canucklehead80

Hopefully he improves even more next season and then takes the next step. We've got something here.

Would love to see Zhuk get a shot in Utica next season.

Key word there is "haven't". Glad you didn't use the word "didn't" as it is still too early to make a determination on JV. Unfortunately in this day and age, most people want everything now. If he was drafted in the 80's or 90's, when we couldn't get all our information "now" then there probably wouldn't be much panic regarding JV. He'd just be another guy we'd be hopeful on, waiting for him to develop. These days, we're all keeping up to date on everybody (CHL, AHL, ECHL, etc), and it's hard not to want everything right now. Too much of anything isn't necessarily a good thing, and as a fan information is probably one of these things.

Drafted from the London Knights.

Good size. Possibly 4th line material down the road after simmering in the minors for awhile. Never hurts having young guys who are hungry for their opportunity. Either way, need to keep looking under every rock for the next guy, even if it's only for the minors. Organization needs guys, and not just on the big club.

Had me at, "When he's got the puck, don't go for popcorn"

Agreed. There's always BPA present and BPA future. Also the little things should be considered as well.

Never a bad thing. If that does happen, we've got traceable assets to address other team needs.

As much as I'd like to see OJ here as soon as possible, unless he has a fantastic summer training and blows everyone away at camp he probably would be best suited back in London. Definitely will not make or break his career. Although, many around here will consider it the end of the line for him as a top prospect.

If teams are doing their jobs, then this should not the be the case. There may be some similar players, but each will have different attributes/skills/potential. Although, this may be where teams may decide to lean slightly more toward a team need over BPA if some players are only slightly better come draft day.

Better ppg ave than Boeser's great freshman season last year.. Yes, I know this is not Gaudette's freshman year, but I'm sure trying hard not to get too excited about the possibility of these two playing together in a few years.

Definitely. Hopefully, his chemistry with Gaudette along with seeing college guys like Stecher and Hutton step in pretty quickly is reason enough that he will give Van serious consideration. Also shouldn't hurt that there should be some roster openings next season and going forward as we get younger. Sure do hope that we grab at least a couple high reward types even if they are a few years away.

Didn't Hutton sign an amateur contract with Utica (or something along those lines) to finish the 2014-15 season? Couldn't Gaudette do the same?

He's a guy I've been interested in as a potential 2nd round pick or if we snagged a late 1st. Don't get me wrong, I haven't seen him play, but from what I've read of him seems like a guy with some skill that would might go higher if he was a bit bigger. Hoping we are able to grab a couple higher skill guys in the first few rounds even if the "size" isn't all there. As many know, we now need to look at some offensive skill, regardless of how big they are as an 18 year old.

Much too early to be worried. Hopefully Utica is deeper next year and Thatcher, along with some of our other prospects moving up can develop and improve together. Hopefully the start of some future core players.

1A for Jake in Utica's 7-4 loss to the Phantoms.

I've been saying this all season. Different teams, different situations. For all we know Tkachuk would have been back in London playing with OJ if we had drafted him. Willy's track record shows MT would have either been back in Jr. or would have been in and out of the lineup playing bottom 6 minutes, just as every other youngster WD has had in his 3 seasons here have done.

Now we can start panicking about Gaudette

I was hoping for Tkachuk but expecting Juolevi due to our defensive prospect pool looking pretty thin, not to mention drafting the top dman in a draft is also pretty enticing. It's a pick I've learned to accept and has grown on me even with MT's early success. Half a season does make a career. While I wasn't initially on board with the pick, and even dropped a few WTF's when it was made, I find it hard to believe that if OJ turns into the top pairing dman that many hope he can become, Calgary may end up be the one's disappointed that we didn't take MT and let OJ drop to them. The kid is having a good solid season, but is by no means lighting the world on fire.

That would be great to see. Brock seems a lot like Bo in the way that it appears that he's not going to take anything for granted. I don't think work ethic will be much of an issue with BB.

Agreed. Getting more and more excited about his kid. A couple more years to develop and grow, and he could turn into a really good piece going forward.

Sure, it'd be nice if he would have gotten on the scoresheet, but I've been in plenty of hockey pools over the years where my "big boys" have been held off the scoresheet when their teams have had a huge game....and they were forwards. It happens to the best guys sometimes. That's just the way of the game. As for OJ, a little disappointing, but nothing that will determine how good he's going to become. As a defensemen, not as easy getting on the scoresheet either. People just gotta relax and stop overreacting after every single play, game etc.

Gaunce===Rookie playing 4th line minutes, and playing good responsible hockey. 50% on face-offs. Would like to see more production and hopefully it comes soon, but its not really expected of him in his current role. Cassels====3rd round pick in his 2nd pro season. 1st pro year was wasted due to recovering after major surgery and little off season training (playing catchup). How many 3rd rounds picks blossom after a 1 1/2 years pro? Subban====4th round pick in his 2nd season of pro. I'm so tired of people writing him off as a bust or as done with the Canucks. Our D is much deeper than it was last season. He still has more to learn/develop down on the farm. He is only 21. A long ways from being a bust or done. Does it really matter if he were to spend another year or 2 in Utica? There is little room for him at this time anyway. By the time he is ready there will either be a spot ready for him to take or he will have more value as trade bait. Biggest problem these days is nobody has any patience and want results "Now". Always seems like our young guys who haven't have the opportunity or time to prove themselves are always getting ripped apart for what they haven't done instead of getting excited about what they could do in the future.

Agreed. Was hoping he could get a shot to play and see what he could do. Should at least get a free meal at Anton's before he goes

Because a couple seasons a career makes, same goes for guys like Ehlers and Nylander. A fair number of good players took a few years to establish themselves, and there have also been a fair number of players that looked like sure things early on before disappearing or ending up a different player than all the hype would have suggested early.