Canucks Prospects Scouting Reports

[Canucksin2013]

A look at Boeser, Demko, Tryamkin, Juolevi, and Subban.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/07/30/tsp-vancouver-canucks-prospects-3/

[Camel Toe Drag]

Lots to be excited for here folks!!! This is what Smart drafting looks like. 

[Fred65]

I made a comment on that site

 

Quote

I think that maybe what is missed ( I recognize the limitations on writing an article ) is the overall age factor in Vcr. There are 9 players under 24 years old. Many in key roles. While you mention Horvat which IMO is fair, he’s still only 21 there’s another stalwart in Hutton a 1st year Pro at 23 and already played for his country internationally. Vcr future is mostly about the rebuild that has gone basically unnoticed by eastern media since the first initial move that traded away Schneider and Luongo which brought in Horvat and Markstrom in 2013. A good portion of the rebuild is already completed, while the media is still standing around waiting for the starters gun

 

[Fanuck]

I take these reports with a huge grain of salt as I suspect most of these online bloggers/so called scouts either never actually watch theses players in person, don't watch them over extended periods of time to see actual development occur,  or don't have enough actual hockey knowledge of the NHL game to be able to make any valid reports - but they sure can post stats and collect information that's already been written by others.  

[PlanB]

7 minutes ago, Fanuck said:

I take these reports with a huge grain of salt as I suspect most of these online bloggers/so called scouts either never actually watch theses players in person, don't watch them over extended periods of time to see actual development occur,  or don't have enough actual hockey knowledge of the NHL game to be able to make any valid reports - but they sure can post stats and collect information that's already been written by others.  

Agreed.

His third sentence in OJ'so so called scouting report :

 

"Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! "

 

There is zero original analytical or critical content in any of his reports.  He's looking for internet traffic to make money just like most of these guys. Unfortunately,  forums like this likely drum up a lot of clicks for him.

[Odd.]

Quote

Welcome to the 2016 edition of “Top Shelf Prospects”.  As we go through the Summer of 2016 I will be featuring a team-by-team look at the top prospects in the NHL. I will go team by team through the NHL bringing you a look at each Teams Top Prospects. I will follow the order of the first round of the NHL draft (as if there were no trades). You can find all the articles here. Since we had an extensive NHL Draft preview, I will not be reviewing the players who were drafted this year. There have been no games since then, and my reports on them will not have changed.

What I will be doing is linking you to those articles, as well as taking a look at prospects that were acquired before this year’s draft; their progress, and their chances of making the 2016-17 roster. I will also bring you one sleeper pick – a player who was either drafted in the 4th-round or later; or an undrafted free agent signing who I pick as my darkhorse to make the NHL. For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played or being 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and I may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.

TSP: Vancouver Canucks Prospects

After making the playoffs in 2014-15, the Vancouver Canucks crashed back down to earth in 2015-16. A season filled with injuries, and underperformance from players that they were counting on led to finishing with the third worst record in the NHL. As with any hockey team that experiences a tough season, that type of result brings changes. The Canucks sent promising young centre Jared McCannto the Florida Panthers for Erik Gudbranson in a multi-player move to bolster the blue line. They also signed Loui Eriksson to a large free agent deal. He will likely play on the top line, replacing Radim Vrbata who had a good first year in Vancouver, but terrible second season. He remains an unrestricted free agent.

2016 Draft Picks: Olli Juolevi, William Lockwood, Cole Candella, Jakob Stukel, Rodrigo Abols, Brett McKenzie
Graduates: Ben Hutton, Jake Virtanen,

Vancouver Canucks Prospects Scouting Reports

 

Top Prospect: Olli Juolevi

The Canucks took Juolevi with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. I wrote an extensive scouting report on him prior to the draft. With the fact that there have been no meaningful games since the draft and that report has not changed, I will not be re-writing it here. You can check out the pre-draft report here.

