Prospect Info: Vancouver Canucks Top 25 Prospects 2015 - #11

[Nuckles]

It's that time of year again! The HF Vancouver Canucks board will be ranking the team's top 20 prospects (including the 2015 draft selections). Polls will be left open for 24 hours.

Feel free to explain your choices and suggest who should be added to the list for the next poll.

Rank | Player | POS | HT | WT | DOB | Poll%
1| Jake Virtanen |RW|6.01|207|Aug 17, 1996| 80.00%
2| Jared McCann |C|6.00|185|May 31, 1996| 68.21%
3| Brock Boeser |RW|6.00|191|Feb 25, 1997| 57.14%
4| Thatcher Demko |G|6.04|195|Dec 8, 1995| 48.87%
5| Cole Cassels |C|6.00|180|May 4, 1995| 51.45%
6| Hunter Shinkaruk |LW|5.11|180|Oct 13, 1994| 58.67%
7| Brendan Gaunce |C/W|6.02|207|Mar 25, 1994| 34.59%
8| Ronalds Kenins |LW|6.00|201|Feb 28, 1991| 38.96%
9| Frank Corrado |D|6.00|190|Mar 26, 1993| 53.59%
10| Adam Clendening |D|6.00|190|Oct 26, 1992| 26.06%
11|???|???|???|???|???| ???

*Please note that only players that Hockey's Future considers to be prospects will be included, meaning Horvat, Baertschi, Vey, and Markstrom will be excluded from voting.

2014 ranking: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1719893
2013 ranking: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1486113

Click to read more...

 

[StrictlyCommercial]

Hutton part deux

 

[BassMason]

terrible that it's just a bunch of defenseman that we think have a nil chance of making it. i really hope we get two top ten d men the and then a top 3 forward over the next three years.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

i really hope we get two top ten d men the and then a top 3 forward over the next three years.

Yeah well I hope we get six top ten d men and then three top 3 forwards over the next three years. By my calculations that makes me thrice the fan you are! Wooo! Canucks 4 Lyfe!

Really though, I voted for Subban. Not for any particular reason. As someone astutely pointed out, it's a bunch of defensemen with nil chance of making it, so might as well pick the flashy one. When he fails, at least it will be with a Brandon Reid bang.

 

[Numbers]

If Pedan didn't get injured I think he is ahead, but extra uncertainty gives Brisebois the edge.

 

[JumpierPegasus]

I really like Brisebois' two-way skill and leadership ability. Played on such an awful team, contributed to so many of their points. If he was on a better team I imagine he'd get a lot more press

But we have a glut of middle guys here in Brisebois/Subban/Hutton/Grenier/Pedan

 

[alternate]

terrible that it's just a bunch of defenseman that we think have a nil chance of making it. i really hope we get two top ten d men the and then a top 3 forward over the next three years.

Who feels they have a nil chance? I think most posters feel at least a couple have a legit chance of being top 4 guys. Problem is there's no consenses on who's most likely to break on through, and all have an obvious flaw.

TBH I'm paralyzed making a decision on these guys. Everytime I think it through I come out with different guy on top. So I voted Zhukenov. Love the skill I've seen from him and think he's our best remaining forward prospect.

I like Grenier but he still has to prove that his strong finish wasn't just a blip (I don't think it was). His most likely best case scenario is Shawn Matthias level player, bottom sixer that provides utility on special teams annd 25-30 points. He could develop further into a Higgins type 2nd/3rd tweener, or even a Burrows type 1st liner if he found that type of fit, but imo that's unlikely. But if Zhukenov does make it (big if) he could be a 60+ point guy. That hi-skill upside gives him the edge imo over the group of botrtom 4 defencemen and Grenier.

 

[iceburg]

Come on everybody....I've been patiently quiet as Grenier drops down the list....he has a real shot at making the NHL this year....at least getting a call up now and then. He has size, offensive prowess, an improved defensive game....he is a real prospect...where's the love?

 

[PG Canuck]

Subban/Hutton again.

 

[Intoewsables]

Subban
Hutton
Gilliam

 

[biturbo19]

I go Brisebois here, but as with the last one...could easily flip to Hutton. And i can see the case for a handful of others.

