Well, those World Cup of Hockey preview games certainly spiced up my weekend!
I have to say, I think the organizers have made a lot of very smart choices with these pre-tournament games. The back-to-back games against teams' natural rivals set a positive tone early, getting both fans and players interested.
Canada/USA was definitely a lot spicier than watching Canada play Belarus or something, like we often see in the early rounds of the Olympics. Also, brilliant having the European teams play their games in Europe. It was a lovefest for Henrik Lundqvist in Gothenburg, where he played his Swedish League hockey with Vastra Frolunda, at the arena with my favourite name in the world, I think—Scandinavium.
Here comes Hank. Lundqvist will start for Sweden in Saturday exhibition game vs. Finland. #WCH2016 https://t.co/NWjJCFoORK
— NHL (@NHL) September 9, 2016
Of course, the game was also another success for us Canucks fans, as Loui Eriksson scored two more goals on sweet setups by the twins. People around the league seem to be noticing that this line is clicking in a big way.
#WCH2016: @Canucks Loui Eriksson, Daniel and Henrik Sedin have wasted no time finding chemistry with Team Sweden. https://t.co/qx9y7xwPJI
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) September 12, 2016
Since Canada and Sweden are in different pools, I think they'll be my rooting interests through the first round of the tournament, then I'll figure out the rest of my allegiances from there. Team North America has been a blast to watch but I want to see how they look against somebody other than Team Europe before I make any grand declarations about them being the team to beat!
Today's an off-day as the European teams have made the trip over to North America.
Next game: Finland vs. USA on Tuesday at 4 p.m. PT from Washington, D.C. Then, on Wednesday the pre-tournament games wrap up with Pittsburgh hosting a double-header of Czech Republic/North America and Canada/Russia while the Swedes play Europe in Washington.
Anyway...the other big news of the day is that the Canucks have released their roster for the Young Stars tournament, which runs this weekend in Penticton. Click here for the full event schedule.
The prospects will hit the ice for their first practice at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Thursday at 2 p.m. Here's the Canucks' game schedule:
Friday, September 16 - 7:30 p.m. - Vancouver vs. Edmonton Sunday, September 18 - 2 p.m. - Vancouver vs. Winnipeg Monday, September 19 - 3 p.m. - Vancouver vs. Calgary
I haven't seen it explicitly stated, but the games are usually livestreamed. I assume the same will be true this year.
Click here for the full roster. I'll break down the forwards today, then look at the defense and goaltenders on Tuesday.
In alphabetical order:
Rodrigo Abols - C - 20 years old - drafted in seventh round, 184th overall, in 2016
Abols is a beanpole at 6'5" and 188 pounds. He was a member of last year's Young Stars roster as an invitee after coming over to North America from his native Latvia. Abols had 20 goals and 49 points in 62 games with the Portland Winterhawks last season. Not yet signed to his entry-level deal, so he'll most likely be headed back to Portland for another year (thanks Belcher!)
Michael Carcone - RW - 20 years old - undrafted
Carcone's another older player who could go straight into the AHL this year. He was signed by the Canucks as an undrafted free agent in mid-July. He's on the small side at 5'10" and 170 pounds and seems to be a late bloomer. In his draft year, he was still playing with the Stouffville Spirit, but jumped to the QMJHL as an 18-year-old, putting up 12 goals and 41 points, then exploded with 47 goals and 89 points last year—tied for eighth in scoring in the entire QMJHL.
It'll be interesting to see if Carcone can stand out against more highly-touted prospects.
Cole Cassels - C - 21 years old - drafted in third round, 85th overall, in 2013
Cole Cassels, your time is now. After his amazing run to the Memorial Cup in 2015, he regressed last season, managing just seven points in 67 games and recording a minus-17 with the Utica Comets. A long summer off the ice may have helped him this year if he was still dealing with any residual issues from those injuries he played through during that OHL playoff run.
At 21, Cassels needs to be a standout with the Comets this season if he hopes to keep his NHL dreams alive.
Tyler Coulter - LW - 20 years old - undrafted
Tyler Coulter is an undrafted winger who spent the last four years with the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 2015-16, he tallied 22 goals and 59 points, as well as 14 points in 18 playoff games as Brandon won the WHL championship. He has decent size at 6'0" and 195 pounds.
