The highest 10 Vancouver Canucks prospects (finish of season version)

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The season’s achieved, the solar’s shining in Vancouver and the Canucks’ farm system has seen a revival, of types.

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By trades, NCAA signings and in-house improvement, the prospects pool is deeper than the one which was ranked twenty sixth within the NHL to begin the marketing campaign.

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How a lot deeper? That can be decided on the NHL entry draft in late June, the place the Canucks can have an Eleventh-overall decide so as to add to the steady, plus some later-round hopefuls.

However this a lot is thought: from particular person success in Europe to gelling collectively in Abbotsford as an up-and-coming crew, strides have been made for the group’s prospects.

“We’re going to proceed to get youthful, however that’s thrilling,” mentioned Abbotsford GM and Canucks director of participant improvement Ryan Johnson, in his year-end availability on Wednesday.

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“For me, to have a bunch of younger gamers right here which are rising and competing and having an opportunity to win, is the way you develop NHL gamers.”

With that mentioned, let’s rely down the highest 10 prospects presently within the system (midseason rating in parenthesis):

10: Josh Bloom (N/A)

Quick, expert and robust on the puck.

When 6-foot-2, 183-pound left-shot winger Josh Bloom is on his sport, he’s a 200-foot power.

When the puck isn’t getting in for him — and there have been a few prolonged scoring droughts this season — Bloom remains to be good to contribute in different methods.

With 55 factors (25G, 30A) in 49 common season video games with the North Bay Battalion — together with 4 short-handed objectives, tied for 2nd within the OHL — the 19-year-old confirmed he can beat opponents off the frenzy or end from the slot. A plus-17 score (after going plus-2 a season earlier than with the Saginaw Spirit) factors to a participant who might be relied upon defensively.

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Nonetheless, consistency is essential and a 12-game playoff goal-scoring hunch and a 10-game midseason goalless streak communicate to that.

Nevertheless, the streaky Oakville product completed the playoffs on a three-game aim scoring run, because the Battalion misplaced in Sport 7 of the OHL semifinal collection to fellow Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart (2021, Rd. 6) and the Peterborough Petes this previous week. Bloom had 5 objectives, seven assists and a plus-7 score in 20 post-season video games.

“I make performs at a excessive tempo, like to make use of my toes to my benefit, I believe I’m dependable in all zones of the ice and I might be harmful off the frenzy,” Bloom informed Postmedia in March.

Bloom tasks to be a sturdy middle-six ahead within the NHL with some scoring pop and is predicted to hitch Abbotsford subsequent season.

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“Clearly, Bloom is a man that can be coming in,” mentioned Johnson.

9: Arshdeep Bains (10)

He had our curiosity. Now he has our consideration.

Surrey product Arshdeep Bains was a feel-good signing final spring, when the 2022 WHL scoring champion inked a cope with his hometown Canucks.

Now, with a full season in Abbotsford beneath his belt, Bains has proven his artful, detailed sport interprets properly to the subsequent degree.

There’s little or no the 6-foot, 183-pound left-shot winger can’t do. He could make performs. He can kill penalties. He can transfer up and down the lineup and tailor his sport accordingly.

It didn’t take lengthy for the 22-year-old to earn coach Jeremy Colliton’s belief — and with extra seasoning, there’s alternative for progress right into a reliable bottom-six position in Vancouver.

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In 66 video games this season, Bains bulged the twine 13 occasions and assisted on 25 objectives — with most of the helpers resulting in gimme objectives for linemates.

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Bains additionally tallied twice in six playoff video games and added an help for good measure.

“We gave him lots of duty because the yr went on and definitely within the playoffs, however he earned it along with his improvement all year long,” Colliton mentioned in his year-end press convention on Wednesday.

“His defensive play away from the puck, wall play, board battles, discovering methods to advance the puck, managing the puck by means of the impartial zone … a extremely good first yr for him and it’s one thing to construct on.”

