Leave Cody Hodgson Alone

Cody Hodgson's not a bust! He's a human being!

The injury to Manny Malhotra has left the Canucks' third line in a state of disarray. It's a substantial hole, and the Canucks have struggled to fill it, promoting fourth-line centers such as Maxim Lapierre and Alex Bolduc, as well as converting wingers such as Jannik Hansen and Mason Raymond. All of these experiments have been met with mixed success. The answer, it seems, is evasive.

Tony Gallagher believes it's in the AHL. If the need is a natural center with some offensive talent, Gallagher (and many others) want to know why the Canucks haven't called up Cody Hodgson. Here's why: another Cody Hodgson recall won't help anybody. Not the Canucks, not Hodgson.

Right now, the best thing for everyone would be to leave Cody Hodgson alone.

Evaluating Chris Tanev

With the news that Kevin Bieksa has started practicing with the team again, the next step will be his return to the Canucks lineup, maybe even as early as tomorrow's game against Detroit. This means that one of the Canucks' current defensemen will be hitting the pressbox, unless Sami Salo breaks again. It's almost a certainty that the odd man out will be Chris Tanev. The reasons are numerous: he's an inexperienced rookie, he's not yet used to the long haul of an NHL schedule, and Aaron Rome has kidnapped Vigneault's children and is holding them for ransom in a ploy to get more ice-time.

You will notice, however, that none of those reasons mention the quality of Tanev's play. Part of this is that it's been very difficult to properly assess Tanev: the word that keeps coming to commentator's lips is "poised", but poise is remarkably hard to quantify. It's hard to miss his lack of panic with the puck and his ability to make good outlet passes; mentally, he seems ready for the NHL and certainly has a higher ceiling than someone like Aaron Rome. But is he currently ready physically for the NHL, particularly the grind of the playoffs? Alain Vigneault has stated that Tanev won't be returned to the minors and that he has been impressed with his play, but he'll likely see significant time in the pressbox; come playoff time, with Alex Edler and Andrew Alberts returning, will Tanev see any playing time at all? Would his development be better served playing more significant minutes with the Manitoba Moose?

A Little Motivation For Cody Hodgson

The Canucks are applying a little pressure to Hodgson, who has three games to prove his merit.

By now, you've probably heard the news that the Canucks made a minor roster adjustment this morning, sending Evan Oberg back down to the Moose and calling up Cody Hodgson in his place. For Canuck fans, it's good news all across the board, as Oberg's reassignment means that Dan Hamhuis will jump back into the lineup on Tuesday, and Cody Hodgson's second invitation means that the Canucks liked what they saw from him two weeks ago.

That said, they clearly weren't fully satisfied with Hodgson's play, or they wouldn't have reassigned him in the first place. Suffice it to say, the coaching staff wants to see more out of him, which is why Alain Vigneault applied some substantial supplementary pressure today by effectively telling Cody Hodgson, by way of the media, that he had three games to prove he should stay in Vancouver this season.

The Purpose of the Canucks' Fourth Line? Prospect Development

For much of the season, the Canucks' 4th line has been a target for criticism. It's been a patchwork unit all year long, with little in the way of consistency (save the presence of Tanner Glass). Worse, the players the Canucks have placed on it have had such varying skillsets and playing styles that we once speculated that the team had no idea what we they wanted from the 4th line.

Guys like Guillaume Desbiens and Aaron Volpatti indicated a desire for toughness; guys like Peter Schaefer and Mario Bliznak indicated a desire for a checking line; guys like Joel Perrault and Cody Hodgson indicated a sudden hope of tertiary scoring. The personnel and personality of the 4th changed so drastically from night to night, it often seemed as though the Canucks were simply hoping to trip over the answer.

On Thursday, Mike Gillis was on the Team 1040 morning show with Scotty Rintoul and Ray Ferraro, and while querying him on the somewhat puzzling timing of the Cody Hodgson callup, Scotty finally asked him directly about the seeming inconsistency of the 4th line. Gillis's response was more than a little interesting:

The 4th line--there's been a lot made of it--but we've intentionally brought players in and out to give them experience, and to get them familiar with what goes on here and play in games here. We've used it as a little bit of a development tool, because we want to get these young players into game experience in the NHL. And, even if they're not ready to be as consistent as we'd like, you still want them to get familiar with everything that goes on: game days, how it works, getting on the plane, familiar with the training staff, familiar with their teammates. So we've used that as a little bit of an experiment the whole year, and now we feel pretty confident that we have young players [for whom] it won't be a big surprise if we have to use them down the stretch or in the playoffs. [...] Even though we might have wanted more consistency out of that line, we have used it for different purposes at different times, so it's a little unfair to say we've been searching for something.

In short: the Canucks aren't searching for something. They're prospecting.

Gillis admits here that the line has lacked consistency to the naked eye--that it's appeared, at times, the Canucks were on a bit of a mapless treasure hunt--but he also gives a solid explanation. The primary purpose of the Canucks' 4th line under Gillis and Vigneault isn't to provide checking, grit, or additional scoring--it's to provide development and experience to the players in the Canucks' prospect system. As for what the Canucks expect of these young players, it's simply this: to play their game, and to gain the experience necessary to improve it.

Friend of Tanner Glass and exceptionally cool tweep @RayDerge recently pointed out that The Scrabble Champ has been on the ice for the first NHL goal of four separate guys this season, as Mario Bliznak, Alex Bolduc, Aaron Volpatti, and Cody Hodgson all lit the lamp on his line (begging the question of whether Glass is being intentionally utilized as a mentor, especially considering his leadership history). Bearing in mind what Gillis has told us about the purpose of the 4th line, this has to be a win for the Canucks. In fact, through this new lens, the Canucks' 4th line appears to be doing exactly what it's supposed to: giving invaluable experience to a long list of young'uns.

