Apr 9, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Providence College Friars forward Mark Jankowski (10) celebrates his goal on Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks goaltender Ryan Masa (31) during the second period of a semifinal game in the men
Apr 9, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Providence College Friars forward Mark Jankowski (10) celebrates his goal on Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks goaltender Ryan Masa (31) during the second period of a semifinal game in the men /
Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning has a list of NCAA free agents he wants to target in the off-season.
As Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning told TSN 1040 in an interview in early March, there is more than one NCAA free agent the Canucks want to talk to in the off-season. In fact, Benning even made a list of players and ranked them by how much he likes them.
“We’ve had conversation these last couple of weeks, we did the groundwork with agents, we have a list of players in the order that we like them, and as their teams start losing out and they decide that they’re gonna turn pro, we’re gonna be in on that too.”
Unless they are good enough to make the jump to the NHL immediately or one season after being drafted, NCAA prospects like to stay in college for four years. The reason is simple: while every drafted hockey player dreams of playing in the NHL one day, most of them are smart enough to get a college degree and prepare for their life after hockey.
The second they sign a professional contract, though, they are ineligible to return to the NCAA. Therefore, going for a nine-game try-out like CHL prospects do is not an option.
It is equally obvious that NHL clubs and fans are not exactly happy about that rule. After all, their drafted NCAA prospects become unrestricted free agents once they complete their senior year at college — a loophole that was most recently used by Minnesota Wild defenceman Mike Reilly, who had been drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2014.
The Canucks are in a similar situation with goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko, who could become an unrestricted free agent following next season, if he elects to stay at Boston College for his senior year.
While it sucks for the club who drafted the respective NCAA prospect, all other clubs happily go on an NCAA UFA prospect hunt every off-season. This year, there are several intriguing prospects available — some drafted, others undrafted.
When Benning says he made a list, all we know is the fact that there is a list. What we do not know is who is on that list. So, why not make our own?
We first talked about goaltender Alex Lyon early this month, because the Vancouver Canucks were actually reported to have interest in him.
We can only hope that is true — Lyon is a late-bloomer but an outstanding prospect.
When other hockey players his age worried about the NHL Entry Draft in 2011, Lyon was still playing for Lake of the Woods School, a high school in his hometown Beaudette, Minnesota. He put up outstanding numbers, a save percentage of .948 and a goals-against average of 1.48, in the USHS, but it was not enough to catch the attention of NHL scouts.
It did, however, give Lyon a chance to show what he can do at the USHL level the next season. The then 18-year-old joined the Omaha Lancers where he would play for the next two seasons. Unfortunately, he failed to stand out there and went undrafted two more times. Save percentages of .910 and .916 are decent, but at the USHL level, not enough to be considered NHL material.
Lyon got a chance to join Yale University in 2012 and finally started to bloom. The 2012-13 season, Lyon’s freshman year, was “just another decent year” but, again, nothing outstanding. That would change in 2013, when Lyon recorded a .939 save percentage along with a 1.62 goals-against average — NCAA-best in both categories.
He confirmed his stellar performances in the 2015-16 campaign, posting a .938 save percentage with an improved 1.59 goals-against average — NCAA-best once more — and now finds himself atop NCAA free-agent lists like that of Canucks GM Jim Benning.
Highly skilled two-way defenceman that displays tremendous poise with and without the puck. Soft hands that can pass as well as let rockets fly. Excellent vision and a playmaker’s knack for the game. Very aware and responsible defensively, but is not comfortable having the puck in his own end for too long and will take it upon himself to get the puck out of the defensive zone. His impact upon the game occurs at both ends of the ice as an offensive and defensive force. [Elite Prospects]
Now, let me tell you Troy Stecher is a right-handed defenceman and I am sure you have heard enough.
vancouver canucks /
Stecher, Canucks prospect Brock Boeser’s teammate at the University of North Dakota, is exactly what Vancouver needs. Listed at 5-foot-11, 192 pounds, he does not have an ideal NHL frame, but he makes up for it with his skill.
A responsible defenceman who can make an impact at both ends of the ice — Stecher style, not Luca Sbisa style.
