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

[TryamkinPleaseReturn]

Watching those Rathbone highlights again is an eye-popper....this kid isn't just 'good;....his skating close to 'elite' already. He just accelerates away from people effortlessly. And he might already shoot the puck better than any Canuck d-man, and he'll let it rip from anywhere. So he's going to wrack up the points in pro hockey.

He may not have the edge-work of Quinn Hughes, but his puck-handling at high speed is mind boggling. Sure he'll struggle defensively at times in the NHL, but when all else fails he has the skill to just skate the puck out.

Although it hurt to see Madden dealt at the deadline for what looks just 10 games of Tyler Tofoli, it would have been a real bummer had it been Rathbone instead of Madden. You just can't find d-men like Rathbone. And I feel certain the Kings asked about him.

This kid has some skills. Legit big league talent. But you're seriously going to say he might have a better shot than Edler?

 

[VanJack]

Edler? He might shoot the puck harder than Rathbone, but since he shoots while he basically standing still at the blueline, and most of the time his shot just rattles off somebody's shin-pads anyway, it's really a moot point.

Re-watching those Rathbone clips, the kid is shooting while moving at top speed and often leading the rush. And he has a bullet of a shot with the wrister or the slapper, and will shoot from anywhere. And because he can change the shooting angle much like Hughes, his shot selection is far more dangerous.

So yes, I'd still say he shoots the puck better than any current Canuck d-man, including the aforementioned Hughes.

 

[canuckking1]

 

[The Vasili Jerry]

Hey Jack:

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

After all, Utica is lovely in the winter

 

[Hoglander]

What a load of crap.

Rathbone isn't signing because "things are postponed". Garbage! Other players are getting signed, this is just a BS excuse. He won't be signing with us

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

What a load of crap.

Rathbone isn't signing because "things are postponed". Garbage! Other players are getting signed, this is just a BS excuse. He won't be signing with us

He was always going to play three or four years at Harvard Homey, it's Harvard not Quinnipiac. Guys tend to stay and get their degree. I still think Boner may very well end up signing with us.

 

[VanJack]

He was always going to play three or four years at Harvard Homey, it's Harvard not Quinnipiac. Guys tend to stay and get their degree. I still think Boner may very well end up signing with us.

I'm pretty sure he'll sign with the Canucks as well, maybe as early as this season....Because once you're accepted at Harvard, you can take courses by distance and attend school over the summer. So getting his degree, even if he signs a pro contract, wouldn't be an issue.

The bigger issue is what happens to the Harvard men's hockey program. According to that Rathbone interview with Sportsnet, a lot of seniors are graduating from the program this year, and this spring was their last shot at Frozen Four glory. And obviously recruitment and scouting of potential replacements will be badly hurt by the corona outbreak.

One assumes the crisis will have eased enough for NCAA hockey to resume in the fall. But if the Harvard squad is heading for a 'rebuilding year', then who knows, whether or not he'll sign in the NHL? Still 50/50 imo.

 

[StreetHawk]

I'm pretty sure he'll sign with the Canucks as well, maybe as early as this season....Because once you're accepted at Harvard, you can take courses by distance and attend school over the summer. So getting his degree, even if he signs a pro contract, wouldn't be an issue.

The bigger issue is what happens to the Harvard men's hockey program. According to that Rathbone interview with Sportsnet, a lot of seniors are graduating from the program this year, and this spring was their last shot at Frozen Four glory. And obviously recruitment and scouting of potential replacements will be badly hurt by the corona outbreak.

One assumes the crisis will have eased enough for NCAA hockey to resume in the fall. But if the Harvard squad is heading for a 'rebuilding year', then who knows, whether or not he'll sign in the NHL? Still 50/50 imo.

Could go either way. Rebuild may mean more ice time for him with a bunch of freshmen coming in.

is he ready for the next step. He’ll turn 21 this year.

 

[VanJack]

Could go either way. Rebuild may mean more ice time for him with a bunch of freshmen coming in.

is he ready for the next step. He’ll turn 21 this year.

That's the big question, and some scouting service guys are divided on this. J.D. Burke saying he'd be better served by heading back to Harvard for a third season, because he just 'isn't ready"

But Craig Button saying he's on the cusp of being an NHL player--just has to improve his defensive game. If that's all that's holding him back, then he'd adjust far faster by being in the pros next season.

Sounding a lot like last summer's debate about Quinn Hughes. Best case scenario is that he'd be a 5-6 d-man, who could contribute on the pp and maybe get 30-35 points. And lots of posters would have been satisfied with that.

Instead, he smashed through that ceiling half-way through the season and entered serious Calder consideration. You just never know with rookies.

 

[slumpy43]

It seems that he elevated his game after the holidays, rivaling the offensive output of Farrance and Perunovich. Despite the limited sample size, it is still impressive nonetheless.

First half of season
GP TP PPG %Team
15 14 0.93 23%

Second half of season
GP TP PPG %Team
13 17 1.31 37%

%Team refers to the proportion of his team's goals in which he was involved during that period

 

[ChilliBilly]

he seems to be a great prospect. Likely an NHLer. Sadly, the Canucks probably have to send him to the AHL because "cap" and all.

We have a ton of D "prospects".

