[Article] Canucks: What did we really learn from the annual Young Stars tournament?

[RWJC]

Canucks: What did we really learn from the annual Young Stars tournament

Under the direction of new Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra, Vancouver's top prospects met expectations in Penticton

 

 

Ben Kuzma 

The Province, September 17 2024

 

Winning isn’t everything.

 

That’s the annual mantra for the Vancouver Canucks in assessing what they hoped to achieve in the four-team Young Stars tournament in Penticton. Progression in pace, systems and structure is more important than points, but who are we kidding?

A compete level that results in great plays or highlight-reel goals, and also contribute to victories, are confirmation of potential and good for the confidence.

 

For new Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra, the first chance to run his own bench means as much as seeing progress. The Canucks registered a 2-0 win to open the Young Stars event Friday against the Edmonton Oilers and rallied from a 2-0 deficit Sunday to double the Winnipeg Jets 4-2.

 

The Canucks ran the tournament table in their finale Monday afternoon by once again showing resiliency to rally from a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames to finish a 3-0-0. As much as the Canucks iced veteran lineups in Penticton, the kids also came to play.

 

Towering and intriguing winger Vilmer Alriksson, a fourth-round 2023 NHL draft pick, scored his second goal in as many games Monday with a sharp-angle shot. Winger Riley Patterson, a fourth-round pick in June, and invite Deagan McMillan also scored. Arshdeep Bains concluded his strong tournament with another goal.

 

“Having veteran guys in the lineup helped, and as the weekend went on, we found our game more and recognized what worked for us,” Malhotra said in summation of what became a bend-but-don’t break tournament summation. “Neutral-zone turnovers, not getting up the ice, D-zone coverage and killing plays a little bit better is a little bit frustrating.

“But again, we responded well again in the second  period today and played a half-ice game and were keeping them hemmed in and the goals came from there.”

 

The event was a work in progress and Malhotra was buoyed by players putting what they’ve been learning into practice.

 

“The execution and really good work by our defenders in killing plays early and not allowing them to establish any kind of O-zone, and offensively we created good looks and created chemistry,” he said. “And good rotations and pucks recoveries to keep them hemmed in.”

 

The Jets test was a mixed bag of starting slow before finding a rhythm, something that’s often on display in this event.

 

“It was good to see resiliency of the group,” said Malhotra. “Obviously, not overly pleased with the start. But credit to the guys to get to the game we wanted. We simplified, won battles, got pucks deep and to the net to turn momentum.

 

“The competitive nature of the game seemed too high for us early on. We were scrambling in the D-zone and we got more physical and more traffic to the net. The game isn’t going to change. Once you assert yourself physically and compete, momentum swings.”

 

If prize 2022 draft picks in right-winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki and defenceman Elias Petttersson failed to move the meter at the South Okanagan Events centre in the 2024 edition of the event, it would be a problem.

 

Lekkerimaki’s game has vastly improved and so has his skating, size, smarts and presence. And Pettersson’s stature, physicality, puck movement and smarts have him on the fast track for a strong AHL rookie season in Abbotsford. Same for Lekkerimaki.

 

That was on display in Penticton, especially after Lekkeimaki, 20, came off a strong Swedish Hockey League season with 31 points (19-12) in 46 games for Orebro HK. He also had 10 points (7-3) in seven world junior championship games with Sweden, and two points (1-1) in six AHL games.

Lekkerimaki also teased of future potential April 6 at Abbotsford with his first goal. He got into position and found an opening in the high slot, took a pass and quickly fired a hard and accurate wrist shot far side. And in the Canucks’ tourney opener in Penticton, he used a strong mental focus to power a dominant game where he had ample scoring opportunities and could have easily had multiple goals.

 

Lekkerimaki opened the tournament on a dominant line with Bains, 23, and Aaatu Raty, 21, who had strong 55 (16-39) and 52 (18-34) points, respectively, last season in the AHL. Bains also played eight games with the parent club and Lekkerimaki hopes to get his looks this NHL season.

