If the Vancouver Canucks want to get this rebuild done the right way, they have to start with a strong pool of prospects.
The Vancouver Canucks need to draft well to be successful in their rebuild. Thanks to the scout-turned-general manager Jim Benning, drafting is no longer Vancouver’s Achilles tendon. That’s good news for the Canucks because they finally have a prospects pool that is worth ranking.
Drafting isn’t the end of the story, however. It is quite literally just the beginning for the majority of these prospects. If the Canucks want to get this rebuild done right, they need to develop their precious prospects well.
In the recent months following the Canucks’ full-hearted shift to a full-blown rebuild, fans saw that commitment in action. The two big trade deadline deals and the 2017 NHL Entry Draft gave this city a taste of the new Jim Benning, a new organizational mindset that put skill and speed before size and heart.
The Canucks have adopted a new mentality with their prospects so we are going to take a closer look at these young prospects. We present to you Week 2 of The Canuck Way 2017 Canucks Prospects Ranking.
The Canuck Way 2017 Canucks Prospects Ranking
Our TCW staff ranked all Canucks prospects. The criteria: whatever each writer thinks is important. Current position in the organization, talent, potential, and chance of NHL success. All prospects under 24 years of age were considered as long as they did not spend significant time in the NHL.
After looking at defenseman Guillaume Brisebois yesterday, here is No. 13, netminder Michael DiPietro!
No. 13 G Michael DiPietro
Height: 6-feet-0
Weight: 200lbs
DOB: 1999-06-09 (Age 18)
Drafted: 64th Overall, 2017 Entry Draft
2016-17 Stats: 51GP – 2.35 GAA – .917 SV%
Memorial Cup Stats: 4GP – 2.00 GAA – .932 SV%
As one of the most popular picks from the 2017 Entry Draft, netminder Michael DiPietro fills an organizational need that the Canucks have had after letting Michael Garteig walk free. How does the third-round pick stack up against other goaltender prospects? Let’s see.
Strengths: Mentality & Athleticism
One of the reasons DiPietro is already a fan-favourite is his penchant for highlight reel saves. The mental aspect of his game is very good as he never gives up on the play and finds ways to make desperation saves on a regular basis. He also showed his mental fortitude when he put together an MVP performance for the Windsor Spitfires to capture the Memorial Cup.
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Of course, desperation saves don’t come without the netminder’s quickness and flexibility. DiPietro possesses a very athletic frame that makes him a Jonathan Quick-esque netminder. Like Quick, DiPietro positions himself aggressively high in his crease.
His lower body work is excellent, allowing him to be in a great position constantly and to cover up the bottom of the net very well. Scouts also note that DiPietro has a great glove hand.
All in all, his positioning and reflexes allow DiPietro to hang on to the majority of shots against him, not allowing many dangerous second chances.
Scouts also note that DiPietro has a great glove hand. All in all, his positioning and reflexes allow DiPietro to hang on to the majority of shots against him, not allowing many dangerous second chances.
Weaknesses: Size & Blocker hand
The biggest downfall to DiPietro as a netminder is his lack of size. At just six feet, DiPietro lacks a few inches’ worth of reach and frame compared to the modern netminders. Taking a look at Vancouver’s netminders Thatcher Demko, Anders Nilsson and Jacob Markstrom proves that DiPietro does not have the ideal size to be an NHL netminder.
The inability to cover more of the net with sheer body size is certainly disappointing, but as Vancouver saw with Markstrom, bigger netminders tend to have more gaps and larger holes, most notably the five-hole when making lateral movements.Perhaps DiPietro won’t struggle with his small stature as much as many fear he will in the NHL.
For that reason, perhaps DiPietro won’t struggle with his small stature as much as many fear he will in the NHL. It may serve him to be a small advantage.
Otherwise, scouts note his blocker to be his weakest side. Though his lower-body coverage is superb, DiPietro tends to be exploited up high by his opponents, mostly to his blocker hand.
Projection: “1B/2A” Okay Starting netminder / Great Back-up
Projecting netminders’ developments is as difficult as guessing when Nikita Tryamkin might come back to the NHL. Goalies may never develop, but when athletic ones like DiPietro develop well, he may become a good starting netminder in the big league.
We tentatively project DiPietro to be a great backup who pushes for a starting role, but if he shows that he can play against elite scorers despite his small frame, he could be the next Jonathan Quick.
Next: Prospects Ranking Top 20 - #14 Guillaume Brisebois
– 2017 TheCanuckWay Prospects Ranking Top 20 –
#14 – Guillaume Brisebois
#15 – Evan McEneny
#16 – F Petrus Palmu
#17 – D Jack Rathbone
#18 – D Jalen Chatfield
#19 – F Cole Cassels
#20 – D Kristoffer Gunnarsson
The Honourable Mentions
There are many things to like about DiPietro but size is something that he cannot change. With his competitiveness and determination, however, he could make things work and carve out a path to the NHL under the tutelage of a smaller netminder like Richard Bachman who has helped develop Demko in the AHL this past season.