KIDDIE CORPS
A peek at Canucks’ top 10 prospects
ELIAS PETTERSSON
(19, C/RW, Vaxjo HC, SHL) Vitals: Six foot two, 177 lbs; GP: 44, G: 24, A: 32, Pts: 56
Upside: Superior skills, anticipation and vision to take his game to another level.
Downside: Will be a target and is he slippery enough to avoid heavy checks in the NHL?
Quotable: “We have to make sure we temper expectations. But the things he can do, he’s very good at. He has good balance and uses leverage to hang on to the puck for that extra second to see the ice open up. And the release on his shot, I don’t know if it’s like Brock Boeser’s or if it’s at the same level, but it’s pretty close.” — Jim Benning, Canucks general manager
JONATHAN DAHLEN
(20, LW, Timra IK, Allsvenskan) Vitals: Five foot 11, 180 lbs, GP 44, G: 23, A: 21, Pts: 44
Upside: Good stride, quick release and led his club to Sweden’s second-division title.
Downside: Mononucleosis kept him from Young Stars tourney, overcame American Hockey League self-doubt, excelled with Timra in Sweden.
Quotable: “He came to Utica and played a couple of exhibition games and got completely humbled to the point where it was a hard conversation for me to have with him. He said: ‘I’m not ready for this.’ So we set up a plan.” — Ryan Johnson, Canucks director of player development
OLLI JUOLEVI
(20, D, TPS Turku, SM-liiga) Vitals: Six foot three, 198 lbs, GP: 38, G: 7, A: 12, Pts: 19
Upside: When confident, first-year pro was good puck mover. Seven points in 11 playoff games. Downside: Has to play as well as he talks. Has a cockiness that has to translate on ice.
Quotable: “Sami Salo (Turku’s assistant coach) thought in the second half that Juolevi was one of their better players and in the playoffs their best player. He played less and was in the weight room three times a week. He got bigger and stronger without losing his speed.” — Benning
KOLE LIND
(19, RW, Kelowna, WHL) Vitals: Six foot one, 185 lbs, GP 58, G: 39, A: 56, Pts: 95
Upside: Nose for the net, reads the game extremely well, has a quick, heavy and accurate release. Downside: Six tough games last spring with the Utica Comets proved he has to be better in the gym and on the ice.
Quotable: “I don’t think you can really prepare until you get there (to the AHL). It’s a faster game and was a huge step for me. There are things I have to fix in my game and that didn’t come much in the minors. I have to push the pace as much as I can.” — Lind
ADAM GAUDETTE
(21, C, Northeastern, NCAA) Vitals: Six foot one, 190 lbs, GP: 38, G: 30, A: 30, Pts: 60
Upside: Natural goal-scorer who plays with two-way responsibility and feistiness. Think Ryan Kesler. Downside: The Hobey Baker Award winner needs to get his skating to the NHL level so his starts are stronger.
Quotable: “It gave me a taste for what the league is like and I got a little bit of confidence that I can step in and play with those guys. I took what I could and applied it to my training. I don’t think it’s scoring goals right now — it’s the 200-foot game.” — Gaudette on his five NHL games last season
LUKAS JASEK
(21, RW, Liberec Bili Tygri, Czech) Vitals: Six foot one, 184 lbs, GP: 48, G: 8, A: 10, Pts: 18
Upside: Made a quick impression in Utica last spring with seven points in six regular-season games. Downside: Injury in AHL playoffs was an unfortunate end to remarkable season in which he landed NHL deal.
Quotable: “He kind of reminds me a little bit of Michael Grabner as a kid. I think he’s going to be a bottom-six forward and has a chance to be a third-line guy. He’s relentless in his work.” — Benning
JONAH GADJOVICH
(19, LW, Owen Sound, OHL) Vitals: Six foot two, 209 lbs, GP: 42, G: 25, A: 23, Pts: 48
Upside: Team-first guy, heavy hitter, good net presence and played effective penalty killing role for Canada at world juniors. Downside: Had an early injury, missed more time after world juniors with back ailment, then wrist injury in playoffs.
Quotable: “I tweaked it (his wrist) against the Sault. It was just an awkward play and it damaged something, but it’s not serious. That’s why I didn’t play in Utica, but I took notes.” — Gadjovich
PETRUS PALMU
(21, LW, TPS Turku, SM-liiga) Vitals: Five foot six, 172 lbs, GP: 59, G: 17, A: 19, Pts: 36
Upside: Built on a 98-point OHL bowling-ball presence with a strong rookie season in Finnish elite loop.
Downside: Will be a training camp wild card to prove an undersized sixth-round pick can play. Quotable: “That’s my game. That’s what I can do, get to those loose pucks and knock guys off the puck and make a good play. But there are things I have to work on.” — Palmu after scoring, setting up Summer Showcase goal
MICHAEL DIPIETRO
(19, G, Windsor, OHL) Vitals: Six feet, 200 lbs, 29-21-1, 2.79 GAA., Pct. 910, SO: 7 Upside: Attitude is everything. Won Memorial Cup. Cut from final world junior roster. Added to senior men’s national team. Downside: Aggressive, but far from a classic goaltending style. Has to calm his game down to be a pro.
Quotable: “No one works harder or is more dedicated. He’s the leader of our team. He cares about his teammates, his community and doing things the right way.” — Windsor coach Trevor Letowski
JETT WOO
(18, D, Moose Jaw, WHL) Vitals: Six feet, 205 lbs, GP: 44, G: 9, A: 16, Pts: 25
Upside: Old-school, rough-andready defender, second-rounder may be perfect to pair with Quinn Hughes. Downside: Would benefit from world junior exposure, but in tough to crack team that could feature six first-round picks. Quotable: “The one thing that I wanted to make happen is to play my game as well as learn as much as I could and I believe I accomplished that.” — Woo on World Junior Summer Showcase games