C Lorenzo Canonica - Shawinigan Catarectes, QMJHL (2021 Draft)

[Speyer]

Canonica is probably considered the best Swiss 03 born prospect right know and deserves a thread as he will most likely be drafted in 2021. He was a point per game player this year in the Swiss U20 team and was also one the the best forwards on the U18 national team as an underager. My viewings are of him are rather limited but he seems to be a quick and agile skater with very good hands and pretty decent vision as well. He needs however to fill out his frame a bit as he can look a bit lightweighted against international competition and work on his face-off game. Canonica even played some games with the NLA team, wich was more of of a PR move by Lugano to brag with their youth system however. Since I was a bit to optimistic in the past where Swiss prospects might end up in the draft I will abstain from a prediction this time. He should definitley be an intresting candidate for this years CHL Import Draft though.

Here is a video with some of his highlights with the Lugano junior team.

Click to read more...

 

[JabbaJabba]

What kind of center is he? Is he more offensively gifted or defensively?

 

[SergeConstantin74]

That's not a hockey name.

But I like it anyway.

 

[Speyer]

What kind of center is he? Is he more offensively gifted or defensively?

I have only seen him in a handful of games for the junior national team and one NLA game. Based on that very limited sample size I would describe him as an offensive playmaking Center. His defensive game didn't stand out as a particular strength in those games to me but he didn't show any blatant deficiencies either. But again this is by no means a final assessment just a very early impression for him as a player.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

What a name.

 

[wetcoast]

Here is his Elite prospects page.

Lorenzo Canonica at eliteprospects.com

someone to keep an eye on sure but obvious things that need work.

 

[Speyer]

He got selected by Shawinigan in the import draft. Will be interesting to see if he reports with the whole covid situation and Nussbaumers not so succesful campaign there. The team seems to be much more compeditive than when Nussbaumer arrived though, so he might even play on the Wing or on the third line...

 

[SergeConstantin74]

He probably wasn't Shawinigan's pick. I think they were looking for a defenseman, maybe Grushnikov?

 

[Speyer]

He probably wasn't Shawinigan's pick. I think they were looking for a defenseman, maybe Grushnikov?

I still think there is somewhat of a chance that he will report. He wont see any meaningful NLA time next year as his two game stint this season was more of a PR gag by Lugano after many of their players got hurt. If he wants to be drafted he should definitley look for a better league than the U-20 Elites. Ticino Rockets in the NLB might be another option though.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

I still think there is somewhat of a chance that he will report. He wont see any meaningful NLA time next year as his two game stint this season was more of a PR gag by Lugano after many of their players got hurt. If he wants to be drafted he should definitley look for a better league than the U-20 Elites. Ticino Rockets in the NLB might be another option though.

I think he might show up. Shawinigan would have an interesting team up front with Mavrik Bourque, Vasily Ponomaryov, Xavier Bourgault, Charles Beaudoin and Canonica.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Cataractes: élan pour un circuit

Shawinigan's GM confirms Canonica wasn't his pick A or B but the players he was going to draft were taken before. He decided to take one of the most talented forwards of the draft even though has not shown interest to play in Shawinigan so far. He was probably heading elsewhere.

The plan is to convince him to report.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

It's official, Canonica will play in the QMJHL next season.

 

[BruinLVGA]

I hope he'll have success there. I would love to finally see a Swiss-Italian make it to the NHL. A kid from my hometown - Lugano - would be even better.

 

[Speyer]

It's official, Canonica will play in the QMJHL next season.

The gamble payed off then. Definitley the right choice if he is looking for draft exposure. Where do you see him fitting in in Shawinigans line-up?

 

[Ovechkin962]

The gamble payed off then. Definitley the right choice if he is looking for draft exposure. Where do you see him fitting in in Shawinigans line-up?

Playing on the same team as Xavier Bourgault, the scouts will be all over this guy.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

The gamble payed off then. Definitley the right choice if he is looking for draft exposure. Where do you see him fitting in in Shawinigans line-up?

At this point it's hard to tell because Shawinigan has Bourque, Bourgault, Ponomarev and Canonica who can play center on the top 6. Two of them will have to play as wingers. Last year Bourque and Ponomarev played center full time so I'd say it's going to be them.

My guess...

