Canucks prospects: 5 issues that stood out at Younger Stars

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And that’s a wrap.

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The Vancouver Canucks’ prospects placed on a present of their ultimate recreation of the Younger Stars event in Penticton on Monday with a 5-2 win in opposition to their Edmonton Oilers’ counterparts.

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The victory follows a 3-2 shootout loss on Sunday in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets and an enormous 7-1 triumph on Friday over the Calgary Flames to start the four-team event.

Right here’s what we realized because the Canucks’ children examined their mettle on the late summer time showcase occasion on the South Okanagan Occasions Centre:

Quick begins

The Canucks got here out flying in all three video games, constructing leads and big shot benefits.

In Friday’s thumping of the Flames, the Canucks’ younger weapons led the shot rely 18-2 after the primary interval and didn’t let up, ending the sport with a 36-13 benefit.

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The identical occurred on Sunday, with the Canucks peppering the Jets’ web for nearly 20 photographs within the first interval and a 1-0 lead. The Canucks outshot the Jets 41-29 on the night time.

In Monday’s finale in opposition to the Oilers, the Canucks jumped out to a 2-0 lead halfway by the primary interval regardless of being outshot 10-5 within the body.

“We talked within the locker room … normally the crew that has a greater plan, is extra ready comes out on prime,” stated centre Max Sasson after Friday’s win in opposition to the Flames. “Every thing from our breakouts to our offensive zone stress appeared actually good and it gave Calgary a number of bother.”

From the outset, there was speaking between the defence and ahead teams, placing stress on the Flames’ defence and inflicting turnovers.

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“I believed we began rather well, love the work ethic, forechecking, aggressiveness, thought our defence did a great job defending the frenzy so we have been in a position to make a number of performs. It’s enjoyable to observe,” Abbotsford Canucks head coach Jeremy Colliton stated.

Colliton wasn’t as enthused after Sunday’s recreation, through which the Canucks acquired into penalty bother in opposition to the Jets within the third interval and gave up a 2-0 lead, dropping 3-2 in a shootout.

“The primary two intervals have been fairly stable, in all probability wanted to attain extra to kill the sport. We knew we have been going to need to kill within the third — that’s simply the best way it’s — I believed we didn’t handle the puck as effectively tonight … so then it’s a more durable recreation.

“It’s a studying expertise for lots of fellows on the best way to kill off video games.”

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The Canucks once more gave up a 2-0 lead on Monday, however had a powerful third interval to drag away from the Oilers’ prospects.

A deeper blue-line

As soon as seen as a weak spot within the prospects pipeline, some latest additions have bolstered the again finish — and it confirmed in the course of the event.

Canuck defenders have been doing their half at each ends of the ice. Pucks have been moved successfully on the level, photographs have been getting by site visitors and a few even went straight into the web.

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Proper-shot D-man Cole McWard, 22, was superb all through, constantly discovering a option to hit the web from the purpose and being rewarded with two targets from the blue-line.

McWard, who performed NCAA hockey final season with Ohio State and signed with the Canucks in April, additionally assisted on the opening purpose of Friday’s recreation, with the 6-foot-1, 192-pound Missouri product wristing a fast shot from the blue-line that was tipped in by large ahead prospect Vilmer Alriksson.

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McWard was good together with his stick, taking away lanes from opponents and disrupting photographs. In the course of the second interval of Sunday’s loss, McWard turned the puck over in the course of the ice however reacted swiftly to succeed in out and deflect a harmful shot over the glass and out of play.

“It was superior. I feel there was a number of vitality from our group coming in. It’s a extremely nice group of fellows proper now and we’re all clicking. We wish to go on the market and play for one another,” McWard stated on Friday.

Fellow NCAA signee Akito Hirose, 24, was the perfect of the bunch, displaying a powerful two-way recreation and main the event in factors with 4 assists and a purpose.

Hirose scored his purpose on the facility play in Monday’s win, stepping in from the blue-line and discovering twine to make the rating 2-0.

