Let’s assess each Vancouver Canucks prospect more critically now that the dust has settled after a great finish to the 2018 World Junior Championship.
Overall, the Vancouver Canucks should be satisfied with their prospects’ performances at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Jonah Gadjovich took home the gold medal with Team Canada who boasted a boasted forward group and a savvy blueline. Team Sweden was the most skilled lineup of the tournament, helped on to win the silver medal by Elias Pettersson.
Though William Lockwood didn’t last the entire tournament for Team USA, his American squad settled for a bronze-medal finish on home soil. Olli Juolevi and the Finns were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the players who were cut by Team Canada at the pre-tournament camp had a decent time away from the national squad as well. Kole Lind has had two hat tricks and 18 points in nine games, currently riding a ten-game point streak. The CHL trade deadline saw Michael DiPietro and the Windsor Spitfires move virtually everyone but DiPietro out for future assets. DiPietro will now look to carry his team into the postseason.
The top of the 2018 Draft class looks strong
On top of their prospects’ play at the tournament, the Canucks should be enjoying the thought of drafting a pretty special player at the top of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Rasmus Dahlin, the Swedish defenseman slotted to go first overall, was voted the best defenseman of the tournament.
The tournament featured many other skaters who would be great picks in the top five to ten selections. Czech left winger Filip Zadina surprised many with eight points in seven games and now is in conversation to go in the first three selections of the draft after being selected in the tournament’s all-star squad.
American forward Brady Tkachuck also solidified, if not increased, his spot in the top-five. Quinn Hughes was a big force from the Team USA blueline. Without him, the Americans would not have made it to the semifinals.
Let’s now take a closer look at the four Canucks prospects who were at the 2018 World Juniors.