Vancouver Canucks 2017 NHL Draft Profile: LW Jason Robertson
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.
Next on our list is left winger Jason Robertson of the OHL Kingston Frontenacs!
Name: Jason Robertson
Position: Left wing
Shoots: Left
Birthdate: 1999-07-22
Height, weight: 6’2”, 194 lbs
Team, league: Kingston Frontenacs, OHL
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
68423981293
Rankings:
#37 by Future Considerations
#14 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2/5, 4/5
NHL-potential: Top-six winger
Draft Range: Top 70
Scouting report
"An opportunistic scoring winger…he reads the game and adapts well but also has games where he becomes too focused on the puck and not the play around him…has deficiencies in his skating that will need correcting moving forward…has limited levels of speed and agility in his stride although he is improving… goes to the dirty areas of the ice, and works very well along the boards, rarely losing puck battles …willing and able to play physical…good protection, using his size and his back to shield the puck…does everything he can to get to the soft spots and call for a pass… loves to fire the puck and has a strong shot with good accuracy…dangerous in close…defensively his head is on a swivel on the backcheck and he tries to see where his check is and where he needs to get to in order to lend a hand…has the potential to become a goal scorer at the pro level but has some work to do first. (Future Considerations, November 2016)"
Strengths
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
Jason Robertson is a strong power forward who has continued to improve throughout the season, developing into a late first-round option at the draft. Robertson is everything you want to see in a power forward, and has the stats to support his play. He is a strong defensive player as well, giving him a relatively low floor as someone who could potentially play anywhere in an NHL lineup.
Robertson loves to use his frame and strength to make plays. He utilises his size and reach to protect the puck, can battle through traffic and isn’t afraid of physical play. Robertson drives hard to the net, looking for scoring chances, and has a heavy shot that allowed him to score 42 times in 68 regular-season games in 2016-17.
In addition, Robertson works hard to play a 200-foot game, playing hard on the forecheck and backcheck. He knows his defensive responsibilities and keeps his head up to see where he needs to be. Robertson has proven solid hockey sense both offensively and defensively, allowing him to be a strong two-way player.
Weaknesses
One of Robertson’s biggest weaknesses was always his skating, both in speed and agility. He has improved a lot in that regard throughout the season, but his speed is still a bit of a concern. Especially for a power forward, speed can be very important, but Robertson often fails to generate separation using his stride.
Another issue is that, like many shoot-first power forwards, is that he can sometimes focus too much on himself. Get the puck, power through opponents, score. It works well at the junior level, but might not be the way to go once he takes the next step. A power forward is a power forward, but you still need to be aware of everything around you, playing smart passes instead of bad shots when the situation calls for it.
Final Thoughts
The Canucks don’t have a lot of depth on the left wing, so stocking up on prospects there might be a good idea. Nikolay Goldobin can play on the left, Jonathan Dahlen can play there as well. But who knows how each prospect will develop and where they’ll end up playing. Stock up on guys with high scoring upside and see where it goes.
Robertson is a big power forward, which is a player type the Canucks might be lacking. Jake Virtanen could still end up filling a similar role but, again, we aren’t sure where he’s going. If the Canucks want to get bigger and tougher to play against — however important that may be — Robertson is certainly a solid option.
Robertson wasn’t always considered a second-round prospect but is now ranked 14th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Even if you factor in European players and goalies, that likely makes him a first-round pick. Future Considerations has him ranked 37th but, in their NHL Draft Primer, they admit Robertson could go off the board earlier than their ranking suggests.
Next: 2017 NHL Draft Profile Overview
The Canucks own pick No. 33 in the second round — Robertson could still be on the board then, and he would certainly be a possibility.