Canucks November Prospects Review

Utica Comets

Goaltending

Transitioning from junior hockey to the pro ranks is not an easy task. However, Canucks prospect Michael DiPietro has made the jump seem very manageable. He has appeared in 13 games and has a 7-4-1 record with a 2.44 goals-against average, which is tops in the American Hockey League for rookie goaltenders. DiPietro also boasts a very respectable .913 save percentage.

Defencemen

Unlike DiPietro, the transition has not been easy for defenceman Olli Juolevi. The countless setbacks that he has suffered in his young career are horrifying. Each time that Juolevi appears to be getting on track with his development, the injury bug takes a big bite out of what once was a very promising career. Let’s hope there is a brighter future in store for him and that his life-long dream of becoming an NHL defenceman will be realized.

Guillaume Brisebois recorded five points in November, all of them assists, while maintaining his consistent defensive zone play. Brisebois has eight points on the season, which is the second-highest among the Comets defencemen.

Jalen Chatfield and Ashton Sautner are counted on heavily by the Comets to log substantial minutes while being used in shutdown roles. While neither player’s contribution can be measured on the stats sheet, both are showing a steady progression and have been called upon by the Canucks when injuries occur.

The Rookies

For a player coming out of college hockey, the jump to the pro ranks is not as dramatic as it is from junior. Nevertheless, Brogan Rafferty has made the step-up appear effortless. The puck-moving defender leads all rookie defencemen in AHL scoring, accumulating 16 points in 22 games. Furthermore, he is currently tied for the club lead in plus/minus with a +9 rating.

Another first-year pro that has come to the Canucks organization from the NCAA is defenceman Josh Teves. For Teves, the adjustment hasn’t been quite as smooth as he has registered only one assist in 16 games and has been a healthy scratch on a few occasions. Although his defensive game is very reliable and he likewise has a +9 rating.

Injuries have allowed Mitch Eliot the opportunity to get into the lineup, and he has made the most of it. Eliot was sent to Kalamazoo in the East Coast Hockey League to start the season but was summoned to Utica shortly after. In 11 games with the Comets, he has managed two goals and three assists, while providing a needed physical presence from the back end.

Expectations

It is common for many fans to have unreal expectations for their team’s draft choices. The player was a star in junior. Therefore, he should light it up in the AHL. The AHL is a rugged brand of hockey played by men, who, in most cases, are much bigger and stronger than those just entering the league. These young players are also adjusting to having to fend for themselves, as opposed to living with a billet family. All these changes require a period of acclimation before they are comfortable with their new surroundings.

Forwards

Such was the case for Kole Lind. However, with his next point, Lind will equal his output of a year ago. Only Reid Boucher and Nikolay Goldobin are ahead of him in team scoring, and the feistiness that Lind showed in junior is now prevalent at the professional level. Lind is also tied with Goldobin for the most assists on the Comets with 12.

Much of the same can be said for Jonah Gadjovich. Who, like Lind, has required a certain amount of time to adjust to life in the AHL. Following a multitude of injuries, Gadjovich has returned to the lineup with a vengeance. Gadjovich has four goals and one assist in eight games this season. He has been a force along the boards and in front of the opposition net. Hopefully, he can remain healthy and show the same type of breakthrough that Lind has displayed.

Lukas Jasek has played both center and wing for the Comets while playing up and down in the lineup. His well-rounded game and versatility are his best traits, and his +8 rating is tied with Reid Boucher for the top spot among the forwards.

Zack MacEwen has filled in admirably for the Canucks in a limited role. He provides toughness as well as offensive capabilities, and he may be a permanent fixture at the NHL level before the end of the 2019-2020 campaign.

Quick-skating Francis Perron has been a constant spark in the Comets lineup. His 15 points in 20 games have come despite spending a great deal of time playing in the bottom six.

NCAA

Drafting players and allowing them to develop in college hockey has worked well for the Canucks. Brock Boeser, Adam Gaudette and Quinn Hughes are prime examples. Some of their more intriguing prospects are currently percolating there and appear to be draft day steals. I try to watch Tyler Madden and Jack Rathbone play whenever I can find an available live stream of their games. Both are very exciting to watch.

