105	Yegor Spiridonov	C	19	6-2/195	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	`19(108th)
NJ	106	Joey Anderson	RW	22	6-0/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(73rd)
Col	107	Conor Timmins	D	21	6-1/185	Colorado (AHL)	`17(32nd)
StL	108	Klim Kostin	C	21	6-3/195	San Antonio (AHL)	`17(31st)
Mtl	109	Cayden Primeau	G	21	6-3/180	Laval (AHL)	`17(199th)
SJ	110	Jonathan Dahlen	LW	22	5-11/185	Timra IK (Swe 2)	T(Van-2/19)
NJ	111	Reilly Walsh	D	21	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(81st)
Buf	112	Oskari Laaksonen	D	21	6-2/165	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`17(89th)
NJ	113	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	19	5-10/170	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	`19(129th)
Wsh	114	Aliaksei Protas	C	19	6-5/205	Prince Albert (WHL)	`19(91st)
Cgy	115	Dustin Wolf	G	19	6-0/165	Everett (WHL)	`19(214th)
StL	116	Joel Hofer	G	20	6-3/160	Portland (WHL)	`18(107th)
VGK	117	Ivan Morozov	C	20	6-1/180	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(61st)
Mtl	118	Jake Evans	C	24	6-0/185	Laval (AHL)	`14(207th)
Nsh	119	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	21	5-10/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	`17(30th)
Wpg	120	Ville Heinola	D	19	5-11/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`19(20th)
VGK	121	Lucas Elvenes	RW	21	6-0/175	Chicago (AHL)	`17(127th)
TB	122	Cole Koepke	LW	22	6-1/195	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(183rd)
Ana	123	Isac Lundestrom	C	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	`18(23rd)
NYR	124	Tarmo Reunanen	D	22	6-0/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`16(98th)
Mtl	125	Jordan Harris	D	20	5-11/180	Northeastern (HE)	`18(71st)
Ana	126	Brayden Tracey	LW	19	6-0/175	MJ-Vic (WHL)	`19(29th)
Phi	127	Tanner Laczynski	C	23	6-1/200	Ohio State (B1G)	`16(169th)
Chi	128	Alec Regula	D	20	6-3/200	London (OHL)	T(Det-10/19)
Buf	129	Mattias Samuelsson	D	20	6-3/215	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(32nd)
Car	130	Jamieson Rees	C	19	5-10/175	Sarnia (OHL)	`19(44th)
Edm	131	Olivier Rodrigue	G	20	6-1/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(62nd)
Fla	132	Serron Noel	RW	20	6-5/205	Osh-Kit (OHL)	`18(34th)
Det	133	Antti Tuomisto	D	19	6-4/190	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	`19(35th)
Dal	134	Jason Robertson	LW	21	6-2/195	Texas (AHL)	`17(39th)
Mtl	135	Joni Ikonen	C	21	5-10/170	DNP - Injured	`17(58th)
Nsh	136	Rem Pitlick	C	23	5-11/200	Milwaukee (AHL)	`16(76th)
Ott	137	Logan Brown	C	22	6-6/220	Belleville (AHL)	`16(11th)
TB	138	Samuel Walker	C	21	5-11/160	Minnesota (B1G)	`17(200th)
Phi	139	Wade Allison	RW	22	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`16(52nd)
Wpg	140	Declan Chisholm	D	20	6-1/190	Peterborough (OHL)	`18(150th)
NJ	141	Tyce Thompson	RW	21	6-1/180	Providence (HE)	`19(96th)
VGK	142	Connor Corcoran	D	20	6-1/185	Windsor (OHL)	`18(154th)
Ana	143	Jackson Lacombe	D	19	6-1/170	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(39th)
NYR	144	Lauri Pajuniemi	RW	21	6-0/185	TPS Turku (Fin)	`18(132nd)
Car	145	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	19	5-10/160	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	`19(121st)
CBJ	146	Andrew Peeke	D	22	6-3/210	Cleveland (AHL)	`16(34th)
Ana	147	Axel Andersson	D	20	6-0/180	Moncton (QMJHL)	T(Bos-2/20)
Car	148	Patrik Puistola	LW	19	6-0/175	Tap-Juk-Koo (Fin)	`19(73rd)
NJ	149	Michael McLeod	C	22	6-2/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(12th)
Car	150	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	21	6-1/175	SKA-VIT (KHL)	`19(36th)
NJ	151	Michael Vukojevic	D	19	6-3/210	Kitchener (OHL)	`19(82nd)
NYI	152	Ruslan Iskhakov	C	20	5-8/155	UConn (HE)	`18(43rd)
Wpg	153	Sami Niku	D	23	6-0/175	Manitoba (AHL)	`15(198th)
