The camp runs from July 4-7 with on-ice sessions, off-ice workouts, team building events, and other development classes and workshops to help set up the youngsters for the summer.

As is usually the case, the Canucks have invited a handful of players that are free agents to attend the camp with hopes of finding some diamonds. Ronalds Kenins, Troy Stecher and Evan McEneny attended development camps in the past and have since signed with the Canucks. Antoine Russell also attended a development camp in the past, then signed with the Dallas Stars and is an NHL regular now. Success varies from player to player, but there’s always the odd diamond in the rough.

With that, let’s look at the forwards that have been invited by the Canucks to this year’s camp:

Michael Carcone (QMJHL)

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Bio:

Age: 20, 1996-05-19
Birthplace: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
Frame: 5’10”, 161 lbs.
Position: C
Handedness: L
Team: Drummondville Voltigeurs
Accomplishments/Awards: N/A

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
125	19	15.2%	0.49	0.08

Before we dive into Carcone, let’s enjoy his goal from early 2014:

Carcone is a player who has some skill, skates well and plays a gritty game for his size — his size being the big holdup. Measuring in at 5’10”, he is already on the small side, and elite prospects have him listed as 161 lbs (which is likely incorrect) — so that’s likely why Carcone is still an undrafted prospect looking to make a name for himself.

You have to assume that he has added on same weight from whenever that 161 lbs were measured, but he likely isn’t getting any taller — Carcone is intriguing, as he could simply be a player who just figured out the QMJHL as he got older. He only had 41 points during the 2014-15, then expected to score 47 goals and 42 assists in 2015-16.

pGPS looks favourable on the Whitby, Ontario native with 15.2% of his comparable players went onto becoming NHL regulars.

Alexis D’Aoust (QMJHL)

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Bio:

Age: 20, 1996-04-03
Birthplace: Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Frame: 6’0″, 196 lbs.
Position: RW
Handedness: R
Team: Shawinigan Cataractes
Accomplishments/Awards: CHL Scholastic Player of Year (15/16), QMJHL Second All-Star Team (15/16), QMJHL Scholastic Player of the Year (15/16)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
163	22	13.5%	0.482	0.065

D’aoust is the most intriguing players among the forwards invited to this year’s camp, and pGPS agrees with 13.5% of D’Aoust matches going onto becoming NHL regulars. It’s also impressive that the success matches to the young forward averaged 0.48 PPG at the NHL level. (similar level to Carcone)

D’Aoust saw an explosion in offence this past season playing alongside two 2015 NHL draft selections in Anthony Beauvillier and Dennis Yan, taking the place vacated by Christophe Lalonde.

He finished the season with the fourth most goals (44) and points (98) in the QMJHL.

Given how many overage players were taken in the 2016 NHL Entry draft, it is a bit surprising that someone didn’t take a flyer on D’Aoust. He skates well, has a good shot and very good hockey sense. He wasn’t riding the coattails of Beauvillier and Yan, but fit in very well with the two.

Utica is in need of some offensive minded players for next season, and D’Aoust is someone who may be worth inviting to Young Stars in September, and then possibly go from there. He has the skill-set and size to be worth a long look.

Danny Moynihan (QMJHL)

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Bio:

Age: 20, 1995-12-08
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Frame: 6’0″, 196 lbs.
Position: C/LW
Handedness: L
Team: Halifax Mooseheads/ Shawinigan Cataractes
Accomplishments/Awards: N/A

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
296	10	3.38%	0.45	0.02

Traded mid-season from Halifax to Shawinigan, Moynihan matched his QMJHL career high of 70 points between the two teams last season. He had previously attended San Jose Sharks training camp in 2014. He had an impressive playoff where he posted 19 points in 21 games.

Unfortunately, pGPS doesn’t look favourably on Moynihan, with only 3.4% going onto becoming an NHL regular.

Tyler Coulter (WHL)

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Bio:

Age: 19, 1998-09-10
Birthplace: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Frame: 6’0″, 194 lbs.
Position: LW
Handedness: L
Team: Brandon Wheat Kings
Accomplishments/Awards: WHL Champion (15/16)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
524	35	6.68%	0.35	0.02

From the WHL champion Brandon Wheat Kings, Tyler Coulter likely caught the eye of Canucks management at the Memorial Cup where they were doing some final scouting on players like future draft pick Olli Juolevi.

Coulter doesn’t stick out offensively but is a depth player who can chip in here and there. His year of eligibility was 2014, and amongst that peer group, his PPG rate of 0.885 was ranked 28th. For comparison’s sake, the Canucks selected Rodrigo Abols with their 7th round pick last week, and he was ranked 34th in that same peer group. Coulter did have an impressive WHL playoffs, posting 14 points in 18 games on the way to the WHL championship. He was suspended for one game during the playoffs for a butt-end to Oil-Kings defenceman Anatolii Elizarov.

Coulter isn’t afraid to drop the gloves, which when you look for highlights, his fights dominate the search.

Given his production, 5.35% of his comparables went onto being NHL regulars. This isn’t surprising given that he wasn’t a PPG game during his D+2 season.

Andrew Miller (NCAA)

_{_{Image: RIT Athletics}}

Bio:

Age: 25, 1991-06-18
Birthplace: West Dundee, Illinois, USA
Frame: 6’1″, 205 lbs.
Position: RW
Handedness: R
Team: Rochester Institute of Technology/Binghamton Senators
Accomplishments/Awards: NCAA (AHA) Champion (13/14, 14/15, & 15/16)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
1696	17	1.0%	0.47	0.004

The elder statesman of the group, Andrew Miller just turned 25 years old and hopes to make an impression after completing four years at R.I.T. and then 2 games with the Binghamton Senators to conclude last season. The captain of the R.I.T. tigers, Miller has been a part of the AHA champions for the past three years.

