Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jake Virtanen poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number six overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Jake Virtanen poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number six overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
The Vancouver Canucks are headed into the All-Star Break. Time for a peek at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
While Daniel Sedin is “forced” to spend some time in Nashville, Tennessee, for the 2016 NHL All-Star Game(s), all other Vancouver Canucks get to take a break. We, on the other hand, won’t join in on that break, and start our 2016 NHL Entry Draft coverage instead.
It is still early in the year, but it is never to early to look at players who might end up standing on stage at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York, on June 24th, wearing a blue-and-green Orca jersey. The Canucks’ first-round selection can theoretically turn out to be somewhere between seventh and 30th overall. Realistically, it could be anywhere from seventh to 20th — assuming Vancouver won’t make it far in the playoffs.
Still, that is an incredibly big range. Luckily, the draft is always a lottery, and scouts and teams rank players differently. For example, one player on this list ranks sixth on the latest ranking of Hockeyprospect.com, but 18th on ISS Hockey‘s list.
Another thing that needs to be considered is: who would the Canucks even target? Daniel Wagner of the Vancouver Courier tried to answer that question — but I have to disagree. From the article:
As much as it would be awesome to draft a franchise forward like Matthews or any of the other top tier forward prospects like Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi, Alexander Nylander, or Matthew Tkachuk, the Canucks might be more likely to fill their greatest need if they don’t get a top-five pick. What’s the biggest need in the Canucks’ system right now? It should be immediately obvious: defence. The Canucks have blue-chip talent in the pipeline at forward, not to mention the young players already in the lineup. […] The Canucks also have a blue-chip prospect in net, as Thatcher Demko is one of the best goaltending prospects in hockey. Where they don’t have, however, is a blue-chip prospect on the blue line.
It is hard to argue against the fact that Vancouver desperately needs some high-quality defence prospects, but it is easy to argue that teams should refrain from drafting by need. Especially defencemen tend to take a long time to develop — often three years or more. Needs change in such a long time. An easy answer to that problem: draft the best player available.
So, let’s take an early look at some players that are likely to end up in the Canucks’ draft range and who Vancouver should definitely keep an eye on.
Olli Juolevi is a 6-foot-2, 183-pound defenceman from Finland, who made the jump over to North America in 2015, after excelling at the Finnish Jr. A level. He can be best described as an all-around defenceman, who is very strong with and without the puck, at both ends of the rink.
From EliteProspects.com:
A competitive spark-plug, Olli Juolevi is a complete, all-around defenceman that can hem the opposition in their own end or make things difficult for the opposition at home; either way, he puts the pressure on and lays it on thick. A strong and balanced skater, he can rush the puck through the neutral zone with ease or backcheck with haste. Uses his size to his advantage, but knows his physical limits and plays within them. Instead of playing overly physical, he makes his presence felt by exhibiting his high-end playmaking ability and puck possession play. All-in-all, a well-rounded blueliner who thrives under pressure and can be trusted in all situations. (Curtis Joe, EP 2016)
Prior to joining the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, where he plays with fellow top prospects Matthew Tkachuk and Max Jones, Juolevi went through Jokerit Helsinki’s youth program. There, he played his first games for the under-20 team at the age of 15 and became a full-time member of the squad at 16. That season, 2014-15, Juolevi recorded six goals and 32 points in 44 games and added another goal and two assists in five playoff contests.
So far this season, Juolevi has five goals and 27 points in 35 games. In addition, he won the 2016 World Junior Championship with Team Finland in his hometown Helsinki and was selected for the tournament All-Star Team. Last but not least, he is a member of Team Bobby Orr for this year’s prospects game.
Mikhail Sergachev is another European 6-foot-2 defenceman, but he comes in at 205 pounds. Despite his large frame, he is best on the offensive side of the rink. Sergachev works extremely hard and knows how to drive the puck up the ice to create offence. Nevertheless, he is extremely reliable in the defensive zone as well.
