5 rookies that could play for the Canucks next season

Apr 17 2018, 2:56 am

It’s going to feel different watching the Vancouver Canucks next season ā€“ the first not to feature Henrik and Daniel Sedin in 19 years.

While much of the talk recently has surrounded who will succeed Henrik as team captain, let’s focus on who will actually fill the space vacated by the two greatest players in franchise history.

Canucks management appears ready (at long last) to head into next season with a youthful lineup.

“I think it’s very likely we could be several million dollars below the cap,” said team president Trevor Linden at the Canucks year-end media availability.

While there’s still time to blow through that money on July 1 on players like Tyler Bozak and Paul Stastny, anything short of spending money on Jonathan Tavares would likely be a mistake for the rebuilding Canucks.

Players like Jake Virtanen and Nikolay Goldobin need a chance to prove themselves, something that becomes more challenging when a dependable veteran option is at the coach’s disposal.

But beyond the existing group that we saw in Travis Green’s first year in charge is a group of new players that could break into the lineup as soon as next season.

Here’s a look at five rookies with a chance to crack the Canucks’ opening night lineup next season.

1. Elias Pettersson

elias-pettersson-vaxjo-lakers

Image: Vaxjo Lakers / Twitter

Position: Centre / Right wing
2017-18 team: Vaxjo (Swedish Hockey League)
2017-18 stats: 44 GP, 24 G, 32 A, 56 PTS
Age:Ā 19
Size: 6-foot-2, 165 pounds

Elias Pettersson will make the move to North America next season, just as his countryman, Henrik Sedin, has vacated a centre ice spot. So just swap one Swede in for the other, right?

Not so fast.

While the fifth-overall pick from the 2017 draft had a phenomenal season in Sweden ā€“ leading the SHL in scoring while setting a new points record for a U20 player ā€“ he played primarily on the wing last season.

It’s likely too much to ask the rail-thin 19-year-old to step into the physically demanding position right away at the NHL level. That means if the supremely talented forward makes the team, it’s likely as a winger.

While Pettersson may not be a candidate to replace the team’s all-time leading scorer at centre, he might be able to capably take over Henrik’s spot on the power play.

2. Jonathan Dahlen

jonathan dahlen canucks utica

Image: Utica Comets / Twitter

Position: Left wing
2017-18 teams: Timra IK (Allsvenskan), Utica Comets (AHL)
2017-18 stats (Timra): 44 GP, 23 G, 21 A, 44 PTS
Age: 20
Size: 5-foot-11, 176 pounds

Speaking of talented Swedes vying for a spot on the wing next season, Jonathan Dahlen could earn a spot ā€“ maybe even ahead of Pettersson.

In Dahlen’s favour is his age (he’s one year older than Pettersson), size (he’s 15 pounds heavier), and the fact that he’s getting a head start on the North American game this season.

The second-leading scorer in the Swedish second division, Dahlen helped earn Timra IK a promotion to the first division this season. He made the move to North America at season’s end, joining the Utica Comets, where he’s currently getting ready for the AHL playoffs.

He’s off to a good start too, with a goal and an assist in his first two regular season games.

3. Adam Gaudette

adam gaudette

Image: Vancouver Canucks / Twitter

Position: Centre
2017-18 teams: Northeastern University (NCAA), Vancouver Canucks (NHL)
2017-18 stats (Northeastern): 38 GP, 30 G, 30 A, 60 PTS
Age: 21
Size: 6-foot-1, 183 pounds

Canucks fans already got a sampling of what Adam Gaudette can do, as the Hobey Baker Award winner finished the season in Vancouver.

While he didn’t score any points in five games with the Canucks, he also didn’t look out of place.

That’s a compliment for a young player, particularly one trying to cut his teeth as a raw rookie playing centre. Given Gaudette’s reputation as a strong two-way player, he could conceivably crack the Canucks’ lineup as a third or fourth line centre next season.

4. Olli Juolevi

olli juolevi finland canucks

Image: IIHF / Twitter

Position: Defenceman
2017-18 team:Ā TPS (Liiga)
2017-18 stats: 38 GP, 7 G, 12 A, 19 PTS
Age: 19
Size: 6-foot-3, 198 pounds

Seen by many as a disappointment given where he was drafted, Olli Juolevi needs to play NHL games next season to quiet his critics. The fifth overall pick by the Canucks in 2016 hasn’t had the immediate success that others in his draft class have enjoyed, though it’s important to note that there’s still time for him.

Still just 19 years old, the smooth-skating defenceman is expected to be a Dan Hamhuis type, providing dependability more than flashy play from the back end.

The Canucks would be thrilled if he made the team out of camp, but there’s a few bodies in the way at the moment, with the entire defence corps either under contract or expected to re-sign.

5. Thatcher Demko

thatcher demko canucks

Image: Vancouver Canucks / Twitter

Position: Goaltender
2017-18 teams:Ā Utica Comets (AHL), Vancouver Canucks (NHL)
2017-18 stats (Utica): 46 GP, 25-13-4, 2.44 GAA, .922 SV%
Age: 22
Size: 6-foot-4, 192 pounds

The plan for Thatcher Demko was to play next season in Utica, before likely graduating to the NHL for the 2019-20 season.

But plans can change.

Demko has had an excellent season with the Comets, compiling a winning record and a .922 save percentage in 46 AHL games. Compare those numbers with those from his backup, Richard Bachman (13-13-0, 2.98 GAA, .902 SV%) and you get a sense of how good he’s been between the pipes.

The 22-year-old San Diego native got just once look in Vancouver, winning despite letting in four goals, so it’s difficult to say if he’ll be ready to be Jacob Markstrom’s backup in October.

The safe decision is to keep Demko in Utica next season, though if he continues to excel, you should expect to see him in spot duty with the Canucks throughout the season.

Honourable mentions

It’s unlikely more than a couple of the players above make the team out of training camp, so the challenge for the guys listed as honourable mentions is even greater.

Let’s take a look anyway:

  • Kole Lind: After lighting it up with Kelowna in the AHL (95 points in 58 games), the left winger has just one point in six regular season games with the Utica Comets.
  • Jonah Gadjovich: With size on his side (6-foot-2, 209 pounds), the power forward picked in the second round last year still needs to improve his skating.
  • Zack MacEwen: An undrafted free agent signing a year ago, it would be a meteoric rise to the NHL for the 6-foot-4 centre, though he has 33 points (10-23-33) in 66 games with Utica this season.
  • Lukas Jasek:Ā He doesn’t have an NHL contract yet, but let’s get wild and crazy anyway. The Canucks’ sixth round pick was a disappointment overseas, but the Czech winger seven points in six games already since joining the Utica Comets late in the season.
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