TB	154	Hugo Alnefelt	G	19	6-3/195	HV 71 (Swe)	`19(71st)
NJ	155	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	19	6-1/195	Ottawa (OHL)	`19(61st)
NYR	156	Hunter Skinner	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	`19(112th)
LA	157	Mikey Anderson	D	21	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	`17(103rd)
Col	158	Shane Bowers	C	21	6-2/190	Colorado (AHL)	T(Ott-11/17)
NYI	159	Joshua Ho-Sang	RW	24	6-0/175	Bri-SA (AHL)	`14(28th)
LA	160	Cal Petersen	G	25	6-3/190	Ontario (AHL)	FA(7/17)
Col	161	Sampo Ranta	LW	20	6-2/205	Minnesota (B1G)	`18(78th)
Wpg	162	Mikhail Berdin	G	22	6-2/165	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(157th)
Bos	163	Jeremy Lauzon	D	23	6-3/205	Providence (AHL)	`15(52nd)
Nsh	164	David Farrance	D	21	5-11/190	Boston University (HE)	`17(92nd)
Van	165	Will Lockwood	RW	22	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`16(64th)
NYI	166	Sebastian Aho	D	24	5-10/175	Bridgeport (AHL)	`17(139th)
Wpg	167	Logan Stanley	D	22	6-7/225	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(18th)
Buf	168	Ryan Johnson	D	19	6-0/175	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(31st)
Van	169	Michael DiPietro	G	21	6-0/195	Utica (AHL)	`17(64th)
VGK	170	Kaedan Korczak	D	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	`19(41st)
Car	171	Jack Drury	C	20	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`18(42nd)
StL	172	Nikita Alexandrov	C	19	6-0/180	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	`19(62nd)
Col	173	Nikolai Kovalenko	RW	20	5-10/175	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(171st)
Nsh	174	Juuso Parssinen	C	19	6-2/205	TPS Turku (Fin)	`19(210th)
Chi	175	Pius Suter	C	24	5-11/170	ZSC Lions (NLA)	FA(7/20)
Fla	176	Aleksi Saarela	RW	23	5-11/200	Rfd-Spr (AHL)	T(Chi-10/19)
Bos	177	Trent Frederic	C	22	6-4/215	Providence (AHL)	`16(29th)
CBJ	178	Dmitri Voronkov	LW	20	6-4/190	Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	`19(114th)
Ott	179	Lassi Thomson	D	19	6-0/190	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(19th)
Car	180	Morgan Geekie	C	22	6-2/180	Charlotte (AHL)	`17(67th)
CBJ	181	Trey Fix-Wolansky	RW	21	5-8/185	Cleveland (AHL)	`18(204th)
Ott	182	Vitaly Abramov	RW	22	5-9/175	Belleville (AHL)	T(CBJ-2/19)
TB	183	Alexander Volkov	LW	23	6-1/190	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(48th)
Tor	184	Mikko Kokkonen	D	19	5-11/200	Jukurit (Fin)	`19(84th)
Ott	185	Kevin Mandolese	G	20	6-4/180	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	`18(157th)
CBJ	186	Daniil Tarasov	G	21	6-5/185	Assat Pori (Fin)	`17(86th)
LA	187	Carl Grundstrom	LW	22	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	T(Tor-1/19)
LA	188	Kale Clague	D	22	6-0/180	Ontario (AHL)	`16(51st)
Ott	189	Artyom Zub	D	24	6-2/200	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	FA(5/20)
Edm	190	Tyler Benson	LW	22	6-0/200	Bakersfield (AHL)	`16(32nd)
Det	191	Jonatan Berggren	RW	20	5-10/185	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`18(33rd)
Tor	192	Yegor Korshkov	RW	24	6-4/215	Toronto (AHL)	`16(31st)
Dal	193	Riley Damiani	C	20	5-9/165	Kitchener (OHL)	`18(137th)
VGK	194	Zach Whitecloud	D	23	6-2/210	Chicago (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Buf	195	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	21	6-4/195	Cincinnati (ECHL)	`17(54th)
Car	196	David Cotton	LW	23	6-3/205	Boston College (HE)	`15(169th)
Chi	197	Wyatt Kalynuk	D	23	6-1/180	Wisconsin (B1G)	FA(7/20)
Min	198	Hunter Jones	G	19	6-4/195	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(59th)
LA	199	Jordan Spence	D	19	5-10/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(95th)
Cgy	200	Dmitri Zavgorodny	LW	20	5-9/175	Rimouski (QMJHL)	`18(198th)
Col	201	Alex Beaucage	RW	19	6-1/195	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	`19(78th)
