Vancouver Canucks 2017 NHL Draft Profile: RW Owen Tippett
By Jeff Godley
The Vancouver Canucks are preparing for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft — and so are we.
Once again the Vancouver Canucks failed to secure a spot in the NHL playoffs. So, instead of competing for the Stanley Cup, Canucks GM Jim Benning and his staff will use the upcoming months to prepare next season’s roster. Now that the organisation is officially in a ‘transition period’, the 2017 NHL Entry Draft will be of utmost importance.
A four-game winning streak to start the 2016-17 season gave fans hope for the playoffs. But — blame the coach, the roster, injuries or anything else — unfortunately, the team was unable to play competitively for an entire season. With that, they are guaranteed another high draft pick this year.
Here at The Canuck Way, we will do our best to prepare you for the upcoming draft by profiling as many 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.
This year’s draft seems wide-open, with no real consensus in any of the seven rounds. So, it will certainly be interesting to see who will put on a Vancouver Canucks jersey come June.
Today, we look at Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads!
Name: Owen Tippett
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Birthdate: 1999-02-16
Height, weight: 6’2, 203 lbs
Team, league: Mississauga Steelheads, OHL
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
60 44 31 75 36 24
Rankings:
#11 by Hockeyprospect.com
#4 by ISS Hockey
#6 by Future Considerations
#6 by McKeen’s Hockey
#7 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2.5/5, 4/5
NHL-potential: Top six winger
Draft Range: Top 10
Scouting report
"A strongly built, scoring winger who possesses that natural scorer’s touch…he gets to the right areas of the ice both with and without the puck and has the pro-type shot and release to bury it…he is strong and shifty with the puck, protecting it well as he moves through traffic…gets around the ice well, showing quick jump acceleration to generate space and speed coming down the ice on the rush, and he shows agility and balance on his feet…has a good head for the game and identifies developing plays quickly…has a feel for when he should attack the play, when he should support his teammates and when he needs to wait in quiet ice for them to find him…works hard…not overly belligerent, but does play a physical game, with a chip on his shoulder…not afraid to take a bump to generate a chance…top-six NHL goal-scorer down the line. (Future Considerations)"
Strengths
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Everyone who scouts the Peterborough, Ontario native raves about his shot. Tippett shoots quickly, accurately, and with a deceptive release. These traits draw constant comparisons to Phil Kessel of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Even at age 16, scouts believed his shot was NHL-ready. In his 17-year-old season, Tippett put up 44 goals and 31 assists in just 60 games. That number led a Steelheads team which included Michael McLeod, who was drafted in the first round last year.
Tippett has plenty of other skills beyond simply his shooting ability. He has good size, standing over six feet and 200 pounds. That size and strength allows him to protect the puck effectively with his body.
For all that, he is also a strong, fast skater with good hands. All in all, Tippett appears to be an elite NHL offensive talent in the making.
Weaknesses
Few scouting reports bother pointing out flaws in Tippett’s game. Apparently, the only arguments for not taking him are the slightly better players above him.
Reading between the lines, though, it’s clear he is not a perfect player. His game is by nature offensive, so he will need to learn how to play defense at the professional level.
Looking at his stat line, Tippett scores considerably more goals than he does assists. So clearly, he is not a playmaker. To score the maximum number of goals in the NHL, he will need to be paired with linemates who can get him the puck.
Final Thoughts
Even last year, Tippett’s skill singled him out as a top-15 pick. However, his excellent 2016-17 season means he is knocking on the door of a top-five selection.
After Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, it’s anyone’s guess who will be selected three through 10. The Steelheads’ top scorer is right in the mix, and whoever picks him will land themselves a talented goal-getter.
The Vancouver Canucks certainly have a need for goal-scorers themselves. However, at the moment there are four high-rated centermen who look like they will go before Tippett. But if the Canucks fall to fifth after the draft lottery, a pure scoring talent may prove too good to pass up.