Using pGPS, only 1.0% of his matches went onto being NHL players, which isn’t surprising given that he is in his D+7 season.

Given his age, and lack of production in the NCAA – there likely isn’t much to be had here. If he does continue his hockey career at the professional level, it will likely be in the role of a fourth line grinder at the AHL level.

Justin Parizek (NCAA)

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Bio:

Age: 24, 1992-06-05
Birthplace: Lakeville, Minnesota, USA
Frame: 6’1″, 198 lbs.
Position: F
Handedness: R
Team: University of Nebraska-Omaha
Accomplishments/Awards: NCAA (AHA) Champion (13/14, 14/15, & 15/16)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
2840	88	3.1%	0.36	0.1

A former Langley Rivermen, Justin Parizek is just concluding his D+6 season, and still has one more year left in his NCAA eligibility.

He’s never been a huge point producer for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, more playing a depth role. Using pGPS, a very low 3.1% of comparable players went onto being NHL regulars. Like Miller, there likely isn’t a lot to had here.

I’ve seen him play a few times, and he never stood out above the rest, but wasn’t a liability.

Eduards Tralmaks (EHL)

_{_{Image: Maine Hockey Journal}}

Bio:

Age: 19, 1997-02-17
Birthplace: Riga, Latvia
Frame: 6’3″, 187 lbs.
Position: C
Handedness: L
Team: Boston Jr. Bandits
Accomplishments/Awards: U18 Most Penalized Player (14/15)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Looks like Rodrigo Abols won’t be the only Latvian at Canucks development camp as they have invited Eduards Tralmaks. Playing in the EHL last season, which is essentially tier 3 of US junior hockey, he is committed to play at the University of Maine next season, so maybe there is something here.

Tralmaks did represent Latvia at the 2015 U18 championships, where Jim Benning had personally scouted — Tralmaks walked away with the ‘most penalized’ award of the tournament, so it’s a fair assumption that’s where Benning saw him.

Given what league he played in, we don’t have any way to use pGPS as a tool to evaluate him. In his announcement of commitment to University of Maine, he speaks about his excitement and development while playing NCAA hockey. He may just be a player that develop later and turns into something, or may possibly never put it together. At the very least, count me as intrigued by the young Latvian.

Luke Burghardt (OHL)

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Bio:

Age: 18, 1998-05-12
Birthplace: Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Frame: 6’0″, 170 lbs.
Position: C
Handedness: L
Team: Guelph Storm
Accomplishments/Awards: OHL Gold Cup Champion (13/14)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
541	66	12.2%	0.378	0.05

Luke Burghardt had a decent sophomore season with the Guelph Storm, posting 17 goals and 14 assists in 62 games – not very impressive numbers that led to him going unranked by CSS and ultimately undrafted in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Keep in mind, the Guelph Storm were bad — like, really bad. Only winning 13 games in 68 games. So Burghardt’s production needs to be taken with that in mind. Burghardt did finish the season with the 4th most points for the Storm. He also struggled in a few areas including in the face-off circle posting a face-off winning percentage of 43% and concluded the season at -23.

The Canucks likely see something in Burghardt that they want to get a closer look at. Using the trusty pGPS machine, a favourable 12.2% of comparable players went onto being NHL regulars, so that does show some promise for the young pivot.

Kyle Maksimovich (OHL)

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Bio:

Age: 18, 1998-03-10
Birthplace: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Frame: 5’9″, 170 lbs.
Position: LW
Handedness: L
Team: Erie Otters
Accomplishments/Awards: OHL Champions (13/14), OHL Gold Cup Silver Medal (13/14)

Stats:

pGPS n	pGPS s	pGPS %	pGPS P/GP	pGPS R
103	20	19.4%	0.42	0.08

Entering the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Maksimovich was in the consideration for a late round pick as a player that teams might take a flyer on, as a diminutive forward with skill. Ranked 103rd amongst North American skaters, Maksimovich didn’t hear his name called as a lot of teams opted to select over-age players and pushed players like the Oakville, Ontario native outside the draft entirely.

Maksimovich was ranked 7th in points amongst draft eligible OHL forwards, sandwiched between Taylor Raddysh and Will Bitten, who were 2nd and 3rd round picks respectively. His PPG rate of 1.044 was 8th amongst that same peer group between Michael Mcloed, a first round pick, and the aforementioned Will Bitten.

51 of his 71 points were primary points.

It’s simply that Maksimovich is small, measuring in at 5’9″ and 170 lbs, being the reason why he was likely passed over. But he doesn’t play small, he isn’t afraid to get into the thick of things and battle, and hit, and grind. He does use his small stature to his advantage though when it comes to his shiftiness and elusiveness. Which was on display on the goal below:

Maksimovich is an intriguing prospect, to say the least — Dylan Strome will likely turn pro next season, so Maksimovich will need to find his way a little more next season, but so far so good for the young winger. He is someone to keep an eye on for next season.

When looking at Maksimovich through pGPS, a very impressive 19.4% went onto becoming NHL regulars. That is extremely high numbers for a player that went undrafted.

When looking at this group of forwards – two players stuck out to me, Alexis D’Aoust and Kyle Maksimovich. On opposite sides of the CHL development spectrum as D’Aoust could turn pro this fall, and Maksimovich was just passed over in his first year of eligibility.

Later today, we will look at the defenceman and goaltenders that were invited to this year’s camp.

Michael Carcone (QMJHL)

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Alexis D’Aoust (QMJHL)

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Danny Moynihan (QMJHL)

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Tyler Coulter (WHL)

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Andrew Miller (NCAA)

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Justin Parizek (NCAA)

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Eduards Tralmaks (EHL)

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Luke Burghardt (OHL)

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