 

#2 Prospect: Brock Boeser

Right Wing — shoots Right
Born Feb 25 1997 — Burnsville, MN
Height 6’01 — Weight 191 lbs [185 cm / 87 kg]
Drafted in the 1st Round, 23rd Overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2015 NHL Draft

Boeser, the Canucks first round pick in 2015, had an incredible season at North Dakota. Scoring 27 goals and 60 points as a freshman is remarkable. He was part of the CBS line with Drake Caggiula, and Nick Schmaltz. They dominated the NCAA Frozen Four tournament. He helped lead the Fighting Hawks to the National Championship. Boeser was also part of Team USA at the World Junior Championships.

Offensive Game

Brock Boeser is a pure sniper who has a tremendous one-timer. He also has a hard wrist shot with a hair trigger release. He has the hockey sense and ability to find holes in the opposing defence and set himself up for a shot. A good skater and puck handler, Boeser also has the ability to create openings for himself or others. He can also be a play maker, with good vision and solid passing skill.

Boeser could stand to add more muscle to his frame. This would make him even more effective in the corners and in front of the net. He doesn’t show fear to go to dirty areas right now, but he could simply win more battles with more core strength. Boeser has a low centre of gravity and cycles the puck well now, but should be even better in time if he can add that muscle. He forechecks hard and can punish defencemen in the corners with hits if they don’t move the puck quickly. Boeser also has the soft hands necessary to finish plays in close to the net.

Skating

Brock Boeser has very good top end speed, but his first few steps and acceleration are merely slightly above average. His start up is a little choppy and if he can make it a bit smoother he could really improve this area of his game. He has made strides in this area since joining North Dakota, but there are still a few more refinements to make. Boeser has good agility, and the edge work to make quick cuts on defenders. His balance and power are very good at the college level and allow him to fight through checks; but again a little more lower body strength is needed before he goes pro.

Defensive Game

Brock Boeser’s defensive game is inconsistent. At times he looks very strong, with strong backchecking, good positioning and the active stick to break up plays and start the transition game. He gets involved in board battles and shows a willingness to put his body on the line to block shots. At other times, he gets caught puck watching and cheating for the long stretch pass through the neutral zone. The talent to play a two-way games is there. It is hoped that he will become more consistent with added maturity.

Outlook

Expect to see Boeser spend another season at North Dakota before going pro. He has lost his linemates, as they have signed with the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. Boeser will be expected to lead North Dakota next season. He will get some help in the offensive zone, with 10th overall pick Tyson Jost joining the squad. Another run at the CCHA, and National Title is possible before he goes pro.

 

#3 Prospect: Thatcher Demko

Goalie — shoots Left
Born Dec 8 1995 — San Diego, CA
Height 6’4 — Weight 195 lbs [193 cm / 88 kg]
Drafted by Vancouver Canucks in round 2, #36 overall at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft

After another spectacular season with Boston College, which saw him put up a 1.88 goals against average and .935 save percentage; Thatcher Demko signed with the Vancouver Canucks and is going pro.

Style and Potential

Demko is already 6’4 and he has ideal size that NHL teams are looking for in goalie prospects. This size, combined with his ability to cut down angles gives shooters very little to look at. Demko skates well, meaning he recovers quickly and stays with shooters if they try to deke. He also has a strong push giving him very good lateral movement and his puck tracking ability is very solid. He understands where the play is going, anticipates well, and gets across the crease quickly for cross-ice passes and one-timers.

Demko plays a butterfly style and is extremely hard to beat down low due to his long and quick legs. He is so big that even when he does go down he can still take up a lot of the upper portion of the net. Demko has really improved his rebound control over his time with Boston College. He still has some more work to do though, as many young goalies do. He is very good at staying square to the puck, even when does given up rebounds. This usually puts Demko in good position to stop those second chance opportunities. He also has a quick glove hand.