Canonica - Bourque - Bourgault
Nizhnikov - Ponomarev - Beaudoin

 

[duga]

I hope he'll have success there. I would love to finally see a Swiss-Italian make it to the NHL. A kid from my hometown - Lugano - would be even better.

Even as a "Zürcher" myself, I'm totally with you.

I really appreciate the diversity of our hockeylandscape in the top 2 leagues nowadays, as it covers all linguistic regions as well as cities, countryside and mountaintowns. The resurrection of hockey at the shores of Lake Geneva definitely made the league an even more attractive product. It's just missing the ever failing project of a HC Valais United to fulfill. But as we know traditionally things are a bit different and mostly a bit more complicate than they look at first glimpse in that specific region.

And we definitely need the input of all this regions, and their passion in the development of young talents, especially with the stagnating numbers of junior players, just to keep the position in international relations, or at best narrowing the gap to the top 5 again.

And on the bright side from Swiss-Italian perspectives, Fazzini and if counting Hofmann weren't too far off an NHL career, and certainly have a pure skillset, which would be on at least solid NHL- level, just missing a bit in other parts. And Merzlikins counts a bit for Lugano as well, and he'll be around for a while.

Plus as much as I've seen them play (like Speyer, a bunch of games with the junior national team), it's not even sure Canonica is the best Lugano player of his draftyear. Zanetti was the steepest riser in Swiss junior hockey last year. He might end up as the higher pick.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Even as a "Zürcher" myself, I'm totally with you.

I really appreciate the diversity of our hockeylandscape in the top 2 leagues nowadays, as it covers all linguistic regions as well as cities, countryside and mountaintowns. The resurrection of hockey at the shores of Lake Geneva definitely made the league an even more attractive product. It's just missing the ever failing project of a HC Valais United to fulfill. But as we know traditionally things are a bit different and mostly a bit more complicate than they look at first glimpse in that specific region.

And we definitely need the input of all this regions, and their passion in the development of young talents, especially with the stagnating numbers of junior players, just to keep the position in international relations, or at best narrowing the gap to the top 5 again.

And on the bright side from Swiss-Italian perspectives, Fazzini and if counting Hofmann weren't too far off an NHL career, and certainly have a pure skillset, which would be on at least solid NHL- level, just missing a bit in other parts. And Merzlikins counts a bit for Lugano as well, and he'll be around for a while.

Plus as much as I've seen them play (like Speyer, a bunch of games with the junior national team), it's not even sure Canonica is the best Lugano player of his draftyear. Zanetti was the steepest riser in Swiss junior hockey last year. He might end up as the higher pick.

Thank you for the nice words and well thought out post.

As long as we keep sending more and more of our kids to the NHL, I'll be ecstatic. Though for pure Ticino pride, as I said I would like at least one from here!
Sometimes I wonder what could have been for Cereda & the Leafs, had he not had that heart problem.

I am still scratching my head about Hoffman. I still think that he could have been a very solid third line winger in the NHL, and relatively easily.

 

[duga]

Thank you for the nice words and well thought out post.

As long as we keep sending more and more of our kids to the NHL, I'll be ecstatic. Though for pure Ticino pride, as I said I would like at least one from here!
Sometimes I wonder what could have been for Cereda & the Leafs, had he not had that heart problem.

I am still scratching my head about Hoffman. I still think that he could have been a very solid third line winger in the NHL, and relatively easily.

To be honest, as much as I like the amount of NHL-quality players to rise further, I always feel a bit ambivalent when they do actually cross the pond. Especially with the NHL-POs still overlapping the WHCs, and the childish handeling of the OGs. But that really gets pretty off-topic.

We'll never know what a healthy Cereda would have been capable of in the NHL. What we do know, that his influence in Ambri really helped to stabilize things again there after some chaotic years. Him and Duca seem to do a tremendous job.

I always had a soft spot for Hofmann and watched his path closely. IIRC I even was stating once in here many years ago that he probably had the highest ceiling of the Swiss 92ers forwards. (Nino, Bärtschi, Haas, Vermin)

Well, it didn't end up exactly like this. He's definitely a very electrifying and very likeable player, when totally in sync. But him being really fragile mentally is a major concern. 2 or 3 bad plays at the start of a game means panicmode activated, timing and vision deactivated. And then he's typically done for rest. Plus he has no concept on how to defend effectively as well, and very poor balance on his skates once physically challenged. Even in a soften up NHL, these are major concerns.
Though, he still has a few years of dominance in the NLA in his tank I think. And I still hope, we'll see him once at a WHC in full sync and on top of his offensive potential for a whole tournament. He was fine in Denmark, but he had some prep. tournaments in the past, where he simply dominated. We haven't seen that yet when it really counted.

