Canucks top prospects of week 17: Gaudette, Brassard, DiPietro

1 of 4

This was a great week for some prospects you have not heard from in a while. We’re shifting over from Europe and focusing on the star performances from the prospects.

A tale of two weeks. In the NHL, the Canucks had a rough road trip end on high note, picking up their lone win in Dallas. The Good Guys put on a clinic for a Dallas team woefully unprepared to face the 28th placed Vancouver Canucks.

In that 6-0 thrashing, we got to see the team spread the offence around. Reid Boucher scored a pair of nice goals, leading to the question why Travis Green took so long to give Boucher a larger role. Jake Virtanen was noticeably motivated, scoring on a breakaway at full speed and picking up an assist. Hell, even Darren Archibald got his first assist of the season.

Our prospects had a great week. Elias Pettersson may not have picked up any points, but I like that a pair of prospects will get some of the spotlight once again. Don’t panic, Canucks fans. Even Pettersson can have the off night every now and then. Jonathan Dahlen, Olli Juolevi and Petrus Palmu were also quiet last week.

There is some bad news from on the prospect front. Once again, Jonah Gadjovich is injured. It happened during a play along the boards. The poor kid can’t catch a break. He’s been hurt twice this season and was sick after winning the World Juniors. Gadjovich’s season has been shortened, but he is showing his effectiveness in the fewer games he’s played.

I can’t stop talking about Kole Lind

I wanted to use this week’s prospect update to discuss other prospects, but Kole Lind is still finding ways to stand out. Before Kelowna’s game last night, Lind only had three points in as many games, so I assumed I would be clear to leave him off the list. I should have learned what happens when we assume.

Turns out I was wrong, as Lind scored two goals, grabbed himself an apple and was named the second star in a 5-4 win over Victoria. However, I want to still highlight the other prospects today, so I’ll give him the good ol’ Honourable Mention treatment.

There was a scary moment where Lind was belted and had to be helped off the ice. He did not return and his night was over.

Fortunately, it doesn’t look like Lind will be out for the long term. I don’t like how the defender left his feet, but it looks Lind never saw it coming. Thankfully, we have an update from Steve Ewen.

.@Kelowna_Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton says #Canucks RW prospect Kole Lind will be "out for a week likely," after taking a high hit Monday in a 5-4 win over @victoriaroyals. Kelowna hosts Red Deer on Wednesday, at Kamloops on Friday, hosts Edmonton Saturday.
— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) February 13, 2018

With that, let’s start with a goalie that we haven’t talked about in quite some time.

No. 3 – G Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)

Keeping track of Michael DiPietro has been an interesting time. His season has been a on a bit of a rollercoaster. September and October was his time to shine; he dominated OHL goaltenders and quickly became the centre of attention.

November and December were not as kind. After being cut from Team Canada, his game appeared to find some stability until Windsor went for the complete tear-down rebuild. DiPietro quickly became a man on an island, being relied on exclusively for the Spitfires to win. As you can tell in the OHL standings, it isn’t working out so well. But that isn’t of any fault to DiPietro.

More from The Canuck Way

He went 2-1 last week, including a 24-save shutout against the Niagara Ice Dogs. The Amherstburg native has the 11th lowest GAA in the OHL, but a few netminders ahead of him have played less than 10 games. DiPietro has played in 44 this season.

Windsor’s best player has the 10th best save percentage in the OHL. He is not one of the taller goaltenders around at six feet. The NHL is dominated by very tall netminders, so DiPietro will have to rely on his athleticism and positioning to effectively cover the net. Keep in mind, height isn’t everything. You can see that with Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson.

When I first saw DiPietro play during prospects camp, I thought his style was very erratic. Through recent footage of his games, I am noticing an improved level of play. He appears a little more calm and doesn’t take as many bad chances. Plus, he can pull off some nice saves like this:

I know there is a heavy amount of focus on Thatcher Demko as the Canucks goalie of the future. There should be. But it is nice to know that Demko is not the only netminder in the system. The Canucks developed a reputation for their goalie development during the time of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider. It will be tough without goaltending coach Rollie Melanson, but hopefully the Canucks can earn that reputation back with Demko and DiPietro.

No. 2 – D Matt Brassard (Oshawa Generals, OHL)

Sometimes I get the feeling that I give Matt Brassard too much love in these articles. Honestly, I think he’s the most interesting defenceman in the prospect pool after Olli Juolevi. He was selected in the 7th round at the age of 19, so if he’s the next most exciting defenceman, it tells you a lot about the Canucks prospect depth on the blue line.

Brassard had five points in four games this week in addition to 12 shots. His noticeable generation of shots is what makes me very interested and I do believe he has the right instincts in the offensive zone.

Despite being taller, he does remind of Adam Clendening. Both defencemen possess good shots, a nose for offence and deficiencies in mobility. Speed and playing in transition is critical to have in the continuously evolving NHL. Slow defencemen are literally being left behind.

Some forwards can get away with having poorer skating ability, but defenders are the first players to get exposed for this issue. That gap in speed is why Clendening floats from team to team, struggling to make the big league. I think Brassard would be fine in the AHL (assuming the Canucks sign him to a contract), but the question will be if he can take the next step.

Regardless, I feel he continues to impress. I am hoping he can finish the season strong and come hungry to next year’s training camp. Brassard turns 20 in August, so he would be eligible to play in the AHL in the fall. I would keep a close eye on him as the year progresses.

No. 1 – C Adam Gaudette (Northeastern Huskies, NCAA)

Savour that excitement. Adam Gaudette is turning heads in this fanbase. He was playing more motivated than ever since it was the Beanpot Tournament. Gaudette knew exactly what was on the line in this championship game. It wasn’t just about bragging rights. Nor defeating a bitter rival from the Hockey East Division.

This was about ending a 30-year drought for Northeastern. To take this championship away from Boston University, who have won this tournament more times than the rest with 30 championships. Gaudette put a loud exclamation point on this game with a hat trick. He finished the tournament with four goals and two assists in two games.

Northeastern won this tournament for the fifth time in their history and the Most Valuable Player was awarded to Adam Gaudette. Not a bad way to cap off a championship win! Congratulations to Adam Gaudette and the Northeastern Huskies!

Here are his goals from the Beanpot Tournament:

Gaudette’s third goal in the championship game was an empty netter, but the hat trick was well-deserved. In between the Beanpot games, Northeastern played against Conneticut. The Huskies lost 4-2, but Gaudette still had a goal and an assist. It will be a crime if Gaudette does not win the Hobey Baker this year.

Next: Travis Green on ice time for the kids

The next five weeks will be important as the NCAA season comes to its end. From there, we will see if Gaudette is available to play a few games in a Canucks uniform towards the end of the season. Prospects may not win Stanley Cups on their own, but they sure are fun to watch.

Home / Prospects