Vancouver Canucks 2016 NHL Draft Profile: F Tyson Jost
The Vancouver Canucks are preparing for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft — and so are we.
Unfortunately, the 2015-16 season was cut short for the Vancouver Canucks, which means we have a long offseason ahead of us. Canucks GM Jim Benning and his staff will use the time to prepare next season’s roster, and the 2016 NHL Entry Draft will certainly play an important part in that process.
Vancouver started off strong in the fall of 2015 but ended the season with a thud. Thanks to their abysmal 28th rank in the league standings, the Canucks own seven picks early in each round. Benning did a great job in his first two years at the job and another successful draft could certainly help boost the rebuild.
Here at The Canuck Way, we will do our best to prepare you for the upcoming event by profiling as many draft-eligible players as we possibly can. Keep in mind that we are not saying these are players the Canucks are targeting. Instead, these are players that we think the Canucks could or should have interest in.
Today we will take a look at forward Tyson Jost of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.
Name: Tyson Jost
Position: Center/Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height, weight: 6’0”, 194 lbs
Team/League: Penticton Vees, BCHL
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
484262104430
NHL CSS Ranking: 16th (North American Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2/5, 4.5/5
NHL-potential: Top-Line Forward
Draft Range: Top 15
Scouting report
"Tyson Jost is a crafty goal-scorer that carries out plays as quickly as he envisions them. As someone who thinks and plays at a fast tempo, it comes as no surprise that he creates a lot of energy as an offensive catalyst. He sees the ice very well and has the willingness and determination to win battles in the tough areas. All-in-all, a dynamic offensive forward with top-6 potential at the next level. (Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects 2016)"
Strengths
Tyson Jost is one of many smallish players who chose to develop in the second-tier BCHL before making the move to the tougher WHL or NCAA. With that, he also got some extra time to think about the WHL vs. NCAA decision, before he committed to the University of North Dakota for the upcoming year. It worked out perfectly for him as he could mature physically, growing into a 6-foot, 194-pound frame and develop his skills to an elite level.
More from Canucks News
- Canucks are in “wash, rinse, repeat” mode after Monday’s 5-1 loss
- Canucks send Jack Rathbone and Vasily Podkolzin down to Abbotsford
- Canucks acquire Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson from Carolina
- Brock Boeser, Curtis Lazar placed on injury reserve
- Canucks officially unveil Reverse Retro jersey in latest aesthetic change
Jost is an extremely quick and dynamic skater. He has great speed, agility and edge work that help him in all three zones. Especially on offense, his nice blend of skating and puck skills allow him to move past defensemen at top speed, leaving no chance for the opposition.
Furthermore, Jost’s hockey sense is elite. He knows how the play will develop before it does, and he already knows what to do next. Jost sees the ice extremely well and can find openings to skate into or pass the puck through to a teammate. He can create offense whenever he gets the puck and his 104 points in 48 games prove he can do it successfully.
Jost knows how to put the puck in the net or set up easy goals for teammates. He has a quick release and possesses hard, accurate shots, but also just has ‘a nose for the net’ and knows where to be around the net and when.
In addition, Jost uses his body and stick well in puck battles, both in the offensive and defensive zones. He always battles hard and plays a responsible part defensively.
Weaknesses
It is extremely hard to tell how well a 100-point BCHL season will translate to the higher level. Would he have scored anything near that number in the WHL? What about the NCAA? Comparing BCHL players to CHL or NCAA talents is a tough thing to do, which may make scouts think twice about Jost.
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Beau Bennett, for example, had 120 points for the BCHL Vees in his draft year. He went on to record 38 points in 47 NCAA contests over the next two years but has yet to show that high-end scoring ability at the highest level. Now 24 years old, he is a good NHL player, but not the type that will have an 80-point season.
Related: Could Vancouver Reach for Jost at No. 5?
Long story short, Jost will have to prove himself at the next level. He won’t be able to do that until next season, so whichever team likes him the most will just have to take a chance at him.
Now a somewhat real weakness: physical play and grit. Jost is still not overly tall but he has a man’s body at 194 pounds. He just needs to use it more and get a little meaner.
Final Thoughts
There really isn’t a big weakness in Jost’s game but the question about his level of play remains. Much like Bennett, Jost should make the NHL sooner or later, but there is no certainty about his production. He looks like an elite scorer now, but might just be an average one once he reaches the NHL.
For the Vancouver Canucks, Jost might be too much of a risk at No. 5, but if he works out, he could definitely be that first-line center or winger GM Jim Benning wants. Once Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin retire — or just move down the lineup — there will be openings at No. 1 center and No. 1 left wing. If Jost works out, he could perfectly fill one of those, perhaps playing on a line with his future North Dakota teammate, right winger Brock Boeser.
Next: More 2016 NHL Draft Profiles
Jost is projected to be picked somewhere between No. 5 and 15, but likely closer to 15. So, if the Canucks like him enough and believe he will be available a little later in the first round, they could try to trade down and snag something in addition to a potential No. 1 centerman.