And to come back to the actual topic of the thread.
Generally I think, 3 (4) things must come together for a CHL adventure to be a success for a Swiss prospects

1: high enough talent level to be a difference maker. If you aren't among the very top in your peer in Switzerland, and can't outproduce a vast majority of guys a year older don't even try it. High risk it will be a lost year for you, and you'll lose ground against your peers.

2: Maturity. Mental flexibility and adaptability to proccess all the new inputs in a strange environment effectively. And a stable personality to sustain the tough moments. Those will come with certainty.

3:a quality franchise with a plan. You gotta somehow sense if coaching quality is there and if it's really you and your skillset they wanted. If you come to the conclusion, that one or both of them don't apply, don't go. And if you're already there, leave asap.

4: Isn't a must, but makes everything much handier: quality Skating/speed. Gives you actually a plus of a little fraction of time on the ice, which might be decisive to find the room to adapt the game to the smaller ice without being on the backfoot all the time.

For Canonica:
1 and 4: hard to judge with the limited viewing, but probably yes.

2: no freaking idea

3: without having any in-depth knowledge about the actual situation in Shawinigan, we just can judge from the past. And the case Nussbaumer doesn't give me the best gut feeling.

Let's hope it pans out for both sides!

 

[JiggsNY]

Hope he finds success next year, would be very unique/ cool to have a native Italian speaker prospect in the draft.

 

[PuckProspects]

He was really good in the U20 match against Germany think he had a goal and 2 assists. Looks small and wish he was a bit faster but makes good plays with the puck and the puck seems to follow him.

 

[duga]

He was really good in the U20 match against Germany think he had a goal and 2 assists. Looks small and wish he was a bit faster but makes good plays with the puck and the puck seems to follow him.

Agree. And mature and smart plays all over the ice on both sides of the puck. He's already capable to keep a line together.

Plus a pretty strong showing at the dots as well. Won all face-offs for nearly half the game against any opponent, it evened out for the rest though.

Definitely can see him ending up as a center in the future.

 

[Henkka]

He was really good in the U20 match against Germany think he had a goal and 2 assists. Looks small and wish he was a bit faster but makes good plays with the puck and the puck seems to follow him.

I think he was a bit lost against Stützle line in 1st period, but after Swiss changed some matchups (did put the 3rd line against German 1st), then Canonica looked great.

First assist - Faceoff win (against Stützle) results a 2-1 Goal
(at 1:12:30)

Scores by himself from a rebound - did some Datsyukian dekes behind the goal on same shift and played the puck in the point.
(at 1:13:50)

Second assist - really impressive Pass for that 5-2 goal
(at 1:22:30)

 

[duga]

Hope he finds success next year, would be very unique/ cool to have a native Italian speaker prospect in the draft.

Watch out for this kid Alessandro Segafredo at eliteprospects.com

He's dominating (together with Noah Greuter) his peers in Swiss junior leagues.

And he's Italian (and South African as well... first since Kolzig?). And just a few moments too old to be 2023 drafteligible.

Not sure why he hasn't played for Italian junior national teams yet. He might speculate to eventually play for Switzerland?

 

[Kuracmugger]

Watch out for this kid Alessandro Segafredo at eliteprospects.com

He's dominating (together with Noah Greuter) his peers in Swiss junior leagues.

And he's Italian (and South African as well... first since Kolzig?). And just a few moments too old to be 2023 drafteligible.

Not sure why he hasn't played for Italian junior national teams yet. He might speculate to eventually play for Switzerland?

He played for italy at least in the 18/19 season. I know him personally and played with him.
But you have to consider he dominated everybody just because he was 1.85 or smth like that at 13. He just was taller and faster than anyone. And at the moment hes scoring many tip in and one timer goals from his teammates. Plus the biggest concern is he is a very bad teammate or was atleast. And i heard he has some serious mental problems atm. So i think he isn’t really as big a deal as his numbers make u think.