Running Out of Time, Canucks Call Up Cody Hodgson

Surprise news this morning, as the Canucks announced that they had called top prospect Cody Hodgson up from the Manitoba Moose. Hodgson will be meeting the team in Dallas, and Ian Walker has tweeted that he'll likely play, suiting up as the fourth-line centre and bumping Tanner Glass back to his natural position on the wing.

Fans are excited to see Hodgson finally make his regular season debut with the Canucks, but they're also a bit confused by the timing. Hodgson is recovering from a broken orbital bone that caused him to miss six weeks, and is still wearing a full shield to protect his face.

Worse, in four games since returning to the Moose lineup, Hodgson has 0 goals, 0 assists, and is a minus-2. This from a guy that was the Moose leading scorer before his injury. He's had 10 shots, but if he's not scoring and he's not coming down on the plus side, fans are right to wonder: why now?

In truth, it's either now or never (never being next season). I would wager that the team was days away from calling Hodgson up before he broke his cheekbone, and that the timing of that injury couldn't have been worse. Now, they can't afford to wait any longer.

From the Archives: Is Lee Sweatt the Next Brian Rafalski?

If you spent the weekend engaged in activities and doin thangs, you might have missed the news that the Canucks have recalled defenseman Lee Sweatt. This is primarily a precautionary measure. Kevin Bieksa's eye is swollen shut, and because he's not Steve Nash, he probably can't play like that. Unless Juice gets better in a hurry, Lee Sweatt will get the nod.

But who is Lee Sweatt? Is he worth getting excited about? Possibly. Last September, when Sweatt was just one of many training camp hopefuls, I suggested he might be the next Brian Rafalski. I'll admit it's far-fetched to assume Sweatt can match the impressive career of the Red Wings defenseman, but it's not impossible, and the similarities between the two players are uncanny. Since interest in him couldn't be higher, I thought I'd dig the post up from the archives and give it a second tour. So, here, for your perusal, is Is Lee Sweatt the Next Brian Rafalski?, an original PITB article.

| Continue Reading |

Recalling Sergei Shirokov

Does everyone remember Sergei Shirokov? Last season's pre-season wunderkind who then stumbled to no points and a -4 in 6 games to start the year? The guy who was being compared to Pavel Bure despite having only his nationality in common with the Russian Rocket? Well, he's back. The man with the imaginative nickname of "Shirok," which apparently translates as "Wide" in Russian, has been recalled in the wake of the Alexandre Bolduc injury. It's a well-deserved reward for leading the Moose in points and breaking a club-record for consecutive games with a point. He was also the only Moose player named to the AHL All-Star Game and has been solid for the Moose in the absence of Cody Hodgson and Jordan Schroeder.

All I ask is that we temper our expectations. While I hope this isn't the case, Shirokov may end up just sitting in the press box as the extra forward. Even if he does slot into the lineup, it might only be on the fourth line. That said, Jeff Tambellini has gone 10 games without a point and it might be time for a wakeup call. It's possible that Shirokov could fit on a second line with Raymond and Kesler, though he'll be hard-pressed to match their speed. Alternatively, he could line-up with Torres and Malhotra, reuniting Samuelsson with Raymond and Kesler. Shirokov has been praised recently for his improved defensive play and is a +10 on the season, meaning he might not be out of place on the third line.

In any case, Shirokov has earned this chance to prove he belongs in the NHL. Here's hoping he makes the most of it.

Cory Schneider Has Played His Way Out of Vancouver

In February of 2008, on the eve of the NHL trade deadline, Canucks GM Dave Nonis was in serious talks with the Tampa Bay Lightning for Brad Richards. Though the deal fell through, Darren Dreger later reported that Tampa Bay's asking price included at least one of Alex Edler, Ryan Kesler, or Luc Bourdon, as well as Cory Schneider. Canuck fans hungry for a superstar center (ironic, now) were disappointed when Richards went to Dallas instead. Fan outcry centered around the Canucks' unwillingness to trade Schneider, the goaltending prospect thought to be peaking in trade value.

As we enter 2011, the Canucks still retain the young goaltender, now as solid an NHL backup as there is. Incredibly, his trade value has only continued to rise, but by now, this shouldn't be a surprise: Cory Schneider's been driving his asking price skyward for years. Now he's playing his way out of Vancouver.

Anyone with an ounce of wisdom has always known that Schneider won't be usurping the Canucks' starting job from Roberto Luongo. It became less likely when Luongo was named captain of the team, and even less likely when Luongo inked a twelve-year extension. Though Schneider may have the potential to be a number one goalie, circumstance has long dictated that the opportunity awaits him in another city.

Jonathan Iilahti Cut from Finnish World Junior Team

The World Junior Hockey Championship (beginning Boxing Day), has become an annual post-Christmas tradition for many Canadian hockey fans. One of the main sources of excitement is watching your team's young prospects go up against their peers, and for many NHL fans, it's the only time we get a chance to watch the kids play. In the last couple years, Canucks fans have been treated to fine performances by Cody Hodgson, Jordan Schroeder, and Anton Rodin, but unfortunately this year, we won't get the chance to cheer on any future Canucks (barring future trades of which only Marty McFly would have knowledge).

The only prospect who was even considered for his country's team was goaltender Jonathan Iilahti, who was selected in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL entry draft. Iilahti performed well last year for Finland in the U-18 tournament, helping Finland to a bronze medal, and was considered by some to be a lock for the second or third goaltending position on the U-20 team this year. Unfortunately, he was cut from the team on Thursday and will not be representing his country at the tournament this year.

Judging by when he was cut, Iilahti can be considered Finland's fourth-best goaltender under 20 years old. He's still only 18, so he would be eligible for next year's WJC, but this result must be considered something of a disappointment. Without a single Canucks prospect in the tournament and the Canucks unlikely to have a high first-round draft pick to select one of the interesting draft-eligible players, my interest in the World Juniors has dropped significantly. I'll still be watching and cheering for Canada, but it's disappointing not to have a Canuck-connection in the mix.