TB	202	Dmitri Semykin	D	20	6-3/200	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	`18(90th)
CBJ	203	Matiss Kivlenieks	G	24	6-2/190	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(5/17)
StL	204	Ville Husso	G	25	6-3/205	San Antonio (AHL)	`14(94th)
Phi	205	Bobby Brink	RW	19	5-10/165	Denver (NCHC)	`19(34th)
NYI	206	Otto Koivula	C	22	6-4/220	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(120th)
Car	207	Eetu Makiniemi	G	21	6-2/180	KOOVEE (Fin 2)	`17(104th)
NYI	208	Anatoli Golyshev	RW	25	5-8/180	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)	`16(95th)
Chi	209	Evan Barratt	C	21	6-0/190	Penn State (B1G)	`17(90th)
Buf	210	Erik Portillo	G	20	6-6/210	Dubuque (USHL)	`19(67th)
Fla	211	Cole Schwindt	RW	19	6-2/185	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(81st)
Chi	212	Michal Teply	LW	19	6-3/185	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(105th)
Ott	213	Mads Sogaard	G	19	6-7/195	Medicine Hat (WHL)	`19(37th)
Buf	214	Jonas Johansson	G	24	6-4/205	Rochester (AHL)	`14(61st)
TB	215	Cal Foote	D	21	6-4/215	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(14th)
StL	216	Niko Mikkola	D	24	6-5/200	San Antonio (AHL)	`15(127th)
NYI	217	Robin Salo	D	21	6-1/190	SaiPa (Fin)	`17(46th)
Bos	218	Jakub Zboril	D	23	6-1/200	Providence (AHL)	`15(13th)
Buf	219	Will Borgen	D	23	6-2/200	Rochester (AHL)	`15(92nd)
Pit	220	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	21	6-2/170	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`17(23rd)
SJ	221	Sasha Chmelevski	C	21	5-11/190	San Jose (AHL)	`17(185th)
Ari	222	Kyle Capobianco	D	23	6-1/180	Tucson (AHL)	`15(63rd)
Det	223	Keith Petruzzelli	G	21	6-5/180	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	`17(88th)
Wsh	224	Garrett Pilon	RW	22	5-11/190	Hershey (AHL)	`16(87th)
NJ	225	Nikola Pasic	RW	19	5-10/185	Karlskoga (Swe 2)	`19(189th)
TB	226	Alex Barre-Boulet	C	23	5-10/165	Syracuse (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Edm	227	Ryan McLeod	C	20	6-2/205	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(40th)
NYI	228	Samuel Bolduc	D	19	6-3/210	BLB-She (QMJHL)	`19(57th)
Ott	229	Joey Daccord	G	24	6-2/195	Belleville (AHL)	`15(199th)
StL	230	Hugh McGing	C	22	5-9/180	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(138th)
Edm	231	Cooper Marody	C	23	6-0/180	Bakersfield (AHL)	T(Phi-3/18)
Tor	232	Jeremy Bracco	RW	23	5-9/180	Toronto (AHL)	`15(61st)
Phi	233	German Rubtsov	C	22	6-2/190	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`16(22nd)
Wsh	234	Brian Pinho	C	25	6-1/195	Hershey (AHL)	`13(174th)
Col	235	Logan O'Connor	RW	24	6-0/170	Colorado (AHL)	FA(7/18)
Buf	236	Casey Fitzgerald	D	23	5-11/190	Rochester (AHL)	`16(86th)
NJ	237	Daniil Misyul	D	19	6-3/180	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`19(70th)
Ari	238	John Farinacci	C	19	5-11/185	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(76th)
Edm	239	Aapeli Rasanen	C	22	6-0/195	Boston College (HE)	`16(153rd)
Pit	240	Anthony Angello	RW	24	6-5/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`14(145th)
Mtl	241	Cam Hillis	C	20	5-10/170	Guelph (OHL)	`18(66th)
Cgy	242	Mathias Emilio Pettersen	RW	20	5-9/170	Denver (NCHC)	`18(167th)
SJ	243	Alexander True	C	23	6-5/205	San Jose (AHL)	FA(7/18)
NYI	244	Reece Newkirk	C	19	5-11/175	Portland (WHL)	`19(147th)
Dal	245	Dawson Barteaux	D	20	6-0/180	RD-Wpg (WHL)	`18(168th)
Bos	246	Jack Ahcan	D	23	5-8/185	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	FA(3/20)
Det	247	Seth Barton	D	21	6-2/175	Mass-Lowell (HE)	`18(81st)
Fla	248	Max Gildon	D	21	6-3/190	New Hampshire (HE)	`17(66th)
Ari	249	Aku Raty	RW	19	6-0/175	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`19(151st)
Wpg	250	David Gustafsson	C	20	6-1/195	Winnipeg (NHL)	`18(60th)

