Vancouver Canucks prospects of week 9: Manukyan, DiPietro, Rathbone

No. 1 – Jack Rathbone (LD) (Harvard Crimson, NCAA)

We end things off this week with Jack Rathbone. Coming in at the number one spot, Rathbone is certainly moving up and displacing Quinn Hughes for the time being. All kidding aside, Rathbone had a phenomenal weekend. He looks more than comfortable with the Harvard Crimson and is quite compatible with his defence partner, Adam Fox.

The Crimson played against Quinnipiac and Princeton, losing 5-3 and ending in a 4-4 tie, respectively. Even if the team results were less desirable, Rathbone made himself stand out on the scoresheet, collecting two goals and three assists on the weekend.

Jim Benning has placed a lot of emphasis on players who can skate, move the puck well and shoot the puck often. There’s a strange line where you attribute success more to the scouts. Mine is outside the first round, but I’ll give this to Benning for argument’s sake. The point is, Rathbone ticks all those boxes.

He had nine shots on the weekend and is up to six points in three games. Now, there is one thing to mention. This may be Rathbone’s first year of college, but he is still 19 years old. He does not have a late birthday, he just took off his draft+1 year to play an extra year in high school and be close to his brother.

Even still, Rathbone has shot out of the gate at full speed and I am thankful that it is much easier to track his progress and share with the rest of you. Plus, the more GIFs that Ryan Biech can create, the better, even if I can’t put them in these prospect reports anymore. Tune in next week for more prospects coverage!