Top 5 Vancouver Canucks prospects that will surprise at training camp

Training camp beings in a several weeks, so we wanted to look at five prospects who may surprise you at training camp this year.

The Vancouver Canucks have a lot of prospects competing for limited spots. We keep hearing that competition was made for the younger players, so we will see if the Canucks are true to their word and make room for standout players (my money is on no).

The order we go through today is not ranked by how good each player is relative to the other. In fact, it’s an indicator of how much a surprise it would be should they make the opening night roster. What does that mean? Well, the obvious options will be lower down the list.

You are going to notice that the Canucks’ best prospect, Elias Pettersson is not on this list. There are a couple reasons why I chose to do that. First, when he makes the team, it won’t be a surprise. And second, Elias Pettersson will probably be the best part of the Canucks preseason. His game won’t be perfect right away, but if you’ve been tracking him for the last 11 months (or more), you are going to be very excited. This gives me an opportunity to highlight another prospect.

I should also clarify that the only players eligible for this list still qualify for the Calder Memorial Trophy. So if you were expecting Nikolay Goldobin, Brendan Leipsic or Jake Virtanen, you will be disappointed. Besides, the former two are nearly NHL players while the latter is already one. With all that explained, let’s get to the good stuff!

Adam Gaudette (C)

2017-18 stats

Starting things off is the reigning Hobey Baker winner, Adam Gaudette. During his short stint in Vancouver to end last season, Gaudette brought a higher level of speed and puck handling ability, absent from most of the team’s bottom six.

Although he did not produce, he generated several chances and looked comfortable playing with Jake Virtanen. That could bode well for the future, but be aware of small sample sizes. Regardless, Gaudette had a fantastic year with Northeastern and looks very close to being ready for the NHL.

Honestly, I believe Gaudette is good enough to hold down a roster spot now. The Canucks are thin down the middle and having a sheltered line in offensive minutes could give this team a necessary boost. Offence will be tough to come by and the team needs all the help they can get.

Unfortunately, the team has several bottom six players. And with Gaudette’s waiver ineligibility, he would be a prime candidate to be sent to the minors. Ignoring that, I will make a bold prediction about his preseason.

Gaudette will outperform every bottom six forward that will make the final cut in October. Not only that, I think Gaudette will play as good if not better defensively than Brandon Sutter. I do hope the Canucks are serious about making room for players who “earn it.” History tells us the opposite, but maybe things will change.

Thatcher Demko (G)

2017-18 stats

I’ll admit, it was tough choosing between Gaudette and Thatcher Demko. Both players have enough talent to play for the Canucks in 2018-19, but veterans are occupying roster spots. As for Demko, he played incredibly well for the Utica Comets last season.

He ranked high in save percentage, but more importantly, his GSAA indicates he prevented 21 more goals against over the average goaltender in the AHL. That statistic comes from Colin Cudmore, who tracked AHL goalies last season. Demko’s GSAA was good for third in the league behind Garret Sparks and Michael Hutchinson.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on his save percentage in his NHL debut. First, it was one game. Second, save percentage is more of a team stat, but he played well at 5v5. Again, it’s a small sample size, so I wouldn’t fixate on it. Demko was the backbone for the Comets last season and he single-handedly kept his team in the series against the eventual Calder Champion Toronto Marlies.

Anders Nilsson is the only player in Demko’s way and I think the younger player will outdo the veteran. I wondered if Jim Benning would waive Nilsson out of camp, but I think he is looking to give the towering Swede another chance. However, my bold prediction for Demko is that he plays so well, the Canucks have no choice but to keep him on the opening night roster. Who am I kidding? The team won’t do that. Although, I can dream.

Olli Juolevi (LD)

2017-18 stats (Liiga)

You have to feel for Olli Juolevi. He had a great season in Finland and ignoring how well his peers have done, he should be proud of that season. It gives him the momentum to put him on the right track for training camp and then he hits a setback.

Back surgery could not have come at a worse time. Of course, Juolevi needed the operation, but recovery put him six weeks behind everybody else’s summer training. His physical conditioning is one of his largest obstacles and the limited time to train ramps up the challenges he will face at camp.

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That said, his competition isn’t the toughest to beat out. On the left side, Juolevi would just have to surpass Ben Hutton, Derrick Pouliot and Michael Del Zotto. Looking at last year’s training camp, Juolevi had trouble taking on AHL and Junior level competition. After a year in Finland, I believe he is close to taking on what the NHL can offer.

Hopefully, his bad habits are gone in the defensive zone. Last year, his reads were slow, positioning was off and gap control was weak. That didn’t happen as often in the Finnish Liiga last year, which is a good sign.

Bold prediction time. Juolevi not only plays better than his competition, but his conditioning is up to Travis Green‘s high standards. Conditioning is an easy cop-out if the Canucks send Juolevi down. But if he is in better shape than the rest despite starting six weeks after everyone else, the well of excuses will run dry. Juolevi will get the Troy Stecher rookie treatment, but I think it won’t be long before we see him in a Canucks uniform this season.

Zack MacEwen (C/RW)

2017-18 stats (AHL)

Last, but certainly not least is Zack MacEwen. If you haven’t heard of MacEwen, I don’t blame you. He was signed as an undrafted free agent from the QMJHL in 2017. Some weren’t thrilled with the signing at the time, but after his first AHL season, opinions shifted.

I know the stats don’t leap off the page, but hear me out. MacEwen was fourth in team scoring, benefiting from the several call ups made by the big club during the 2017-18 season. He is a really fun player to watch.

I didn’t know what to expect from him at the start of the season. Unfortunately, signing players like Yan-Pavel Laplante and Griffen Molino didn’t inspire much confidence for me. But I’m glad I was pleasantly surprised.

MacEwen brings a unique combination of size, speed and skill. He can show flashes of absolute brilliance and at other times make odd decisions. His game was raw, but he developed well under Utica Comets coach Trent Cull.

There is no way MacEwen makes the Canucks out of camp, especially with so many bottom six forwards fighting for the same spots. However, what you may be surprised by is how much you will like this player by the end of camp. MacEwen looks poised to become a modern energy player with elements of a throwback. He’s more than just a grinder. There is offensive potential there and if he can continue to take the next steps, he may be an exciting part of the future.