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Hirose is an easy skater and his passes are at all times on level, as we noticed on Friday when he teed up right-shot D-man Filip Johansson for an enormous one-timer.

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In Sunday’s loss, the Calgary native additionally arrange standout ahead Aidan McDonough with a seeing-eye move from the purpose for McDonough’s second energy play purpose in two video games.

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The 6-foot, 170-pound left-shot defender practically scored a purpose of his personal on Sunday, however was stopped in tight by Jets goaltender Thomas Milic with seconds left within the second interval.

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The additions of McWard, Hirose and Johansson to the group might flip an already stable Abbotsford blue-line into among the best items within the AHL this season.

Add in Jett Woo, Guillaume Brisebois, Noah Juulsen and others into the combo and the organizational depth on the again finish is way improved.

Lasting impressions

A handful of forwards stood out at Younger Stars.

None made their mark, nevertheless, as a lot as Aidan McDonough, the 23-year-old energy ahead picked manner again within the seventh spherical of the 2019 draft.

McDonough scored three energy play markers in three video games, with the lethal shot we noticed in NCAA play proving simply as potent on the subsequent degree.

“Yeah, he can shoot it. It’s fairly clear,” Colliton stated with a smile after Sunday’s loss. “He’s beating guys clear, so that is one step for him and hopefully he can hold constructing momentum and see if he can do it in camp.”

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McDonough’s purpose in opposition to the Flames was spectacular, with the 6-foot-2, 201-pound left-shot winger taking a move from Sasson on the proper circle, stutter-stepping a defender out of his skates and ripping the puck previous the Calgary goaltender blocker aspect from a main scoring spot.

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The Massachusetts native additionally scored within the shootout on Sunday, making the identical transfer he made in the course of the Beanpot ultimate final season for Northeastern which gained the Huskies the title.

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McDonough’s third purpose got here with the facility ahead streaking down the left aspect and firing a wrister post-and-in brief aspect.

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He appeared assured on the ice and sounded the identical in an interview after Friday’s win.

“I like taking part in on the facility play,” he stated with fun. “Some actually attractiveness by Akito Hirose, he’s actually clean on the market.

“I feel I took a step. I feel it allowed me to have a bit extra confidence on the market. I feel I used to be holding onto the puck longer than I used to be final spring once I was in Vancouver however I nonetheless assume I’ve acquired a number of work to do.”

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Surrey product Arshdeep Bains, 22, additionally confirmed effectively, scoring on the facility play in Sunday’s loss and passing the puck successfully within the two video games he dressed. Bains, one in all seven Canucks gamers returning to the event, is appeared to as a frontrunner by coach Colliton for his maturity and hockey sense and was one of many higher Canucks on Sunday.

“I wish to present I’ve gotten higher because the final time I used to be right here and play the best manner. The primary time you come right here, you don’t know what to do or what sort of participant you might be, however I feel I’ve realized all through the season,” Bains stated.

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And whereas his title wasn’t all around the scoreboard, centre Aatu Raty scored an empty netter, assisted on a pair targets and made numerous precision passes all event, organising teammates for high-danger scoring probabilities. His palms and talent to course of the sport with the puck are clearly skilled grade.

“A sensible participant, clever participant who makes performs,” Colliton on Sunday. “He’s acquired a great shot. when he’s in a position to get inside and get that shot off, he’s fairly harmful. The extra he does of that, the higher, and I feel he did that just a few occasions tonight.”

Raty collided awkwardly with a Jets participant early within the third interval on Sunday and was sluggish to stand up, however stayed on bench and didn’t miss a shift.

The 20-year-old labored on the energy of his stride this summer time and shall be anticipated to construct on the 12 factors (2G, 10A) he registered in 25 video games in Abbotsford final season after being a part of the Jan. 20 commerce that despatched former Canucks captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders.

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Klimovich connects

It took till the third and ultimate recreation, however Danila Klimovich lastly related for his first purpose in opposition to the Oilers.

