Vancouver Canucks: A look at the Left-Handed Defence depth chart

Jack Rathbone

Jack Rathbone just wrapped up his freshman year at Harvard University. After a successful season at Harvard, where he picked up 22 points in 33 games, there was some speculation that the Canucks may sign Rathbone at the end of his season with Harvard.

That wasn’t the case, however, and Rathbone will be a huge part of the Harvard blueline next year as a sophomore. Rathbone will be 20 in May and still has lots of time to develop. Expect the Canucks to look at signing him at the end of this season if everything goes well in his second year.

Toni Utunen

Toni Utunen is a Finnish defenceman that the Canucks selected at last year’s draft with their fifth-round pick at pick number 130 overall. Utunen was the goal scorer that sealed Finland’s overtime against Canada at the World Juniors — scoring on fellow Canucks prospect, Michael DiPietro.

Utunen will spend the foreseeable future with Tappara of the Finnish Liiga. Last season, Utunen picked up three points in 43 games with Tappara. He will return to the club next year.

Kristoffer Gunnarsson

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, Kristoffer Gunnarsson has played the last three seasons with Frolunda HC, the same club that Rasmus Dahlin played for before he was drafted first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2018 draft.

Gunnarsson is 22 years old, and it’s becoming more and more likely that we never see him in a Canucks uniform. He was drafted for his “big shot” but had just one goal last year through 46 games in the SHL. He will need to be signed before June 1st or he will become an unrestricted free agent.

There you have it, folks! The Canucks have more depth on the left side of their blue line than they do on the right side. How else do you think the Canucks should improve their defence over this offseason? Let me know in the comments section below!