Vancouver Canucks: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about

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.