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’ll look at Czech center Martin Necas, whom the Canucks could target with their first-round pick.
Name: Martin Necas
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Birthdate: 1999-01-15
Height, weight: 6’1”, 168 lbs
Team, league: HC Kometa Brno, Czech Extraliga
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
4178156-2
Rankings:
#6 by Hockeyprospect.com
#10 by ISS Hockey
#10 by Future Considerations
#10 by McKeen’s Hockey
#5 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2.5/5, 4.5/5
NHL-potential: Top-six center
Draft Range: Top 15
Scouting report
"A strong offensive minded centre…has explosive, darting speed and can duck and dodge with impressive lateral agility…wins races to loose pucks regularly…dangerous when in possession of the puck and screaming down the wing with speed…can both make a play to an open teammate or just drive the puck towards the net himself…is creative seeing the ice well and displaying good timing on his passes…has good strength on the puck although he could improve his body strength overall…is creative possessing smooth hands and ability to pull off some dekes at high speed…his shot jumps off his stick quickly and can surprise with its velocity…has a strong work ethic and does many little things right to contribute…shows good smarts as he leads the rush up ice and dissects the defense before making his play…has some room to grow physically. (Future Considerations, November 2016)"
Strengths
Martin Necas is a speedy, dynamic skater who likes to use his speed in various situations. His first steps are extremely quick and get him top speed with very few strides. That allows Necas to get separation from coverage when he has the puck, but he also uses his quick acceleration to jump into scoring areas where he can receive a set-up pass. Thanks to perfect edge work, Necas can shake off opponents with quick, tight turns or stop-and-starts.
The Czech center, who represented his country at the under-18 and under-20 world championships this year, possesses excellent smarts as well. He creates danger offensively both as a scorer and as a playmaker, as he uses his vision to find open spaces to skate into as well as to set up team mates. Necas plays strong, accurate passes and frequently gets the opposing goaltender in trouble.
Whenever Necas gets into the offensive zone, he skates around with speed, whether he has the puck or not. With that, he confuses defenders in their coverage while making dangerous offensive plays. Necas could develop into an excellent all-around offensive player who uses his speed, smarts and puck skills to score goals and collect a large number of assists.
Weaknesses
Necas’s speed is certainly outstanding, but it can also hurt him. At times, he races around like there’s no tomorrow, when he might be better off slowing things down a bit. He has the puck skills, agility and elusiveness to slow the game down and make a smart play after thinking it through, rather than doing everything at full speed. He just needs to do that more consistently.
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
Another thing that’s holding him back is his frame. Necas spent his entire draft year playing professionally and has proven he can compete, but getting stronger will be crucial on his NHL path. Measuring 6-foot-1, he certainly has a frame he can grow into.
Lastly, and this is partly due to his lack of strength, Necas spends a lot of time outside the dots. Unless he beats a defender with speed, he can’t drive hard to the net. Instead, he often skates circles around the offensive zone, both with and without the puck, without getting into high-danger areas.
Final Thoughts
Necas is a highly promising player that could be selected anywhere from five to 15. He could have been better and more productive at the U18 worlds to end the year, so he probably established himself closer to 15 than five. However, one tournament doesn’t change what scouts have seen all year — and that was an electric offensive player who can produce at the pro level at just 17 years old.
For the Canucks, Necas is probably not high on the short list for the fifth pick, but we can’t rule it out. Starting at No. 5, this draft is wide open. There seems to be some kind of consensus now, but depending on scouts’ and GMs’ preferences, anyone has a chance to crack the top five.
Next: 2017 NHL Draft Profile Overview
Personally, I do believe Necas is more of a top-15 prospect than one who should be selected at five by Vancouver. In my full first-round mock draft, I have Necas going to the New York Islanders 15th overall. But, especially in Vancouver, you never know what will happen.