Canucks Army Prospect Profile: #17 Lukas Jasek

Lukas Jasek checks in as our 17th ranked prospect

Lukas Jasek might not turn out as the best player the Canucks grabbed at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, but the moment they selected him 174th overall he became their best value grab of the day. That much is hardly up for debate.

Less certain is whether the Canucks’ sound bet on Jasek will bear fruit. If Jasek’s first year in their system is any indication, the two sides have their work cut out for them. The hope was that Jasek, who spent much of his draft season playing for HC Ocelari Trinec’s men’s team, could carve out a more permanent role and elevate his offensive totals. Instead, Jasek appeared in two fewer games than the 27 he played a season prior and had just one more point to show for it.

Part of that is circumstantial. Czech rosters are notoriously massive and to get the type of minutes that would afford Jasek the opportunity to improve upon his offensive totals, he’d have to stand out significantly against a multitude of players further along in their development. The HC Trinec roster featured 46 different players in some capacity last season and just one player younger than Jasek.

That’s part of the risk associated with investing in European prospects, though. It requires a more hands-off approach to development out of necessity. For the Canucks, who’ve played an active role in their player development under Jim Benning’s stewardship, that’s been a bitter pill to swallow. One that they and Jasek have had to stomach in consecutive seasons as the Czech winger went undrafted in back-to-back CHL Import Drafts.

“I wanted to play in the CHL,” Jasek told Canucks Army. “The Canucks wanted (that) also, to watch (me) play there”. “I still have contractual obligations to HC Trinec for another season” Jasek continued “of course, I tried to persuade my general manager to allow (my participation in the Import Draft) but without success”.

To Jasek’s credit, he’s not shying away from the challenge of holding his own in a men’s league. HC Trinec is expected to field a competitive team this season, and though Jasek would admittedly have preferred to play in the CHL, he envisions a larger role for himself in the Extraliga. “I will want to have a more prominent role (with) the men’s team and to have more ice time” Jasek said.

Whether Jasek will get that ice time remains to be seen. Using the Extraliga’s website, I found that among under-24 players, the median time on ice per game is right around the 9:00 mark. Jasek played an average of 8:24 per game last season though so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Aside from HC Trinec, Jasek looks to play an expanded role on the Czech Republic’s World Junior roster. In spite of his lofty offensive credentials and a history of strong play internationally, Jasek was among the last cuts for the Czech U20 team last year. If Jasek has his way though, that won’t be the case this time around.

“I hope to have (an) important role in international play (for the Czech Republic) and help the team succeed.” Jasek told Canucks Army.

Jasek turns 19 in three weeks, and it’s often remarked that the World Juniors are a 19-year-olds tournament. He’ll have every opportunity to make the Czech side and should figure prominently in their offence, likely playing in a top six role with power play time to boot. 

Those are the kind of minutes Jasek needs to thrive in. If Jasek makes the NHL, it won’t be as a stalwart defensive ace. He’ll hold his own, but he’s not winning any Selkes. At his heart, Jasek’s an offensive winger first and foremost.

“(For) Canucks fans who haven’t had an opportunity to watch (me) play,” Jasek told CanucksArmy, “(I’m an offfensive) forward with dynamic skating and good hockey skills.”

The hope is that this is the season he gets to showcase those offensive talents. There are a few hurdles to clear, but he has the skill set to do so.

Will Jasek make HC Trinec in a full-time capacity? Will he play for the Czech Republic and regain his stellar form from international tournaments prior? Those questions are paramount as Jasek enters his second season in the Canucks system.

When viewed through the lens of the Prospect Graduation Probabilities System (or pGPS for short) only four percent of statistical and stature based comparable players went on to make it as a full-time NHL player. That’s a significant drop from the 31% mark he had in his draft year when viewed through the lens of the Prospect Cohort Success system (PCS for short).

For Jasek to increase his likelihood of NHL success, he’ll have to build on his 5’11”, 165 lb. frame and give himself every opportunity physically to make his mark. The innate offensive talent is there. He’s a great skater and an intelligent player offensively. It’s about getting in physical shape to capitalize on those abilities. 

Jasek’s not there yet, but time is on his side. It’s a lot easier to bulk up than learn to score and Jasek’s very capable of the latter. That’s a lot more than you say for most sixth-round selections.