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Ethan Keppen | LW


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14 hours ago, DeNiro said:

We really haven’t had much success drafting out of the OHL over the years.

 

In 8 drafts since drafting Horvat we’ve only had a handful of decent prospects in Juolevi, DiPietro, and Gadjovich.

It would probably be a good idea to invest in OHL scouting but our American (USHL, NCAA) and European amateur scouting has been carrying us pretty well. I guess Benning and co really developed and prioritized the kids going to school.

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19 hours ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

I just can't imagine how heartbroken these kids are when they receive news like this. They are seeing their lifetime dreams of playing in the NHL slipping away. Keep working Ethan and I hope you can prove the Canucks wrong.

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4 hours ago, Rick Blight said:

I just can't imagine how heartbroken these kids are when they receive news like this. They are seeing their lifetime dreams of playing in the NHL slipping away. Keep working Ethan and I hope you can prove the Canucks wrong.

 

12 minutes ago, Ray_Cathode said:

Oh well, maybe Abby signs him. He had a tough first game, but improved each game after that.

Great posts. Just because he didn't get an NHL contract doesn't mean he can't keep working and earn himself an AHL contract for next season with any team. Not saying it's going to happen, and I know how far beyond cliché it is at this point for this fan base, but there is no reason he can't put the work in and turn in to another Burrows for any team willing to take a chance. Wishing him nothing but the best of luck in all of his future endeavors whatever they may be.

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1 hour ago, Ray_Cathode said:

Oh well, maybe Abby signs him. He had a tough first game, but improved each game after that.

That is my hope as well. Guessing that Van did not want to commit to a two way contract given his very limited playing time over the last year and a half.

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On 5/30/2021 at 6:50 PM, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

That's disappointing.  I would have thought the Canucks brass would have been willing to give Ethan Keppen a longer look given how highly they spoke of him when he was drafted (though most of those comments were coming from Judd Bracken), and given that they drafted him with the stated purpose of getting some big players in the system to develop.  Gonna bet that he ends up in the Wild system and plays his way onto their AHL team in the not to distant future.  Wish Keppen well...he's had a tough couple of seasons.

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8 hours ago, Googlie said:

Or St Louis.  They got a good look at him in Utica as well.

It is my understanding that he has the option of re-entering the draft this year. If he is not selected he may opt to become a UFA. If that happens there is a chance that the Abby farm team offers him an AHL contract. I do hope he finds somewhere to play as the kid was dealt a tough hand with the combo of the Covid outbreak, injuries and no playing time for, I believe, about a year and a half.

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  • 2 months later...
On 6/1/2021 at 7:47 AM, Kootenay Gold said:

It is my understanding that he has the option of re-entering the draft this year. If he is not selected he may opt to become a UFA. If that happens there is a chance that the Abby farm team offers him an AHL contract. I do hope he finds somewhere to play as the kid was dealt a tough hand with the combo of the Covid outbreak, injuries and no playing time for, I believe, about a year and a half.

Glad to see this happen. Kid really never got a fair shake to show what he may be capable of doing once he gets his MoJo back.

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1 hour ago, Kootenay Gold said:

Glad to see this happen. Kid really never got a fair shake to show what he may be capable of doing once he gets his MoJo back.

This is great to see. This kid has had the worst luck when it comes to getting games in. Covid has really set back a lot of careers when it comes to these kids. I watched one of his few games he got in last year with Utica, honestly didn't look great, but didn't look bad. If he could be molded into another MacEwen/Archibald type player for our farm team I think we call it a win. He isn't a great skater, but he's got some good muscle and uses his size to his advantage. If he can work on that he could carve out a nice role for our team. I don't see NHL in but would love to be proved wrong!

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  • 1 month later...

Keppen makes the opening night roster for the Abbotsford Canucks.  Good for him.  Hopefully Keppen can make some waves.

