Canucks Prospects Update: Playoffs

It's hard to keep track of all the happenings within an NHL organization in these last few weeks of the regular season. There are free agent signings, additions to the roster, and a plethora of storylines to follow.

On the prospect side, there are a bunch of players who see their club team seasons end and they head to the next level. While many others are still chasing their respective leagues titles.
We've been following these prospects every week and breaking them down into various regions or draft classes, but this week we'll do a roundup of all the things to follow in the prospect pool.

Utica Comets

The top affiliate of the Canucks will have a tough battle to make the playoffs this season. With six games remaining in their season, the Comets sit eight points out of the final playoff spot in the North Division.
Utica had a legitimate chance at a playoff spot earlier in the season, but the injuries throughout the entire organization has caught up to them. With Ashton Sautner, Luke Schenn and Guillaume Brisebois all up with the Canucks and then a bunch of other players falling to ailments in the last few weeks, the Comets just couldn't keep up with the other teams.
Prospects Jett Woo and Mitch Eliot have made their way to the Comets this week after their respective CHL teams were eliminated from the playoffs. There is no word on when they will get into the lineup, as it appears that Woo is dealing with a lingering issue, but at the very least, they will get some practice time in the AHL.
The Comets take on Toronto, Hartford, and Providence in three games over three nights this weekend and close out their season with that same condensed three games in three nights next weekend games against Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Hershey, and Syracuse.

OHL Playoffs

Two prospects remain in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, which kick off their second round this weekend.
Michael DiPietro and the Ottawa 67's will take on the Sudbury Wolves, while Matt Brassard will take on his old team, the Oshawa Generals.
DiPietro is coming off a fantastic performance in the first round that led to the 67's sweeping Hamilton. The Canucks 2017 3rd round pick did not face the Wolves this season after starting the year with Windsor and then being moved to the 67's. Both teams will be leaning heavily on their goaltenders with hopes of punching their ticket to the conference finals.
This will be the first time that Brassard with face his old team since being moved prior to the OHL trading deadline. He is coming off a five-game win over North Bay that saw him put up four points in five games. Niagara should have the edge in this series and would take on the winner of the Ottawa and Sudbury series in the next round.

Europe

Two 2018 draft picks have made it to the conference finals of their leagues.
Artyom Manukyan and Avangard are up three games to one in their KHL Eastern Conference final with Salavat Yulaev. The speedy winger has one goal in twelve games played this postseason in a bottom six role.
Tappara, where 2018 5th round pick Toni Utunen plays, kicked off their Liiga Semi-Finals yesterday with a 1-0 win. The Canucks prospect appeared in all four games for Tappara in their quarterfinals sweep of Lukko, averaging 13:51 of ice time.
Petrus Palmu's season has concluded with TPS Turku losing in the quarterfinals to HPK, which is the team that Tappara faces in the next round. Palmu was held off the scoresheet in four playoff appearances.
Linus Karlsson's season is also done after appearing in five playoff games and registering one goal.

USHL

Matthew Thiessen is the lone remaining Canucks prospect playing in the United States with games left as his USHL team, the Dubuque Fighting Saints, qualified for the playoffs.
Thiessen is 17-17-4 with a 3.11 goals-against average and 0.833 save percentage.
At this time, their first-round matchup has not been determined.