Canucks Prospects Update

The pre-season for the Canucks is complete and now fans patiently wait for the regular season to kick off on Wednesday.

With the NHL season on the horizon, it gives us a chance to look at some of the prospects within the organization that have already started their seasons.

Sweden

Nils Hoglander made a great impression on the Canucks staff at the prospect development camp in July and then returned to Sweden this year looking to build off a fantastic rookie season in the Swedish Hockey League.

In six games thus far, Hoglander has scored two goals and added one assist with an average ice-time of 14:17 per game. He also represented Sweden at the U20 Four Nations event in August - he played three games, registering one goal.

The 2019 2nd round pick continues to display fantastic puck control and a determined work ethic.
2019 7th round pick Arvid Costmar is off to a hot start for Linkoping HC in the U20 SuperElit league. In five games with the club, he has four goals and four assists. That point total has him tied for 5th in points in the league.
He also represented Sweden in the Four Nations event, producing the same totals (one goal in three games) as Hoglander.
If he continues to tear the SuperElit, he could earn himself a call-up to the big club in the SHL and be in consideration for the World Juniors. His relentless work ethic and two-way play are what are standing out in the early parts of this season.
Linus Karlsson has appeared in three Allsvenskan games this season, picking up one goal along the way.

Russia

The top pick from this past draft, Vasili Podkolzin has been jumping between the various leagues in Russia. At this moment, he has played 10 KHL games with SKA St Petersburg, two games with their second division team in the VHL, and then two games with the junior team in the MHL.

He hasn't registered a point in the KHL thus far this season, but does have one assist in the VHL and four assists in the MHL, including a three assist performance earlier this morning.

Lastly, he played in the aforementioned Four Nations event, appearing in three games for Russia but failing to hit the scoresheet.
At first glance, this point totals might cause some concern but Podkolzin makes his impact every time he jumps off the board. He is hard on the puck, fearless in taking the puck to the net, and has shown some nice playmaking abilities.

Rest of Europe

Defenceman Toni Utunen, who the Canucks selected in the 5th round of the 2018 draft, is currently out of the Tappara (Liiga) lineup with a lower-body injury. He did appear in four Champions Hockey League games for the club before going down with the ailment. Utunen will be a big part of the Finnish defence at the World Juniors.
Karl Plasek started the season on the fourth line for HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga but has worked his way up to their second line in the game yesterday. He registered two goals and four assists in 29 games last season and looks to surpass those numbers this year.

CHL

Jett Woo made his first appearance with his new club, the Calgary Hitmen, last weekend. He did not hit the scoresheet, but lined-up as the club's top right defenceman.
Fellow Canucks prospect Carson Focht is the first line centre and followed up his impressive training camp showing with the Canucks by scoring three goals and one assist in two games thus far this season.

The Hitmen are in the midst of three games in three days over this weekend.

Goaltender Arturs Silovs made his Ontario Hockey League debut with the Barrie Colts last weekend stopping 37 of 39 shots to secure a 6-2 win.
Left winger Ethan Keppen has played two games for the Flint Firebirds registering one assist in two games.