Prospect Info: Canucks draft D Viktor Persson (7th Round, 191st Overall) (Brynäs junior team ---> Kamloops Blazers)

[Bubbles]

More draft eligible NA prospects should go play for a European pro team imo like what Matthews did

He's really the first and only player to do that. Also, a European team would want a top talent to join them, not just anyone. Matthews also got paid as well.

 

[Hansen]

He's really the first and only player to do that. Also, a European team would want a top talent to join them, not just anyone. Matthews also got paid as well.

I think it would definitely be reserved for top prospects, but getting paid and pro experience is huge. Would almost definitely bite some guys in the ass but if you make it work that could take you from a 5-10 pick to a top 5

 

[VanJack]

The only reason Matthews headed to Europe to play in his draft year, is that he apparently didn't want to pursue an NCAA hockey scholarship. Either that or he needed the money. Most top stars who play two or three years in the USNTDP, earn a full-ride scholarship and then spend at least a year or two in the NCAA.

I'm sure if you ask the scouts and parents, they'd much prefer their draft eligible players stay at home and hone their skills against kids in their own age group. So I don't see an exodus of draft-eligible players to Europe unless this COVID nightmare continues into next season.

 

[StreetHawk]

The only reason Matthews headed to Europe to play in his draft year, is that he apparently didn't want to pursue an NCAA hockey scholarship. Either that or he needed the money. Most top stars who play two or three years in the USNTDP, earn a full-ride scholarship and then spend at least a year or two in the NCAA.

I'm sure if you ask the scouts and parents, they'd much prefer their draft eligible players stay at home and hone their skills against kids in their own age group. So I don't see an exodus of draft-eligible players to Europe unless this COVID nightmare continues into next season.

Mathews, like Eichel would have needed to play a freshman year at the NCAA before he could get drafted due to his post Sept 15 birthday. Before that he played with the USNDTP. So, it just lined up for him to do that.

 

[RobertKron]

The only reason Matthews headed to Europe to play in his draft year, is that he apparently didn't want to pursue an NCAA hockey scholarship. Either that or he needed the money. Most top stars who play two or three years in the USNTDP, earn a full-ride scholarship and then spend at least a year or two in the NCAA.

I'm sure if you ask the scouts and parents, they'd much prefer their draft eligible players stay at home and hone their skills against kids in their own age group. So I don't see an exodus of draft-eligible players to Europe unless this COVID nightmare continues into next season.

Then why didn't he just play in the CHL instead of going the NTDP route to preserve his NCAA eligibility?

 

[F A N]

Then why didn't he just play in the CHL instead of going the NTDP route to preserve his NCAA eligibility?

VJ's posts tend to be rather sensational so you can't really take every word he/she/they say to heart. But for discussions sake, the NTDP route does preserve both Matthews' NCAA and CHL eligibility. 2012 NHL draft was, at the time, a historic one for the USHL. If I was Matthews' parent I would absolutely want him to go the NTDP route when he was 15/16. That's just the safe choice.

With that said, I don't think playing in Europe was the intended option. I think Marc Crawford recruiting him to Switzerland was a big factor. Like him or not, Crow is an experienced NHL head coach with a Cup ring. By that time, everyone was telling Matthews he was NHL ready and he would have been a top 3 pick if he was eligible in 2015. At that stage, Matthews was likely going to go #1 and play in the NHL the following season.

 

[canuckking1]

I think Trustscott has the best chance of all our mid-round picks at making the show.

 

[VanJack]

I think Trustscott has the best chance of all our mid-round picks at making the show.

I'll reserve judgement until I see Persson perform for the Kamloops Blazers this winter.

If he can replicate on the smaller ice, what he's doing right now on the big sheet in Europe, then the Canucks might have something special for a late-round pick.

 

[RobertKron]

VJ's posts tend to be rather sensational so you can't really take every word he/she/they say to heart. But for discussions sake, the NTDP route does preserve both Matthews' NCAA and CHL eligibility. 2012 NHL draft was, at the time, a historic one for the USHL. If I was Matthews' parent I would absolutely want him to go the NTDP route when he was 15/16. That's just the safe choice.

With that said, I don't think playing in Europe was the intended option. I think Marc Crawford recruiting him to Switzerland was a big factor. Like him or not, Crow is an experienced NHL head coach with a Cup ring. By that time, everyone was telling Matthews he was NHL ready and he would have been a top 3 pick if he was eligible in 2015. At that stage, Matthews was likely going to go #1 and play in the NHL the following season.

Oh for sure. I’d probably never advise a kid to go with the CHL over a high end tier II program.

