09/13/2016 – Page 2 – CanucksBanter

Vancouver Canucks forward Anton Rodin is well on the road to recovery from a freak injury suffered in January. He hopes to be ready by the start of training camp. Ward Perrin / PNG

Ben Kuzma September 12, 2016

Despite a freak January injury and not skating until August, Anton Rodin hopes to be 100 per cent healthy before playing a National Hockey League pre-season game. He knows that will be the litmus test.

Rodin suffered a left-knee tendon laceration after losing an edge in a Swedish Elite League practice and having a player step on him. However, the Canucks were confident that the versatile Rodin would still project as a third-line left winger next season, unless general manager Jim Benning trades for top-six help.

Fresh from an MVP performance with Brynas IF Gavle in the SEL with 16 goals and 37 points in 33 games, the Canucks’ second-round pick in the 2009 draft is ready for another NHL shot after two injury-plagued AHL seasons with the Chicago Wolves and then three solid seasons in Europe.

If the left knee holds up, the 25-year-old Stockholm native should be worth the one-year contract investment of $950,000 US that has a European assignment clause. It allows Rodin the option of returning to the SEL instead of going to the AHL if he doesn’t make the NHL roster. Not that he’s thinking that. He sounded confident Monday after an informal skate at Rogers Arena.

“The knee feels pretty good and I probably have a bit more to go,” said the 5-foot-11, 181 pound winger. “It’s kind of day-to-day and today it felt great and it’s been good for the last week. I’m pain free. It’s just getting used to everything again. I just need to get my cardio up, but that will come pretty quick.”

And he hopes for the same in rewarding the Canucks’ faith.

“I got to be captain of my (SEL) team and that helped my confidence,” added Rodin. “My goal has always been to play in the NHL and I’m here to play my game. I just have to get faster and more physical, but I’ve played in all situations and being a hard worker is probably the first thing for me.”

Source: Ben Kuzma: Health is wealth if Canucks’ Rodin makes full recovery | The Province

By Tyson Giuriato Tuesday, 09.13.2016

It begins.

Some of the top prospects in the Canucks’ organization will be in beautiful Penticton later this week as the 2016 Young Stars Classic gets underway on Friday.

The tournament not only gives the organization a good look at what they have in the system, but allows fans to get a glimpse of some future Canucks players competing against top prospects from three other organizations. Last year, six players that laced up the skates with the Canucks in Penticton saw action with the big club during the regular season, including Ben Hutton and Jake Virtanen.

This year, the team welcomes a trio of first time participants out of the NCAA, as well as 2016 first round pick, Olli Juolevi.

Five things you should know about the 2016 Canucks Young Stars roster:

Demko’s arrival: NCAA rules forbid players from competing at the Young Stars Classic while still in school (which is way you won’t see Brock Boeser), so Canucks fans have had to wait a few seasons to see their blue-chip goaltending prospect, Thatcher Demko. The 20-year-old turned pro after stellar junior season at Boston College, which saw him win the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in college hockey and also be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, opening the door for him to participate in Penticton and show Canucks fans why he is so highly touted.

Homecoming of sorts: The Canucks dipped into the NCAA free agent pool earlier this year when they signed defenceman Troy Stecher out of North Dakota and goaltender Michael Garteig from Quinnipiac. Both will be in action in Penticton and both have spent some time calling the South Okanagan Events Centre home, including one season as teammates. Stecher played three seasons with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, while Garteig started 45 games for the Vees in 2011-12. Both players were key contributors in Penticton’s 2012 national championship season.

Ready for a rebound: This time last year, the excitement around Cole Cassels was sky high. He was coming off a Memorial Cup winning season with the Oshawa Generals that saw him post 81 points (30-51-81) and 100 penalty minutes in just 54 games, plus another 35 points (11-24-35) in 25 post-season games. Unfortunately, his first year in the AHL didn’t go as well as expected. He scored just two goals and seven points in 67 games. Now fully healthy and with a full off-season of training, Cassels is primed for a bounce back season and that will start with his play in Penticton.

The new guys: Led by first round pick Olli Juolevi, the Canucks will have five of their six draft picks from June in the lineup. The lone exception being Will Lockwood, who is off to the University of Michigan. Defenceman Cole Candella and forwards Jakob Stukel, Rodrigo Abols (who played last season as an invite) and Brett McKenzie round out the 2016 draft picks in the lineup.

Returnees: A total of 11 players that suited up at the 2015 Young Stars Classic return this time around: Rodrigo Abols, Cole Cassels, Joe Labate and Dmitry Zhukenov return up front, while defencemen Guillaume Brisebois, Evan McEneny, Carl Neill, Tate Olson, Ashton Sautner, Mackenze Stewart and Jordan Subban return to a crowded 11-player blue-line.

Extra Notes:

-There are 28 players in total on the roster: three goaltenders, 11 defencemen and 14 forwards.

-Rodrigo Abols and Joe Labate share the title as tallest on the Canucks’ roster, each standing at a respectable 6-foot-4.

-At 215-pounds, Evan McEneny and Mackenze Stewart each weigh-in as the heaviest on the roster.

-Goaltender Michael Garteig checks in as the oldest player on the roster at 24-years-old (Nov. 5, 1991), while at 18-years-old (May 5, 1998), Olli Juolevi competes as the youngest player on the roster.

-Eight players on the Young Stars roster saw action with the Utica Comets last season: Cole Cassels (67 games), Jordan Subban (67 games), Joe Labate (66 games), Ashton Sautner (50 games), Curtis Valk (12 games) and Evan McEneny (2 games).

Source: Canucks Young Stars preview – Vancouver Canucks – Features