Brent Sopel D
Chance of making the NHL: 7/10
Impact once in the NHL: B-
Season Stats: AHL: 53 10 21 31 59...NHL: 5 1 0 1 -1 4
Projected Role: 3rd-4th Two-Way Defenseman
Projected Stats: 10g 25a 30pts
Comparable Player: Eric Wienrich
Notes: Although being an offensively gifted defenseman for most of his career, Brent needs elevate his game by becoming more defensive oriented. His offense is not enough to keep him in the NHL. He has a solid shot, along with good skating, and a good first pass out of the zone. Is capable of having a solid NHL career.
Robb Gordon LW
Chance of making the NHL: 6/10
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: AHL: 68 16 22 38 98...NHL: 4 0 0 0 2
Projected Role: 3rd line winger
Projected Stats: 15g 15a 30pts
Comparable Player: Pat Falloon
Notes: Was a prolific scorer in college hockey, but struggled along with everyone in Syracuse. Is solid in many aspects but doesn't posses a "special" skill. Thus, not skilled enough to be on top two lines and is too much of liability on defense to be a checker. Needs to create his niche in the NHL like Pat Falloon.
Zenith Komarniski D
Chance of making the NHL: 5/10
Impact once in the NHL: C
Season Stats: AHL: 57 9 19 28 81
Projected Role: 6th-7th defenseman
Projected Stats: 10g 20a 30pts
Comparable Player: Trent Yawney
Notes: Another skilled defenceman who must add more to his arsenal if he wishes to make the jump to the pros. Has had a history of being a head case but that seems to be behind him. Like all young defencemen, he will need time to adjust and learn the pro game. Was a tremendous offensive force in Major Junior, and if he finds his game in the pros, he'll move quickly up the Canucks prospect charts.
Larry Courville RW
Chance of making the NHL: 5/10
Impact once in the NHL: C
Season Stats: AHL: 71 13 28 41 155
Projected Role: 4th line checker
Projected Stats: 10g 10a 20pts
Comparable Player: Dave Reid
Notes: Has made strides but it may be too little too late. Has bulked up considerably and is very capable defensively. Lacks the scoring touch he needs in the NHL. With expansion, he could find a spot on another team. Time is quickly passing him by however.
Mike Valley G
Chance of making the NHL: 4/10
Impact once in the NHL: D
Season Stats: 2W, 17L, 1T. GAA: 4.10 SV%: .860
Projected Role: 3rd Goalie
Projected Stats: 3.50 GAA, .860 SV%
Comparable Player: Corey Hirsch
Notes: 1st year pro goalie, who was a victim of playing behind a very poor defensive team. Mainly a reflex goalie. Still very early in his career and goalies tend to develop later. Will get his chance with expansion taking away goalies in other organizations. Needs a lot of playing time. Losing a coach like Glen Hanlon (to Portland of the AHL) may hurt his development.
Kyle Freadrich LW
Chance of making the NHL: 3/10
Impact once in the NHL: F
Season Stats: AHL: 5 0 0 0 20
Projected Role: 4th line enforcer
Projected Stats: 5g 5a 10pts 300pim
Comparable Player: Rob Ray
Notes: Pure enforcer, who has a low talent level. Can get under opposing player's skins. Skating ability (or lack thereof) will keep him in the minors.
Clint Cabana D
Chance of making the NHL: 3/10
Impact once in the NHL: F
Season Stats: AHL: 20 0 1 1 94
Projected Role: 7th-8th defenseman
Projected Stats: 0g 5a 5pts 250pim
Comparable Player: Enrico Ciccone
Notes: Physical stay-at-home defenceman. Likes to fight. Lacks lateral movement for the NHL.
Stewart Bodtker RW*
Chance of making the NHL: 3/10
Impact once in the NHL: F
Season Stats: AHL: 31 5 5 10 12
Projected Role: 4th line checker
Projected Stats: 5g 10a 15pts
Comparable Player: Shjon Podein
Notes: Can be an offensive force in the minors, but needs to make transition to defensive game. If he doesn't, he will be a career minor leaguer.
Lubomir Vaic C
Chance of making the NHL: 5/10
Impact once in the NHL: C-
Season Stats: Not found yet
Projected Role: 3rd line center
Projected Stats: 10g 20a 30pts
Comparable Player: Sergei Brylin
Notes: Very skilled offensive player on the smallish side. Taking the wear and tear of eighty games is the main concern. With expansion around the corner, Lubomir may get his chance with another team. Needs to take advantage of every available opportunity he receives or he may have to stay in Europe.
Steve Washburn C
Chance of making the NHL: 6/10
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: AHL: 13 1 6 7 6...NHL: 12 0 0 0 -1 6
Projected Role: 3rd line center
Projected Stats: 20g 20a 40pts
Comparable Player: Jeff Shantz
Notes: A real enigma of a prospect. Is a an excellent skater, passes and handles the puck well. Does lack scoring touch but has enough tools to make contribution. However, he has had difficulty sticking in the pros because of his lack of consistency. Needs to make his presence felt everynight with hustle. Can have a bright future if he chooses to, but he is getting up in age, and might see his chance frittered away by that moron Brian Burke.
