Canucks Prospect Report: Which defender will crack the roster?

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 06: Olli Juolevi #48 of the Vancouver Canucks warms up before the game against the Minnesota Wild in Game Three of the Western Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 06, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 06: Olli Juolevi #48 of the Vancouver Canucks warms up before the game against the Minnesota Wild in Game Three of the Western Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on August 06, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
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Olli Juolevi, Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
Olli Juolevi, Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /

The Canucks Prospect Report is a new weekly segment on The Canuck Way, which will profile various prospects throughout their respective seasons. 

To kick off this series, as a new contributor to this site, I’ll be assessing which Canuck hopefuls have the best chance to make the team this season. Tune in each and every Monday to see what’s happening. 

As it stands, the Vancouver Canucks will have to rely on an influx of youth to complete their lineup.

There are two open spots on the backend, where Olli JuoleviJalen ChatfieldBrogan Rafferty, and Jack Rathbone are all options for the Vancouver Canucks. So, what are their chances to crack the roster?

Olli Juolevi

Juolevi’s professional career has been tumultuous, to say the least. Injury problems and sub-par play have defined his AHL career thus far.

But as of right now, a Canucks roster spot is his to lose.

With the Utica Comets, Juolevi relied on his hockey sense to transition the puck and decisively close gaps on opponents at either blue line.

Juolevi also exhibits astute positional awareness on the penalty-kill and is a great shot blocker. Something that should score well with the Canucks coaching staff.

Although, to say his skating was an issue would be an understatement. Juolevi looked flat-footed often, leaving him out of position on the rush or vulnerable to mistakes with the puck.

Thus, Juolevi leaves Utica with a less-than-stellar resume over two injury-riddled seasons.

However, he showed massive improvement in his skating from the beginning of the 2019-20 season to the NHL’s Return To Play.

He played well enough in summer camp to merit a six-minute stint in the Edmonton bubble, one that not many would have predicted before the restart.

It’s easy to overanalyze Juolevi in his limited minutes, considering it’s the only NHL action he’s seen to date. But, what we can conclude is that whether it be the extended rest or time to work on his game, Juolevi improved immensely over the stoppage.

Taking this into account; can Juolevi handle regular top-six minutes in the NHL? Has his skating improved enough to keep up with the rigour of the NHL competition? That’s where things get tricky.

While Jim Benning considers Juolevi a ‘better fit’ for the NHL, the speed and physicality of the AHL game pale in comparison to the big leagues. Juolevi performed well in the bubble, but regular NHL time is a challenge he hasn’t yet shown he’s ready for confidently. Since his professional debut, Juolevi’s received harsh criticism for his performance, and rightfully so. He hasn’t, nor will he probably ever justify his draft selection.

Regardless, the time is now for Juolevi to prove that he made the relevant improvements to his game, and can step into the top-six. If he doesn’t, though, his future in the NHL looks bleak.

Jalen Chatfield

Given his overall skill set, Chatfield is a dark horse to make the Canucks roster.

Chatfield plays a structured defensive game. Considering how awful the Canucks’ bottom-pair was last season, Chatfield’s expertise in his own end could provide more value relative to the other candidates.

Chatfield’s aggressive, yet disciplined play style causes headaches for his opponents. He is strong on his skates, unloads thunderous body checks, and makes intelligent plays with the puck in the defensive zone.

Chatfield also performs well in high-pressure situations, whether it be cutting off a dangerous pass or breaking down an odd-man rush.

The biggest flaw in Chatfield’s game is his offence, in which he provides very little, recording a mere four assists through 48 games last season.

Realistically, this alone places Chatfield out of roster contention.

But, while Chatfield is on the outside edge for a spot, he could still see NHL time this year.

Should the Canucks’ defensive play begin to falter, which it very well could, Chatfield’s presence in the lineup in a shutdown role may be an interesting experiment.

Brogan Rafferty, Vancouver Canucks. (Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports)
Brogan Rafferty, Vancouver Canucks. (Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports) /

Brogan Rafferty

Rafferty surprised many in his first professional campaign. He was arguably Utica’s best defenceman in 2019-20, making him the most-NHL ready player on this list.

Rafferty was an offensive boon for the Comets. The 25-year old righty scored seven goals and 45 points in 57 games, meriting an AHL All-Star selection.

Moreover, Rafferty controlled possession well for the Comets. His 115 shots on goal last season illustrates such dominance.

Rafferty is calm with the puck on the stick, using calculated decision-making to either quickly drive the play forward or make a key pass in the opponent’s end.

Rafferty’s calmness plays into his positional game, as he rarely leaves a man unchecked or available for a pass in his own end.

Further, Rafferty’s effective stick-checking makes excellent use of his 6’2, 200-pound frame to separate opponents from the puck.

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One concession about Rafferty’s game is that he can be caught out in transition, either forcing him to catch up to opponents on the break or expose his team to an odd-man rush or two.

Overall, there is not much in Rafferty’s game to criticize thus far.

However, Rafferty’s performance at the Canucks summer camp was dull. In fact, it was Rafferty who lost his spot on the depth chart to Olli Juolevi. While Juolevi did show improvement in camp, Rafferty just did not play well.

But, this shouldn’t detract from Rafferty’s incredible season, where he was a key offensive contributor for the Comets and provided some highlight-reel plays as well.

After Troy Stecher’s departure and Travis Green’s lack of trust in Jordie Benn on the right side, Rafferty could very well see himself in the mix for regular playing time in the bottom-four this season.

Jack Rathbone

Rathbone is a diamond in the rough for the Vancouver Canucks. As the 95th overall selection in 2017, Rathbone has developed into an outstanding offensive defenceman with tremendous power play upside.

In two seasons with Harvard, Rathbone scored 14 goals and 53 points in 61 career games. Rathbone sees the ice exceptionally well. He is a smooth skater and can make accurate stretch passes on a whim.

On top of his slick puck work, Rathbone possesses a great shot. As per Dobber Prospects, Rathbone led NCAA defenders in shots per game (3.36). Don’t mistake his high shot-volume as trigger-happy, though, as Rathbone seems to choose his shooting opportunities carefully.

Don’t be fooled by Rathbone’s small stature, though, as his strong edgework allows him to escape defensive pressure with ease.

Defensively, Rathbone is overzealous at times, in terms of stepping up against the opposition. However, his skating ability allows him to keep up with defenders nonetheless. When speaking with The Province, Elite Prospects expert JD Burke had this to say about Rathbone’s defensive game:

“Harvard play a very rigid structure in their own end where they pin one defenceman to the front of the net and you can see how Rathbone chomps at the bit to extend himself, which opens him up to trouble at times […] the selling point for Rathbone is the way he’ll defend is by constantly having the puck.”

Overall, Rathbone’s strengths fit perfectly into a Canucks defence core who’s offensive output is rather concentrated. Long-term, look for him to fit in as a secondary powerplay quarterback.

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Simply put, Rathbone is close to NHL-ready. Despite Olli Juolevi being management’s choice on the left side, Rathbone will undoubtedly give him a run for his money, if not win out in training camp.

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