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Dane Fox | LW/C

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Robongo Canucks Third-Line

Robongo

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From The Province:

PENTICTON — Dane Fox came to the Young Stars tourney here with a reputation for a crackling shot and a prickly personality.

He showed off the first with a lightning-quick goal in Friday’s opener with the Canucks prospects and demonstrated the second on Sunday with a second-period scrap that ended up costing him more than half the game that Vancouver lost 5-4 in overtime.

Fox was tossed — wrongly, as it turned out — for dropping the gloves along with Jets prospect J.C. Lipon on the faceoff following a Winnipeg goal at 5:54 of the second period. The refs were apparently calling a WHL rule that calls for automatic ejection for a “staged fight” on a faceoff, a penalty that doesn’t apply under NHL rules.

“He’s a good player and a physical guy, and after they scored, he kind of gave one of our players a tap, and I don’t want him to think he can do that,” said Fox. “I’m not a guy who goes looking for it, but if there’s a good reason and the opportunity is there, then absolutely.

“We battled back (to tie the game), but I wish I could have been out there.”

Canucks prospects coach Travis Green could have used Fox’s scoring later in the game, but defended his feisty approach.

“You can’t take that away from players,” said Green. “For him to be an NHL player, he’s going to have to play a fiery game. You don’t want to take away his compete. I liked what he did.”

Fox is far and away the most intriguing Canucks prospect at the Young Stars tourney.

The left-winger scored a dazzling 64 goals in 67 games with the OHL Erie Otters this past season, took a good share of the key faceoffs and was often in the face of the other team’s top players.

That Fox was passed over twice in the NHL draft and is in a Canucks uniform because he was signed last winter as a free agent bears some explaining, and perhaps lowering the bar to a more reasonable level for the Thamesville, Ont., native.

First off, he was playing as an over-ager for Erie last season, which gave him a distinct maturity advantage. And he played most of the season with OHL scoring champion Connor Brown and the player who’s a slam dunk to be drafted first overall into the NHL next season, Connor McDavid. He’s also got some foot speed issues that have held him back.

Still, Fox has been a good player in the OHL, but some unspecified “off-ice issues” — which he won’t discuss in detail — were major contributors to him being passed over in both his draft years.

“I was a young kid in the league, making immature decisions and not focusing on playing hockey,” said Fox. “It was a wake-up call and I got one. I was told to go to the draft the first time (he was draft eligible) and I sat there the whole day and didn’t hear my name called.”

Fox, 20, has been working to address the question marks that have been drawn around him.

He’s been working with a dietitian to clean up his diet and a power-skating instructor and feels quicker. He knows it’s a work in progress.

“The (Canucks) development camp (in July) was a pretty big eye-opener,” he said. “I met with a dietitian. Before, I was feeding my body crap fuel, now it’s good fuel. It’s making me feel better on the ice.”

Fox finished last season with about 200 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame. He’s down to about 190 right now and feels much better.

“I lost a lot of body fat,” he said. “It was a good 10 pounds to lose. But it’s a process. You don’t just change your body overnight. It’s going to take some time.”

Fox also knows he’s still got to prove people wrong to get to the NHL, but he’s up for the challenge.

“I’m not going to get away from what I was doing in junior, just sticking to my role — being a pest and contributing offensively,” he said. “I know the next level is going to be tough, but I’m going to try my best to get there.”

He's still very raw as evident by his nutrition comments. After a couple years marinating in the pros and really working on his overall fitness, he's going to be a solid utility player with the potential to moveup because of his incredible shot.

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CRAZY_4_NAZZY Canucks Franchise Player

CRAZY_4_NAZZY

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From The Province:

He's still very raw as evident by his nutrition comments. After a couple years marinating in the pros and really working on his overall fitness, he's going to be a solid utility player with the potential to moveup because of his incredible shot.

thats a great thing...when a player has very little to improve on, it lets them become apathetic and comfortable with where they are at. Fox has lots of room to improve which is a good thing.

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aGENT Canucks Hall-of-Famer

aGENT

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Heck with that! He will be scoring goals for us in the playoffs this year!

I'm a sucker for the hyperbole but he showed close to as much as Jensen with less give away's in the Prospects tourney and he will fight for his teammates so he has a shot at that happening.

Don't make any pre-judgements (good or bad) off the prospects tourny. Wait for the preseason.

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bigbadcanucks Canucks Second-Line

bigbadcanucks

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Like his scoring and love his feisty. I'm rooting for him to steal a 4th line spot. I think because he's a "3rd tier" prospect I don't see any harm in burning his ELC. not like say Shink or Horvat.

Fox is playing in the pros this year. He was an overager in the O last year. He's no longer on sliding scale.

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bigbadcanucks Canucks Second-Line

bigbadcanucks

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shinkaruk is also a pro this year

Though it's highly unlikely since he's turning 20 in a few weeks, Shink can be sent back down to the dub to play one more year of junior.

I had thought that was an option if his hip wasn't fully healed. But seems like he's fully rehabbed, so if he doesn't crack the Canucks roster, he'll be primed to light it up for the Comets.

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Dekey Pete Canucks Rookie

Dekey Pete

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Though it's highly unlikely since he's turning 20 in a few weeks, Shink can be sent back down to the dub to play one more year of junior.

I had thought that was an option if his hip wasn't fully healed. But seems like he's fully rehabbed, so if he doesn't crack the Canucks roster, he'll be primed to light it up for the Comets.

I'm sure the canucks will be pushing to have him play Utica this year, if he doesn't make the team right out of pre-season. That way they have way more flexibility if they need to call him up down the line.

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