Still, when a highly ranked kid goes the Tier II route, it’s not because they aren’t interested in pursuing the NCAA. Matthews ended up developing to a level where Europe made sense given his circumstances, but you can pretty much guarantee that he was looking to go to the NCAA when he had to make his decision coming out of the bantam draft.

 

[F A N]

Oh for sure. I’d probably never advise a kid to go with the CHL over a high end tier II program.

Still, when a highly ranked kid goes the Tier II route, it’s not because they aren’t interested in pursuing the NCAA. Matthews ended up developing to a level where Europe made sense given his circumstances, but you can pretty much guarantee that he was looking to go to the NCAA when he had to make his decision coming out of the bantam draft.

None of what you said necessarily disputes what VJ said about Matthews not wanting to pursue a NCAA scholarship though. Matthews belongs to the Tavares, Kessel etc. class of players where they were considered prodigies. An NCAA scholarship is pretty much assured and Matthews was clearly preparing himself to have the NCAAs as an option. Like basketball one and done players, if given a choice, I don't think Matthews would give the NCAAs much consideration.

According to this article it appears that Matthews bypassing the NCAA was almost a foregone conclusion.

The fact is we never really hear much about players continuing their studies and finishing their degrees. For some players an education is important. For others it is not.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

The J20/J18 leagues in Sweden are done for the season, so Persson is done until the WHL season starts up (Unless he somehow makes the WJC team).

 

[The Iron Goalie]

Apparently he's made Sweden's WJC camp roster.

 

[Fatass]

Apparently he's made Sweden's WJC camp roster.

Hearing really good things about both the Swedish D men we drafted in 2020. Maybe we get lucky, and one of them becomes a player for us?

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Hearing really good things about both the Swedish D men we drafted in 2020. Maybe we get lucky, and one of them becomes a player for us?

We only drafted one Swede. Jurmo is Finnish, Truscott is American.

 

[M2Beezy]

What a Person

 

[krutovsdonut]

persson is so good he seems like two dmen draft picks. he will be perfect for us 4 on 4.

 

[VanJack]

Hearing really good things about both the Swedish D men we drafted in 2020. Maybe we get lucky, and one of them becomes a player for us?

Hard not to be pumped about the two young Euro de-men picked in the third and seventh rounds. Jurmo and Persson are 6'4" and 6'3" d-men who are already superior skaters and can transition the puck by rushing it out of their own zone. Both guys will play at well-over 200 pounds when they turn pro. It'll be fascinating to monitor Persson's development just up the highway in Kamloops but with the news today, that he's made the Swedish WJC team, we'll also be able to watch him over the holiday season in the World Jr. showcase.

Big d-men who can skate and create offense from the back end aren't supposed to be still on the board that late in the draft. I suspect if hockey hadn't ground to a complete halt in March, they probably wouldn't have been available to the Canucks. The fact that they played in Europe with all the playoffs and international tournaments cancelled, probably had them flying under the radar.

But if either guy works out, it's a huge bonus for the Canucks. Suddenly the blueline, which was a position of weakness in prospect pool, becomes a strength going forward.

 

[krutovsdonut]

i want to see if teams still relatively focussed on drafting but lacking top round picks have any history of doing well with later round picks by reason of putting a lot of energy into later picks.

i mean if you eliminate most of the time spent discussing the finer points of the first two rounds relative to your draft spot, that gives the scouting crew a lot of extra time to evaluate later prospects.

we need a list of still developing teams that had traded away their top draft picks to see how they have done.

 

[Fatass]

Hard not to be pumped about the two young Euro de-men picked in the third and seventh rounds. Jurmo and Persson are 6'4" and 6'3" d-men who are already superior skaters and can transition the puck by rushing it out of their own zone. Both guys will play at well-over 200 pounds when they turn pro. It'll be fascinating to monitor Persson's development just up the highway in Kamloops but with the news today, that he's made the Swedish WJC team, we'll also be able to watch him over the holiday season in the World Jr. showcase.

Big d-men who can skate and create offense from the back end aren't supposed to be still on the board that late in the draft. I suspect if hockey hadn't ground to a complete halt in March, they probably wouldn't have been available to the Canucks. The fact that they played in Europe with all the playoffs and international tournaments cancelled, probably had them flying under the radar.

But if either guy works out, it's a huge bonus for the Canucks. Suddenly the blueline, which was a position of weakness in prospect pool, becomes a strength going forward.

Totally agree. Maybe one of these two guys is an Edler find? I think he was drafted later, and came over to WHL to develop too.

