A look at how The Hockey News ranked Vancouver Canucks prospects in 2016.
A lot can change over the span of a decade for an NHL franchise, especially when it comes to prospect lists. Some players live up to their potential, while others may never play a game for the organization that drafted them. It is also a fun exercise to look back and debate which players should have been drafted higher, and which ones are now considered draft busts.
Every year, The Hockey News puts out a list of an organization's top 10 prospects. These lists can be found in The Hockey News' Archive, which holds every issue published. With this in mind, here is how The Hockey News ranked the top 10 prospects for the Vancouver Canucks heading into the 2016-17 season.
1) Defenceman Olli Juolevi: A smart player who reads the game extremely well. Poised and smooth with the puck.
2) Goaltender Thatcher Demko: Intelligent and driven, he has shown improvement in his positioning and tracking.
3) Right Winger Brock Boeser: A blend of power and finesse, he shows no fear taking the puck to the net. excellent release.
4) Left Winger Brendan Gaunce: Must recover the edge that had him almost make the Canucks out of camp last year.
5) Defenceman Jordan Subban: An offensive force, great with the puck on his stick. Much improved defensively.
6) Defenceman Guillaume Brisebois: All-situations defenseman with smarts. Smooth skating gives him excellent mobility.
7) Defenceman Andrey Pedan: A tough, physical defenseman. Positionally sound in his own end and a solid skater.
8) Defenceman Nikita Tryamkin: Will be an imposing figure on an NHL blueline once he adjusts to the North American game.
9) Right Winger William Lockwood: Small, quick, offense-oriented player. Must bulk up during tenure at Michigan.
10) Right Winger Cole Cassels: A versatile player who could fit a penalty-killing role. His offense dried up as a rookie pro.
Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Olli Juolevi poses for a photo after being selected as the number five overall draft pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY SportsMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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