Prospect Info: 95th overall (2017): Vancouver selects D Jack Rathbone | Will he sign?

[Gaunce4gm]

His skating is Quinn Hughes like. At Dev camp he looked like he was just slightly taller than Quinn, and also he has some more weight too. Very underrated prospect.

 

[M2Beezy]

His skating is Quinn Hughes like. At Dev camp he looked like he was just slightly taller than Quinn, and also he has some more weight too. Very underrated prospect.

Who says we cant have TWO generational dmen prospects

 

[passive voice]

Harvard just won in OT so they are on to the ECAC Finals. Hopefully they win there so we can see more of him. Seemed to have another solid game but I’m not too sure how good Dartmouth is so maybe the quality of opponent wasn’t great. Anyone know?

Dartmouth blows

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

I have a hard time getting excited for Rathbone (although I will concede that's partly do to my bias that undersized dmen are still going to find it tough to be successful). What about his game makes people think he can be an NHL player?

 

[Josepho]

I have a hard time getting excited for Rathbone (although I will concede that's partly do to my bias that undersized dmen are still going to find it tough to be successful). What about his game makes people think he can be an NHL player?

He's already got an NHL level 4Way skating ability and a really good slapshot from the point.

Definitely some defensive kinks he needs to work out but he's having an encouraging freshman year and does certain things really well already.

But most Harvard guys tend to spend at least 3 years there so this is still a long-term project.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

He's already got an NHL level 4Way skating ability and a really good slapshot from the point.

Definitely some defensive kinks he needs to work out but he's having an encouraging freshman year and does certain things really well already.

But most Harvard guys tend to spend at least 3 years there so this is still a long-term project.

For me he still seems like a project, yes he has some good skating and skills but he's done nothing yet to give me pause and think he has legit top 4 potential.

 

[Fatass]

He's already got an NHL level 4Way skating ability and a really good slapshot from the point.

Definitely some defensive kinks he needs to work out but he's having an encouraging freshman year and does certain things really well already.

But most Harvard guys tend to spend at least 3 years there so this is still a long-term project.

I get the feeling Rathbone will take his full four years in college, become a UFA, and be a star on another team.

 

[4Twenty]

Remember Patrick McNally? That's all I got.

 

[iceburg]

nvm

 

[M2Beezy]

I get the feeling Rathbone will take his full four years in college, become a UFA, and be a star on another team.

Really? That would suck i sure hope not, has he said something that he might?

I think he will be special, really hope he doesnt do this

 

[alternate]

Really? That would suck i sure hope not, has he said something that he might?

I think he will be special, really hope he doesnt do this

Someone has said this about literally every single college prospect we've had. I mean I guess at some point somebody's going to be right, but there's nothing about Rathbone that makes him more likely to do thos than any other NCAA draft pick we've had. Heck, we've even got a Harvard alumnus on our top pairing.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I get the feeling Rathbone will take his full four years in college, become a UFA, and be a star on another team.

Why on earth would anyone who has any shot at being an NHL d-man not sign with the Canucks? They have one of the weakest d-cores in the NHL.

 

[Fatass]

Really? That would suck i sure hope not, has he said something that he might?

I think he will be special, really hope he doesnt do this

Of course I hope Rathbone signs with us. And yes there is opportunity with our current D corps. I just think going to Harvard is pretty special, and his dad (or someone close to him) said something similar. Plus, he needs to develop more. Why not develop at Harvard instead of Utica?

 

[M2Beezy]

Of course I hope Rathbone signs with us. And yes there is opportunity with our current D corps. I just think going to Harvard is pretty special, and his dad (or someone close to him) said something similar. Plus, he needs to develop more. Why not develop at Harvard instead of Utica?

Yeah i guess so. That sucks for us, dang

 

[F A N]

Rathbone does have deep roots in MA and he probably wants to stay close to his brother. Still, his parents ultimately would want what's best for Jack and that NHL contract and signing bonus can help his parents financially as well.

I can see Rathbone following the same path as his good friend Ryan Donato who ended up being traded this past season. There are no guarantees that he could stay close to home. Not at his age.

 

[Phenomenon13]

I'd like to see how he performs without Adam Fox next season. It'd be a great measure of his ability to reach the NHL

 

[VanJack]

Rathbone with a very solid rookie season in Harvard.....but for sure he's staying at least through his junior season. The opportunity to secure a Harvard degree is too important to let slide for a year or two riding the buses in Utica.

At 5'11 and 190, Rathbone might the new paradigm for NHL d-man. Built the same as Biega....not big but solidly built with supreme mobility. And great skating skills to join the rush and get back. He might not need as much time in Utica as we think.

 

[Fatass]

Rathbone with a very solid rookie season in Harvard.....but for sure he's staying at least through his junior season. The opportunity to secure a Harvard degree is too important to let slide for a year or two riding the buses in Utica.