 

Like many others, I was disappointed with the loss of Gadjovich on waivers since he seemed like one of the more likely prospects to make the jump to the NHL in the near future.  It will be interesting to see if prospects like Keppen, Kunz or McDonough (who seems to be coming along very nicely) will be able to move up the prospect pipeline more strongly with the loss of Gadjovich.  Can't forget Klimovich who seems to be assessed as not being too far away from making the jump either.

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Ethan Keppen | Power Forward Ready to Make an Impact:

 

At 20 years, six months and 19 days, Ethan Keppen represents the youngest North American born skater currently on the Abbotsford Canucks' roster. Keppen plays the game with a level of physicality that is likely to make him an immediate fan favourite this season in Abbotsford.

 

A star in juniors with the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League, Keppen plays with an edge that is likely to serve him well in the professional ranks. Across three seasons in Flint, Ethan produced 56 goals and 50 assists for a total of 106 points. Never afraid of confrontation on the ice, Keppen amassed 145 penalty minutes during his amateur career. Flint only registered a winning season in one of Keppen’s three seasons and were abysmal as a team in most aspects of the game, so the big man’s numbers are even more impressive given the lack of talent around him.

 

The Whitby, ON product makes good use of his large frame, playing a brash and unapologetically rough game. He can crush opponents’ spirit with his ability to bury pucks in the back of the net and crush their bodies with huge open ice collisions. Considered a trustworthy defender and a gifted offensive weapon, it’s not hard to understand why the Vancouver Canucks used a fourth-round pick on him during the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

 

"I'm a power forward who plays a two-way game up and down the ice," said Keppen when asked to describe his game. "I like to score goals and create a lot of space for my line mates. We've got a lot of really good players here and I think we will play well together. I'm excited to start playing some games and working towards winning a championship here in Abbotsford."

 

The Vancouver Canucks saw his power forward potential and felt Keppen was ready to make the leap to the American Hockey League during the Covid shortened season in 2021. Ethan saw limited action down the stretch with the Utica Comets, registering one assist through seven games. The numbers might not jump off the page but the experience of being around professionals was invaluable to the young man.

 

"I got into a few games last year with Utica, but this will be my real rookie season," said Keppen on his previous AHL experience. "The biggest thing I noticed with Utica was the speed of the game. It's a much faster game in the pros, so I spent a lot of time working on my quickness this summer to get my speed up. I feel faster than I ever have right now and I think that will make me a better player this season."

 

Despite his youth, Keppen has been viewed as a team leader throughout his amateur career. He earned an assistant captain role during his final season with the Firebirds in 2019.20 and that is something he is very proud of. Team success has always been paramount for Keppen and he is hoping for big things out of the Abbotsford Canucks in their inaugural season.

 

"I want to be an impact player, and be in the lineup as much as possible helping this team win," said Keppen on his goals for this year. "I'm very excited to be part of the new franchise here in Abbotsford. Everyone I have met in town is excited to have hockey in here again, so that makes me even more excited to play in front of these fans."

 

As with most players his age, Keppen is a raw athlete who needs to refine his game before he earns a promotion to the next level. However, the young winger has impressed during training camp in Abbotsford, likely earning himself a prominent position on the Abby Canucks this season.

 

Possessing an intriguing combination of size, speed, skill and toughness; Keppen has drawn comparisons to Zack Kassian and Milan Lucic. His skillset could one day make him a great line mate of a skilled star like Elias Petterson, but in the meantime, Keppen’s focus is on improving his game on the farm in Abbotsford.

 

“My focus is on playing for the Abbotsford Canucks,” said Keppen on his future in the NHL. “I can only control what I can control, and my goal is to be the best player I can be for Abbotsford this season. We have a talented group and I think we are a playoff team without a doubt. We are going to come out flying every night and we plan on doing a lot of winning this year.”

That is music to the ears of every Canucks' fan here in the Fraser Valley.

 

https://abbotsford.canucks.com/news/ethan-keppen-power-forward-ready-to-make-an-impact

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