Jumpin’ Jack flash: checking in on Canucks prospect Jack Rathbone

Jack Rathbone is a mysterious player that is hard to track. Luckily, I found out where his progression is at. He is the only 2017 draft pick I have yet to talk about, but that changes today.

Trying to pin down statistics for Jack Rathbone became a challenge this season. With all the excitement surrounding Elias Pettersson, Kole Lind, Jonah Gadjovich, Adam Gaudette and many more, it is easy to see why fans can forget about Rathbone. That’s not a slight to the young defenceman; it is just part of the reality when distracted by other prospects making noise.

As he is not starting his NCAA career until next year, he returned to Dexter School to finish his final year. The Vancouver Canucks selected Rathbone in the fourth round of the last draft. You may be wondering why he still has to finish high school at his age, but you can learn about his touching story with brother through this article from Ben Kuzma.

I know some people tend to roll their eyes when you speak of a hockey player’s character, but I think there is still some importance to that. Rathbone seems like a humble guy who is committed to work as hard as possible to get where he needs to be. He definitely has the right attitude and we will see how he can progress further once he starts attending Harvard this fall.

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Finding information

Most of our prospects play in leagues that have websites with a lot of information. That isn’t available for the high school leagues across the U.S. Fortunately, I have learned which league Rathbone is a part of from his prospect reports. Dexter School is in the New England Prep League. I found this website, but the full access to stats is behind a pay wall.

The good news is that Rathbone is sitting on top of the list of defenceman in this league (as he should). With 28 points in 15 games, the West Newbury native leads all defencemen in points-per-game.

Rathbone did not start playing games until November. Some of the drawbacks to playing in a high school league are fewer games and the lower level of competition. That all changes next year when he debuts in the NCAA. For selfish reasons, it will be substantially easier to track his progress.

His game and what needs to improve

I was only able to find one highlight video from one of his games, but you can take a look with your own eyes. The only opportunity I got to watch him play was during the Canucks Prospect camp and Young Stars Tournament.

What you see in the video is what I essentially saw at UBC. Rathbone is quick and fits that mould of a modern transitional defenceman. I like his shot, which is a recurring trait on many selections made by the Canucks under Jim Benning.

He has good offensive instincts and anticipates play in the offensive zone well. However, since the level of competition is low, it is difficult to assess how well he plays defensively. Being older than most other players, Rathbone is automatically a cut above his competition.

As for what he needs to improve on, Rathbone needs to add strength. At 5’10 and 170 pounds, adding that strength over the next few years at Harvard should not be an issue. Canucks fans will have to be patient with Rathbone. It will take time for development to finish outside the NHL, but with his potential, he is a very intriguing prospect.

Is he a slam dunk future power play quarterback? No. Few prospects are. That’s why the team says they are looking for this kind of defenceman every year. With that said, they mystery around Rathbone drives excitement for what he could be.

Patience will be the key with his development. I would still like to see more offensive defencemen added to the prospect pool. You can never have too many draft picks, despite how stubborn this team is in acquiring them. The more lottery tickets you have, the greater chance in finding gems.

Next: Canucks mess up the Thomas Vanek trade

There will always be a prospect who slips through the cracks and becomes a steal late in the draft. I value picks in every round. Early picks are certainly more valuable, but any draft pick is more use to me than a NHL tweener who is on his way out of the league. You think the Canucks would have learned this after four years. Guess I will have to keep waiting for when that day happens.