At 5'11 and 190, Rathbone might the new paradigm for NHL d-man. Built the same as Biega....not big but solidly built with supreme mobility. And great skating skills to join the rush and get back. He might not need as much time in Utica as we think.

With Quinn Hughes there was no worries about him choosing to spend all four years developing in college. He was NHL ready after two college years. For Rathbone it’s a lot different. He’s going to need all four college years to develop, and maybe more in Utica. Why would he not finish his college career (which he needs to develop anyway) and become a UFA?
I’d love to get him signed, and in Utica, but I don’t see any reason why he would do that?

 

[TryamkinPleaseReturn]

Why on earth would anyone who has any shot at being an NHL d-man not sign with the Canucks? They have one of the weakest d-cores in the NHL.

That's... very generous.

And agreed, I bet the number one thing these college kids discuss when looking at NHL teams is the depth chart. Actually that should be Jimbo's recruiting slogan for college FAs. "Achieve your NHL dream with us - who could possibly be in your way?"

 

[Andy Dufresne]

With Quinn Hughes there was no worries about him choosing to spend all four years developing in college. He was NHL ready after two college years. For Rathbone it’s a lot different. He’s going to need all four college years to develop, and maybe more in Utica. Why would he not finish his college career (which he needs to develop anyway) and become a UFA?
I’d love to get him signed, and in Utica, but I don’t see any reason why he would do that?

90,000 dollars immediately isn't chump change, even for a fairly well off family. Even if it is Canadian money.

 

[timw33]

90,000 dollars immediately isn't chump change, even for a fairly well off family. Even if it is Canadian money.

All money paid to players is USD.

 

[701]

With Quinn Hughes there was no worries about him choosing to spend all four years developing in college. He was NHL ready after two college years. For Rathbone it’s a lot different. He’s going to need all four college years to develop, and maybe more in Utica. Why would he not finish his college career (which he needs to develop anyway) and become a UFA?
I’d love to get him signed, and in Utica, but I don’t see any reason why he would do that?

There's no saying for sure that Rathbone is going to need 4 years in college. He's 5 months older than fellow NCAA freshman Tyler Madden, who I doubt anybody thinks is going to take 4 years to sign a contract despite being much lighter than Rathbone and ballpark equal as a skater and shooter. What Rathbone mainly lacks is prime-time PP experience, with Fox being on the team, and generally being "the man" on D, but Fox will be gone before Rathbone's junior year--maybe as soon as next year. I'm not saying that Rathbone is as good a prospect as Madden, only that his physique and tools are likely to be ready for pro hockey in the normal NCAA range of the end of junior year or earlier. Very few drafted NCAA players sign their contracts after 4 years and free agency. There's no reason to think that such a talented skater and shooter, who is now 5'11" and 190 pounds and growing (according to the Province on March 4th), won't be physically ready for pro hockey after two more summers of busting his tail with Biega in the weight room, and two more seasons of big minutes in the NCAA.

Biega himself was a star Harvard D, and a question remains whether
Rathbone will be more talented than Biega has been in the NHL. My
guess is that he will be more successful, but obviously that remains to be seen. Rathbone's .677 p/g ratio as a freshman is significantly better than
any of Biega's four seasons at Harvard. Biega's senior season fell off to
a .303, after which he signed with the team that drafted him #147 overall.
The Canucks drafted Rathbone at #95. So far it seems likely that Rathbone
will have a more productive career, points-wise, than Biega has had. Perhaps a much better career. After a year or two more of development,
he could possibly become a 4th-round steal by Brackett, as Madden was
a 3rd-round steal. Given all of the above, plus the personal connection of
Massachusetts native (and former Northeastern goalie) Brackett with the Rathbone family, I expect that Jack will come out of Harvard in due course
and sign with the Canucks. What happens after that we really can't speculate. However, since the kid is well-known to have a good head on his
shoulders, he's more than likely to banish forever the ghost of McNally.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Remember Patrick McNally? That's all I got.

And look where McNally is now. If Rathbone shows NHL level talent, the Canucks will do their best to get him signed

 

[Siludin]

And look where McNally is now. If Rathbone shows NHL level talent, the Canucks will do their best to get him signed

McNally had that brutal stain of being kicked off the team for almost a year. He also started college one scholastic year later than Rathbone.
McNally was an unfortunate case of "Canuck luck" in my opinion.
Adam Fox will be an NHLer next year, and Rathbone will be counted on for bigger and more offensive minutes.
If he can put up a point per game or something close to it in his second year, we should be very excited.

 

[M2Beezy]

With Lockwood most likely now waiting out and going UFA, and looking like Rathbone going the same way, scouts have GOT to do a better job of character evaluation when going for these college guys as were just wasting away picks