Vancouver Canucks: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about

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Kole Lind #13 of the Utica Comets (Photo by Gregory Vasil/Getty Images) /

Even with most of their best prospects graduating, the Vancouver Canucks have an impressive pool of prospects.

What a season it has been for the Vancouver Canucks. Before the 2019-20 season began, many saw them as a team who were on the rise but were still not good enough to compete for the postseason.

However, thanks to the fantastic play of players such as J.T. Miller, Elias Petterssen, and rookie sensation Quinn Hughes, they not only made the playoffs, but are currently competing in the second round versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

While no one knows whether or not they will win their current series, their season can be looked at as a massive success regardless. They have a very good core group of young talent who will only continue to get better and better as the years go on.

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What is also exciting is that they have a very good prospect pool, with a few players on the list likely to make an NHL impact sooner than later. Given their current roster, along with these prospects, it seems likely the Canucks will soon again be contenders as they were nearly a decade ago.

As listed on the other top 8 prospects articles, anyone who has played more NHL games in a season than any other league, regardless of the season, will not be included on the list. With that said, here are the Canucks top 8 prospects.

8. Brogan Rafferty

Of all the top 8 prospects articles done to this point, Brogan Rafferty is the oldest player to make the list. The 25-year-old wasn’t on anyone’s radar at all prior to the 2019-20 season, and was seen as a player who was signed to help out the Utica Comets of the AHL.

After all, he had just finished up his third season with Quinnipiac University where he had posted fairly pedestrian numbers with four goals and 24 points in 38 games.

His rookie season with the Comets ended up going much better than anyone had anticipated, as the undrafted defenceman posted seven goals and 45 points in 57 games. His outstanding play also earned him an NHL call up, where he appeared in two games with the Canucks.

Due to his age, this upcoming season is likely a make it or break it year, but he has certainly turned some heads.

7. Kole Lind

The 2019-20 season was a sigh of relief for forward Kole Lind and the Canucks organization. The 2017 33rd overall pick had a rough rookie season for the Comets with just 17 points in 51 games. As a result, many began to question whether the Canucks whiffed on their 2nd round pick.

Thankfully, Lind was able to bounce back in a big way this year. Despite having a rough ending to the season scoring wise, he was still able to produce a much more impressive 14 goals and 44 points in 61 games with the Comets. At just 21-years-old, he may still be given some time to develop his offence in the AHL, but the former Kelowna Rocket will likely get at least some NHL games during the 2020-21 season.

Jett Woo (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

6. Jett Woo

Another solid looking 2nd round pick for the Canucks is defenceman Jett Woo. The 20-year-old was selected 37th overall at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and has put up some solid numbers during his four-year WHL career.

While this past season with the Calgary Hitmen saw him produce at a lower offensive rate than the season prior, he was still able put up a solid 46 points in 64 games. The season prior he had posted a WHL career high 66 points.

The 2020-21 season will be a big year for Woo, as he will be making the transition to professional hockey. While he will certainly need some further time to develop before he is ready to play in the NHL, he is an exciting prospect to keep an eye on.

5. Aidan Mcdonough

The Canucks scouting staff appears to have found a 7th round gem in Aidan Mcdonough. Not much was thought about the Milton, Massachusetts native at the time he was selected with the 195th at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He was coming off of his rookie season in the USHL where he had posted 21 goals and 42 points in 50 games. Solid numbers, but certainly nothing that screamed future NHLer.

Fast forward just one season, and that narrative has completely changed. Mcdonough spent this past season with Northeastern University along with former Canucks prospect Tyler Madden. He was much more productive in his first year in college hockey than anyone would have expected, with 11 goals and 27 points in just 31 games. All of a sudden, he looks like he could be a major draft steal for the Canucks.

Olli Juolevi #48 of the Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /

4. Olli Juolevi

Olli Juolevi is easily the most controversial prospect on this list. Not because of any character issues, but because he was selected with the 5th overall pick in 2016 and had yet to appear in a single NHL game until the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he has suited up for one so far. The fact that well established NHL defenceman such as Mikhail Sergachev and Charlie McAvoy were taken afterward has made Juolevi a lightning rod for criticism amongst Canucks fans.

One thing everyone needs to remember is that he is still just 22-years-old. He has also had his fair share of injuries early on, which limited him to just 18 games during the 2018-19 season. He was able to play in 45 games this past season with the Comets, and was fairly impressive with 25 points. It would be a massive disappointment if he were not to make the Canucks out of training camp next season.

3. Nils Hoglander

If you hadn’t heard of Nils Hoglander prior to the 2020 World Junior Tournament, you certainly would have been looking him up during. The 19-year-old put on a show for Team Sweden, scoring some highlight reel goals that were being replayed constantly for months. The 2019 40th overall pick clearly has a high-end skill set.

The 2019-20 season was Hoglander’s second with Rogle BK Angelholm of the SHL. He appeared in 41 games, posting nine goals and 16 points. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, they are an improvement from his 14 points in 50 games the season prior. It is also important to remember how young he still is, playing in a league that has many former NHL players. The future looks extremely bright for him.

Vasili Podkolzin (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images) /

2. Jack Rathbone

As you can see, the Canucks have quite the future in terms of blueliners. Along with rookie sensation Quinn Hughes, they also have the three other defenceman listed here. However, their best prospect on the back end is Harvard University’s Jack Rathbone. The 21-year-old was selected in the 4th round (95 overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and has improved massively every season since.

While his 22 points in 33 games as a rookie with Harvard was impressive, it was nothing compared to the 31 points he posted in 28 games this season. The big year has shot him way up the Canucks top prospects list, to the point where many think he may have a shot at cracking the opening day lineup for Vancouver. Time will tell on that, but there is no doubt they found a gem in the 4th round.

1. Vasili Podkolzin

At the top of this list is Vancouver’s 1st round (10 overall) pick from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Vasili Podkolzin. The 19-year-old Russian forward is an incredible talent who has many different aspects in his game, including speed, a great shot, and the ability to throw his body around on the forecheck. While his two goals and eight points in 30 games don’t look very impressive, he received little ice time with St. Petersburg in the KHL as he was just 18-years-old.

When matched up against players closer to his age, Podkolzin proved what he can do. At the 2020 World Junior Tournament, he was extremely noticeable for Team Russia, seeming to create chances nearly every time he was on the ice. He finished the tournament with one goal and four assists in seven games. While he is likely still a few years away, there is no denying how truly talented this kid is.

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