Canada's tournament starts at 1:00 pm Pacific on TSN against Russia.

The Complete Canucks Training Camp

In case anybody was wondering about the complete training camp roster, the Canucks are currently carrying 58 players, listed below:

Forwards (33)
Steven Anthony, Mario Bliznak, Alex Bolduc, Alex Burrows, Guillaume Desbiens, Matt Fraser, Alex Friesen, Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen, Cody Hodgson, Darcy Hordichuk, Ryan Kesler, Manny Malhotra, Pierre-Olivier Morin, Brendan Morrison, Victor Oreskovich, Joel Perrault, Prab Rai, Mason Raymond, Marco Rosa, Rick Rypien, Mikael Samuelsson, Peter Schaefer, Stefan Schneider, Jordan Schroeder, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Sergei Shirokov, Bill Sweatt, Jeff Tambellini, Raffi Torres, Aaron Volpatti, Shawn Weller.

Defensemen (20)
Andrew Alberts, Keith Ballard, Nolan Baumgartner, Kevin Bieksa, Kevin Connauton, Alex Edler, Christian Ehrhoff, Taylor Ellington, Dan Hamhuis, Sawyer Hannay, Shane O’Brien, Evan Oberg, Adam Polasek, Travis Ramsey, Aaron Rome, Sami Salo, Yann Sauve, Lee Sweatt, Chris Tanev, Sean Zimmerman.

Goalies (5)
Eddie Lack, Roberto Luongo, David Shantz, Cory Schneider, and Tyler Weiman.


We will be updating this list as players are cut, so check back often. Good luck to all these guys as they fight for spots. Hockey! Hockey! Hockey!

Camp Cuts

Mike Gillis announced the first round of training camp cuts today, reducing the prospect camp roster by nine players. Seven of those nine were unsigned invitees, who I briefly introduced you to at the beginning of September. The other two are signed to contracts.

Dan Gendur has been assigned to the Moose, where he will hope to stick with the club after spending last season in Victoria with the Salmon Kings. Gendur has yet to really impress at a prospect camp and is on the last year of his entry-level contract. He'll need to step up this season if he wants to earn another contract with the Canucks.

Kellan Tochkin heads back to the WHL for another year with the Everett Silvertips. Tochkin was undrafted but caught the Canucks attention with 74 points in 72 games as a rookie in the WHL in 2008-09. He wasn't able to build on those totals in his second year and will need to prove that he has the talent to overcome his small size. Since he's been sent down to his junior team, he no longer counts against the Canucks' 50-contract limit, which allows Gillis the freedom to sign one of the invitees to the prospects camp or main camp, such as Pierre-Olivier Morin, Matt Fraser, Brendan Morrison, or Peter Schaefer.

The other players cut were all invitees. Michael Houser will be starting for the London Knights in the OHL and is still draft-eligible. It will be interesting to see if the Canucks look to draft him next year as their depth in goal is looking pretty good with Eddie Lack and Jonathan Iilahti now in the system. Kevin Clark will play for the Moose and it's likely that the other invitees that were cut today, David Fischer, Kris Fredheim, James Henry, Tayler Jordan, and Brad Smith, will get a tryout with Manitoba as well. James Henry is young enough that he will likely return to the Vancouver Giants in the WHL instead and Brad Smith may return to Saint Mary's University in the CIS after a reasonably successful rookie year. David Fischer, a former first round draft pick, is looking more and more like a bust. Canucks prospects like Kevin Connauton and Chris Tanev outshone him.

What this means, of course, is that two of the prospect camp invitees did not get cut. Matt Fraser and Pierre-Olivier Morin were standouts and, as Jason Botchford suggested, are the most likely candidates to earn a contract out of camp. I'm especially happy for Fraser who is by all accounts an outstanding kid. He was named the WHL's Humanitarian of the Year for 2009-10 for his charity work. Also, he's pretty good at hockey. Morin showed a nose for the net during the young stars tournament and managed to score one goal by being in the right place at the right time and roofing the puck. He showed more finish than Steve Bernier on that goal and it will be interesting to see how he matches up with NHL talent in the pre-season. He's young enough that he could be signed and then sent back to the Lewiston MAINEiacs without counting against Vancouver's 50-contract limit.

I Watched This [YoungStars] Game: Canucks Prospects vs. Sharks Prospects, September 13, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis!, chronicling the observations and insights of some guys who watched a hockey game.

Night and day, the difference between yesterday's YoungStars game and the one a day earlier. I'm talking about everything: the sound quality, the stream, the announcing, and the play of the Baby Canucks were drastically improved from yesterday. Perhaps everybody involved in the game read my rant from the day before? I doubt it, but I can't think of any explanation for things going from inexorable worstness to decency in twenty-four hours, apart from guilt over displeasing me. Just spitballin'.

I watched most of the game, and while it was hard to concentrate when my wife was watching Dirty Dancing, loudly, in HD, on the television behind me, I was able to notice things. Those things are below. But, before we go there, can I just say that Dirty Dancing sucks? Holy crap, it's a terrible movie. The acting is wooden, the whole thing is cheesy, the movie friggin' ends with Patrick Swayze mouthing "It's all because of you" or some stupid garbage... I don't mind a well-done chick flick. For instance, I think I'm with Seth Rogen--You've Got Mail was sweet. But Dirty Dancing is a steaming pile of excrement born from out of anus of the world. Never watch it.

• Aaron Volpatti was amazing last night, and he'd better be. At twenty-five, he's got a good six to seven years on some of these kids, making him kind of a creeper. Aaron Vol-PedoBear was hitting kids with his Vol-PaddyWagon all night, just like the night before. Last night, however, he also scored two goals and got in a fight that set a physical tone for the game. He was the best player on the ice. I hope he makes the team, just so I can make more puns with his name. Aaron Volpatti was all-world; we should call him Aaron Vol-Pangaea... They'll be better than that one.
  