One of many breakout stars of final 12 months’s event, the 20-year-old labored onerous within the offseason and was rewarded for going to the web, changing a wise Karel Plasek feed.

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Klimovich additionally struck the publish early within the third interval on Monday with a depraved wrist shot.

The Belarusian winger honed in on his capturing and creativity all summer time. Everytime you’d see a clip of Canucks gamers on the ice in the course of the summer time, there he’d be, engaged on his recreation. Klimovich practised on-ice 5 occasions every week and spent hours watching video clips from final season to enhance his positioning and protection.

“I’m engaged on my response, like every change in several recreation conditions and fast response on the spot. I’ve been watching performs within the d-zone and offensively the place I should be higher,” Klimovich informed Canucks.com’s Lindsey Horsting earlier within the week.

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Klimovich, with that heavy, correct shot, had a number of attractiveness all through the event and will have scored just a few extra.

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He had an efficient time beyond regulation shift in opposition to the Jets — getting a top quality scoring likelihood after which hustling again to assist break up the potential game-winner.

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Klimovich would really like his penalty shot try in opposition to the Jets again, with the 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-shot winger skating in slowly, making a ton of strikes however fanning on his shot.

A participant who runs cold and warm, the Belarusian shall be trying to have a powerful coaching camp in Victoria later this week and proceed to enhance within the AHL this coming season. Klimovich scored 17 targets in 67 video games final season in Abbotsford, an enormous enchancment over the eight targets he scored as a first-year professional two seasons in the past.

The youngsters got here to play

There are sometimes two tiers of gamers on the Younger Stars event.

The primary tier are the fellows who’ve had skilled or NCAA expertise.

You anticipate these guys to make an impression.

The second tier are the true children — youngsters simply drafted or signed who’ve but to make their mark within the professionals.

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Among the many youngsters who elevated their video games have been 2023 draft picks Vilmer Alriksson and Hunter Brzustewicz, in addition to 2022 seventh-rounder Kirill Kudryavtsev, a 19-year-old defender who shall be taking part in his third season within the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds.

Kudryavtsev, paired with Johansson on Sunday, performed a clear recreation, caring for enterprise defensively, transferring pucks up ice and even chipping in within the offensive zone. Within the second interval, the 6-foot, 201-pound left-shot D-man made an excellent move from the left level, discovering 19-year-old ahead Dylan Wakely on the prime of the crease for an excellent likelihood.

“Yeah I believed he was good. Strong,” Colliton stated of Kudryavtsev on Sunday. “I preferred his gaps, tried to play direct, transfer it forward, competed onerous so it was good to see him.”

Brzustewicz additionally held his personal in his first video games with the membership, displaying poise with the puck and good offensive instincts. Within the second interval on Sunday, the 18-year-old right-shot D-man made a slick transfer previous a Jets defender on the blue-line and made his option to a main scoring spot earlier than being hooked by a Jets defender for a penalty.

Brzustewicz lined up with Hirose on the primary defensive pairing on each Friday and Sunday.

Additionally getting seen was Alriksson, who scored the primary purpose of the tourney for the Canucks.

Alriksson, nonetheless solely 18, skated on the fourth line in each Friday and Sunday’s video games. The Canucks have been preaching endurance with the massive teenager, who began final season within the Swedish juniors as extra of a finesse-type participant.

“He began to grasp that he’s an enormous child and used his measurement to his benefit,” Canucks scout Bobby Hagelin stated final month. “For being an enormous man, he’s actually fluid and clean and has a great launch. So it’s actually the place he’s bodily. You’ve acquired to be affected person, it’s going to take a while for him to develop into that physique.”

At Younger Stars, Alriksson acquired the message, utilizing his 6-foot-6 body to plant himself in entrance of the web. The large Swede acquired beneath the pores and skin of the Jets on Sunday, moving into it with a pair defenders on the prime of the Winnipeg crease after a whistle.

Alriksson, taken within the fourth spherical this previous summer time, shall be taking part in with the Guelph Storm of the OHL this season, his first in North America.

— with a file from Ben Kuzma

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