David Ytfeldt D
Chance of making the NHL: 8
Impact once in the NHL: B
Season Stats:
Projected Role: 2nd-3rd agitating defenseman
Projected Stats: 5g 20a 25pts 100pim
Comparable Player: Darius Kasparitis
Notes: Drafted as David Jonsson...changed his name, hoping the Canucks would forget about him... Was voted Rookie of the Year in the Swedish Elite League...was excellent in the World Junior Championships...known for borderline illegal physical play...progressed more than any other Canucks draft from 1998.
Bryan Allen D
Chance of making the NHL: 10
Impact once in the NHL: A- or above
Season Stats: OHL: 37 7 15 22 +14 77
Projected Role: 1st-2nd stay-at-home anchor of a defenseman
Projected Stats: 10g 25a 35pts 150pim
Comparable Player: Chris Pronger, Derian Hatcher
Notes: Has had some problems with his knees, which kept him out of a lot of hockey this year... would have started on the Canucks defense this season if he had been signed in time...could become a dominating defensive player...clears the net well, very mobile for his size, aggressive and with good leadership qualities...makes a nice breakout pass, and a has hard slap shot...his offensive upside isn't amazing, but it will become more developed with a little more experience...if his knees hold up, he could anchor the Canucks defense for 10 or more years.
Josh Holden C
Chance of making the NHL: 9
Impact once in the NHL: B+
Season Stats: AHL: 37 14 15 29 48...NHL: 30 2 4 6 -10 10
Projected Role: 1st line skill center
Projected Stats: 30g 40a 70pts
Comparable Player: Jeremy Roenick, Doug Weight, Patrick Marleau
Notes: Has seen his stock drop since a major hand injury last year...disappointing in his 30 game stint with the Canucks...had little or no presence in most of those 30 games...didn't show what was supposed to be a trademark: fiesty play...perhaps he was intimidated by the size/skill/speed of the NHL...played fairly well in the AHL...almost a lock on the center-starved Canucks, but cannot take his roster spot for granted. Josh better pray that Stefan doesn't slide down to the 3rd pick, or he may be playing some quality AHL hockey for a few years to come...
Steve Kariya LW
Chance of making the NHL: 9
Impact once in the NHL: B-
Season Stats: US College: 41 27 38 65
Projected Role: 2nd line skill LW
Projected Stats: 20g 30a 50pts
Comparable Player: Steve Sullivan, Hnat Dominichelli
Notes: Big-time college free-agent...has great speed...lacking size, strength and the vision his brother has...however, he has the same Kariya work-ethic...should constantly improve...basically a lock to be on the starting roster, because of his name and hometown (Canuck fans know Burke needs some decent PR for once)...should probably spend some time in the AHL, but if his speed and number of pre-pubescent female fans impresses enough, he may stick.
Artem Chubarov C
Chance of making the NHL: 8
Impact once in the NHL: B
Season Stats:
Projected Role: 3rd line checking center
Projected Stats: 15g 20a 35pts
Comparable Player: Andrei Nikolishin, Sergei Nemchinov
Notes: Could be an excellent NHL player...has good size and mobility...sees the ice well, plays good defense...is able to find holes...was one of Gold Medal winner Team Russia's best players at the WJC...scored two goals, including the OT marker, to defeat Canada in the final game. Could become a 2nd line center if Druken or Holden don't pan out.
Harold Druken C
Chance of making the NHL: 7
Impact once in the NHL: B
Season Stats: OHL: 60 58 45 103 +53 34
Projected Role: 2nd line skill center
Projected Stats: 35g 30a 65pts
Comparable Player: Jeff O'Neill, Rob Neidermayer
Notes: Druken is threatening to go back into the 1999 Entry Draft if he doesn't get "Lecavalier" type money...apparantly wants the money of a Lecavalier while negotiating contracts with the brain of a Petr Nedved (holding teams for ransom rarely works)...despite great stats, he WILL NOT be a 1st round pick this draft either...his agent is fooling him, and Druken needs to develop some character. Druken has to learn the defensive side of the game...he has good speed and size...decent set of skills...his inflated stats are due mainly to playing with 2 great linemates in Plymouth...if he gets his head right, he could be a major sleeper pick for the Canucks. Was benched in all crucial situations for Team Canada in the World Juniors...but then again, it WAS Tom Renney coaching...
Kevin Weekes G
Chance of making the NHL: 10
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: IHL: GP: 33 W:19 L: 5 T: 7 GAA: 2.07 SV%: .919
NHL: GP: 11 W: 0 L: 8 T: 1 GAA: 3.83 SV%: .868
Projected Role: Starting goalie (pains me to say it)
Projected Stats: 2.99 GAA, .899 SV%
Comparable Player: Bill Ranford (bad reflex goalie)
Notes: Proclaimed "Goalie of the Future" by Burke...performed like "Goalie of the Past", ala Troy Gamble or Kay Whitmore...has tremendous athletic ability...has a tremendous LACK of positional smarts...his idea of "cutting down the angles" is to get in the position in which he can make the most gratuitous glove save...classic butterfly goalie, except he forgot that a butterfly goalie IS allowed to stand occasionally...needs a goalie coach -- and fast...he's 24, with all the athletic tools, but no idea how the play the position. Could become the personification of Brian Burke's pomposity and ineptness regarding the Bure Deal. Though Dave Gagner is filling that spot admirably already. If the much-vaunted "Young Defense" turns out as good as we Canuck fans hope and expect, then Weekes will see his stats improve greatly...he will be another "Chris Osgood", except without the "clutch play"...
