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.
So let’s take a look at Swedish forward Jonathan Dahlen of Timra IK of the Allsvenskan.
Name: Jonathan Dahlen
Position: Center / Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height, weight: 5’11”, 176 lbs
Team/League: Timra IK, Allsvenskan
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
5115142980
NHL CSS Ranking: 11th (European Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2/5, 3.5/5
NHL-potential: Middle-Six Forward
Draft Range: Late First to Late Second Round
Scouting report
"Smart and competitive forward with a balanced skill set. Does many things well but isn’t overly flashy. Awkward skater but he gets the job done. Played his first professional season in Sweden’s second-tier league this year."
Strengths
Jonathan Dahlen is a center-winger hybrid who excels in the offensive zone, thanks to his puck skills and hockey sense. He was the top scorer on a Timra squad this season and was able to prove that he can succeed playing against men.
More from Draft
- Recapping the Canucks picks from rounds five to seven
- Canucks take Daimon Gardner in fourth round
- Canucks select Elias Pettersson in third round
- Canucks select Jonathan Lekkerimäki with 15th overall pick
- Five players the Canucks could draft with the 15th overall pick
Dahlen has all the skills coaches want from an offensive player. First of all, he is an agile skater who is strong on his edges, allowing him to shake off opponents with tight turns and quick stop-and-gos. Though not the fastest skater, he uses his agility and ability to control the speed of the game to power past defensemen.
Along with that, Dahlen displays great puck skills. He is a creative player who never fails to have an idea for what to do with the puck, and he’s got the hands to make those ideas happen. In combination with his skating, that allows him to deke around defensemen and gain the offensive zone to start an attack.
Yet better than his skill is his hockey sense. Dahlen understands the game really well and always knows what is happening around him. He sees the ice well, can set up teammates for scoring chances or skate into open areas to create chances for him self. Another strength: he can finish those scoring chances with a lethal wrist shot.
Weaknesses
As mentioned above, Dahlen is not the quickest skater. His stride is a bit choppy and awkward, but he gets the job done. Work with a power skating coach in the NHL is likely all it takes to improve in that regard. He already has the edge work and mobility to go with it, so skating should not keep him out of the NHL.
What might be a bit of an issue is Dahlen’s defensive play and physicality. Even in the offensive zone, it seems like Dahlen can’t stop thinking about how he will score the next goal or start the attack, which hurts his positional game. If you are looking for a two-way player, Dahlen probably won’t be a good choice for you.
At 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds, Dahlen is not exactly big either. He will need to add some muscle to his frame in order to succeed physically. Considering his height, 176 pounds are normal, though, and he won’t turn into that 200-pound power forward.
Dahlen is a skilled scorer, not a two-way or power forward.
Final Thoughts
The Vancouver Canucks have had success with Swedish players in the past. Why not go for another one? Jonathan Dahlen promises to be a highly skilled offensive player who can become a second-line scorer in the NHL.
After the top-20 picks, there is no consensus for who the next 10, 20 or 30 players will be. HockeyProspect.com have Dahlen ranked 27th, ISS have him at 51, The Hockey News have him ranked 45th. In other words, anything can happen, but it is likely that he will be off the board by the end of the second round. Therefore, Vancouver would either have to use their 33rd-overall pick on him or acquire another pick later in the second round.
Next: More 2016 NHL Draft Profiles
If Dahlen ends up in Vancouver, the Canucks will certainly be happy with what they get. Dahlen will likely spend another year or two developing in Sweden, but he could also come to the American Hockey League immediately. Though only playing in Sweden’s second-tier league, Dahlen has proven that he can play at the professional level, and he should be ready to make the jump to the AHL soon.
Not necessarily a safe pick, but one with high scoring upside.