“A selection is taking successful to make a play, blocking a shot, battling for unfastened pucks and attending to the online, figuring out you’re getting clobbered. That is Colby’s sport. He’s a gamer. The Canucks want that.” — NHL prospects scout Shane Malloy.
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Colby Barlow has been in comparison with the large, artistic and productive Matt Boldy.
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It’s fairly a praise for the Ontario Hockey League energy ahead prematurely of his choice within the 2023 NHL draft. The Vancouver Canucks ought to take discover. They handed on Boldy in favour of Vasily Podkolzin with the tenth total decide within the 2019 draft at Rogers Enviornment.
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Two slots later, the Minnesota Wild bagged Boldy, and the left winger grew his dominating sport to blow up for 31 objectives and 63 factors this season. Podkolzin had a stable rookie marketing campaign — 14 objectives and 26 factors and a noticeable presence — however a sophomore hunch has the winger working to search out his means.
What does this imply for the Canucks, who maintain the No.11 choice on June 28 in Nashville?
If their draft targets are off the board — Slovakian centre Dalibor Dvorsky, Swedish defenceman Axel Sandin Pellikka, Austrian blueliner David Reinbacher, and American centre Ryan Leonard — they need to take a tough take a look at Barlow.
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It’s not simply the 46 objectives and 79 factors the left winger amassed in 59 video games, together with three objectives in 4 playoff outings this season for Owen Sound. It’s the style during which he went about his enterprise as captain and a pacesetter.
Barlow, a 6-foot-1, 187-pound native of Orillia, Ont. is productive on the internet or within the slot. He’s a ache to play towards, creates turnovers, and his defensive consciousness goes to resonate with any coach — particularly demanding Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet.
“Energy forwards are uncommon,” stated NHL prospects scout Shane Malloy, who authored “The Artwork Of Scouting”. “He’s the kind of participant you win with within the playoffs while you discuss in regards to the will and being expert.
“It’s the distinction between selections and selections. A call is making a sensible cross to your linemate to maneuver the puck. A selection is taking successful to make a play, blocking a shot, battling for unfastened pucks towards large defencemen, and attending to the online, figuring out you’re going get clobbered.
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“These are selections. And that’s Colby’s sport in a nutshell. He’s a gamer. He’s extra of a second-liner and the Canucks want that.”
Their left facet doesn’t scream these desired components in anyone participant. There’s measurement and forechecking however not velocity and constant scoring in Dakota Joshua. There’s potential within the large and uncooked Aidan McDonough, OHL gunner Josh Bloom, and maybe Danila Klimovich some day.
And there are many questions on slotting left wing depth with Andrei Kuzmenko the topic of fixed commerce rumours.
If Barlow’s profession path mirrors that of Boldy, he could possibly be one thing particular.
Scouts have known as him one of the best finisher on this draft and he would most likely be increased up the pecking order if not for “The Fab 4” forwards — Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and Will Smith — who’ve commanded the highlight all season because the projected first 4 picks.
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Like many prized prospects, Boldy had his warts going into the 2019 draft — consistency, skating stride and athleticism — however the upside outweighed any considerations that he wouldn’t work at his shortcoming and mature right into a 6-foot-2, 201-pound producer.
He put up good numbers with the U.S. Nationwide Staff Improvement Program and honed his full sport at Boston School. He solidified his draft place by amassing a dozen factors (3-9) in seven video games for the U.S. on the world Beneath-18 championship.
A stage of bravado alongside the best way didn’t damage.
“I could make performs whereas nonetheless defending the puck,” he instructed Postmedia earlier than the 2019 draft. “It’s one thing numerous guys can’t actually do this effectively. Rising up, I at all times had actually good fingers and it’s one thing I’ve labored on rather a lot and have numerous enjoyable with.
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“Numerous it got here simply doing silly issues with the puck, issues defencemen actually don’t count on you to do. I prefer to chip pucks to myself and get them within the air, and numerous defencemen battle with with the ability to knock them down.
“They aren’t used to seeing that. It form of confuses them.”
Boldy was very a lot his personal participant with the USNTDP and on the NCAA stage. He didn’t have NHL idols and most well-liked to play his personal sport. He typically regarded like Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen with energy, delicate strikes and scoring.
On different nights, he would deliver you out of your seat with one thing you haven’t seen.
Barlow could not pack all that wizardry, but when he could be like Boldy and play to his strengths, he must be efficient on the NHL stage.
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That’s one thing the Canucks should weigh on the draft desk in Nashville.
OVERTIME — The schedule and ticket pricing for the Younger Stars Traditional in Penticton on Sept. 15-18 have been introduced. Prospects with the Canucks, Flames, Oilers and Jets will compete in a six-game, round-robin format on the South Okanagan Occasions Centre. The Canucks face the Flames on Sept. 15 (7:30 p.m.), the Jets on Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. and the Oilers on Sept.18 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale June 23. A full package deal is $115 (adults) and $75 (kids underneath 12). Different choices can be found. Extra data at Canucks.com/YoungStars.
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Originally posted 2023-06-06 21:20:59.
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