• The tandem of Kevin Connauton and Chris Tanev was fantastic. Connauton had a bit of trouble controlling the puck, at times, and there was one power play where I thought he really lacked the poise he's shown on other occasions, but he was jumping up in the rush, pushing the Sharks prospects back, and making space all night. That said, the rush of the night went to Chris Tanev, who took the puck all the way from behind his own net to the Sharks net, where he set up Volpatti for the score. (It wasn't a tap-in either. In the clip above, Tanev admits it was a "pretty bad pass.") Tanev had two goals and an assist. Both he and Connauton look ready for the next level.
• Jordan Schroeder finally showed a couple flashes, and it's about time. Jason Botchford had the best line on Twitter: "It is Penticton. It is the prospects tournament. It is this week. OK, now tell Jordan Schroeder." He put the criticism on hold with a great bit of puck control, poise and stickhandling to set up a power play goal in the 2nd.
  
• That said, both he and Billy Sweatt, who showed a ton of speed breaking away (although he didn't finish) may have been outplayed by Pierre Olivier-Morin. Kudos to the Kurtenblog: you guys called it, he's pretty good.
• Eddie Lack was remarkable yet again. For those of you saying that Corey Schneider has zero competition for the Canucks' backup job next season, well, you're probably still right. But Lack's making a case. In fact, both goaltenders last night played very well.
  
• The Canucks' best line of the night was Alex Friesen, Prab Rai, and Matt Fraser. Rai tends to impress me and then disappoint me within the same shift, but he was good all the way through last night. Fraser scored the Canucks' first goal on a one-timer after some great work by Alex Friesen, and he deserved it. The strong play bodes well for Fraser, as he and Morin are still not signed. Look for one or both of them to get contracts.
  
• Taylor Ellington got in a fight with a guy and I don't remember who it was, but when Ellington lost his footing and found himself on his back, the other guy punched him square in the nose with a late shot. It was classless and gutless. Anybody else see that or remember who it was? Maybe Gogol?
• I heard Blake Price say Eddie Lack was known as "The fastest glove in all of Europe." It's unfortunate that he had to leave, because "Fastest glove in all of Penticton" is much less impressive.

The Canucks' prospects are doing off-ice workouts today and resting up for a tilt with the Ducks' prospects tomorrow night. As usual, we'll have our thoughts the next day.

I Watched This [YoungStars] Game: Canucks Prospects vs. Oilers Prospects, September 12, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis!, chronicling the observations and insights of two people who watched a hockey game.


If you're new to Pass it to Bulis, the I Watched This Game feature is our way of reviewing the Canucks games we just watched, with an eye towards the things we noticed, what to watch for in future games, and hilarious mishaps that absolutely must be documented. The I Watched This Game series is where terrible PiTB player nicknames, in-jokes and grudges are born, so it's always worth the read.

We decided that we would fire up the IWTG series for the YoungStars tournament, but I'm going to warn you in advance that this is likely a grave mistake on our part. Why? First, we hardly know any of these players, we don't know their numbers, and it's hard to make out who is doing what on a live stream of this quality anyway. Our observation skills are therefore limited. Let's take a moment, by the way, to recognize the incredible quality of CTV's olympic stream. It downright spoiled me; the typically rubbish Canucks preseason stream stung even harder this time around as a result.

Yes, the stream is better than usual, but is horrendously terrible really an upgrade over horrifically unforgivable? It crapped out on Skeeter and I several times yesterday early in the second period, then stayed down for the last half of the game. We wound up listening to the broadcast on the radio, and our observing skills suffered as a result.

This really is unacceptable. I think the YoungStars tournament is a brilliant idea. It gives GMs a chance to assess talent in a closed environment, it gives players a genuine chance to show their stuff, and it gives a small town an opportunity to host some games of import and meaning. But, it also gives fans of these teams a chance to whet their appetite for hockey, build excitement and momentum for the season, and spread the word about a team's future. From a marketing perspective, there are lots of positives. The problem is that all of those positives are negated when your stream sucks and the fans feel like you're not thinking of them. I recognize that everything about the quality of the broadcast has improved over the last three years, but it's still not good enough, and I know for a fact that it can be better.

That's the end of my rant. Here are some observations.

• The Canucks prospects lost 4-1, but does anybody really care about the score? This is a chance to see bits and pieces of the Canucks potential future, and, in some cases, the potential near future. This is one of the few games that has little to do with overall team effort, and more to do with individual success stories.
• Speaking of individual success stories, it was kind of frustrating that they were all on the Oilers side. Eberle, Pajaarvi and Hall were probably the three best forwards on the ice, but are we surprised? First, they're three of the top prospects in the world, and second, they were playing together. If Jordan Schroeder was playing with a healthy Cody Hodgson, I suspect that they might have stood out.
• On the Canucks side, it was tough to know who was doing what, when. Aaron Volpatti stood out--he was a wrecking ball out there, creating chances and causing havoc. But he's twenty-five, and running around attacking all these kids isn't really that impressive. In fact, it's nearly an arrestable offense. Aaron Vol-Pedobear? Note: nicknames! I imagine him skating around, trying to lure the other players into his van, which he would likely call the Volpaddy Wagon.
• Kevin Connauton had some defensive lapses, but boy, did he look good quarterbacking the power play. His goal was a bit of a softie, but I'm sure he'll take it. When you're the only one on your team's score sheet, and you're a defenseman touted for offensive upside, I'd say you're doing quite well for yourself. I am stoked to see more of this kid.
• Schroeder was the best Canuck forward, but I was watching for him. I missed a lot of stuff.
  
