Canucks prospects: Everybody however Willander taking part in for retains now

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With NCAA hockey again on the docket, the final of the Vancouver Canucks’ younger prospects started their 2023/24 common season campaigns.

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Aside from one.

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2023 eleventh total choose Tom Willander needed to sit out Boston College’s opener on Saturday — a 3-2 time beyond regulation win at Bentley — as a result of the 18-year-old suited up for knowledgeable recreation in Sweden during the 2021-22 season.

Willander is the subsequent nice hope for the right-side of the Canucks’ defence and shall be taking part in for a powerhouse Terriers group that’s ranked first within the nation. The 6-foot-1, 179-pound D-man will be part of a Boston U. blue-line that additionally boasts Montreal Canadiens’ 2022 second-rounder Lane Hutson and Buffalo Sabres’ 2023 third-rounder Gavin McCarthy.

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Canucks’ 2023 sixth-rounder Aiden Celebrini, 18, suited up as the additional defender on Friday, whereas youthful brother Macklin — who is predicted to be a top-5 choose in subsequent yr’s NHL draft — scored a aim and added an help in his collegiate debut.

Willander is predicted to eat lots of minutes from Boston U. and be utilized in a shutdown position. His skating, consciousness and physicality are his largest strengths, whereas the Stockholm native want to proceed to develop the offensive aspect of his recreation.

“For me, I feel my offensive aspect is my weakest one proper now, and this subsequent yr it’s one thing I’m seeking to construct up,” Willander mentioned after being drafted by Vancouver.

The Terriers subsequent play on Friday evening at New Hampshire.

Hunter Brzustewicz

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To the Hunter go the spoils.

Defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz scored two objectives for the Kitchener Rangers this previous weekend, because the Canucks 2023 third-rounder continues to pile up factors this OHL season.

Brzustewicz, a 6-foot, 190-pound right-shot D-man with nice puck-moving and skating potential, netted each objectives in dropping causes. In Friday’s 5-2 loss to Owen Sound, the 18-year-old had a minus-1 score and three pictures on web. His aim got here halfway by the third interval along with his group down 4-1 as Brzustewicz circled the offensive zone with the puck and fired a low shot far-side that handcuffed the Assault goaltender.

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Brzustewicz’s second aim opened scoring in an 8-2 loss to the Saginaw Spirit on Saturday, with the Canucks prospect crashing the online to complete a quick break in fashion.

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Brzustewicz completed the sport with an excellent score and two pictures on aim.

The USNTDP product is as much as seven factors (2G, 5A) and a plus-3 score in 5 video games this season.

Jackson Dorrington

There’s a primary for every part, together with a Jackson Dorrington NCAA aim.

The Canucks’ 2022 sixth-rounder went 36 video games final season — his first at Northeastern — with out scoring.

The 19-year-old is now 1-for-1 this season after scoring within the Huskies’ opener on Friday, a 7-0 win at Stonehill School.

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Dorrington, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound left-shot D-man, performs a heavy recreation and is extra of a defensive defenceman. His aim, nonetheless, confirmed his flashes of offensive upside, with the Massachusetts product figuring out some open ice within the excessive slot, getting into it and firing a wrister previous the Skyhawks’ goaltender. Dorrington additionally went a plus-2 within the win.

Dorrington is a distant relative of the late Artwork Dorrington, who was the primary Black hockey participant to signal an NHL contract in 1950.

The NHL didn’t see its first Black participant costume for a recreation till ahead Willie O’Ree broke in with the Boston Bruins in 1958.

Dorrington had six factors (six assists) and a plus-4 score in 36 video games final season. He went a plus-2 in Friday’s opener.

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Vilmer Alriksson

Alright, alright, alright — Vilmer Alriksson has himself one other aim.

The massive-bodied 18-year-old ahead scored his second of the younger OHL season on Friday in an 8-0 win over the Erie Otters. Alriksson, all 6-foot-6 and 214 kilos of him, was taking part in the precise wall on the ability play when some extent shot deflected to him late within the second interval and the Canucks’ 2023 fourth-rounder one-timed the puck previous the Erie goalie.

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Alriksson, who skated on the second line, had two pictures on aim and a plus-1 score within the win.

“Plenty of guys chipped in tonight and it was an throughout group win,” mentioned Storm captain Braeden Bowman after the sport. “Our younger guys are stepping up huge and taking part in like they’ve been within the league for a pair years. It’s actually spectacular.”

Alriksson was extra of a finesse participant final yr within the Swedish juniors, however the Canucks labored with the towering teen this summer season to develop him right into a net-front energy ahead.

The Enebyberg product has three factors (2G, 1A) and an excellent score in 4 video games this season, his first in North America.

Ty Younger

The nice vibes that include a Canucks contract couldn’t final perpetually.

Goaltender Ty Younger, signed by Vancouver to an entry-level contract a pair weeks in the past, had been on a heater to start out the WHL season however misplaced his first recreation on Saturday, giving up 5 objectives on 30 pictures as his Prince George Cougars dropped a 6-3 resolution to the Wenatchee Wild.

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The stat line for the large 19-year-old goalie didn’t look nice, however Younger made one scintillating save early within the second interval, snagging a rebound try with half of the online empty.

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Earlier than Saturday’s loss, Younger had gone 4-0 and hadn’t given up greater than three objectives in a recreation.

The 2022 fifth-rounder has a 2.64 goals-against-average and a 0.877 save proportion to this point this season.

Younger is an enormous venture for Canucks goaltending guru Ian Clark, who likes them lengthy and lanky.

The Coaldale, Alberta product had a troublesome first season with the Cougars final yr, however got here out of it with a constructive mindset.

“Clearly, the stats aren’t what I wished to be nevertheless it was like a extremely good studying season,” he mentioned at coaching camp in late September. “Largest problem (this season) goes to be consistency. Final yr, I feel … it was type of laborious to seek out that groove somewhat bit.”

Elsewhere: Large centre Daimon Gardner (2022, Rd.4) performed in his first recreation NCAA recreation with Clarkson College on Saturday, registering no factors in a 3-1 win over Notre Dame. Gardner, 19, missed a bit of the USHL season final yr with an MCL tear. In the meantime, new Michigan captain Jacob Truscott (2020, Rd. 5) received his senior season underway this previous weekend, registering an help and an excellent score in two video games. Truscott, 21, is a talented, smooth-skating left-shot D-man who continues to be unsigned by Vancouver.

And the Abbotsford Canucks drop the puck on their 2023/24 season this coming weekend with video games Friday evening and Saturday afternoon on the Laval Rocket.

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— with a file from Patrick Johnston

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