Juolevi (yes a ton of warts) Woo (yes who knows if he will even play an NHL game, but he's progressing "ok") Tryamkin should be on the team. (top pairing guy in a year or two or never should have been signed) and Rathbone (surprise the next Q Hughes).

sigh .... we won't find out for 3 years because no hockey virus and all.

 

[F A N]

he seems to be a great prospect. Likely an NHLer. Sadly, the Canucks probably have to send him to the AHL because "cap" and all.

I don't see this as a sad situation at all. With any prospect, the concern is playing time and development.
Unless they are a clear upgrade over what we have in the lineup then spending some time in the AHL is never a bad thing.
With defensemen a regular bottom pairing Dman is likely going to average 15-16 minutes. So if a Dman is good enough to be an NHL regular I don't have much concerns playing him in the NHL. If he's a spending a ton of time as a healthy scratch then he should be sent down.

Rathbone, if he signs, will also be on an ELC so even with max bonuses unless he reaches those bonuses he's not going to cost much under the cap. The Canucks also figure to have openings on D. Even if Tanev re-signs I don't see Fantenberg and Benn as long term solutions. Plus health on D cannot be counted upon. If he can't beat out Benn, Rafferty, and Fantenberg types for a regular spot in the lineup then Rathbone should be in the AHL.

 

[FreeMcdavid]

I just played him online in Madden 20.

He says he is waiting to see what happens to Brackett. He wants to see if Judd gets re-signed because he was a Judd pick and his loyalty rests with him.

 

[krutovsdonut]

hope we sign this guy

 

[canuckking1]

I just played him online in Madden 20.

He says he is waiting to see what happens to Brackett. He wants to see if Judd gets re-signed because he was a Judd pick and his loyalty rests with him.

I know you're being sarcastic but with all this free-time a Brackett deal should really get done. Losing him would really hurt this organization going forward.

 

[M2Beezy]

Cmon Jackey boy lets getr DONE

We need SOME unrelated good news to keep our minds off the crisis

 

[bossram]

What a load of crap.

Rathbone isn't signing because "things are postponed". Garbage! Other players are getting signed, this is just a BS excuse. He won't be signing with us

Give it a rest. The postponement does factor in the decision. He won't get to burn a year off his ELC this season and won't get the 90k signing bonus right now.

To a young player, those things might matter a lot. Especially when you have the opportunity to get a Harvard degree.

 

[iceburg]

How many college prospects drafted by the team bend up signing (mean the ones they have tried to sign but couldn't)? And what percentage does that represent?

 

[bandwagonesque]

What a load of crap.

Rathbone isn't signing because "things are postponed". Garbage! Other players are getting signed, this is just a BS excuse. He won't be signing with us

He's presumably still taking a full courseload online while dealing with a quarantined family, including a high-needs sibling.

 

[tradervik]

How many college prospects drafted by the team bend up signing (mean the ones they have tried to sign but couldn't)? And what percentage does that represent?

Can't answer your question on the general data. For the Canucks, the only college draft pick who refused to sign that I can think of is RJ Umberger almost 20 years ago. Brian Burke wanted to hold the line on what he viewed as unacceptable contract inflation and Umberger refused to accept the offer Burke made. Under today's CBA, the entry level contract is fixed except for performance bonuses so the Umberger situation would never happen.

As for college draft picks the Canucks have signed, here's a list off the top of my head:

Lockwood
Demko
Gaudette
Boeser
Schroeder
Schneider
Kesler

 

[iceburg]

Can't answer your question on the general data. For the Canucks, the only college draft pick who refused to sign that I can think of is RJ Umberger almost 20 years ago. Brian Burke wanted to hold the line on what he viewed as unacceptable contract inflation and Umberger refused to accept the offer Burke made. Under today's CBA, the entry level contract is fixed except for performance bonuses so the Umberger situation would never happen.

As for college draft picks the Canucks have signed, here's a list off the top of my head:

Lockwood
Demko
Gaudette
Boeser
Schroeder
Schneider
Kesler

Good list, yes. Joe Labate and, going way back to 98', Justin Morrison were also both signed. I don't think they tried to sign McNally or White. So, they have tried to sign 10 team-drafted US college players in the 20 years pre Rathbone draft and Umberger is the only one that didn't get done. And, as you say, that wouldn't happen today.

We get caught up worrying about college players potentially going to free agency but not even Umberger went there (he was eventually traded). So, no Canuck college draft pick that they wanted to sign in over 20 years went to free agency. Maybe Rathbone is the first, who knows. But I think the evidence suggests we should relax.

 

[ziploc]

But I think the evidence suggests we should relax.

Hmmmm, doesn’t really seem like our “thing”.

 

[canuckking1]

With so much free time on my hand I decided to browser twitter and found this

 

[krutovsdonut]

Give it a rest. The postponement does factor in the decision. He won't get to burn a year off his ELC this season and won't get the 90k signing bonus right now.

To a young player, those things might matter a lot. Especially when you have the opportunity to get a Harvard degree.

this is true. he cannot get the cash until july 1st so he has zero reason to sign until then. it is a weird and wonderful world right now and it may turn out that not signing is his best move. for example, if the nhl season is in doubt, perhaps it will make more sense for him to stay in school near to his family. as another example, he may not cherish the idea of living alone in utica on an ahl salary next season quite as much as in a normal year.