• I thought Stefan Schneider looked big, but he is big, so that's not that impressive.
  
• Eddie Lack played tremendously. If he had played the whole game, it's possible it might have gone differently. Methinks he was a pretty good find.
• What was the deal with the sound? It was bad. It was unsound. Thanks, I'll be here all night.
• Those white helmets looked kind of dumb. What do you think was the thinking behind that? "These kids aren't ready for blue helmets! Are you trying to destroy their futures? Is that what you want? THINK!"
  

Here's hoping there's more to talk about after tonight's game. If you want to know a little more about these players, check out Skeeter's posts on the invitees to prospects camp and this YoungStars tournament.

Thanks for reading. I'm going to watch today's game, and if the stream is better and my boss doesn't realize what I'm up to, I'll have more to say tomorrow.

Return of the Invitees

Yesterday the Vancouver Canucks announced the prospective roster for the upcoming Prospects Training Camp and Young Stars Tournament. 27 players will be attending the camp, which starts on September 10th. The roster features a bevy of exciting Canucks prospects, including Cody Hodgson, calming the unnecessary controversy created by the possibility of him skipping the tournament and going straight to the main camp.

The Canucks will ice a strong team, headlined by Hodgson and fellow first-rounder Jordan Schroeder. But the intriguing names, to me at least, are the names listed with an asterisk, indicating that the player is unsigned or undrafted by the Canucks. 9 of the 27 players are invitees, 6 of which were invited to the summer prospect camp I previously covered in Pass it To Bulis's Epic Two-Part Saga, "The Invitees." While these invitees don't have a shot at making the Canucks this season, they're all battling to get on the Canucks radar and possibly earn themselves a tryout with the Manitoba Moose.

None of the defencemen invited during the summer are returning; this is easily explainable as all of them are attending university and will be or are already at their respective schools. In fact, the only invitees not returning are all NCAA players. 5 of the 7 forward invitees are returning, as well as one of the two goaltenders. Check parts one and two of The Invitees for more information on these returning players.

Returning Invitees:

Kevin Clark, 22, RW - The Winnipeg native is already on the Manitoba Moose roster after his amateur tryout earlier this year.

Matt Fraser, 20, LW - After a brief stint with the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL, it doesn't look like he will be returning to the club, as he would likely attend the St. Louis Blues camp instead.

James Henry, 19, LW - Vancouver hockey fans will already be familiar with Henry from his time with the Giants, where he was a tiny terror with his tenacious style and a knack for playoff scoring.

Tayler Jordan, 20, LW - This fourth line fighter needs to fill out his 6'6" frame before he will intimidate professional-level pugilists. Still, at his size he could be a nice fit with the Moose.

Pierre-Olivier Morin, 19, LW - The Kurtenblog labeled him a player to watch, but had no details as to why other than the fact he needs to fill out his frame as he is only 162 lbs.

Michael Houser, 17, G - Another player to watch for the Kurtenblog, this time because he will be the youngest player at the tournament. He's still draft eligible, so he's in it for the experience rather than earning a tryout with the Moose.

That covers the returning invitees from the summer. But there are still three new invitees to talk about. By far, the most interesting invitee is David Fischer, for reasons I'll get into in a moment. Of the other two, one is a former Canucks draft pick that went unsigned and the other plays in the CIS.

New Invitees:

David Fischer - Defence

6'4" - 185 lbs -Feb 19, 1988

Apple Valley, MN

The 2006 Mr. Hockey was a first round draft pick for the Montreal Canadiens, 20th overall. The Canadiens had until August 15th of this year to sign him, but instead let him go to free agency after four disappointing years at the University of Minnesota. It's fair to say the Canadiens consider him to be a bust at this point, but will be thankful for the compensatory pick they'll get in the second round of this year's draft as they offered him a contract shortly after drafting him only to have him reject it in favor the NCAA. The scouts quoted in this recent article question his ability to make it to the NHL, labeling him an AHL player and saying that he made no progress whatsoever while playing for head coach Don Lucia, who one scout called "atrocious" according to Google Translate (which also hilariously translated a sub-header in the article as "Teaching Retarded"). Fischer played with Jordan Schroeder at the University of Minnesota, which may help explain his presence in the Canucks camp. If it's true that the coaching at the college level stunted his development, it's possible that he may flourish under better coaching in the AHL.

In any case, there's very little harm in extending a contract offer to a former first round pick; however, the Canucks already have a total of 50 contracts signed, which is the limit. Players that return to the CHL do not count against this limit, but it is unclear if the same is true for players returning to the NCAA or European leagues or when the Canucks need to comply with the roster limit. If Fischer impresses at the Young Stars Tournament, it may affect their ability to offer him a contract. If he turns out to be just as good as the Canadiens think he is, then it's a moot point.

Kris Fredheim - Defence

6'2" - 195 lbs - Feb 23, 1987

Campbell River, BC

Fredheim has a similar story to Fischer, except for the round he was drafted in. The Canucks drafted Fredheim in the 6th round of the 2005 NHL draft and chose not to sign him after four mediocre years at Colorado College. He did see some improvement in his senior year, posting 16 points in 36 games, a significant improvement over his previous three years. He remains loosely affiliated with the Canucks as he signed with their ECHL affiliate, the Victoria Salmon Kings, and he will look to work his way up the ranks from there.

Brad Smith - Centre

6'3" - 185 lbs - Apr 14, 1988

Summerside, PEI

Smith played for Saint Mary's University in the CIS this past year, where he managed 12 points in 28 games as a rookie. His main contribution, however, was the overtime goal he scored in the CIS Men's Hockey Final to lead the SMU Huskies to the championship. "To be honest, I think it's the biggest goal I'll ever score in my career," he said after the game, so he doesn't seem to see himself reaching the Stanley Cup Final at any point. His previous season was played in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League for the Summerside Western Capitals, where he finished second in the league in scoring with 84 points in 52 games.

