Vancouver Canucks 2017 NHL Draft Profile: C Jaret Anderson-Dolan
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.
Up next: WHL Spokane Chiefs center Jaret Anderson-Dolan!
Name: Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Birthdate: 1999-09-12
Height, weight: 5’11”, 185 lbs
Team, league: Spokane Chiefs, WHL
Stats (from eliteprospects.com):
G
A
P
PIM
+/-
72393776224
Rankings:
#27 by ISS Hockey
#43 by Future Considerations
#21 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Risk, Reward: 2/5, 4/5
NHL-potential: Top-nine forward
Draft Range: Top 60
Scouting report
"A hard-working versatile forward who can play a gritty or finesse game…skates extremely well and loves to get low and drive off his low center of gravity to burn around players…very balanced on his feet, enabling him to change direction with quick pivots…leans on his stick and is very good at protecting the puck from being stripped…plays a lot bigger than the listed size and is an absolute menace with the puck on his stick…does not hesitate to shoot the puck and has a good release with velocity that is likely to continue developing…great vision and is confident putting pucks through tight space to make a skilled pass…makes smart reads on puck movement…a constant factor when on the ice…defensive awareness is strong…constantly on his toes to play the routes of high probability with a waiting stick…is that heart and soul, all hustle player who attacks from the defensive side of the puck and can be relied upon in all zones…has the potential to become a strong pro middle six two-way player. (Future Considerations, November 2016)"
Strengths
Jaret Anderson-Dolan has been a big riser on draft rankings as he continuously improved throughout the season. He is one of the youngest players in this draft class, missing 2018 eligibility by just four days, which makes his season even more impressive. Scouts want to see steady improvement, and there isn’t much more you could ask for from this prospect in that regard.
Anderson-Dolan can have an impact as a dangerous scorer but also plays a sound two-way game. The center is aggressive on the forecheck and tries to use his stick to force early turnovers, and he is quick on the backcheck. In addition, he can use his body to hit despite being listed as 5-foot-11. Anderson-Dolan looks like a relatively safe bet to make the NHL right now because of his two-way abilities, even if he can’t translate his offense.
Offensively, Anderson-Dolan stands out as a scorer and a playmaker. He possesses a pro-level shot that leaves goaltenders no chance, but he also has excellent vision and can set teammates up for chances. Anderson-Dolan relies on his skating abilities as well, as he has excellent acceleration, speed and agility.
Weaknesses
As with many prospects, size could be an issue, or at least hold him back a bit. Anderson-Dolan likes to rush through defensive lines with speed, forechecks and backchecks aggressively, and uses his body in board and corner play. All of those things are much easier with a larger frame.
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
Furthermore, Anderson-Dolan could work on his defensive-zone play, specifically his defensive awareness and positioning. He occasionally gets caught chasing the puck around the D-zone rather than focusing on his man and potential passing lanes. He plays a strong 200-foot game, but once he’s in the defensive zone, there is room for improvement.
Lastly, many of Anderson-Dolan’s goals come thanks to his heavy, accurate shot, but he isn’t overly flashy and might not be able to get himself into high-danger scoring areas at the next level. Anderson-Dolan could be a scorer, playmaker or pure two-way player at the next level — it’s a bit difficult to project.
Final Thoughts
Anderson-Dolan is almost exactly a year younger than potential No. 1 pick Nolan Patrick. Hence, it’s difficult to compare the two to the rest of the class and even more difficult to compare the two with each other. Where would Anderson-Dolan be drafted if he was four days younger?
Anderson-Dolan’s development over the final months of the season was extremely promising, so there is a chance that he would be a sure-fire first-round pick next year. But where will he end up in 2017? When it comes to this prospect, the Canucks are lucky: they don’t have to consider him in the first round.
Next: 2017 NHL Draft Profile Overview
Whether Anderson-Dolan can be a first-rounder or not, he definitely won’t be a top-five pick. So, the Canucks only need to compare him to the other potential targets for the 33rd pick and make their call then. Will he still be on the board at that point? Possibly, but his chances of being selected earlier — or later — than 33 are probably about equal. Anderson-Dolan could be selected anywhere in the broad 20-to-60 range.