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An expert and coachable sport may see Bains knocking on the door for a call-up to the massive membership someday subsequent season. The identical could possibly be mentioned about fellow prospect and teammate Linus Karlsson, who didn’t make this record however whose detailed sport additionally led to success in his first AHL season (72GP, 24G, 25A).

8: Akito Hirose (N/A)

The pattern measurement is small, however to this point, so good.

A late-season NCAA signing, Hirose was plugged instantly right into a depleted Vancouver defence core for the ultimate seven video games of the NHL season and didn’t look misplaced.

Not solely that, however the smooth-skating 6-foot, 170-pound left-shot defenceman was calm, cool and picked up three assists over that span, together with a magnificence breakaway cross to Andrei Kuzmenko in a 3-2 win in Anaheim on April 11.

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“The hockey IQ, the hockey sense, the way in which that he sees the sport, the poise, the calm manner, the puck motion, the little misleading ways in which he opens up passing lanes, it simply jumped out,” Canucks director of participant personnel Scott Younger informed Postmedia in mid-April.

At 24 years outdated, what you see is essentially what you’ll get with Hirose — and the Canucks like what they see from the Minnesota State alum to this point.

A summer season of coaching along with his new teammates and a full camp with the group will make clear the place Hirose stands within the defensive prospect pecking order, with fellow left-shot D-man Jack Rathbone and others additionally gunning for a bottom-pairing position in Vancouver subsequent season.

6: Aidan McDonough (6)

The NCAA signing saga is over. The work to grow to be a productive skilled energy ahead begins.

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When Northeastern senior Aidan McDonough lastly signed on the dotted line in mid-March, the Canucks — and the fan base — set free a sigh of reduction.

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound left-shot winger wasn’t strolling, in spite of everything, as a substitute dressing for six video games down the stretch for the group to see what they’ve within the huge ahead.

McDonough appeared uncooked at occasions in Canucks colors, however that’s to be anticipated. The Massachusetts product did handle to attain his first NHL aim in opposition to the Calgary Flames in late March, which he was in a position to have a good time with childhood buddy Rathbone alongside the boards.

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The 23-year-old will profit vastly by studying the crew programs within the low season, and is predicted to play for what ought to be an excellent higher Abbotsford squad subsequent marketing campaign. McDonough will convey his scoring contact — he tallied 38 factors (20G, 18A) in 34 video games final season — in addition to his deft palms and management qualities he acquired as an NCAA captain.

“Nice shot, actually nice scorer, must work on his skating just a little bit, however apparently he’s a excessive degree shot, so to see what he can do,” Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet mentioned of McDonough in March.

5: Arturs Silovs (7)

Nobody noticed that coming — not less than, not this quickly.

Arturs Silovs sparkled in his second AHL season in Abbotsford, nevertheless it was his work throughout his first stint in Vancouver that offered a glimpse into the 21-year-old’s true potential.

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The calm, structured 6-foot-4 goaltender went 3-2 in late February and early March, together with a powerful 35-save win in his second sport in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers to earn his first NHL win. Silovs had a 2.75 goals-against-average and .908 save proportion in Vancouver, signalling that he could possibly be prepared for the backup position as quickly as subsequent season.

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Earlier than his NHL debut, Silovs had been sensational in Abbotsford. He was named the AHL’s goaltender of the month in February, going 5-0 and permitting solely 4 objectives on 113 pictures, good for a 0.90 GAA and a .965 save proportion over that span. He went 26-12-5 with a 2.44 GAA and a .909 save proportion throughout the common season.

Splitting crease duties with veteran Spencer Martin within the playoffs, Silovs posted a 1-1-0 file with a 2.85 GAA and .914 save proportion — although he solely performed in certainly one of 4 second-round video games in opposition to the Calgary Wranglers in a break from the earlier spherical’s rotation.

“We had been actually lucky over the last a part of the yr to have two actually good goaltenders,” mentioned Johnson. “We all the time felt that Arty has been higher when pushed, when he has any person to compete with.”

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Marty or Arty? The battle to grow to be the back-up subsequent season in Vancouver is already properly underway.

4: Elias Pettersson (5)

Good skating. Good measurement.