From EliteProspects.com:
A dominant two-way defenceman whose tenacity and competitiveness characterize his style of play. Plays with a poise and confidence that facilitates his creativity with the puck as well as split-second decision making. Naturally fluid skater who is always looking to be engaged, if not the center, of each unfolding play. All-in-all, a diligent two-way defenceman who excels at finding ways to be a difference-maker in games. (Curtis Joe, EP 2016)
Just like Juolevi, Sergachev is in his first North American season. He spent the 2014-15 campaign with the MHL’s Irbis Kazan, where he recorded two goals and eight points in 25 games, before joining the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. There, Sergachev sits at 12 goals and 35 points in 46 games.
Additionally, the blueliner won gold at the 2014 World Under-17 Challenge and participated in the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championship for Team Russia. However, he was not part of Team Russia for the 2016 World Junior Championship.
Dante Fabbro is one of surprisingly few Canadians who are ranked in the top-15 of this year’s draft rankings. He is a mobile two-way defenceman with elite skating and high offensive upside.
From EliteProspects.com:
Dante Fabbro is a dependable two-way defenseman with high offensive upside. He plays with poise and makes mature, high-percentage decisions under pressure. In his own end, he is proactive with both his body and stick, and does everything right to interrupt passing lanes and win back possession. With the puck on his stick, he is mobile at an elite level and can direct plays like a quarterback. He possesses a hard and accurate release on his shot, that he gets off quickly and on-net. All-in-all, a complete defenseman that plays a refined game at both ends of the ice. (Curtis Joe, EP 2015)
A native of New Westminster, British Columbia, Fabbro grew up playing hockey in Vancouver. He made his BCHL debut for the Langley Rivermen as a 16-year-old, before joining the Pentiction Vees in 2014. Through 77 career games for the Vipers, Fabbro has 14 goals and 81 points. He also has four goals and 11 points in 21 playoff contests.
Furthermore, Fabbro represented Team Canada at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, where he won gold with Team Canada West. Fabbro is committed to Boston University for the upcoming season.
At 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is a prototypical power forward. He uses his body well, goes to the dirty areas and fights for every inch on the ice. Dubois drives to the net a lot — and rewards himself with goals.
“[He] is one of the most promising 2016 eligible I’ve seen out of the Q, besides maybe Gauthier, but the race between the two is looking pretty tight,” a FC evaluator said. “He is physical, and plays the game utilizing a strong drive and his impressive frame. He supports his teammates constantly and wins most battles he engages in. He likes to drive the net and look for pucks in the greasy areas. Has some solid puck skills and offensive creativity that make you excited for what he could become at the next level.”
Dubois could be the best QMJHL prospect of this year’s draft class. In his second season with the Screaming Eagles, he has 30 goals and 68 points in 46 games. Dubois also represented Team Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the World U18 Championship last season.
If there is one player who can prevent Dubois from being the highest-picked QMJHL player in 2016, it is Julien Gauthier — and he is seen as the better of the two by many scouts. Gauthier is slightly bigger than Dubois, at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, and plays a similar style.
“Gauthier plays a very simple game; doing a great job consistently making the smart play and showing solid maturity for his age. He is very physically strong and uses his size/strength effectively in puck battles and when getting off a shot. He has the frame and raw skills to develop into a real solid NHL player.”
The mentioned maturity is a big factor in the draft decision for many teams. Gauthier is a typical example for a player who looks like a man playing against boys, simply because of his large frame and his playing style. As opposed to Dubois, Gauthier is already in his third season with the Val-d’Or Foreurs
As opposed to Dubois, Gauthier is already in his third QMJHL campaign, with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, and he played on the club’s first line for the first time when he was still 15. Today, he bounces around between the Foreurs’ top-two lines, thanks to the team’s incredible scoring depth — which Gauthier is certainly a big part of. In 165 regular season games for the club, he has 79 goals and 145 points — 33 goals and 43 points in 35 games this season. He added 17 points in 41 playoff contests.
Gauthier also represented Team Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge two seasons ago and at the 2016 World Junior Championship.