Peter Schaefer LW
Chance of making the NHL: 7
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: AHL: 41 10 19 29 66...NHL: 25 4 4 8 +1 8
Projected Role: 2nd line skill LW
Projected Stats: 25g 20a 45pts
Comparable Player: Brian Savage, Martin Rucinsky
Notes: Soft, skilled, good skating offensive minded player...this former WHL Player of the Year was up and down between the Canucks and Crunch last season...played some games at the beginning of the season, made no impact and was sent down...after returning from the AHL, he was MUCH improved, and actually went out of his way for 3 games to make physical contact with other players...after a strong first 3 return games, his play slipped, but not to the depths of his early season play...could be affected the most by the signing of Steve Kariya...unless Peter totally changes his game into a more defensive one, he might be redundant. If the Canucks do what they should (open up the play), he could be a very valuable player...I fear he will always remain an enigma however...Canuck fans will say things like "he COULD get 30-40 goals, on another team", etc...sounds like Brian Savage...
Matt Cooke C
Chance of making the NHL: 6
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: AHL: 37 15 18 33 119...NHL: 30 0 2 2 -12 27
Projected Role: 3rd/4th line checking center
Projected Stats: 10g 15a 25pts 150pim
Comparable Player: Scott Walker, Darcy Tucker
Notes: Matt Cooke could be a very valuable player in a few years (like Walker is for Nashville and Tucker is for Tampa)...fiesty, quick, with a surprisingly good skill level, Matt lacks the big league shot and size to move up from a 3rd/4th line player...will be a team leader and will score the occasional clutch goal however...if given a chance with some real ice-time (once again, like Walker and Tucker got this year), Cooke's projected stats could rise to around 15/20/35, if not higher. His low projected stats are due mainly to what is expected to be a limited role in the NHL. Played very well in the AHL while he was there...in fact, going by statistics, you could say that Cooke outplayed both Holden and Schaefer while down there...and yet it was Holden and Schaefer who were called up at the end of the year...could possibly be the perception that Cooke is too much of a "Keenan-Style" player for Burke/Crawford's liking.
Jarkko Ruutu RW
Chance of making the NHL: 8
Impact once in the NHL: B-
Season Stats:
Projected Role: 3rd line agitating RW
Projected Stats: 15g 15a 30pts 150pim
Comparable Player: Matthew Barnaby
Notes: Known as the "Finnish Matthew Barnaby" for good reason...except he does something Barnaby doesn't usually do...hurt people, and hurt them bad...as a mostly "mature" player, he should be a lock to join the Canucks next year...has good size and mobility...and, like Barnaby, he has a decent enough skill level...expect to see LOTS of scrums with Ruutu in the middle, if he's in the NHL next season...now, here are some descriptions of Jarkko's play from a recent Euro tournament:
Mike Brown LW
Chance of making the NHL: 8
Impact once in the NHL: B-
Season Stats: WHL: 69 28 16 44 +20 285
Projected Role: 3rd line enforcer RW
Projected Stats: 15g 10a 25pts 200pim
Comparable Player: Bob Probert, Scott Parker
Notes: The "prospect" component of the infamous Bure Deal...could be a great asset to the Canucks in the future...Mike is big, strong, straight-away fast (won the goal-line to goal-line skating competition in the CHL Prospects weekend in his draft year), tough and with a decent skill level. Could become a legitimate heavyweight enforcer, with the actual ability to play hockey... hopefully Brown can replace Donald Brashear as quickly as possible ...after Jovanovski, Brown is looking like the next best player in the Bure Deal to come over to the Canucks. Basically a lock to make it within 2 years, due to the fact he was in the Bure Deal ...he will get a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th chance, if that's what it takes, to make Burke look as good as possible.
Ryan Bonni D
Chance of making the NHL: 6
Impact once in the NHL: C+
Season Stats: WHL: 71 9 36 45 -13 252
Projected Role: 4th-5th tough defenseman
Projected Stats: 5g 10a 15pts 150pim
Comparable Player: Brenden Witt, Brad Brown, Jason Strudwick
Notes: His strong play of late gave the Canucks the green-light to trade disappointing defense prospect Brad Ference...can be a VERY mean player in the NHL, once he adds some weight...adding some muscle, particularly to his upperbody, is a must...will probably play in the AHL next season ...tries to enforce, but doesn't do it particularly well...still, he shows leadership ability and the willingness to stick up for teammates.
8/22 prospects became regular NHLers with the Canucks.