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Canucks: Jack Rathbone is having terrific start to first AHL season

By Brayden Ursel

VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 4: Jack Rathbone #3 of the Vancouver Canucks shoots the puck on the first day of the Vancouver Canucks NHL Training Camp on January, 4, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 4: Jack Rathbone #3 of the Vancouver Canucks shoots the puck on the first day of the Vancouver Canucks NHL Training Camp on January, 4, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /
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The Vancouver Canucks defensive prospect, Jack Rathbone, is the hottest player on the Utica Comets right now. Through his first two games of professional hockey, the 21-year-old West Roxbury, Massachusetts native has registered four assists — including a three-assist debut.

Rathbone has made the transition from college hockey to the American Hockey League look easy. He’s made all of the right decisions with the puck on his stick and he’s yet to make any alarming mistakes defensively.

In fact, (although it’s a small sample size) the way he’s playing right now makes you wonder how he never got the chance to lace up the skates with the Canucks while he was on their taxi squad. Yes, he’s behind Jordie Benn and Olli Juolevi on the depth chart, but you wouldn’t know it if you tuned in to watch him play in Utica lately.

“Jack [Rathbone] walks the blue line in the offensive zone as good as anyone I’ve seen in this league,” said Utica Comets head coach, Trent Cull after Rathbone’s first game. “[…] It’s a blessing. Every coach loves that. You love when a guy can snap and move pucks because that means you’re not spending time in your D-zone.”

Taking a look at the assists

Rathbone hasn’t bulged twine in scoring his first professional goal, but his first career point was a primary assist that set up John Stevens in front of the net to open the scoring. He powers the puck on goal with a one-timer. The puck finds Steven’s stick blade and he’s there to drive it home.

https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1365455103667281921

Again, Rathbone added another primary assist. This time, it was a power play marker scored by veteran Sven Baertschi. Rathbone walks the line and finds an open Baertschi. From there, Baertschi had the time and space to get in close and find the back of the net. Take a look!

https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1365489572893712384

Late in the game, the former Harvard University defenceman added another primary assist after a nice play to fake out his attacker. He was able to fire a quality shot on net before Jonah Gadjovich was able to bury the rebound in a hurry.

https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1365489891413397506

Rathbone was able to add another assist in his second professional game. With his latest tally, Rathbone is currently in second place on the team in scoring by a defenceman. He’s a single point behind St. Louis Blues prospect, Mitch Reinke, but has five games in hand.

With the taxi squad rule in place for the 2021 season, unfortunately, no matter how good he plays at the AHL level, the Canucks won’t be calling him up to the NHL. But with that in mind, he can take this time to focus on dominating the minor league and working on the weaknesses in his game.

Don’t be sad that he’s not going to play for the Canucks this year, be happy he’s flourishing early on at the AHL level. Before you know it, he’ll be back at Canucks training camp with a legitimate shot to make the team.

Next. Canucks Rumours: What Heinen could bring to the table. dark

The Utica Comets play again on Wednesday night against the Rochester Americans.

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