MARKED MAN
Potential-packed Pettersson in crosshairs on six-game road trip
It’s the latest edition of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ highest-profile prospects.
JONATHAN DAHLEN
Now that’s more like it. Jonathan Dahlen has been highly touted as an offensive dynamo coming out of Sweden’s second-tier league. He won it all for Timra last season, but has had a bit of a learning curve in his first season of professional hockey in North America.
However, last Friday Dahlen showed what he is capable of, scoring a goal-scorer’s goal against the Laval Rocket in a 3-1 win for the Utica Comets.
Dahlen’s goal came on a great stretch pass from defenceman Guillaume Brisebois, splitting the Rocket defence before executing on an exquisite backhanded deke.
There was a touch of irony to the goal, both in the way it was scored and who it was against. Former Canuck Alex Burrows, whom Dahlen was traded for in February of 2017, is now an assistant coach with Laval and wouldn’t be blamed if he claimed Dahlen cribbed his signature breakaway move.
Fake shot. Deke to the backhand. Roof. We’ve seen it so many times before from the Canucks great.
It’s the kind of goal that leaves Canucks fans salivating at the prospect of Dahlen playing in Vancouver. He has already proven to have great chemistry with rookie sensation Elias Pettersson in the Allsvenskan, and is also his best friend (sorry, Nikolay Goldobin).
They’ve played together and have won together. For Dahlen to pan out could mean a plum position as Pettersson’s wingman, and anybody playing with Pettersson these days is reaping the rewards.
Dahlen has two goals and three assists in 11 games with the Utica Comets. He’s also even in the plus-minus department.
The Comets sit in fourth place in the AHL’s North Division, with six wins, five losses and one overtime loss.
QUINN HUGHES
Another week, another goal scored by the Canucks’ topflight defensive prospect.
Hughes continues to produce for the University of Michigan Wolverines, scoring a power-play goal in a 5-3 win at Lake Superior State on Saturday. The goal came on a shot from the point, giving Hughes three tallies on the young season.
In seven games played, Hughes has seven points (three goals, four assists) and is a minus-1. Michigan is ranked 12th in the NCAA.
OLLI JUOLEVI
A see-saw week for Juolevi, who continues to add to his points total but has been victimized on the defensive side of his game.
The good: Juolevi notched an assist in Utica’s 3-1 win over the Rocket on Friday. The bad: he’s getting turnstiled too often, especially at the point on the power play.
A giveaway on the power play in a 2-1 overtime loss on Saturday to the same Rocket team also led to a crucial tying goal.
Still, head coach Trent Cull likes Juolevi’s game, telling WSTM-TV “(Juolevi’s) done some really good things for us and has shown that he can be a good player, which bodes well for his confidence.
“We want to be a fast-moving team, fast moving the puck, fast with our feet and I think Olli fits right into that game style.”
Juolevi now has one goal and six assists in 12 games played for the Comets.
But he’s also a minus-9, far and away the worst on the team.
GUILLAUME BRISEBOIS
Lost in the shuffle of Canucks defensive prospects has been Brisebois, who is putting together a nice second season with the Comets.
Brisebois, drafted in the third round in 2015, came out of junior as a mobile two-way defenceman. He’s been pulling his game together in Utica this season, with one goal and two assists in nine games.
But more importantly, Brisebois leads the team in plus-minus at plus-4. The Canucks have taken note, calling him up (but not playing him) last month against the Arizona Coyotes.
Keep an eye on Brisebois — because the progression of his overall game is worth watching.
JETT WOO
Woo continues to wow with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Canucks’ second-round pick from last year is the backbone for Moose Jaw, playing in the top four as well as on the first power play unit and penalty kill.
Woo had an assist in Friday’s 5-2 loss versus the Saskatoon Blades, having his point shot tipped in by teammate Keenan Taphorn (a fellow member of the all-name team).
Woo didn’t find the scoresheet in Saturday’s 5-1 win against the Kootenay Ice, but was still solid with a plus-1 and one shot on net.
To date, Woo has one goal and four assists in 11 games played. He’s even on the plus-minus chart and has 20 shots on net.
MIKE DIPIETRO
Another outstanding week for DiPietro, now Windsor’s winningest goaltender of all time.
The Spitfires’ standout hit another milestone on Saturday: his 80th win with the OHL franchise in a 5-2 victory over the Sarnia Sting. DiPietro stopped 30 of 32 shots in the win, which catapulted his team to third place in its division.
DiPietro played in one other game this past week, a 1-0 loss versus the Ottawa 67’s. Despite the loss, DiPietro was named the game’s second star with 19 saves on 20 shots.
In 12 games this season, DiPietro is 5-5-1 with a sparkling 2.40 goals-against average. He also has one shutout.
TYLER MADDEN
There’s lots to like about Madden’s 200-foot game and scoring ability, but just not that much this past week.
Madden had a pedestrian showing in two games for the Northeastern Huskies, registering one assist in two games. The games were played against Boston University, with Thursday’s encounter ending in a 5-5 tie and Saturday’s game a 4-1 loss.
Madden, a centre, was pretty good at the faceoff dot, going 7-for-13 and 9-for-14, respectively.
He now has three goals and two assists in eight games this season.
WILL LOCKWOOD
Hughes’ teammate at Michigan lent a helping hand this past week, notching three assists in two games for the Wolverines. Lockwood had three shots on net to go with two assists in a 5-2 loss on Friday and one assist with one shot on net in a 5-3 win on Saturday.