“Yeah, they’re really skilled players,” Lekkerimaki said of his Young Stars linemates. “I did a lot of training in the summer and I just want to get ready for main camp and I want to do my best every game. You obviously want to win these (Young Stars) games and you have to be ready from the start.”

He was.

 

“He definitely fit right in,” Malhotra said of Lekkerimaki. “He did not look his age (20) one bit and some of his touches were elite and he got out of some sticky situations and created quality looks.

 

“Impressed with his first showing here and what makes him a special player is to carry on as he normally does. He stepped up and played seamlessly. He had a burst (Monday) where he jumped through the middle and created a great look. A testament to settling in and doing what got him here.”

 

Pettersson scored against the Jets and it was his presence that continued to impress.

 

“We came out with a different energy and just kept believing and had a couple of great shifts that turned into two goals,” said Pettersson. “I had a goal but overall I think I can play a little bit better. It was pretty good. I want to play physical and feel like I can do it more.”

 

The Young Stars is always a study in experience and perspective.

Two years ago, the Canucks were curious what they had in winger Linus Karlsson, who was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks. He had 46 points (26-20) in 52 SHL games with Skelleftea AIK in 2021-22. But how would that transition to the North American ice?

 

At the following Young Stars, he initially looked like he was stick-handling in a phone booth but got noticeably better as the tournament progressed.

 

“Very crafty. He finds a way to give himself some space,” lauded former Abbotsford head coach Jeremy Colliton. “He’s got a heavy stick and just kept coming up with the puck — stripping guys and creating three or four chances on his own. And he’s making some plays, he’s not just a scorer.

 

“But there’s going to be an adjustment here as the level goes up.”

 

Karlsson used the experience as a springboard for 49 rookie points (24-25) in Abbotsford and followed up last season with 60 points (23-37), and his first four games in the NHL. However, he’s now 24 and on an expiring one-year contract amid of glut of wingers stocking the parent club.

 

bkuzma@postmedia.com

 

https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-young-stars-tournament-malhotra-pettersson-lekkerimaki

Edited Tuesday at 01:26 AM by RWJC

[fanfor42]

It's a fun tournament and gives people in the Okanagan a chance to see the young guys up close.  But as has been said many times, fans of every team overestimate the talent of their team's prospects.  Vancouver is no exception.

 

How many players have represented the Canucks at the Youngstars over the last number of years (since it started) and how many have actually wound up with an NHL career? It's a very low percentage.

 

It's a nice tourney but it doesn't mean much. Partly because the US college guys don't come. Willander and Celebrini case in point. 

 

But good promotion and good fun for everyone.

 

 

[Elias Pettersson]

Lekkerimaki, D-Petey, Alriksson.  Oh my...

 

The Swedes are coming, the Swedes are coming...   

[Canuck You]

7 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Lekkerimaki, D-Petey, Alriksson.  Oh my...

 

The Swedes are coming, the Swedes are coming...   

Missed all of it..moving..So they were Good? Real good? OMFG Good?

[Hammertime]

I don't want to sound like a Lekkerimaki apologist. I thought he looked really good from what I saw. I don't recall him getting many grade A chances. His line mates weren't exactly putting pucks on a tee for him. 

 

 

[Canuck You]

10 minutes ago, fanfor42 said:

It's a fun tournament and gives people in the Okanagan a chance to see the young guys up close.  But as has been said many times, fans of every team overestimate the talent of their team's prospects.  Vancouver is no exception.

 

How many players have represented the Canucks at the Youngstars over the last number of years (since it started) and how many have actually wound up with an NHL career? It's a very low percentage.

 

It's a nice tourney but it doesn't mean much. Partly because the US college guys don't come. Willander and Celebrini case in point. 

 

But good promotion and good fun for everyone.

 

 

Must be something contractual..No way a player won't show up that got drafted by his team.

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, Canuck You said:

Must be something contractual..No way a player won't show up that got drafted by his team.

College kids have to pay their own way or they lose their college status and scholarship. So it’s an ncaa thing. Stupid, of course, considering how much the football players are paid. 

