10 things to look for from Canucks prospects at Young Stars

Team sending experienced group of players to Penticton showcase

Young Stars in Penticton is more of a showcase than a tournament. There are no points at stake and there will be no trophy presented at the end of the weekend. With that in mind, plus the fact that many European prospects and NCAA players won't be on hand in the South Okanagan, the event is more about assessing individual talent rather than ranking a team's overall prospect depth relative to other organizations.

With the Vancouver Canucks sending four players that saw time in the National Hockey League last season, plus several others that skated in the American Hockey League and three more that played professionally in Europe last year, the Canucks are sending a group with plenty of pro experience.

If all goes as according to plan, that should be evident throughout the weekend as older and polished players match-up against many that will return to their major junior teams as soon as next week.

Here are 10 things to look for from Canucks players in Penticton:

1) Aidan McDonough needs to use his size and strength to dominate shifts throughout the weekend. He doesn't need to be the best player at the showcase from start to finish, but at 23 and with four full years of NCAA hockey and six NHL games under his belt, the Milton, MA native needs to have flashes throughout the weekend that allow him to standout.

2) At the age of 20, Aatu Raty played 15 NHL games and 67 as a professional in North America last season. Many of the players taking part in Penticton this weekend can only dream of suiting up for 15 NHL games. That has to matter for the Finnish centre. He is one of the best prospects set to compete at Young Stars and there needs to be a few flashes that set him apart from the crowd.

3) Danila Klimovich had mixed results in Penticton last year. His offense was on display at times, but so too were poor puck management decisions. This time around it would be great to see more consistency from the 2021 second round pick. Still just 20-years-old, Klimovich scored 17 goals in the AHL last season. There is some pressure on him to elevate his game in the offensive zone this weekend. He doesn't need to score goals in Penticton, but he does -- at the very least -- have to look dangerous.

4) Josh Bloom needs to show the speed that had Canucks fans excited when he was acquired from Buffalo for Riley Stillman. Against a mix of other young professionals and junior aged players, Bloom's skating and speed have to be separators. It will be especially worth watching him on the penalty kill.

5) Max Sasson should have an opportunity to see significant minutes in a top six role at an event like this. A high scorer at Western Michigan University, Sasson wasn't able to bring much offense in his seven games in AHL Abbotsford after signing with the Canucks late last season and turning pro. But the Canucks like his skill set and hopefully fans in Penticton will get a glimpse at the tools he possesses in his toolbox.

6) Akito Hirose drew rave reviews for his performance in seven NHL games late last season. There was poise and polish to his game and perhaps some were surprised to see the 24-year-old included on the Canucks prospects roster. Hirose needs to use his experience to control play in his own zone in games that are often scrambly. He should get ample opportunity to run the prospects power play, too.

7) Filip Johansson is another player that has better pedigree than most in this event. A first round pick of Minnesota in 2018 and three full seasons in the Swedish Hockey League, the 23-year-old played three playoff games for Abbotsford at the tail end of last season. With his experience, Johansson should stand out in Penticton. But he hasn't logged much action on smaller North American ice and this weekend should be a chance to work out the kinks so that he's ready for main camp a week from now.

8) Cole McWard remains a bit of a mystery. Sure, he suited up for five NHL games and even scored a goal after signing with the Canucks following two years at Ohio State University, but the rangy right-handed blueliner is still raw in terms of refining his game at the professional level. We should all get a better read on the types of things McWard can bring to the organization this weekend.

9) It will be interesting to see Kirill Kudryavtsev with a year's development under his belt. The 7th rounder from the 2022 draft impressed with his fluid skating and puck moving ability in Penticton last September. There could very well be a player here. He had 50 points in 67 games in OHL Sault Ste Marie last season. It will be worth noting to see how he is used this weekend with players like Hirose and Johansson on hand ahead of him on the organizational depth chart.

10) Listed at 6'5" and 229 pounds, Nikita Tolopilo is a big man. And he has a big opportunity this weekend to show the Canucks and their fans what he can do between the pipes. We'll see how much game action he gets, but with three net minders on the roster, it stands to reason he'll get one start and perhaps a half-game (or even an additional period) somewhere else along the line. With experience in the Swedish Allsvenskan the past two seasons, Tolopilo should give the Canucks solid goaltending at Young Stars.