Madden currently shares top spot in the NCAA in goals with 12 while showing extreme hockey sense in other areas of the game as well. He is an excellent playmaker as well, with ten assists for 22 points in 16 games to lead the Northeastern Huskies by a wide margin. I expect Madden to be in the conversation for the Hobey Baker Award this season.

Teammate Aidan McDonough has been playing on a line with Madden of late, and his numbers have increased dramatically as a result. McDonough has nine points in his last seven games.

Defenceman Rathbone may also receive consideration for the Hobey Baker Award. Harvard is averaging five goals per game while only allowing an average of two per game. Rathbone has three goals and five assists in seven games. His play without the puck has been equally astonishing. His pinpoint passing accuracy and superb skating ability provide successful zone exits and a transition game that might be the best in college hockey.

A recent return to the Michigan lineup for Wolverines captain Will Lockwood after a two-week absence has seen him produce points in three of his last four games.

Cornell University is ranked number one in the nation, and as a result, Jack Malone has seen limited ice-time. The freshman forward has one goal and one assist in eight games.

Freshman goaltender Matthew Thiessen has seen very little playing time for the Maine Black Bears this season.

Junior Hockey

Carson Focht is heating up again with goals in each of his last three games and is currently on a five-game points streak.  Focht has 15 goals on the season, which is only one goal off the Calgary Hitmen club lead.

Recently promoted to the first powerplay unit has helped Jett Woo get on track offensively. Woo had a recent five-game points streak, and his six powerplay assists are currently tied for the second-most on the Hitmen. With his recent surge, Woo now has 15 points in 24 games this season.

Ethan Keppen has seen his offensive production drop off from a year ago. However, his overall play and work ethic have not. Keppen has been getting the puck to the net more often in recent games, with 22 shots on goal over the past six games. Hopefully, some of those shots will start to find the back of the net. Keppen currently has eight goals and 15 points in 23 games.

Latvian goaltender Arturs Silovs was drafted by the Canucks in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL draft. Silovs has been superb thus far this season with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. His numbers dropped slightly in November, but his overall record of nine wins with only four losses remains impressive.

Europe

Czech Republic

With the World Junior Championship less than a month away, Canucks fans will get the chance to see many of their European prospects play. Karel Plasek Jr. should be on the roster of the Czech Republic. He has spent most of this season playing with Kometo Brno of the Extraliga, where his production has been minimal. Albeit, he played six games with the Czech U20 team registering one goal and four assists.

Finland

Finnish defenceman Toni Utunen is a likely candidate to once again be on the Team Finland roster for the WJC. Utunen is not known for his offensive production. However, the stay-at-home defender does have three assists in 12 games this season.

Petrus Palmu continues to produce at a better than a point-a-game pace in the Finnish Liiga. The JYP forward has eight goals and 21 points through his first 18 games.

Russia

The recent CIBC Canada-Russia series provided Canucks fans with the good fortune of being able to watch Vasili Podkolzin play. Although he didn’t display the offensive flare many would like to have seen, he did, however, give them a glimpse of his work ethic and tenacity along the boards and on the forecheck. The WJC should provide an additional viewing.

Artyom Manukyan remains out with an injury and did not play in November.

Goal scoring seems to be the forte for Dmitri Zhukenov. He has ten goals on the season to lead Gornyak Uchaly by a decisive margin.

Sweden

Highlight-reel goals are quickly becoming the trademark of Swedish sensation Nils Hoglander. His amazing talents should be on display at the WJC as well. Hoglander has six goals in 18 games this season, playing with Rogle in the SHL.

When Sweden names their WJC roster, Arvid Costmar could very well be on it. His overall 200-foot game and ability to win faceoffs may earn him that opportunity. Additionally, Costmar has been on fire of late with nine points in his last four games, giving him 22 points in 15 games played.

Versatile forward Linus Karlsson plays in the Allsvenskan, which is a tier below the SHL. In 26 games this season Karlsson has 14 points for Karlskrona.

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