[Elias Pettersson]

10 minutes ago, Canuck You said:

Missed all of it..moving..So they were Good? Real good? OMFG Good?

 

OMFG Good...

[PeteyBOI]

Any TLDR? im feeling extra today

[Keslers Ghost]

Only watched the highlights.. liked what I saw from Alriksson but don't know much about his overall game.

[nuckin_futz]

What I learned is we have very few 'young stars'.

[iinatcc]

2 hours ago, nuckin_futz said:

What I learned is we have very few 'young stars'.

 

Hope it pans out.

 

I don't want it to be another 1988 Oscars

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:27 AM by iinatcc

[DSVII]

I learned the Oilers' system of defensive miscues extends to their farm team. But their goalie was pretty good.

[Bonkers]

My take: Lekkerimäki played very well in the first game, 2nd game was poor and the third game somewhere in between. I liked D-Petey in all three games, he surprised me. His calm with the puck and physical presence was strong. I think Baines and Räty had their best game against Calgary (without JL). 

 

Alriksson was good, but still needs to learn how to use his size. 

 

Both goalies looked solid! 

[Alflives]

We learned our young stars are a lot better than the young stars from Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. And it’s not even close. 

[wai_lai416]

All I hope is the ahl don’t ruin our young player’s career.. all of our star players all skipped the ahl. The only player that played in the ahl is prolly hoglander and that was barely.. he played 130 games in the nhl before sent down to rediscover his game. The only position the ahl does a decent job is goalie. It’s been 10+ years or maybe even more since we had a player that became relevant or a regular in the nhl.. hopefully the new coaching staff is better at developing.. weren’t there a time not too long ago they prioritize winning over player development in the ahl?

[Alflives]

6 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

All I hope is the ahl don’t ruin our young player’s career.. all of our star players all skipped the ahl. The only player that played in the ahl is prolly hoglander and that was barely.. he played 130 games in the nhl before sent down to rediscover his game. The only position the ahl does a decent job is goalie. It’s been 10+ years or maybe even more since we had a player that became relevant or a regular in the nhl.. hopefully the new coaching staff is better at developing.. weren’t there a time not too long ago they prioritize winning over player development in the ahl?

This ^^^
The AHL develops depth level players. Elite skill, that plays the right way, belongs either in Europe or the National League. Lekkerimaki is an NHL, elite skill player. And he plays the right way. He’s already ahead of Hoglander. 

[wai_lai416]

9 minutes ago, Alflives said:

This ^^^
The AHL develops depth level players. Elite skill, that plays the right way, belongs either in Europe or the National League. Lekkerimaki is an NHL, elite skill player. And he plays the right way. He’s already ahead of Hoglander. 

Hence I worry about lekkerimaki and possibly willander. Raty I don’t think legitimately a top 6 potential anymore.. karlsson be lucky to be a bottom 6 call up.. klimovich etc? I just dunno

[Alflives]

5 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

Hence I worry about lekkerimaki and possibly willander. Raty I don’t think legitimately a top 6 potential anymore.. karlsson be lucky to be a bottom 6 call up.. klimovich etc? I just dunno

We no longer have Benning  as GM. We have good management now. They will do what is best. Lekkerimaki will be on the big club playing alongside Petey and Debrusk. Hogs might be the guy traded. Or, even better, Garland so his cap can go to a right shot 3C. 

[stawns]

12 hours ago, Canuck You said:

Missed all of it..moving..So they were Good? Real good? OMFG Good?

 

Alriksson was a huge surprise.......he was the best of the nes guys by a long shot.  DPetey was good, but his ceiling is limited I think.  Lek was great in game #1 and pretty invisible after that.

[Bounce000]

Always send your AHL All star to noob stomp 

[Canuck You]

Just now, Bounce000 said:

Always send your AHL All star to noob stomp 

Free confidence!

[HorvatToBaertschi]

Here’s what I learned personally:

 

- JLek is going to be elite. He’s much faster than I thought he was, and he’s feisty, with an insanely quick release, and much better hands than I initially thought. 
- Alriksson is already bullying kids his age, has a lot of skill, good IQ, and a good shot. I didn’t think much of him NHL-wise but this tournament has opened my eyes up. Excited to see him play against men and see how he transitions his game. 

