The first cuts of Canucks training camp have come down and they are the usual suspects. So, watch out for the guy with a limp.
All of the Canucks’ 2016 draft picks who came to camp, apart from Olli Juolevi, have been sent back to Junior, as have 2015 picks Tate Olson and Carl Neill.
There were no surprises in the first round of cuts, as none of the six were expected to even challenge for a spot on the Canucks roster at this point. Since the Major Junior season has already started, it’s best that each of these six players rejoin their Junior clubs and concentrate on having a great season.
The Sherbrooke Phoenix were likely particularly eager to get their captain in Carl Neill back. Neill may have had a mediocre Young Stars tournament, but he had some promising moments. He’ll look to build on his 50-point season last year and lead a young, rebuilding team back to the playoffs.
Tate Olson had a disastrous Young Stars tournament, demonstrating a need to speed up how he thinks the game. Olson led all Prince George Cougars defencemen in scoring last season, but needs to take another step forward if his performance in Penticton is any indication.
None of the 2016 picks made a name for themselves at the Young Stars tournament, but the most disappointing has to be Rodrigo Abols. As an invitee at last years Young Stars, Abols made his presence felt nearly every shift, whether through his physical play or his surprising skating and skill for his size. This time around, the energy was lacking, and his most noticeable moment was a brutal giveaway in the defensive zone that led to a goal against.
Abols heads back to the Portland Winterhawks for his sophomore season, though that obscures the fact that it’s his over-age season as well, as he turned twenty back in January. He’ll look to do far better than his 20 goals and 49 points in 62 games from last year.
Brett McKenzie had a few good moments in the offensive zone in Penticton and, since he is known more for his defensive game, seeing some potential at the other end of the ice is a good sign. He’s an older player, however, and will need to prove that his jump from 32 to 53 points last season wasn’t a fluke, particularly with many of the point-producers on the North Bay Battalion graduating to the pro level.
Jakob Stukel broke out last season in the WHL when he was traded from the Vancouver Giants, where he struggled to produce any offence, to the Calgary Hitmen, where he put up 34 goals and 56 points in 57 games. Now, with a full season with the Hitmen ahead of him, he’ll attempt to become a go-to offensive threat.
I was hoping for more from Cole Candella at the Young Stars tournament, but he looked a bit overwhelmed at times and struggled to handle the puck. To his credit, he was one of the youngest players on the Canucks roster and has plenty of potential. Coming off a wrist injury last season, he’ll hope to have good health in 2016-17 and to come back to camp next year with more confidence.