Puck Handling

Demko handles the puck well, another aspect that many teams like in a modern goaltender. He helps his defencemen by being able to retrieve dump-ins and make smart outlets. On the powerplay he can catch the other team on a line change with a long pass to a forward.

Outlook

The Canucks goaltender of the future will likely start the season in the AHL with the Utica Comets. This is not a bad thing, as he needs playing time in order to continue to develop.  Demko is a year or two away from making an NHL impact, but should be worth the wait.

 

#4 Prospect: Nikita Tryamkin

Defense  — Shoots Left
Born Aug 30 1994  — Yekaterinburg, Russia
Height 6’07 — Weight 228 lbs [201 cm / 103 kg]
Drafted by Vancouver Canucks in round 3, 66th overall at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft

Coming over from Russia at the end of the season, Tryamkin had an excellent debut with the Canucks. While he only put up one goal and one assist in 13 games, offense is not his game. Instead the 6’7 monster showed a signs of having shut down ability at the NHL level. There will be growing pains, and future development is needed, but Canucks fans should be excited by what he’s shown to date.

Skating

As is common with many players at 6’7″ tall, skating is a bit of an issue for Tryamkin. He does have decent top end speed, once he gets going. He has a good, long stride and generates good power.  However, he can struggles in his start up and acceleration. He also needs to work on his agility and edge work. This is something that can be taught, but explosiveness must be a major part of his off-season training. All things considered, he is not that bad considering his height, but this is something almost all really tall NHLers have to work on.

Offensive Game

There isn’t a lot to talk about with Tryamkin’s offensive game. The skating issues really limit his ability to be a puck mover. However, he does have a cannon for a slap shot. It is a rocket. He needs to work on getting it through shooting lanes and on net. In the coming years, there may be less opponents willing to try and block it though. Keeping the puck lower, and generating rebounds deflections and rebounds would probably be appreciated by teammates tasked with standing in front of the net. Tryamkin does show the ability to make a good break out pass. However, he needs to move the puck quickly. He is not particularly adept with his stick handling, yet.

Defensive Game

Tryamkin uses his size to play a strong defensive game. He clears the front of the net effectively, and is very hard to beat in board battles. He can really lean on opponents, and cuts short attempts to cycle the puck in the offensive zone. Tryamkin picks his spots well, and can be absolutely devastating when he gets the opportunity to throw a big hit on an opponent. His positioning is a work in progress, but that should be expected coming from Europe to the smaller NHL rinks. Tryamkin also uses his long stick to cut down passing lanes and his big frame to block shots.

Outlook

Expect Tryamkin to be given every opportunity at training camp to crack the Canucks roster. He will likely start out on the bottom pairing, but there is room to move up in the lineup. His size and physicality make him an excellent addition to the Canucks roster. It will be invaluable playing in the Western Conference, against the many physical teams Vancouver faces.

 

Sleeper: Jordan Subban

Defense — shoots Right
Born Mar 3 1995 — Rexdale, ONT
Height 5’09 — Weight 185 lbs [175 cm / 84 kg]
Drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in round 4, #115 overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft

Jordan Subban had a solid rookie season with the Utica Comments, putting up 11 goals and 36 points in 67 AHL games. He also added three points in four playoff games. The younger brother of P.K. Subban made a nice transition to the pro game. He proved that despite his size, he could play defense against bigger, stronger professional players.

Skating

Subban’s outsanding skating defines his two-way game. He has very good top end speed and excellent acceleration, and this is true of both his forwards and backwards skating. Technically speaking his stride is even better than brother P.K.’s, as it is not nearly as choppy, and seems to be smoother and longer. He has very good agility, edgework, pivots and turns. This allows him to be extremely mobile, and be able to cover a huge amount of ice. The great skating ability was especially noticeable in his junior career. As a member of the Belleville Bulls he played his home games on an Olympic Sized rink. He has the ability to make quick changes in direction in all 360 degrees.

