As the Vancouver Canucks prospects face off against the Winnipeg Jets prospects tonight in the first game of the 2017 Young Stars Classic, top prospects like Brock Boeser, Olli Juolevi, and Thatcher Demko will garner most of the attention from Canucks fans. Others might keep an eye on the Canucks’ two second round picks, Kole Lind and Jonah Gadjovich.
But here are six prospects that also deserve some attention and may grab it forcefully with their play at this year’s Young Stars.
Jalen Chatfield (#63)
“Stay-at-home defenceman” has turned into a bit of a pejorative in this modern era of mobile, puck-rushing blueliners, but Chatfield fits more into the mold of a Chris Tanev than Hal Gil or Douglas Murray. Chatfield was one of the best defencemen in the OHL last season at shot suppression and he excels at both transitioning the puck up ice and preventing zone entries.
Chatfield was a revelation at the Canucks Prospect Summer Showcase, effectively partnering with Juolevi and making great defensive plays look routine. If anyone can stand out for their defensive play in the chaotic, unstructured environment of the Young Stars tournament, it’s Chatfield.
He could also surprise with his offensive capabilities, as there are indications that he has untapped offensive upside.
Guillaume Brisebois (#56)
For Brisebois, it’s less that he’s likely to stand out at the Young Stars tournament and more that the Canucks need him to. The Canucks’ prospect pool on defence is pretty shallow after Juolevi, particularly after they didn’t draft a defenceman until the fourth round this year. But the Canucks are extremely high on Brisebois, their third round pick in 2015.
Part of the reason the Canucks are high on Brisebois is his professional approach to the game and his development, but he has yet to truly stand out to Canucks fans or to analysts outside the Canucks organization. A strong Young Stars leading into main training camp could shift opinions of the 20-year-old defenceman.
Zack MacEwen (#64)
MacEwen has the right combination of size, speed, and skill to stand out in the Young Stars environment. MacEwen is a late bloomer who jumped from 10 goals and 40 points in 2015-16 to 31 goals and 74 points last season in the QMJHL.
While some of that must be attributed to his linemate, Vitali Abramov, MacEwen has a hard shot, soft hands, and great vision and could surprise fans in Penticton.
Michael Carcone (#58)
The Canucks signed Carcone last summer after he was an invite to their development camp. He immediately proved why he was signed at the 2016 Young Stars tournament, as he was a standout performer in every single game.
It’s not hard to imagine Carcone repeating or improving his performance at this year’s tournament as he looks for a larger role on the Utica Comets in the coming season. He's a high-energy forward, with surprising playmaking ability. Trent Cull should love his responsible two-way game in Utica this season, while fans should love his offensive upside at Young Stars this weekend.
Alexis D’Aoust (#73)
Like Carcone, D’Aoust stood out at last year’s Young Stars tournament. Unfortunately, he sometimes stood out for the wrong reasons. While he may be Wyatt Arndt’s favourite long-shot prospect, D’Aoust has some defensive flaws to his game.
That said, D’Aoust can also be an offensive catalyst, making things happen in the offensive zone with his vision and passing. When he was in the opponent’s end of the ice at last year’s Young Stars, he was a delight to watch.
D’Aoust signed a one-year contract with the Utica Comets this summer and will look to make an impact in the AHL to earn an NHL deal next off-season. That process of impressing the Canucks brass starts at Young Stars.
Michael DiPietro (#75)
Calling DiPietro under the radar might be pushing the definition a bit, but the Canucks’ 2017 third-round pick is still in the shadow of Thatcher Demko, the heir-apparent to the Canucks net. Don’t sleep on DiPietro, however, as the young goaltender is a lot of fun to watch and has the technique and athleticism to challenge Demko’s claim to the throne in a few year’s time.
While all eyes will be on Demko when he is in net, DiPietro could steal the show with a highlight reel save or two.
