It’s time for another edition of the Vancouver Canucks prospects report. Highlights include Aidan McDonough and Jacob Truscott’s productive starts in the NCAA, Lukas Jasek’s continued success in the Finnish Liiga, and Joni Jurmo’s recent hot streak. We also check in again with Lucas Forsell, who has been putting up points despite his team’s disappointing season so far.
That and a whole lot more as we continue to recap and analyze the top performances of prospects throughout the Canucks pipeline.
NCAA Update
Aidan McDonough – Northeastern Huskies
After a 2020-21 season that saw him score his first NCAA hat trick and record 10 goals and 20 points in 21 games, Aidan McDonough is ready to take the next step in 2021-22. He got off to a running start on Saturday when he scored two goals in a 4-0 victory over Bentley playing on the top line with Ty and Dylan Jackson. His first tally was off a scramble in the crease and his second was an absolute snipe from the slot.
Now entering his junior year at Northeastern, McDonough should be in line for a lot more ice time and responsibility. He was given an “A” by the coaching staff too, so he will also be a prominent member of the leadership group led by captain and Montreal Canadiens draft pick Jordan Harris. All in all, it should be exciting to watch him continue to grow and develop this season as he journeys toward his first NHL contract.
Jacob Truscott – Michigan Wolverines
To say the Michigan Wolverines will be a powerhouse this season would be a massive understatement. Chocked full of first-round picks and future NHL stars, they are destined for greatness as they have at least three players that could dominate the NCAA landscape and become Hobey Baker finalists. Jacob Truscott is not a part of that illustrious group, but he should still be a key part of the team.
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Truscott was paired with one of those stars in Luke Hughes during the Michigan Wolverines’ 7-1 dismantling of Bowling Green. The mobile 6-foot-1 blueliner ended the game with only a single assist but should benefit greatly from being on a pair with the 2021 fourth-overall pick, especially if he’s with him all season. He won’t see first-unit power play time with the likes of Kent Johnson, Matty Beniers, and Brendan Brisson, but could be the quarterback of the second unit with Tomas Bordeleau and Dylan Duke. I don’t know about you, but those are still pretty good names to be on the ice with.
Overseas Update
Joni Jurmo – Jukurit (Liiga)
After starting the season with no points in his first three games, Joni Jurmo has now put up four points (one goal, three assists) in five games. He also scored his first career goal in the Liiga on Tuesday against HIFK when he shot a puck into an empty net from his own red line.
Playing for a new coach in former NHLer Olli Jokinen appears to have ignited Jurmo’s game as he looks way more confident this time around. After averaging less than 13 minutes of ice time last season with JYP, he is now consistently seeing over 20 minutes and has become one of his head coach’s go-to defencemen. In fact, he credits the four-time 30-goal scorer as one of the reasons he has grown so much this season.
I just feel more natural at the Finnish pro level this season and I feel like my coach Olli (Jokinen) has been a huge part of that…He has helped me in many ways developing my game and also I’ve developed my physical side a lot this summer. I feel more ready mentally this season.
Joni Jurmo (from ‘Canucks prospects tracker: Jurmo 2.0, buying into Forsell’, The Province, 9/27/21)
Thought of as a steal in the third round of the 2020 Draft, Jurmo had a rough 2020-21 season bouncing around three leagues. Hopefully, he can find some stability in the Liiga this season and put up some career numbers. With four points in seven games so far, he’s well on his way to doing that.
Lucas Forsell – Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)
On a team with only two wins in ten games, Lucas Forsell has tried to make the best of a bad situation by putting up goals and points. The last two weeks were particularly productive as he recorded a goal and four points. He now has six points in ten games which places him third behind only Noah Andersson and Martin Johnsen. The creative Swede will look to start a new point streak next week after seeing it get snapped on Sunday against the Malmo Redhawks U20 team.
Lukas Jasek – Pelicans (Liiga)
Now leading the league with 11 points in 9 games, Jasek has taken his game to the next level as he’s become the Pelicans’ most valuable player. From playing on the top line to killing penalties, he’s been everything and more for them this season. Up until his last game on Sunday against Assat, he was nearly unstoppable as he started the season with at least a point in eight straight games.
With Brandon Sutter injured and the Canucks looking for penalty killers, Jasek would be a welcome sight in a Canucks uniform right now. Unfortunately, it appears he won’t be coming back any time soon. Too bad, because he would look pretty good centering a fourth line with Will Lockwood and Phil Di Giuseppe.
Other News & Notes
- After bouncing back with a 24-save effort against TPS U20, Aku Koskenvuo had another rough outing on Saturday against JYP U20 allowing four goals on 10 shots in what ended up being a 4-3 loss. In five games, he has a 3.40 goals-against average (GAA) and .838 save percentage (SV%).
- Similar to last season, Dmitri Zlodeyev is being shuttled between the MHL and VHL. Overall, he has played seven games between the two leagues where he has a goal and two points. Most recently in the MHL, he is seeing almost 19 minutes in average ice time.
Related: Canucks Top-10 Prospects Heading Into the 2021-22 Season
- Since scoring in his first game of the season, Arvid Costmar has gone five games without a goal. Scoring really isn’t his game, but it would be nice to see him produce a little more this season. His next goal would be a career-high as he only had one goal in the SHL last season.
- Connor Lockhart was sent to the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters on Saturday when the Canucks announced their first group of roster cuts. Joining him was also defenceman Viktor Persson, who was sent to the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers.
Canucks Prospect Tracker (2021-22 Season)
It’s always difficult to keep track of where all the prospects are playing especially after the offseason. Well, I’ve got you covered with the 2021-22 Canucks Prospect Tracker. Here is a list of all the prospects playing everywhere except for the AHL and NHL.
| Player Name | Position | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connor Lockhart | C | Erie Otters | OHL |
| Jacob Truscott | LD | University of Michigan | NCAA |
| Jack Malone | RW/C | Cornell University | NCAA |
| Jackson Kunz | C | University of North Dakota | NCAA |
| Aidan McDonough | LW | Northeastern University | NCAA |
| Matthew Thiessen | G | University of Maine | NCAA |
| Linus Karlsson | C/RW | Skellefteå AIK | SHL |
| Arvid Costmar | C | Linköping HC | SHL |
| Jonathan Myrenberg | RD | Linköping HC J20 | J20 Nationell |
| Lucas Forsell | LW | Färjestad BK J20 | J20 Nationell |
| Hugo Gabrielson | LD | Västerviks IK | HockeyAllsvenskan |
| Joni Jurmo | LD | Jukurit | Liiga |
| Lukas Jasek | RW/C | Pelicans | Liiga |
| Toni Utunen | LD | Pelicans | Liiga |
| Aku Koskenvuo | G | HIFK U20 | U20 SM-sarja |
| Artyom Manukyan | RW | Admiral Vladivostok | KHL |
| Dmitri Zhukenov | C | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL |
| Dmitri Zlodeyev | C | MHK Dynamo Moskva | MHL |
That does it for another edition of the Canucks prospects report. Stay tuned for more next week as we count down the days to the start of the 2021-22 regular season!