Offensive Game

Subban has an excellent slap shot, and is great at one-timers. He also mixes in an excellent wrist shot with a good release from the point. Subban’s great agility and footwork allows him to walk the line and open up shooting and passing lanes. He also has great vision and passing ability and has done a fantastic job as the a power play quarterback, creating plays for himself and his teammates. Subban is a very good stick handler which can allow him to lead the rush, and his good skating allows him to join in as a trailer, or to make pinches and still recover in his own end. There is all the potential in the world in Jordan Subban’s offensive game.

Defensive Game

Subban has some issues defensively, but those are almost all based on his size as he measures in at just 5’9. However, there have been more and more smaller puck-moving defenceman succeeding in the NHL in recent years. Subban has the ability to overcome his lack of size. He is hard to beat on the rush due to his good mobilty. Subban uses his quick stick to intercept passes, and pokecheck opponents. He also shows great ability to start the transition game as he is very responsible with the puck, and makes good outlet passes. He also has very good poise and the ability to skate the puck out of danger when pressured.

Subban’s lack of size size is still an issue though; as he can ber dominated by larger forwards, and has a really tough time winning board battles or clearing the crease. He has issues defending against the cycle game. Subban can be pushed around down low. While he’ll likely always have some issues with bigger forwards, he can improve this aspect of his game by bulking up and adding muscle mass, and strength.  The Canucks can also look to pair him with a big, strong, stay-at-home type of defenceman.

Outlook

Subban will likely start the year with Utica. He can be an injury fill-in and get some games at the NHL level. It will ber another year of bulking up and working on his defensive game. If things go will, Subban could make the roster full time in 2017-18.

 

The System

The Canucks have some nice prospects in their system, in addition to the players listed above. Troy Stecher was and excellent free agent pickup and should push for a spot after some time in the AHL. They also have Andrey Pedan, Guillaume Brisebois, and the newly drafted Cole Candella as developing blueliners. The defence and goaltending are in good shape, but long-term the Canucks must look to add more offensive firepower to their prospect ranks.

Up front, the Canucks have a pair of two way centres in Brendan Gaunce and Cole Cassels, but lack a player with top line upside down the middle. The Sedins are not getting any younger, and this must be addressed soon. While he is no longer considered a prospect, Bo Horvat is still very young. He should be a good second line player, but its unclear if he can take the reigns as a top-line centre. American winger William Lockwood was a nice addition in this year’s draft, but is a project.

For those who are lazy to click the link 

 

Good article. I agree with everything, especially the report on Subban. 

 

[elvis15]

Yeah, I'm not clicking a link only thread by someone I don't know. It's usually the writer of the article posting the thread with only the link to try and get page hits (and it's a no no on the forums to do it for that reason). Thankfully someone posted at least some of the content though.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Just now, elvis15 said:

Yeah, I'm not clicking a link only thread by someone I don't know. It's usually the writer of the article posting the thread with only the link to try and get page hits (and it's a no no on the forums to do it for that reason). Thankfully someone posted at least some of the content though.

Looking at OP's post history, seems like he has always posted isolated links to get hits on his website.

[canucklehead80]

Nice read. Good to read a report that is current and shows how they are developing and what they still need to improve then a report  that is a year or two old from some of those other sites.

[LaBamba]

Looking post Sedin's. 

 

Even if all of the mentioned prospects hit their ceiling we still have no top line. I haven't seen a cup champion with no top line, has anyone else? 

[Alflives]

5 minutes ago, LaBamba said:

Looking post Sedin's. 

 

Even if all of the mentioned prospects hit their ceiling we still have no top line. I haven't seen a cup champion with no top line, has anyone else? 

We absolutely need at least ONE dynamic top line player - even a winger would work.  Bo had 30 points in his last 40 games, with little PP time, and mostly D-zone starts.  He looks to be developing into a Bergeron/Toews type of potential number one centre.  We do need an elite winger though.  