 

[HockeyNightInAsia]

Hard not to be pumped about the two young Euro de-men picked in the third and seventh rounds. Jurmo and Persson are 6'4" and 6'3" d-men who are already superior skaters and can transition the puck by rushing it out of their own zone. Both guys will play at well-over 200 pounds when they turn pro. It'll be fascinating to monitor Persson's development just up the highway in Kamloops but with the news today, that he's made the Swedish WJC team, we'll also be able to watch him over the holiday season in the World Jr. showcase.

Big d-men who can skate and create offense from the back end aren't supposed to be still on the board that late in the draft. I suspect if hockey hadn't ground to a complete halt in March, they probably wouldn't have been available to the Canucks. The fact that they played in Europe with all the playoffs and international tournaments cancelled, probably had them flying under the radar.

But if either guy works out, it's a huge bonus for the Canucks. Suddenly the blueline, which was a position of weakness in prospect pool, becomes a strength going forward.

Post-draft I actually had the most positive hunch about Truscott than the other two Ds. Jurmo's hockey sense worries me.

But I must say Persson is looking good right now. Personally I will be watching Truscott and Persson closely.

 

[VanJack]

Post-draft I actually had the most positive hunch about Truscott than the other two Ds. Jurmo's hockey sense worries me.

But I must say Persson is looking good right now. Personally I will be watching Truscott and Persson closely.

Forgot about Truscott, but he's really coming on as an 18-year old freshman playing against much older players in the NCAA with Michigan. Can you imagine the impact if all three guys could make it to the NHL from the depths of the 2020 draft, when the Canucks didn't even have a first or second rounder?

I feel safe in saying that would be a 'first' for the Canucks in 50 years of drafting.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Hard not to be pumped about the two young Euro de-men picked in the third and seventh rounds. Jurmo and Persson are 6'4" and 6'3" d-men who are already superior skaters and can transition the puck by rushing it out of their own zone. Both guys will play at well-over 200 pounds when they turn pro. It'll be fascinating to monitor Persson's development just up the highway in Kamloops but with the news today, that he's made the Swedish WJC team, we'll also be able to watch him over the holiday season in the World Jr. showcase.

Big d-men who can skate and create offense from the back end aren't supposed to be still on the board that late in the draft. I suspect if hockey hadn't ground to a complete halt in March, they probably wouldn't have been available to the Canucks. The fact that they played in Europe with all the playoffs and international tournaments cancelled, probably had them flying under the radar.

But if either guy works out, it's a huge bonus for the Canucks. Suddenly the blueline, which was a position of weakness in prospect pool, becomes a strength going forward.

Actually, we have quite a mixed bag on D prospects.

This year Edler Hughes Myers Schmidt as our top 4. Benn Rathbone Rafferty and Juolevi fighting it out for the next 4 spots.

Next we will likely (hopefully) have Tryamkin added to the mix. If so, Edler might be done, unless he takes a serious pay cut.

But we then have Woo, Utanen, Jurmo, Truscott and Persson in the system. And a few others. But they all seem to be trending well.

Interesting mix, 3 smallish puck moving d men Rafferty Rathbone and Hughes. then some big boys in Tryamkin, Juolevi and the 3 this year. And of course Myers. Mid size with schmidt Woo etc.

 

[F A N]

i want to see if teams still relatively focussed on drafting but lacking top round picks have any history of doing well with later round picks by reason of putting a lot of energy into later picks.

i mean if you eliminate most of the time spent discussing the finer points of the first two rounds relative to your draft spot, that gives the scouting crew a lot of extra time to evaluate later prospects.

we need a list of still developing teams that had traded away their top draft picks to see how they have done.

Regardless it wouldn't apply to the Canucks most recent draft though as not having a first and second round pick was a late development.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Regardless it wouldn't apply to the Canucks most recent draft though as not having a first and second round pick was a late development.

they knew in february they would have no second, and they knew in march they were a playoff team on win%, so deducting the period from the play-in concept in may putting them potentially back in the lottery until beating the wild in early august, they had many months where they presumptively had no first and definitely had no second. for example, they had 2 solid months just before the draft where that was a certainty.

i will say this probably does not line up with any other draft pattern. it must have been bizarro world to scout players without the stretch half of the season, and no playoffs, no tournaments after the wjc. scouts must have been scrambling to scrounge video and calling everyone they knew for takes on players.

 

[Lindgren]

Canucks Army reports that Persson has been called up to the SHL. It looks like there's a chance he won't come over to the WHL (should the W get its season going).

We finally have some good news about 2020 Canucks 7th round pick Viktor Persson