An amazing yr for his improvement.

The opposite Elias Pettersson established himself as a prime defensive prospect within the Canucks’ system, following a high quality displaying on the World Juniors and sustained progress in Sweden’s top-flight SHL.

The 19-year-old defenceman had the second highest plus-minus in his U20 age group at a plus-6 and performed the fourth most video games with 43.

The 6-foot-3, 196-pound left-shot defenceman hits arduous, can transfer the puck and performs with a maturity past his years.

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Thus it was no shock when the Canucks inked the Vasteras product to a three-year entry-level contract final month.

“We actually appreciated the yr he had on the ice in each representing his nation on the World Juniors and taking part in essential minutes within the SHL,” Canucks GM Patrik Allvin mentioned in a press release on April 19. “Our improvement crew is happy in regards to the alternative to proceed to work with him and create a stronger relationship and partnership, constructing upon his already robust need to be taught and compete.”

Whereas Pettersson is eligible to play in Abbotsford subsequent season, it appears more likely he’ll play one other yr in Sweden after which transfer to North America for the 2024-25 season.

Due to his age, if he doesn’t play 10 video games within the NHL in 2023-24, his contract will slide again a yr, that means it wouldn’t technically begin till 2024-25.

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3: Danila Klimovich (1)

Huge steps had been taken this season for Danila Klimovich.

However there’s nonetheless loads of room for the gifted, truculent winger to develop.

Stats-wise, the 20-year-old stacked up properly in opposition to one of the best of his AHL age group, which incorporates a number of blue-chip NHL first-rounders.

Klimovich, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-shot winger, ranked second in U20 objectives with 17 — an enormous enchancment from the eight he scored in his rookie season — and was sixth in complete factors (29), an indication that the Belarusian is starting to grasp the North American sport.

“Danila made enormous steps this yr within the particulars of his sport … his wall play, consideration to the D-zone, managing the puck, managing the sport. A variety of little issues, however he actually began to grasp these components of it and the way they impression a crew and tips on how to win a hockey sport,” mentioned Johnson.

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“You noticed all of the pure components of his sport flourish. His skill to attain and to complete, however even watching him play within the playoffs — to be bodily and compete — I believe he’s discovered these components of his sport not solely to be hockey participant, however to be teammate.”

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Amongst one of many extra stunning stats is Klimovich led Abbotsford in plus-minus this season, with a plus-15 mark in 67 video games. He’s not the defensive legal responsibility he was a yr in the past.

At his finest, the Klim Reaper performs with downhill velocity and may bully his approach into scoring positions. As soon as he’s there, he can beat any goalie along with his heavy, correct shot. He’s turning into an even bigger nuisance to play in opposition to, evident within the ultimate weekend of the common season when he scored in 4 straight video games and earned the ire of the rival Calgary Wranglers.

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Going ahead, the language barrier is much less of a difficulty with the teaching workers and the belief is constructing. Klimovich ought to earn extra energy play time in Abbotsford subsequent season and 20-25 objectives ought to be anticipated from him.

“It’s an enormous yr for him,” mentioned Colliton. “He’s had two years of professional, he ought to perceive the usual that anticipated and I’m excited to see how he responds to that problem. Clearly, he’s not there but however in the event you look initially of the yr to now, he definitely took some huge strides and that’s thrilling.

“Continue to grow, play an even bigger position, mature additional … there’s a lot extra room to develop. We’re not even near what his ceiling is.”

2: Aatu Raty (N/A)

It’s all there on show.

The imaginative and prescient, the palms, the crisp passing and the defensive particulars.

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If solely his skating may meet up with the remainder of his distinctive sport.

A key piece of the Jan. 31 Bo Horvat commerce, Autu Raty began sluggish with Abbotsford and didn’t fairly hit his prime gear, totalling simply two objectives and 10 assists in 25 video games.

Studying a brand new system halfway by means of the marketing campaign performed a component, however so did his incapability to skate himself into extra impactful areas of the ice.

