The Canucks usually conclude their development camp by sending the prospects up the infamous Grouse Grind, followed thereafter by the Summer Summit. They’ve forgone that tradition, though. They kicked off this year’s festivities with fitness testing at Rogers Arena and afterwards the players travelled to Shawnigan Lake to take part in team-building activities and on-ice play.

This was their time to distinguish themselves as an emerging prospect or drive home their status as blue chippers. Everyone knows the highly touted draftees — players like Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser. Who among the lesser known players stood out, though. And what did the local media have to say about them?

One of the Canucks’ biggest free-agent signing this year was the 22-year-old defenseman from Richmond, BC. There was a fair amount of hype around Stecher, though playing in the college ranks certainly hindered one’s ability to watch him play. Then again, Bob McKenzie called him the “pre-eminent college free agent available this year”, so he must be good. Stecher had previously attended Canucks development camp as a free-agent in 2014, but left without a contract. Two years later, he managed to stamp his name as a top player in the Canucks’ prospect pool.

Not much is known about Jasek, mostly because he plays in the Czech Republic rather than North America. The Canucks selected him in the 6th-round, 174th overall in last year’s draft. This year, Jasek put up 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) with HC Trinec, and 28 points in 14 games with their U20 team. Because of where he plays, Jasek is arguably the Canucks’ most overlooked prospect. He was not taken in the CHL Import Draft, but if he gets bigger and continues to develop in the Czech league, he may be a prospect to get excited about.

Jim Benning: “He still needs to get physically stronger, but we think he could be a good prospect for us. He’s a skilled guy, a good skater, and he works hard.”

As a 20-year-old free-agent invitee who played on the other side of the country, D’Aoust (pronounced Da-ooh) certainly had a motivation coming in development camp. After posting 98 points (44 goals, 54 assists) in 68 games with Shawinigan in the QMJHL, one may wonder why he had been passed over multiple times in the NHL draft. It certainly seems that, out of all the free-agent invitees, D’Aoust may be the one to potentially receive an invite to main camp.

There was another rumbling in Vancouver when Jim Benning used his early third-round pick to select Will Lockwood from the U.S. National Team Development Program. Having been selected ahead of where most rankings had him, there was obviously something that Canucks scouts liked about his game. Although he put up less than ideal point-production numbers, the same could have been said when the Canucks selected the emerging Adam Gaudette last year. Lockwood has committed to one of the most prestigious college hockey programs in the University of Michigan, where he will be coached by the legendary Red Berenson. There, he will continue to develop and hopefully justify the Canucks’ decision to use that draft pick on him.

Trevor Linden: “I like his speed and I think he’s got bigger offensive upside than he has shown. I liek that he has a hardness about him, too. He can skate and he likes to hit. He comes across as a really nice, polite kid, but he plays aggressive. In our interview, he just had a way about him that I liked. He’s the kind of kid who’s going to find a way to play.”

Just a few weeks ago, Canucks fans were left with mixed feelings when Jim Benning skipped over Matthew Tkachuk and selected his teammate, Olli Juolevi with their fifth overall pick. Known as the best all-around defenseman in the draft, it is clear that he has become the best defense prospect in the organization. Iain MacIntyre said Juolevi, Demko, and Boeser had “little to gain this week”, mostly because there is no doubt that they are elite prospects. Nevertheless, development camp was a good time for the Finnish defenseman to show everyone the type of player and person he is. Although being selected in the top five comes with bragging rights, Juolevi’s humility was certainly indicated in numerous interviews.

Iain MacIntyre also said Guillaume Brisebois (2015, 3rd-round) and Dmitry Zhukenov (2015, 4th-round) “looked good and appear to have developed since their draft day”. Brisebois has grown one inch and gained fifteen pounds since arriving last year at 6’2″, 175 lbs. Furthermore, Zhukenov has just played his first season in North America, putting up 57 points (15 goals, 42 assists) in 64 games with Chicoutimi in the QMJHL.

Kevin Rothbauer from the Cowichan Valley Citizen reported that Guillaume Brisebois, Will Lockwood, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko caught the eyes of head coach Willie Desjardins.

Team Blue: Coulter, Boeser (x2), Galipeau, Burghardt, McKenzie, Coulter, Stukel, Parizek, Olson, Galipeau

Team White: Carcone, Lockwood, Abols, Candella, Sweeney, Moynihan, D’Aoust