The Canucks may not have a lot going for them now, but if you’re paying close enough attention you might notice the glimpses into what just might be a bright future.

Nine players have suited up in their first NHL game this season. That’s no small feat. An encouraging sign in a season otherwise lacking. There have been growing pains. The Canucks have, when I last checked, the fewest wins in the league. That’s to be expected, though.

Since Vancouver’s youth movement is the talk of the town, I thought I’d bring the conversation to the halls of Canucks Army. So, I asked the writers of Canucks Army which player they’ve been most impressed with. 

Sven Baertschi has thrived this season, in an environment that was really working against him. He showed great potential working with Bo Horvat, helping Horvat grow as a player and the market was very against him coming in. After falling out favour with the Flames, he was expected to be a bit of a project in Vancouver, and he has shown this year the potential that the team hoped for when they acquired them. You know when he’s on the ice, he’s making smart plays around the net and he’s making the people on the ice around him better. A pleasant surprise. Team Sven. Also he took part in the lip sync battle so, big win.

Ben Hutton! He played 39 games for Maine in the NCAA and now he’s playing top minutes with the injuries to Edler and Tanev and the lack of depth on this team. And he’s been so good. Plus, he’s fun and not a lot about this team is fun.

Sven Baertschi would be the obvious choice but if we’re going youngsters, it has to be a rookie and it HAS to be Ben Hutton. He’s been given top minutes, he looks like a chiseled vet athletically anyways (his face says he’s 10) but the bonus is that he’s already showing what he can be. Imagine Chris Tanev’s defensive awareness and Alex Edler’s (circa 2009) shot; he’s a monster and we all love him.

He hasn’t even played a full season and we all want to be this guy. Just nuts.

Everyone has already said the obvious ones – so I will go a different way.

Jordan Subban – he has come into Utica and worked his way out being a regular healthy scratch to a full-time spot with the Comets. His offensive game has always been there but he has steadily been improving his defensive game. He is now noticeable in every game for all the right reasons, and now currently leads the Comets in scoring (for players still there)

I know it’s not a ‘Canucks’ youngster, but we have to mix it up a bit!

This Chris Higgins kid they just called up has a real veteran poise out there.

He’s flown under the radar a bit, especially as he’s cooled off and management has soured somewhat on him, but Jared McCann has been very impressive to me this year. He’s 19 and hasn’t looked out of place in the NHL, producing at a decent clip and with respectable underlying numbers. For reference, the closest comparables for his current season include Teravainen, Foligno, Duchene, Kucherov, and a whole host of other players that you would absolutely want on your team, and most of them were 20 or 21 when they were performing at the level McCann is now. Based on his performance this season, McCann is going to be a very good player in this league.

Nikolaj Ehlers… No, wait, I meant to say, William Nylander.

Now that my joke answers are out of the way, you’re going to be really surprised by my actual selection: Jake Virtanen. The offence has been slow-going for Virtanen, but he’s shown a remarkable aptitude as two-way player – especially given his age, 19. Virtanen is the Canucks leading possession player, with 52% Corsi for and is leading the Canucks by most neutral zone statistics.