Woo feeling great with Warriors
A first look at how Canucks prospects have fared in the opening weeks of play
This is the first edition this hockey season of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ highest-profile prospects: JETT WOO
He’s the dark horse defensive prospect so many are cheering on — and for good reason.
Besides having a great name, Jett Woo also has a great game.
The Canucks’ second-round pick from the 2018 NHL draft was sidelined with a lower-body injury to start the season, missing the first four games for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. But he’s back, and through four games played, the hard-hitting defenceman is already making an impact.
Woo, who had nine goals and 25 points in 44 games last season for the Warriors, has one goal and one assist and is a plus-two.
He was also named the third star in his first game back.
“I feel great, I feel ready to go,” he told Discover Moose Jaw before lacing up the skates to kick off his campaign.
Woo, a six-foot, 203-pound defender, plays a rugged game with an active stick. He can hold his ground with the best of ’em.
He can also fire the puck, which is why Woo has spent time on the Warriors’ first power play unit as the leftside defenceman. Woo scored his first goal of the season in a 4-3 loss in Brandon on Friday with a blistering slap shot.
He’s also a natural leader who’s great in the community, taking the time in early October to help Moose Jaw’s school kids Read to Succeed. ADAM GAUDETTE
He wears No. 17 and has a strong 200-foot game. Sound familiar? If you’re thinking Ryan Kesler, you’re close — just a little short on the gritty metre.
Adam Gaudette started his rookie season with the AHL’s Utica Comets on a strong note, scoring two goals and adding two assists in four games.
He netted his first professional goal Friday in a 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers.
But Gaudette really took off on the weekend, scoring a goal and adding two assists in a 7-4 win in Toronto against the Marlies.
The young centre is getting rave reviews from around the hockey world, and was called up for the Canucks’ Oct. 16 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins after Jay Beagle broke his hand. QUINN HUGHES
The Quinn Hughes watch has officially begun — though there hasn’t been much to write home about.
Hughes’ University of Michigan Wolverines are 0-1 to start the NCAA season, losing 5-2 to Vermont on Oct. 6. The fleet-footed defenceman had four shots on goal and finished a minus-1.
The team has played two exhibition games since, a 7-4 win over Waterloo on Oct. 7 and a 6-3 loss to brother Jack Hughes and the stacked U.S. under-18 team on Oct. 12. Quinn had an assist in the win and went pointless in the loss.
The Canucks’ first-round pick did take the opening faceoff against his brother in a nice moment for the boys. Now that’s something to write home about.
Quinn has had his moments, though, going endto-end on a rush against the U18 team, only to have the goalie make a great save on the teammate he dished the puck to. JONATHAN DAHLEN
A modest start to a pro career for Dahlen, who has shown his playmaking ability for the Comets but has yet to find the net.
Dahlen has three assists in four games, the prettiest being a feed from behind the net to Brendan Gaunce for a goal in a 3-1 win over the Bellevue Senators on Oct. 6.
Dahlen nearly scored in the same game, but was stopped by goalie Mike McKenna.
He’s honing his game and reportedly doing great things in practice that will surely pay off in the long run. MIKE DIPIETRO
The Canucks’ goalie prospect had a scary start to his season — he found himself at the bottom of a pile of players and left the Sept. 28 game, a win over the Saginaw Spirit. But DiPietro has bounced back with a solid run for the Windsor Spitfires.
The OHL’s shutout leader from a year ago got his first of this campaign Oct. 4, stymying the London Knights in a 2-0 win. He had 32 saves and was the game’s first star.
There were a couple of losses last week in which he gave up three and four goals, respectively, but DiPietro was still one of the best Spitfires on the ice, only getting beat on high-quality chances.
DiPietro got back in the win column with a 38-save effort Sunday against the Kingston Frontenacs in a 5-2 win. He is 2-3 with a .907 save percentage and 3.015 goals-against average.
OLLI JUOLEVI
It’s been an up-and-down rookie season for Juolevi with the Comets. His offensive game has been good, but he needs to keep working on things defensively.
His debut on Oct. 5 went well, leading Utica’s defencemen in several statistical categories, including controlled exits and shot attempts.
Juolevi has two assists in five games, and is getting noticed for his ability to distribute the puck as well as the effective subtleties to his game.
But Juolevi is also a teamworst minus-7, meaning there’s much room for improvement defensively.
TONI UTUNEN
A smooth-skating defenceman trying to stabilize his position in pro hockey, Utunen hasn’t wowed anybody in his first 11 games for Tappara in the top-tier Finnish SM-Liiga. He hasn’t been a disappointment, either.
The Canucks’ fifth-round pick from the 2018 draft has had a solid start to his season, with an assist and a plus-4 rating.
It’s a step forward for Utunen, who played 11 games for Tappara last season to little effect before being loaned out to Division 2 squad LeKi.
At 5-foot-10 and 169 pounds, he has a slight build for a defenceman, so it will be telling if he can hang with the big boys in Finland this season.
TYLER MADDEN
The son of three-time Stanley Cup Champion and Selke award-winner John Madden, Tyler has the pedigree. Now it’s time to blaze his own path with the Northeastern Huskies.
The Canucks’ third-round pick of the 2018 draft is off to a nice start, scoring in consecutive games against Sacred Heart, both wins.
Madden, an NCAA rookie, is being deployed on the first line and it has paid dividends. Let’s hope he bulks up on that 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame. Maybe he can get some tips from his pops, who played at around 185 pounds.
WILL LOCKWOOD
The forgotten man among Canucks prospects, Lockwood has started his season on a positive note. The University of Michigan rightwinger scored a goal in the Wolverines’ only regular season game, and netted a goal and an assist in an exhibition game against Waterloo.
Lockwood was playing well last season until sustaining a serious shoulder injury against Canada at the World Junior tournament in December.
After months on the sidelines Lockwood, a hardnosed, creative forward, is looking to get his form back. It appears he’s on the right trajectory again.