Since the games will be streamed live on Canucks.com, Pass it To Bulis! may start their "I Watched This Game" coverage early this season. I, for one, am very eager to see our prospects in action, especially Hodgson, Schroeder, Connauton, Hannay, and Sweatt.

The Invitees: Part Two in a Two-Part Saga

Part One of this epic two-part saga can be found here.

It's important to note that none of the invitees to the Canucks Summer Prospect Camp are expected to sign with the Canucks. The Juniors in College will likely return to school for their Senior years, some will get a chance to try out for the Manitoba Moose, and other undrafted players went undrafted for a reason. There are exceptions, of course. 2009 camp invitee Kellan Tochkin was signed by the Canucks after a great camp and a solid season with the Everett Silvertips, posting 74 points in 72 games. He slipped through the draft because of his size (5'9", 170 lbs), but Mike Gillis obviously saw enough potential to sign him to an entry-level deal prior to returning him to the Silvertips for the 2009-10 season. Tochkin increased his goal total from 20 to 28, but saw his overall points drop slightly. He will be attending the camp again this year, this time as a legitimate Canucks prospect.

Yesterday, we covered 6 of the 13 invitees to this year's camp, starting on Tuesday, July 6th. Here are invitees 7 through 13:

Matt Fraser - Left Wing

6'2" - 207 lbs - May 20, 1990

Red Deer, AB

The first thing you need to know? Fraser has his own page on hockeyfights.com, with 11 fights in the WHL last season for the Kootenay Ice. He had 117 penalty minutes in 65 games, but combined that with some decent point totals. He scored 32 goals in those 65 games, good for 25th in the league, along with 24 assists for 56 total points in his third full season in the WHL. He also improved on the defensive side of the ice, jumping from -31 in 2008-09 to +20 last season. This performance earned him his first taste of professional hockey as the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL signed him for the final weekend of the season after the Ice were eliminated from the playoffs. Fraser is also known for his work in the community: he was named the WHL's Humanitarian of the Year for 2009-10 for his efforts with the Shoot for the Star program raised over $14,000 for the East Kootenay Regional Hospital.

James Henry - Left Wing

5'8" - 180 lbs - Mar 11, 1991

Winnipeg, MB

Surprisingly, this under-sized winger from the Vancouver Giants also has his own page on hockeyfights.com. This video is my personal favorite, as you get to see the pint-size Henry pop a larger Chilliwack Bruins player with a massive hit before he's challenged to a fight. This past season saw his PIM jump from 68 to 128 minutes as well as a modest increase in point production. Where Henry truly shined was in the playoffs, as he started off the post-season on an 11-game point-scoring streak with 14 total points. He finished off the playoffs with 16 points in 16 games. This outburst of scoring showed he is more than just a high-energy, pint-sized pugilist. Or a potential third-string goalie for the Giants. It'll be a test to see if his smaller size can handle the physical punishment of his scrappy style of play at the professional level.

Tayler Jordan - Left Wing

6'6" - 200 lbs - Feb 8, 1990

Wynyard, SK

Jordan will be the tallest player at camp by a good 2 inches. Like the previous two players, he has a page on hockeyfights.com. Unlike Fraser and Henry, Jordan doesn't put up points to go with his penalty minutes: in his career with the Portland Winter Hawks, he has 451 PIM and 15 points in 171 games played. This will actually be his second prospect camp, as he attended the Columbus Blue Jackets training camp last summer. Any professional opportunity he has will be on the 4th-line as an enforcer.

Pierre-Olivier Morin - Left Wing

5'11" - 162 lbs - Apr 23, 1991

Trois-Rivieres, PQ

Morin led his QMJHL team, the Lewiston MAINEiacs, in scoring this past season with 65 points in 67 games, tied for 29th in the league. The undrafted winger is eager to earn a contract with the Canucks but will need to impress the coaching staff with the same skill, grit, and coach-ability that originally got him drafted into the QMJHL. He looks like a player that will compete hard for the puck and has enough skill to know what to do with the puck once he's got it. He did have a very low shooting percentage at 8.8% last season and only 9.7% the season before. It's fair to say he's not a sniper, but he was in the top 15 in the league in assists, so he may have some playmaking potential.

Scott Zurevinski - Centre

6'2" - 190 lbs - Jun 4, 1988

Saskatoon, SK

Zurevinski scored 30 points in 39 games as a Sophomore with Quinnipiac University. The Bobcat Junior has been named the captain for the upcoming season, showing his clear leadership qualities. He was also named the team's Rookie of the Year for 2008-09. He is characterized as a solid all-around player with a physical presence and will be relied on heavily offensively as the only 3 players who finished above him in points last season are outgoing Seniors. According to this article, Zurevinski was actually offered a contract by the Canucks this offseason for the maximum allowable for an entry-level deal, but he declined and chose to return to Quinnipiac. His size and scoring touch are his best attributes and clearly Gillis sees some potential.

Michael Houser - Goalie

6'2" - 188 lbs - Sep 13, 1992

Wexford, MI

Houser is the youngest invitee at only 17 years old and the youngest player at the camp overall, beating out Sawyer Hannay by just 7 days. Houser was actually ranked 11th overall amongst North American goaltenders entering the 2010 draft but slipped through. He played 25 games for the London Knights, going 17-4-1 with a .900 SV% and 3.10 GAA. He'll be the starter in London next season and will likely be picked up in the 2011 draft. Many OHL fans on hfboards.com were surprised to see him go undrafted this year, citing his athleticism and lateral movement. He was also one of four goalies named to the 2010 USA National Junior Evaluation Camp and names Roberto Luongo as his favorite player.

