Hockey is back everyone!
Okay, so technically hockey has been back for over a week in the form of exhibition games for the World Cup of Hockey, but I don’t give a about that tournament. No, I’m talking about the Young Stars tournament!
I am legitimately more excited to watch the Canucks’ prospects taking on the prospects from the Oilers, Flames, and Jets, than I am about an international tournament featuring the best hockey players in the world. The tournament kicks off tonight, as the Canucks take on the Oilers at 7:30 pm. The game will be streamed on the Canucks YouTube channel. I am stoked.
It’s always interesting to see who stands out at the Young Stars tournament, whether they put up points or not. Last year, Rodrigo Abols was one of the most noticeable Canucks, leading to the team drafting him in the seventh round this year.
Predicting who might stand out this year could be a fool’s errand—maybe 2016 draft picks Cole Candella, Jakob Stukel, or Brett McKenzie will shock us all—but here are the six Canucks I’m most looking forward to seeing at the Young Stars tournament.
Thatcher Demko
One of the most exciting aspects of this tournament is the opportunity to see Thatcher Demko play in a Canucks jersey for the first time. The Canucks’ star goaltending prospect has been unable to play in past Young Stars tournaments because it could affect his NCAA eligibility and because the timing of the tournament conflicts with the start of the school year.
Demko should be the best goaltender in the tournament and will get ample opportunity to prove himself against the likes of Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk, and Kyle Connor. Without similar offensive talent on the Canucks’ roster, it may be up to Demko to steal the show.
Olli Juolevi
There’s a lot of pressure on the Canucks’ first round pick in the 2016 draft, their highest pick since the Sedins. Fortunately for Juolevi, poise under pressure is one of his defining traits.
Juolevi headlines a pretty decent blueline at the Young Stars tournament and it will need to be good to make up for the Canucks’ paucity at forward. Assuming he plays on the top pairing with Jordan Subban, who was the most exciting Canuck at last year’s tournament, the two together could make for some must-see moments. All eyes will be on Juolevi to see if looks like he has the potential to be a number one defenceman in the future.
Jordan Subban
Speaking of Subban, he’s also one to watch at this year’s tournament. Last year, even after a dynamic performance at the Young Stars tournament, Subban didn’t get into a preseason game with the big club. Instead, he was .
Subban will be looking to change that this time around, and though he’s unlikely to make the Canucks out of camp, he’ll want to make a good impression so that he can be one of the first call-ups from the AHL during the season. Subban has the offensive ability to be in the NHL. The question is always going to be if his defensive game can be strong enough to match up against the larger forwards he will face.
Troy Stecher
Another defencemen with a size issue is Troy Stecher, who was one of the top defencemen in the NCAA last season. The Canucks and he hasn’t been shy about his aim to .
Like Subban, Stecher is a dynamic skater with offensive upside, but Stecher has a reputation for solid defensive play as well, with an ability to win puck battles that belies his smaller size. He also has a reputation for being a character guy and a vocal leader, something that the current Canucks coaching and management place a premium on.
Cole Cassels
Just last year, the Cole Cassels hype train was fully stoked, as he came off a stellar final season in the OHL and an even better playoffs, where he finished second behind Connor McDavid in points and played a role in kinda, sorta shutting down McDavid in the final round. But his professional debut was disappointing, derailing the hype train. Coming off injuries in those OHL playoffs, Cassels managed just 7 points in 67 games with the Utica Comets.
This year the expectations are far lower, but he’s healthy and ready to prove himself. He’ll have ample opportunity at the Young Stars Tournament, where he’s arguably the top forward on the Canucks roster. Cassels still has the potential to be an NHL player and he will be looking to catch the eye of Travis Green.
Alexis D’Aoust
Apart from , Alexis D’Aoust is the most intriguing invitee for the Canucks at the Young Stars Tournament. The 20-year-old was fourth in the QMJHL in points in both the regular season and playoffs last year and was also fourth in goals behind Michael Carcone, .
D’Aoust can score goals, set them up—39 of his 54 assists were primary assists—and is also a strong skater. In addition, he boasts NHL size: at 200 lbs, he’s the second heaviest forward on the Canucks roster. His physical attributes, along with his goalscoring and playmaking skill, could make him a standout at the Young Stars tournament.
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