You can follow Todd on Twitter @ToddCordell!
If you haven't heard already, I'm the new Vancouver Canucks writer here at Hockeybuzz. Ian Esplen will also continue his coverage as well. The management staff just decided to double up on Canucks coverage because of the large market and the need for daily content.
For those who have followed my Devils and Flames work, you'll know that I try to write daily and am pretty consistent in doing so. I also take pride in producing quality and unbiased work.
I'm pretty familiar with advanced stats and I have a lot of knowledge when it comes to prospects (I scout/cover the OHL for TheHockeyGuys) so don't be surprised to see some of that mixed in my posts from time to time.
Without further ado, I'd like to finally get this post started.
As many of you know, the Young Stars Tournament begins Thursday evening. Between unsigned or undrafted players trying to earn a contract, or players trying to show they're a level above the rest in hopes of earning a roster spot (i.e. Bo Horvat, etc.), this is an important camp for everyone involved.
Not only is it a good measuring stick for prospects to see where they're at, but it gives Mike Gillis the opportunity to see exactly how all the Canucks prospects are coming along. It also allows the team to measure up their prospect system against other teams. Suffice to say, this tournament is beneficial to all involved and is more important than it may seem.
Here is a look at four Canucks prospects to watch throughout the next week or so at the Young Stars Tournament:
C Bo Horvat
Bo Horvat is one of the most reliable and effective two-way forwards in the 2013 draft class. I scouted him 10-15 times last year and from what I saw he's ready to at least compete for an NHL roster spot this fall. Whether he earns a spot or not remains to be seen, but a good tournament here would be a good start towards doing just that.
The Canucks are clearly high on Horvat - they moved Cory Schneider to acquire the pick used to select him - but he'll need to force himself on to the team. John Tortorella is all about accountability and Horvat isn't going to just be given a spot.
You'd have to think if Horvat is indeed ready, he'll shine in this tournament. A poor showing would raise some questions among management about how ready he really is so this is a big week for him, to say the least. There's no reason to believe he'll struggle, but crazier things have happened.
C Zach Hall
Hall is coming off a rather impressive season where he combined to record 109 points in 82 regular season/playoff games for the Barrie Colts. I was lucky enough to scout 40-50 of those games and I can say that Hall is certainly deserving of the camp invite he received. Now it's his job to have a strong tournament in hopes of landing a pro contract. Hall has a lot to play for and will be hungry to make use of this opportunity, so he's definitely a guy to watch out for.
D Jordan Subban
Subban is a guy I'm extremely high on and I think if he was a couple inches taller, he would've been a top-60 pick in the NHL draft last June. I think Subban was a steal where he was taken in the 4th round, and I think he'll show that this week.
He's an extremely mobile puck-moving defenseman who is very effective running a power play. He plays with an edge despite his small stature and reminds me a lot of his older brother, PK. With the Canucks having some star power up front in the likes of Horvat, Hunter Shinkaruk, etc. it wouldn't surprise me if he puts up quite a few points.
G Mathieu Corbeil
Despite having a couple good seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs after being selected in the 4th round by Columbus, the Blue Jackets elected not to sign the 6'6' goaltender.
He played hockey for the Missouri Mavericks in a lower level pro league this past year and put up respectable numbers there. Corbeil was 10-9-1 with a 2.69 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. I can't speak to the quality of his team so I don't know if those numbers should be better or worse than they are, but they come off as decent totals.
With Eddie Lack not participating in the tournament, Corbeil should get a couple of starts to prove his worth to Canucks management. Obviously a couple appearances is a very small sample size, but if he impresses enough he could come away with a contract; whether it be from Vancouver or another team that sees him play.
Suffice to say, this is a very important tournament for a lot of people. It all kicks off tomorrow when the Canucks take on the San Jose Sharks at 10:30ET/7:30PT. All Canucks games will be streamed on Canucks.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: [email protected]
Join the Discussion:
»