Keith Kinkaid - Goalie

6'3" - 180 lbs - Jul 4, 1989

Farmingville, NY

Finally, we have Keith Kinkaid rounding out the goaltending corps for the prospect camp. Kinkaid was the starter for Union College in the NCAA, posting a 12-8-3 record with a .912 SV% and a 2.48 GAA as a freshman and was named the team's Rookie of the Year. It appears that Kinkaid also attended the New York Rangers camp, which was held from June 28th to July 2nd. Considering that NCAA players can't accept any compensation from professional teams, he'll need to make the trek from New York to Vancouver on his own dime. In 2008-09, Kinkaid was named the NAHL's MVP and Goaltender of the Year, leading all goaltenders in SV%, GAA, wins, and shutouts. However, he went undrafted and attended the Rangers summer prospect camp last year as well.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief look at the invitees to the prospect camp. It took me far longer than I expected to collate all of this information. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the camp throughout the week to see if any of these unknowns make a name for themselves.

Missed Part One? Click here!

The Invitees: Part One in a Two-Part Saga

Looking for Part Two? Click here!

As you now know (because we told you) the Canucks Prospect Camp begins on Tuesday, July 6th. 36 prospects will be attending the camp, 13 of which are invitees that have not been signed or drafted by the Vancouver Canucks. Most Canucks fans have at least a passing familiarity with Vancouver's pool of prospects, but just who are these 13 players invited by Mike Gillis and the Canucks organization?

Maury Edwards - Defence

5'11'' - 176 lbs - Mar 16, 1987

Rocky Rapids, AB

Edwards played for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell as a Junior last season and was a 2nd Team All-American in 2009 and was the team's MVP in 2009. He's known for his offensive upside and great slapshot. His scoring took a massive dive last season, from 29 points in 38 games in 08-09 to 15 points in 38 games in 09-10. His goals dropped from 11 to 4. The hope would be that he could re-capture his offensive ability from just one year ago and transition it to the professional game. He's also an intelligent guy, named to the All-Academic team all three of his years at UMass Lowell. Edwards will be the oldest player at the prospect camp, at the ripe-old age of 23.

Brendan Ellis - Defence

6'2" - 206 lbs - Jan 5, 1989

Kelowna, BC

Ellis played for the Westside Warriors of the BCHL and was named Top Defenceman in the Interior Conference for the 2009-10 season and was selected to the all-star team. He was the third-highest scoring defenceman in the BCHL and is the all-time franchise leader for points from defencemen for the Warriors. His point totals jumped from 20 to 58 this season. Ellis plays in all situations for the Warriors, quarterbacking the powerplay, killing penalties, and matching up against the opponent's top lines. He has a scholarship to Merrimack College for the upcoming school year.

Taylor Fedun - Defence

6'0" - 190 lbs - Jun 4, 1988
Edmonton, AB

Fedun was a Junior at Princeton University and is studying Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He led all Princeton defencemen in scoring this past season, with 17 points in 31 games, good for 10th in the conference. He was named to the 2nd-team All-ECAC last season and was awarded Princeton's 1941 Championship Trophy for best representing the "winning spirit of the 1941 championship team and in so doing was an inspiration to his teammates," which may indicate some leadership ability. After his freshman year, Inside College Hockey praised his two-way abilities and called him a complete player, mentioning specifically his patience and intelligence with the puck matched with toughness and tenacity away from the puck.

Kevan Miller - Defence

6'2" - 200 lbs - Nov 15, 1987

Los Angeles, CA

A Junior out of the University of Vermont, Miller is known primarily for being a solid defensive defenceman. His coach has called him a "fierce competitor and a great leader." He was an Assistant Captain for the Catamounts this past season and has been named their Captain for the 2010-11 season. Prior to entering Vermont, he played soccer and lacrosse as well. Unfortunately, that's about it as far as available information on Kevan Miller goes. But you can see him throw a pretty sweet hit at around the 34 second mark of this Youtube video.

Kevin Clark - Right Wing

5'8" - 160 lbs - Dec 29, 1987

Winnipeg, MB

In March of this year, Kevin Clark signed with the Manitoba Moose on an amateur tryout contract out of the University of Alaska-Anchorage. He responded with 3 points in 9 regular season games and 2 points in 4 playoff games, earning him a more permanent spot on the roster. Clark was a proficient goalscorer for the Seawolves, with 23 goals in 36 games in his Senior year. He also racked up the penalty minutes, with 89 PIM and a similar amount in his Junior year. The vast majority of those minutes are from minor penalties and he's known for being hot-headed. He was apparently on Twitter all of last season, but the account appears to have been deleted. He did score a goal on his first shot of his first shift, showing that he's not afraid of going to the front of the net. And this UAA hockey fan blog names him the team's MVP and praises his grittiness. Not bad. He'll need that grittiness as an under-sized forward.

Jack Downing - Right Wing

6'3" - 200 lbs - Mar 16, 1989

New Canaan, CT

Like Kevan Miller, Jack Downing comes from the University of Vermont. He scored 21 points in 36 games as a Junior last season, good enough to tie for fourth on the team. The only three players on the Catamounts to score more points than Downing last season are departing Seniors, so he'll be expected to step up his offensive game. Downing seems to be a true power forward, using his size to deliver punishing checks, combining that with good offensive instincts. His coach suggests that he has a good two-way game: combine that with his shooting ability and size and it's no wonder Central Scouting had him ranked 105th overall amongst North American skaters going into the 2008 NHL entry draft. However, instead of being a late round draft choice, he slipped right through and went undrafted. Downing might be a player to keep an eye on, as power forwards often take a bit longer to develop and learn how to use their size effectively.

We're just getting started. Come back tomorrow for Invitees 7 - 13 in Part Two of the epic Two-Part Saga.