I will say, as it pertains to Subban...you've gotta love his offensive ability, his shot, his production, the fact his brother is a superstar defenceman in the NHL and vouches for the kid. His attitude seems great, and he's got the swagger to be one of the few...but ultimately, there are just so few NHL defencemen that short - we're talking like, i can count them on one hand comfortably. You've gotta be one heck of a defenceman to hack it in the NHL at not just "short" but like...serious 5'9" type short. And there's a reason for that. I have a really hard time being sold on his "upside". But then, that's all down to how i'd value a bottom-pairing PP specialist like Torrey Krug as an "upside" relative to how few of these truly diminutive defencemen actually pan out. I can see why people would bet on him pretty easily though.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

MAN. Remember when 4 or 5 of these players still remaining could be our #2 or #3 prospects? Times have changed.

 

[Oddrane]

Lets try with Hutton once more.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Literally flipped a coin between Pedan and Hutton. Pedan it is. I'll be quoting this post in the future when he becomes a superstar, along with a "told you so, idiots"

 

[turkulad]

Still Grenier. His elevation from a lost cause to a key contributor on a successful Utica team is damn impressive.

And still: add Joe Cannata. He has every chance to finally prove himself this season as Utica's #1.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Subban. Highest ceiling

 

[GJB]

Still Grenier. His elevation from a lost cause to a key contributor on a successful Utica team is damn impressive.

And still: add Joe Cannata. He has every chance to finally prove himself this season as Utica's #1.

Grenier for me too. Impressive playoffs with Utica.

 

[GJB]

Not sure how Brisebois can rank ahead of Grenier at this stage. I can understand Subban and Hutton who are both looking to play professionally now after successful years in junior/college, but a 3rd rounder in last year's draft is already ahead of Grenier?

Brisebois has a lot left to prove. In 2 years will we have a budding NHL defenseman or another Yann Sauve?

 

[biturbo19]

Not sure how Brisebois can rank ahead of Grenier at this stage. I can understand Subban and Hutton who are both looking to play professionally now after successful years in junior/college, but a 3rd rounder in last year's draft is already ahead of Grenier?

Brisebois has a lot left to prove. In 2 years will we have a budding NHL defenseman or another Yann Sauve?

By that measure, older prospects > younger prospects. Which doesn't really make sense as a catch all evaluation.

Brisebois's relative youth and having "a lot still to prove" really cuts both ways. He does have a lot left to prove...but he also has a lot more time to prove it, and he hasn't yet disproved his "potential". It's about "projection" - that's what allows us to make comments on prospects who may be 4 years away from an NHL opportunity (if they should be so fortunate), and compare and contrast and vote on them in polls relative to prospects who have been in wading around in the pool for 4 years already and have effectively arrived at their sink or swim moment in the deep end.

Unless you're simply voting "closest to fully developed" or "most seasons accrued as a prospect". Which in and of itself, doesn't seem to have a huge amount of value to me.

 

[Hardyvan123]

terrible that it's just a bunch of defenseman that we think have a nil chance of making it. i really hope we get two top ten d men the and then a top 3 forward over the next three years.

That's our system sadly.

Went with Subban again.

Hutton at 22 looks interesting but we have seen this movie before.

 

[Rex Banner]

I think Subban is going to surprise a lot of people in Utica.

 

[Nuckles]

****, I just noticed I accidentally voted for Subban instead of Brisebois. RIP me. Whatever, it's close for me. I still have both ahead of Hutton.

As for Hutton, I'm a little concerned about things. He's 22 years old and failed to claim a top 6 spot on the Utica defense towards the end of the season + playoffs. Obviously it's a tiny sample size, but still...

 

[701]

Subban
Hutton
Gilliam

Is that you, Jim?

 

[701]

While there are likely pitfalls ahead, having a matured Hutton and Subban on the blue line of the first-unit PP is eagerly anticipated by me,
after the mediocre performances we've seen since Erhoff left.

Two cannon shots, with mobility and creativity. Likely with another cannon in McCann,
with Cassels distributing, and Horvat taking the draws and storming the crease.

Of course, this is fantasy . . . but a fantasy that could reasonably come to pass, since these are all young Canucks of roughly the same age.
Anyway, those two D have the rare quality of goal-scoring going for them, given their monster NCAA and CHL success in that area, and for which the Canuck D have been plainly starved.

I could live with some own-zone errors (we do anyway) just to see some very dangerous shots from the points. I think Hutton and Subban will make it because the Canucks clearly need an offensive threat from the back end. And if Benning has proven one thing, it's that he seeks out guys who can "rip the puck."

Thus I'd vote Hutton and Subban in that order, giving Hutton the slight nod due to his NHL size. But let's not forget about Subban's outrageous shot, along with his offensive mobility and confidence.

 

[Intangibos]

Shouldn't Baertschi be in this list? He hasn't even made the team yet, and even though he will because of his waiver status, he still seems very much like a prospect.