An alternate captain at UND, Stecher had eight goals and 27 points in 39 games this season. He leads his team both on and off the ice.
Also important to note is the fact that Stecher was born in Richmond and grew up in the Greater Vancouver area. He played bantam hockey in Richmond, midget with the Greater Vancouver Canadians and junior with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.
And who wouldn’t want to play for his hometown club?
Minnesota State University’s Casey Nelson is another right-handed star defenceman in the NCAA. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Nelson is listening to NHL offers, but he might still return to Minnesota State for his senior year.
The 23-year-old was recently named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s defensive player of the year and a first team all-star. So, it comes as no surprise that several NHL teams are showing interest in him. Right-handed defencemen are hard to come by, especially when you are looking for good ones.
After recording seven goals and 33 points in 40 games last season, Nelson finished the 2015-16 campaign at six goals and 22 points in the same amount of games. While MSU’s offence was worse than last season as a whole, it is still a bit of a red flag for Nelson. Instead of carrying his team to greater success, he stumbled with them.
Now, simply based on the fact that right-handed D-men are highly sought-after in the NHL, Nelson will certainly find a team this year if he wants to. If the Canucks fail to sign Troy Stecher, Nelson should be a great backup plan.
However, as opposed to Stecher, Nelson has zero connections to Vancouver or the Canucks, so signing him should not get any easier than signing Stecher.
Unlike the first three players on this list, Jimmy Vesey is a drafted prospect and should already be in the NHL. That might put Vancouver’s — or any team’s — chances close to zero.
Vesey was selected 66th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2012. He developed even better than expected and after a 32-goal season in 2014-15, the Predators wanted him on their team for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To their surprise, Vesey said no.
As Vesey notes in his article for the Players’ Tribune, the Preds were not the only ones who were surprised by his decision.
When I officially announced my decision, everyone — and I mean everyone — seemed to have a comment. Some people thought I must have been doing it to hold out for free agency this summer, while some people couldn’t fathom the fact that I was going back at all. How bad could I really want to be a hockey player if I was choosing to go back to school?
Now, Vesey goes on to explain why he really chose to stay — he wanted to get his degree and simply loves Harvard enough to choose another year there over playing in the NHL playoffs. But, that does not mean that choosing his destination is totally impossible once he gets the chance.
So, what kind of player is he?
Vesey is a big winger who is a skilled passer and sees the game well. He is more than just an up-and-down player as he possesses skill and smarts that make him a dangerous player in the offensive zone. Vesey does not shy away from the physical game but could be more active in that area. His defensive zone coverage is inconsistent at times. [Hockey’s Future]
If Vesey decides to listen to offers other than that of the Predators, the Canucks should certainly talk to him as well. However, it is possible that he chooses to go to Nashville no matter what.
Next: LW Brandon Tanev
Apr 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Providence College Friars forward Brandon Tanev (22), who scored the game winning goal, celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Boston University Terriers 4-3 in the championship game of the Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
LW/RW Brandon Tanev
If you are looking for a prospect the Canucks should have better chances with, look no further. Brandon Tanev is Canucks defenceman Christopher Tanev’s younger brother and he probably would not mind playing with Chris in Vancouver. However, many other teams are reportedly interested as well, and there are honestly more intriguing addresses for a prospect at this point.
Brandon is a speedy forward who plays a 200-foot game and can be used on either wing. He is a hard worker who is willing to pay the price to score. In 37 games this season, Tanev has 15 goals and 28 points, but he can also be trusted with defensive responsibilities like the penalty kill.
Well-rounded two-way winger that can score as well as be trusted with defensive zone time. Moves the puck out well and has excellent positional recognition around the neutral zone and just inside the blueline. Great along the half wall and battles hard. Cycles well and keeps the puck moving when in-possession. Very good mobility, and his speed might be his most prominent asset. Unquestionable shot and puck skills. [Elite Prospects]
In 2015, Tanev won an NCAA Championship with his Providence Friars.
The biggest concern is that at 24 years old, Tanev scores well below a point per game. Still, Tanev could be a serviceable bottom-six player at the NHL level.
