The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with a pick in each round. Leading up to the draft day, we at The Hockey News will be profiling a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Jokerit U20 defenceman Julius Saari, who Vancouver could select 175th overall.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Vancouver Canucks At The 2025 IIHF World Championship: May 11
Report: Canucks Prospect Anthony Romani Headed To The NCAA
Former Canucks Goaltender Roberto Luongo Named To NHL Quarter-Century Team
Saari is an intriguing prospect for several reasons. He is listed at 6'2", 187 pounds, and is a decent skater. Saari also saw some time at the pro level this season, playing five games for Jokerit in the Finnish league Mestis.
While he has shown some offensive flashes in the past, Saari is best known for his play in the defensive zone. He has good reach and is able to transition the puck past the blue line with accurate passes. Thanks to his skating ability, Saari can also beat forecheckers to free pucks, while his strong situational awareness allows him to make safe plays, rather than giving up the puck.
Another positive aspect with Saari is that he was named captain of Team Finland at the 2025 U18s. He then backed it up with some strong performances, recording three assists over the five games. While leadership skills are often hard to measure, it says a lot about the player when they are named captain of their national team at a major tournament.
The next step in Saari's development will be rounding out his game, especially in the offensive zone. While defensive defensemen are important parts of every roster, they also need to find a way to produce some form of offence if they want to have success at the NHL level. Finding a full-time spot on Jokerit's pro team should also help Saari's development, as he can test his skills against older and stronger competition.
Ultimately, Saari is the type of prospect the Canucks should be targeting in the six round. While there are still areas of his game that need to be developed, he has some attributes that project well to the pro game. In the end, adding the left-shot defender to the prospect pool would be a smart bet for the organization.
Make 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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