Jett Woo – McKeen's Hockey

AHL: Hall: 11 Prospects in Make-or-Break Seasons

Kole Lind, 25, Dallas Stars

Valtteri Puustinen, 25, Pittsburgh Penguins

Jett Woo, 24, Vancouver Canucks

Alec Regula, 24, Boston Bruins

Raphaël Lavoie, 24, Edmonton Oilers

Alex Turcotte, 23, Akil Thomas, 24 & Samuel Fagemo, 24, Los Angeles Kings

Adam Beckman, 23, New Jersey Devils

Grigori Denisenko, 24, Vegas Golden Knights

Trey Fix-Wolansky, 25, Columbus Blue Jackets

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Vancouver Canucks Top-15 Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki

2. Tom Willander

3. Aatu Raty

4. Arturs Silovs

5. Arshdeep Bains

6. Linus Karlsson

7. Kirill Kudryavtsev

8. Elias Pettersson

9. Sawyer Mynio

10. Jett Woo

11. Max Sasson

12. Cole McWard

13. Melvin Fernström

14. Anthony Romani

15. Josh Bloom

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #16 Vancouver Canucks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Orebro HK (SHL)

2. Tom Willander, D, Boston University (NCAA)

3. Aatu Raty, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

4. Arshdeep Bains, LW, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

5. Linus Karlsson, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

6. Arturs Silovs, G, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

7. Sawyer Mynio, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

8. Max Sasson, C, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

9. Jett Woo, D, Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)

10. Elias Pettersson, D, Vasteras IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Top 20 Vancouver Canucks Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki

2. Tom Willander

3. Aatu Raty

4. Jack Rathbone

5. Aidan McDonough

6. Hunter Brzustewicz

7. Linus Karlsson

8. Arturs Silovs

9. Joni Jurmo

10. Josh Bloom

11. Elias Pettersson

12. Danila Klimovich

13. Jett Woo

14. Arshdeep Bains

15. Akito Hirose

16. Filip Johansson

17. Tristen Nielsen

18. Kirill Kudryavtsev

19. Cole McWard

20. Max Sasson

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #23 Vancouver Canucks

Prospect System Ranking – 23rd (28th last year)

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 20 Prospects

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: VANCOUVER CANUCKS- RANK: #27 – TIER V

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)

Prospect System Ranking – 23rd (28^th last year)

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)