 

Tanev is is our best trade chip from D.  Maybe he could get us that much needed winger/centre?

[Rush17]

Wish he used spell check.  I'm curious if he saw the players or just hashed together his own reports from other scouting reports and blended them.

 

There were like 3 spelling errors in the Subban part.

[Crabcakes]

25 minutes ago, Alflives said:

We absolutely need at least ONE dynamic top line player - even a winger would work.  Bo had 30 points in his last 40 games, with little PP time, and mostly D-zone starts.  He looks to be developing into a Bergeron/Toews type of potential number one centre.  We do need an elite winger though.  

 

Tanev is is our best trade chip from D.  Maybe he could get us that much needed winger/centre?

The one thing that the Canucks desperately need more than a top line forward is a real DEFENSE.

 

D was exposed in the playoffs against Calgary and all last season.  Benning has been working hard to shore up the D since the Calgary series and may just have been successful in this off season.  Finally some balance (Guddy) and a future (Juolevi)

 

Trading Tanev is not a good idea

[Alflives]

4 minutes ago, Crabcakes said:

The one thing that the Canucks desperately need more than a top line forward is a real DEFENSE.

 

D was exposed in the playoffs against Calgary and all last season.  Benning has been working hard to shore up the D since the Calgary series and may just have been successful in this off season.  Finally some balance (Guddy) and a future (Juolevi)

 

Trading Tanev is not a good idea

I know Tanev is a Very Good player.  However, if he could return a young top line player, shouldn't we do that?  That Larson guy returned Talor friggin Hall.  Tanev is better than Larson, so shouldn't he get us a Landeskog or someone like that?  Tanev for Draisatl?  

[Jam126]

21 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I know Tanev is a Very Good player.  However, if he could return a young top line player, shouldn't we do that?  That Larson guy returned Talor friggin Hall.  Tanev is better than Larson, so shouldn't he get us a Landeskog or someone like that?  Tanev for Draisatl?  

I'd rather lose 3-2 than lose 8-2 every night. No thank you. D is way more important than scoring. We finally have a steady D and now you want to tear it apart? It hasn't even hit the ice yet.

[Alflives]

4 minutes ago, Jam126 said:

I'd rather lose 3-2 than lose 8-2 every night. No thank you. D is way more important than scoring. We finally have a steady D and now you want to tear it apart? It hasn't even hit the ice yet.

Ya, you're probably right.  We need to draft an elite guy then.  Who will that be from the spots we will draft though?  I guess we could get lucky in the draft lotto.  

[Jam126]

Just now, Alflives said:

Ya, you're probably right.  We need to draft an elite guy then.  Who will that be from the spots we will draft though?  I guess we could get lucky in the draft lotto.  

Getzlaf was drafted 19th Overall. That's a playoff rank. Patrice Bergeron was picked in the 2nd round. Not all elite players are found in the top 3. And I wouldn't bank on the lotto again. We've always been on the short end of the stick when it comes to the lotto. There's a reason we have never had the 1st Overall pick. And it's not because we "refuse to tank".

[Alflives]

Just now, Jam126 said:

Getzlaf was drafted 19th Overall. That's a playoff rank. Patrice Bergeron was picked in the 2nd round. Not all elite players are found in the top 3. And I wouldn't bank on the lotto again. We've always been on the short end of the stick when it comes to the lotto. There's a reason we have never had the 1st Overall pick. And it's not because we "refuse to tank".

And JB has proven his sharp eye at the draft too.  

[Jam126]

3 minutes ago, Alflives said:

And JB has proven his sharp eye at the draft too.  

Yes, this is why I have so much faith in this management team. We haven't had such a great GM since Pat Quinn.

[CaptKirk888]

On July 30, 2016 at 11:57 AM, -Vintage Canuck- said:

Looking at OP's post history, seems like he has always posted isolated links to get hits on his website.

Further looking reveals it is the same website every time, lastwordonsports.com