Thanks to his brother Chris, Brandon Tanev might be higher on Benning’s list than he should be.
If the Canucks are looking to add some scoring power from the NCAA, Sam Anas of Quinnipiac University could be their guy.
Aged 18, Anas joined the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. In his first season there, he recorded 17 goals and 34 points in 51 games. Those numbers improved to 37 goals and 63 points in 64 games the year after. But for a 19-year-old high school player who turned 20 shortly after the 2012-13 season, that was obviously not enough to ever be considered an NHL prospect.
Then came his first NCAA campaign at Quinnipiac. Already older than most freshmen, Anas needed no adaption time and continued to score at a point-per-game pace. He had 22 goals and 43 points in the first 40 games of his NCAA career. Now a junior and alternate captain of his team, Anas has 68 goals and 130 points in 117 career NCAA games.
The big question mark is his size. Anas is listed at 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds — far away from an NHL frame. What makes Anas interesting for NHL scouts nevertheless is his skill-set.
Per The Hockey News Future Watch: “Undersized dynamo has outstanding puck control and is as clever as they come. Not speedy but very deceptive and willing to try things most other players would not.”
Anas attended development camps of the Washington Capitals (2013) and the New York Islanders (2015).
Drake Caggiula, another product of the University of North Dakota hockey program, had exactly the frame of Sam Anas when the Erie Otters selected him in the 2010 OHL Draft. Feeling undersized, he opted to go the Junior A route and joined the Stouffville Spirit of the OJHL instead.
His 32 goals and 79 points in 73 games over two seasons in the league put him on the radar of NHL scouts for the 2012 draft. However, he did not hear his name called and decided to jump to the next level nevertheless, joining UND.
Four years later, Caggiula is back on the radar for several NHL clubs.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward started his senior year on a line with Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Luke Luke Johnson but quickly moved to the UND line Canucks fans are most familiar with. Centred by Nick Schmaltz, another Blackhawks prospect, and with Vancouver’s 2015 first-round pick Brock Boeser on the other line, Caggiula recorded 19 goals and 44 points in 35 games.
Caggiula is still not the biggest player out there. But as an alternate captain and a hard-working north-south player, he leads by example.
If you came here for some dark-horse prospects, Swedish forward Hampus Gustafsson is your man. A 6-foot-4, 205-pound centre for Merrimack College, Gustafsson is not getting as much attention as other NCAA free agents.
The reason is as simple as it is obvious, Gustafsson is not a big scorer and rather projects to be a grinding bottom-six centre at the professional level.
A big-bodied centre, Gustafsson is best when he is battling for the puck. He uses his body well to hold off defending players and battle for the puck in the corners. However, he also knows how to set up plays or bury the puck in the net himself.
Through 110 NCAA games in three seasons at Merrimack, Gustafsson has 23 goals and 61 points. Out of those 61, 51 came in the last two seasons.
The Canucks seem all set at centre, from first-liner Henrik Sedin all the way down to depth guys like Michael Zalewski. Therefore, Gustafsson might not be all that high on Bennings list. But, Gustafsson is definitely worth taking a look at.
Another European import, Kalle Kossila is one of four players from Finland on St. Cloud State’s roster. The 2015-16 campaign was his senior year and his best NCAA season.
Kossila started his hockey career in Finland, but he was never a real standout prospect. While many European prospects play above their age group or even in professional men’s leagues before being drafted into the NHL, Kossila generally stayed in his age group. At 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, he just did not seem ready.
In his first Junior A season — his NHL draft year 2010-11 — Kossila had eight goals and 19 points in 30 games. Not enough.
His breakout season came one year later. Still with the Espoo Blues U20, Kossila recorded 20 goals and 57 points in 32 games and played in six games for Finland’s U20 squad, recording three goals and six points. That 2011-12 campaign was enough to earn him a spot in St. Cloud State’s hockey program.
There, Kossila grew at least a little bit and is now listed at six feet and 187 pounds. He led his team in scoring this season, recording 14 goals and 52 points in 40 games — tied for fifth in the entire NCAA.