Canucks Prospects Camp is Big-Time News Now

In case you missed what happened on July 1st, please know that it was really exciting. It was so exciting, in fact, that fans are clamoring for more news--all the news, even. And until Mike Gillis announces that he's traded a defenseman or two for a top-nine forward, there will be nothing that even comes close to meeting the rabid demand for high-end Nuckworld news. Our insatiable appetite has us clamoring to know everything we can about Canucks prospects camp which begins Tuesday, July 6th. This is not big news, people, but information about the 36 young hockey players that have won a special trip to Grouse Mountain has been leaking for the past two days. That's right: the Canucks prospects camp is news of such magnitude that there have been leaks. Ladies and gentleman, I give you: the offseason. So what can we tell you? First, we can tell you who isn't going to be there: veterans. Also, top prospect Cody Hodgson.

But don't panic. Naysayers and pessimists have been waiting for the bottom to fall out on this kid's potentially stellar future with the Canucks since he was drafted. You might recall the hullabaloo last year when he opted not to train with Dave Gagner. Maybe you even remember Pierre McGuire crapping himself when he found out the Canucks had acquired Manny Malhotra to personally assassinate Cody. Disregard all of it, especially the Pierre McGuire stuff. He's more of a Washington Capitals expert. Assistant GM Lorne Henning explains why Cody's better not coming:

Hodgson won't need to attend the sessions, Henning said, as the Canucks' top draft pick in 2008 (10th overall) has already been to two of them previously and it's deemed he's better off staying in the Toronto area to continue his training there.

At this point, we just want to make sure he's ready for camp,” said Henning. “It's just that we don't want to get him away from his routine. He's already acclimated with all this so there's really no need to bring him in.”

Okay, good. So who is coming? All five of the Canucks 2010 draft picks, for instance. Here's your complete list. Note that Players in italics are invitees who have not been signed or drafted by the Canucks.

2010 Canucks Prospects Camp Complete Roster

DEFENCEMEN
Andersson, Peter-- D 6’3” 194 Kvidinge, SWE Apr 13 1991
Connauton, Kevin-- D 6’1” 196 Edmonton, AB Feb 23 1990
Edwards, Maury-- D 5’11 176 Rocky Rapids, AB Mar 16 1987
Ellington, Taylor-- D 6’2” 209 Victoria, BC Oct 31 1988
Ellis, Brendan-- D 6’2 206 Kelowna, BC Jan 5 1989
Fedun, Taylor-- D 6’0 190 Edmonton, AB Jun 4 1988
Hannay, Sawyer-- D 6’4” 192 Moncton, NB Sep 6 1992
McNally, Patrick-- D 6’2” 181 Glen Head, NY Dec 4 1991
Miller, Kevan-- D 6’2 200 Los Angeles, CA Nov 15 1987
Oberg, Evan-- D 6’2” 165 Forestburg, AB Feb 16 1988
Polasek, Adam-- D 6’2” 194 Ostrava, CZE July 12 1991
Price, Jeremy-- D 6’1” 194 Milton, ON Sep 26 1990
Sauve,Yann-- D 6’3” 220 Montreal, PQ Feb 18 1990
Tanev, Chris-- D 6’2 185 East York, ON Dec 20 1989

FORWARDS
Anthony, Steven-- LW 6’2” 205 Halifax, N.S. Mar 21 1991
Clark, Kevin-- RW 5’8 160 Winnipeg, MB Dec 29 1987
Downing, Jack-- RW 6’3 200 New Canaan, CT Mar 16 1989
Fraser, Matt-- LW 6’2 207 Red Deer, AB May 20 1990
Friesen, Alex-- C 5’10” 189 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Jan 30 1991
Froshaug, Mats-- LW 6’2” 209 Oslo, NOR July 31 1988
Henry, James-- LW 5’8 180 Winnipeg, MB Mar 11 1991
Jordan, Tayler-- LW 6’6 200 Wynyard, SK Feb 8 1990
Matson, Taylor-- C 6’0” 185 Mound, MN Sep 16 1988
Morin, Pierre-Olivier-- LW 5’11 162 Trois-Rivieres, PQ Apr 23 1991
Rai, Prab-- LW 6’0” 190 Surrey, BC Nov 22 1989
Rodin, Anton-- RW 6’0” 176 Stockholm, SWE Nov 21 1990
Schneider, Stefan-- C 6’4 206 Vernon, B.C. Dec 13 1989
Schroeder, Jordan-- C 5’8” 183 Prior Lake, MN Sep 29 1990
Tochkin, Kellan-- RW 5’9” 179 Abbotsford, BC Feb 15 1991
Volpatti, Aaron-- LW 6’1 196 Revelstoke, B.C. May 30 1985
Zurevinski, Scott-- C 6’2 190 Saskatoon, SK Jun 4 1988

GOALTENDERS
Cannata, Joe-- G 6’1 200 Wakefield, MA Jan 2 1990
Houser, Michael-- G 6’2 188 Wexford, MI Sep 13 1992
Iilahti, Jonathan-- G 6’1” 176 Vaasa, FIN Apr 27 1992
Kinkaid, Keith-- G 6’3 180 Farmingville,NY Jul 4 1989
Lack, Eddie-- G 6’4 183 Norrtalje, SWE Jan 5 1988


Will any of these guys play with the big club next year? Absolutely. Evan Oberg has already played five games with the Canucks, and you have to think he might do it again this year. If Yann Sauve's shows he's made some strides in training camp, he'll be near the top of the call-up list. Jordan Schroeder flat-out wowed everybody in his brief stint with the Moose at the end of last season, and he's likely to push Cody Hodgson for a roster spot out of training camp. Some people think they might both make the team. One of these five goalies is likely the starter for the Moose, which means he's warming the big-league pine if Luongo or Corey Schneider pulls a groin. My dark horse pick to don the Orca after October would be Aaron Volpatti, the gritty, two-way winger from Brown University that might turn out to be an upgrade on Tanner Glass. Only time will tell.