One of Coulter's teammates on Brandon? Presumed 2017 first-overall pick Nolan Patrick, who tied for the Wheat Kings' playoff scoring lead with 30 points.
Alexis D'Aoust - RW - 20 years old - undrafted
Alexis D'Aoust is another high-scoring winger out of the Q. He played the last four seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes and finished last season with 44 goals and 98 points, fourth in the QMJHL and one point behind Pierre-Luc Dubois. D'Aoust was also fourth in playoff scoring in the Q, with 26 points in 21 games and also has good size at 6'0" and 200 pounds. He is expected to return to Shawinigan this year but was also a presence at the Canucks' prospect development camp in July.
Joe Labate - LW - 23 years old - drafted in the fourth round, 101st overall, in 2011
Formerly known as Joseph, Labate is a holdover from the old regime! He's a big boy at 6'5" and 205 pounds, and played his first pro season in Utica last year after spending four years at Wisconsin. Labate had 10 goals and 20 points with the Comets.
Yan-Pavel Laplante - LW - 21 years old - originally drafted in the third round, 62nd overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013
The Coyotes organization wasn't able to come to terms with Laplante after drafting him in 2013, and he did not get picked in 2015 when he went back into the draft. The Canucks signed him to an entry-level deal in May, after missing out on Drake Caggiula. Laplante is 6'0" and 183 pounds. He scored 34 goals and 65 points as an overager with the Gatineau Olympiques last season—by far the best output of his junior career.
Kyle Maksimovich - LW - 18 years old - undrafted
Maksimovich is another holdover from the prospect development camp in July. He was not picked in this year's draft despite 27 goals and 71 points with the Erie Otters last season. He's on the small size at 5'9" and 172 pounds and will be headed back to the OHL this fall.
Brett McKenzie - C - 19 years old - drafted in seventh round, 194th overall, in 2016
McKenzie was Jim Benning's last draft pick this year. He has decent size at 6'2" and 188 pounds and put up reasonable numbers with the North Bay Battalion last year—26 goals and 53 points. At 19, he's probably destined to go back to junior for another year.
Danny Moynihan - LW - 20 years old - undrafted
Another undrafted winger out of the QMJHL, Moynihan spent the second half of the season as Alexis D'Aoust's teammate on the Shawinigan Cataractes. He tallied 70 points during the regular season between Shawinigan and the Halifax Mooseheads, and added another 19 points in the playoffs.
Marc-Olivier "Marco" Roy - C - 21 years old - drafted in secound round, 56th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in 2013
I thought this name sounded familiar! Roy was a pretty decent Oilers prospect but seemed to fizzle in his first pro season. He split his time between the AHL Bakersfield Condors, where he had 20 points in 42 games, and the ECHL Norfolk Admirals.
I can't find any info on why he's no longer with the Oilers organization after just one year of pro hockey. Someone to watch, especially if he can help fill out the depth chart at centre.
Jacob Stukel - LW - 19 years old - drafted in the sixth round, 154th overall, in 2016
Stukel is the local boy, from Surrey—the former Vancouver Giant was hampered by injury in his draft year. Stukel was traded from the Giants to the Calgary Hitmen last season. It's hoped that he still has upside and that the bad timing of his injury diminished his value unfairly at the draft.
Curtis Valk - C - 23 years old - undrafted
Valk made an impression when he came to Young Stars on a tryout in 2014 and has been with the Canucks organization ever since—although mostly in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings. Last year he played 12 games in Utica and picked up six points.
Valk's game has speed and some razzle-dazzle, but he's small for the NHL at 5'9" and 170 pounds. He has also dealt with some injury issues. If healthy, he should be able to dominate this year's tournament at 23 years old.
Dmitry Zhukenov - C - 19 years old - drafted in fourth round, 114th overall, in 2015
Zhukenov showed some promise in his first year in North America, picking up 57 points in 64 games with Chicoutimi of the QMJHL. He's on the small size at 5'11" and 169 pounds. It'll be interesting to see if he looks stronger on his skates this year.
One other note—this year's third-round pick, William Lockwood, will not be at the tournament because he's playing at Michigan this fall. Like Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser before him, NCAA players are not eligible to participate in NHL training camp activities.