Kalle Kossila worked hard to reach his goal, and he should certainly get consideration from NHL teams this spring.
Next: C Mark Jankowski
Apr 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Providence College Friars forward Mark Jankowski (10) celebrates his goal against the Boston University Terriers during the second period of the championship game of the Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
C/LW Mark Jankowski
Back to drafted prospects that have completed their senior year in the NCAA. How about Providence forward Mark Jankowski?
No matter how well he thought his pre-draft interviews went, we can be sure that not even Jankowski himself expected to be drafted in the first round at the 2012 NHL Draft. A tall, lanky centre at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, he was a project, not a blue-chip prospect. Only the Flames, or rather ex-GM Jay Feaster, thought the Canadian high school player was worth their 21st-overall selection.
But, he developed well at Providence College. As Jankowski told Sportsnet, he is now well above his draft weight.
“Getting bigger and stronger is obviously a big thing I’ve worked on all summer and with our strength coach,” said Jankowski, who is on a seven-game point streak. Getting to 220 pounds is doable – I want to keep getting bigger and stronger,” he said. “Going into development camp I’d like to be 205 pounds and then training camp 210.”
A 6-foot-3, 210-pound centre/winger? That sounds better.
Jankowski has 43 goals and 110 points in 147 career NCAA games. His best season was his senior year with 15 goals and 40 points in 37 contests.
According to Sportsnet, the Flames are confident they can sign Jankowski. However, the 21-year-old will get to pick his destination and there will be more than a handful of teams interested in signing him. Jay Feaster, the person who wanted Jankowski more than anyone, is gone — so any other franchise will be just as good for him now.
Cristoval “Boo” Nieves was drafted out of the USHS, 59th overall by the New York Rangers, in 2012. He did finish the 2011-12 campaign with the USHL’s Indiana Ice, where he recorded two goals and 10 points in 13 games, but it was still hard to determine his true potential. Like all players that play lower than the USHL in their draft year, Nieves was a high-risk, high-reward pick.
Luckily for the Rangers, Nieves transitioned nicely to the NCAA level in 2012-13, when he recorded eight goals and 29 points in 40 games in his freshman year at the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep that up.
Nieves had a disastrous start into his sophomore campaign, scoring just nine points in the first 24 games of the year, but he finished strong with 12 points in his final 10 games.
A 6-foot-3 centre, Nieves never used his body as much as he should. However, he put in the work over the past two seasons, and he now weighs in at 200 pounds. He started to use his body more, especially in puck battles along the boards.
Thanks to Michigan’s centre depth, Nieves was moved to the wing following his sophomore year. One may think his playmaking skills would make him best at centre, but he did a great job adjusting to the new position. Nieves is now ready to make the jump to the pros — and he can pick his destination.
According to Steve Kornacki of MGoBlue.com, Nieves is in permanent contact with the Rangers. But, as we all know, that means nothing after August 15th.
Next: Outlook
Apr 17, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks fans celebrate the win against the Calgary Flames during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
Outlook
There might not be a Tyler Bozak or Danny DeKeyser available this year, but there is still a lot of talent in the NCAA talent pool.
Now, how do you order these guys if you are Jim Benning?
The Vancouver Canucks need help on defence, so Troy Stecher would not be a bad idea. If he picks a different club, Casey Nelson would be a decent plan B.
Although Benning expects Thatcher Demko to turn pro next season, Alex Lyon should also be high on the list — having too many good goalies is not a real problem, even considering the Canucks’ past.
On offence, Jimmy Vesey, Mark Jankowski, Drake Caggiula, Boo Nieves and Kalle Kossila are all intriguing prospects, but Brandon Tanev could be the only one who ends up in Vancouver. If he does not care about playing with his brother Chris, he could also choose any other destination, though.
The Vancouver Canucks are not in the best position to sign unrestricted free agents right now, but their pool of young NHL players like Bo Horvat, Jake Virtanen and Ben Hutton could motivate other prospects to become a part of the Canucks’ future core.
Benning will try his best, but he will have strong competition from around the league.