- Sasson is a step above every single player that was at this tournament. Kid is ready to push for a call-up at one point this season and that makes me very happy. Petition to give him the nickname of the “Max-Sassin”? Great shot, great wheels, great IQ, physical… what’s not to like? 

- Bains was underwhelming, but I’m hoping this was due to the fact that after an extremely solid AHL sophomore campaign, he is locked in for main camp and holding back. His goal against Calgary was a bright spot, as he got into a great position and made a highly skilled play batting the puck out of mid air. 

- D-Petey is a stud. I noticed at times when he was skating backwards defending, that I thought the attacker would be able to blow past him, but his edge work and pivots lets him transition seamlessly into efficient and strong defending positions, which allows him to push the attacker wide. That caught my eye a half-dozen times throughout the weekend. He is gritty, physical, and can clearly play both sides (had to babysit Sansonnens and then Hirose for an entire game while playing his off-side -.-) 

- Sansonnens looked lost. I hated everything about his game, and his terrible decision making led directly to 2 goals against, because he over-committed on his partner’s side and left lanes wide open. 
- Kudryatsev is still very raw but has a very intriguing toolbox. A bit small, but plays rather physical and has a strong 1st pass. 
- Patterson made a lot of bad moves, but had some very good moments sprinkled in. Maybe a hockey IQ issue? 
- Hirose is AHL fodder to me. I hope he proves me wrong, but this was an embarrassing display. By the 3rd game he was glued to D-Petey, who had to babysit him, even though Hirose was on his strong side. Dude is 25 years old… come on. 

- Romani’s hands and shot are… deadly. The rest I didn’t really notice. Had a good motor. 
- Klimovich is literally a slower, but much smarter version of Jake Virtanen. They look the exact same on the ice. Klimovich uses his size better and more consistently. 
- Raty is one of the smartest young players I’ve watched play in quite some time. Seemed like he was holding back a bit (like Bains), but was consistently making strong, smart plays, and was a thorn in the side of the opposition all 3 games. 
- Tolopilo looks legit

- Mynio has some work to do, but I like his 1st pass and grit. 

 

Now obviously, this is a young stars tournament. The step up to the AHL, and then the NHL, will both be significant and the results from this tournament can easily mean nothing. This was my first time watching every single game and trying to “scout” as best as I could, so I would consider this all to be purely subjective, since I have no idea how this kind of level translates to the AHL, let alone the NHL. 
 

For a franchise that’s supposed to have a “mediocre” prospect pool, it looked really good to me, as it’s very deep in all positions. I’m a happy Canucks fan  

[nergish]

I was impressed with Raty. Still not sure of his exact upside, but he definitely plays a smart, solid game. 

 

Lekk was not a disappointment by any means, he showed flashes of skills many of us weren't even expecting. But I do think we need to tone down the hype for him for this year. He did not look physically ready to push anyone off the main club roster, and will almost certainly be in the AHL this year. Totally fine. 

 

D-Petey was as advertised. Pretty much a plug-and-play defender. Very easy to see him being a call-up for the big team at some point, but should have a nice season in Abbey.

 

Bains looks like a 'tweener to me, unfortunately. 

 

Alriksson and Romani have their own unique skills that were evident throughout the tournament - now we just need to keep developing and fostering those skills.

 

Tolopilo is very difficult to prognosticate... he's massive, and has the Ian Clark technique down. His movements are basically identical to Silovs and Demko at this point. I've personally been nothing but impressed in my viewings, but how do we best utilize this guy?

 

 

[Warhippy]

I heard some shop talk from the tournament having bartended right next door.  Ended up having a Canucks development coach there (name not to be revealed) the Jets assistant coach and numerous player agents.  They get talkative when they get drunk or start drinking.

 

The next few years will be interesting for sure for some teams in the league if anything they said is accurate.  Was apparently a good tournament by all accounts

Edited Tuesday at 04:50 PM by Warhippy