Nonetheless, whenever you watch the 6-foot-2, 187-pound centre in dwelling color, you see a participant who understands the sport higher than most. Put a dynamic scorer by his facet — as we noticed when Klimovich skated on his wing on the finish of the season — and the factors can shortly pile up for the 20-year-old, taken by the New York Islanders with the 52nd decide of the 2021 draft.

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And there’s a sneaky good shot there too, as Raty confirmed in Sport 1 of the second spherical of the playoffs in opposition to the Wranglers when he tied the sport up at two with minutes to go within the sport with a perfectly-placed wrister that went crossbar and in.

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Ought to his skating enhance — which is what that fear was with Horvat all these years again, and take a look at him now — Raty could possibly be the third-line centre Vancouver will want sooner or later.

1: Jonathan Lekkerimaki (2)

The event path isn’t linear.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki can attest to that.

By sickness and accidents, it appeared like a misplaced marketing campaign for the 18-year-old. However a shock return to the HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs confirmed why the Canucks took Lekkerimaki with the fifteenth total decide final summer season.

Jonny ‘Maki attacked opponents with velocity, discovered his openings and unleashed his hellacious shot any probability he obtained. He made the best performs with the puck and was rewarded for it.

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The 5-foot-11, 172-pound right-shot winger tallied 15 factors (5G, 10A) in 15 playoff video games and parlayed his post-season success into an entry-level contract with the Canucks a few weeks in the past.

“Jonathan had run within the playoffs and gained lots of beneficial expertise,” Allvin mentioned in a press release on Could 6. “Every participant’s improvement path is totally different and in Jonathan’s case, he needed to cope with lots of adversity this previous yr. However with every problem he confronted, he discovered a strategy to be taught and develop.”

Because it seems, sitting for six weeks beginning in late February with a foot harm was a blessing in disguise for Lekkerimaki. As his GM Ok-G Stoppel informed Postmedia in January, Lekkerimaki wanted to get stronger on his skates and alongside the boards to ensure that {the teenager} to compete with grown professionals.

In talking with reporters when he signed his cope with the Canucks, Lekkerimaki echoed the sentiment.

“It (absence) helped with the off-ice coaching, so I may come again stronger,” he mentioned. “It was simply exit and play and don’t suppose a lot. I used to be considering an excessive amount of to start with of the season, and within the playoffs, it was simply go-with-the-flow.”

Lekkerimaki can be at Canucks’ improvement camp in July, although it’s unclear the place he’ll play in Sweden subsequent season. Along with his Djurgardens squad falling simply in need of promotion, it seems Lekkerimaki will signal with an SHL crew for the upcoming season and is presently speaking along with his many suitors.

The Huddinge product may even take part on the world junior event for a 3rd time beginning on Boxing Day in Sweden.

Better of the remainder:

Linus Karlsson

all-around sport and a few measurement that retains him steady on the puck. Karlsson has fast palms in tight and thinks the sport properly. He additionally is aware of tips on how to rating.

Joni Jurmo

A giant yr arising for the massive, quick left-shot defenceman. Jurmo, 21, had some memorable moments in Finland’s prime league this previous season, however taking part in for a Jukurit crew that missed the playoffs and had hassle scoring led to a minus-4 score and 13 factors (5G, 8A) in 52 video games. Jurmo has signed with Ilves for subsequent season, the place the Canucks will need him to grow to be extra detailed defensively and use his skating to his benefit if he’s to signal an entry-level contract subsequent low season.

He’s shut, however wants some extra polish to his sport.

Jett Woo

He’s one step nearer to the last word aim. If Vancouver runs into harm hassle on defence subsequent season, don’t be shocked to see right-shot defenceman Jett Woo getting known as up. The Canucks liked his development this season, with Woo, 22, asserting himself bodily and discovering methods to contribute offensively (68GP, 7G, 14A).

“This yr, his progress in his sport, constructing his identification as a participant, as a puck-moving, bodily, heavy (defenceman) … he’s shot himself ahead,” mentioned Johnson.

— with a file from Patrick Johnston