On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst Steven Ellis to break down the top NCAA free agent prospects available this year and discuss Tom Willander’s development at Boston University.

Every season, NHL teams look to college free agency as a way to add talent without giving up assets, but Ellis cautioned that fans shouldn’t expect any game-changers from this year’s crop.

“Don’t expect a whole lot,” Ellis said. “This is the type of thing where if you get a guy who turns into an NHL player, that’s awesome. A guy like Collin Graf has looked pretty good with San Jose, but for the most part, you’re getting depth guys at best.”

That said, there are a few names generating interest, starting with Carter King from the University of Denver.

“The one I’m most excited for is Carter King, who used to play junior hockey out west,” Ellis noted. “He’s 23 years old, so he can only sign a one-year contract. If you’re 22, you can sign a two-year deal, and so on. He was part of that winning team last year and has been very consistent. Not mind-blowing in terms of offense, but he plays all roles — power play, penalty kill, etc. He’s 5’10″, but he’s strong. He’s not going to go kill guys, but he can manage himself physically. He’s one of the guys I’m looking at.”

“There’s been a lot of talk about Karsen Dorwart out of Michigan State,” Ellis said. “He has very solid numbers and is a guy who will grind away. Not big, but strong, and that’s fine.”

“Luke Haymes is one some guys consider to be the best in the class, coming from Dartmouth,” Ellis continued. “It’s hard to get a good look at Dartmouth guys — there isn’t a ton of high-end talent there — but he’s super dynamic and has looked really good since coming back from a wrist injury.”

Ellis emphasized that while these players have intriguing skill sets, none project as high-impact NHL players.

“There’s some pieces here, but I’m not convinced any of these guys are more than a depth-scoring piece,” Ellis admitted. “But you still need guys like that, and if you don’t have to worry about long-term development because they’re already 22-23, that’s not a bad thing.”

Ellis also shared his thoughts on Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander and his development at Boston University, particularly after his strong showing at the World Juniors.

“When you look at the way Willander played at the World Juniors, that was a perfect capsule of what he’s capable of,” Ellis said. “Everyone was looking at what Axel Sandin-Pellikka could do, and he won top defenceman two years in a row, but I voted for the Canucks’ defence prospect in Willander.

“I felt like he played really well away from the puck. Defensively, that’s some of the best hockey we’ve seen. The advanced analytics were really in his favour, showing he was valuable at both ends of the ice. For me, it’s still the decision-making at times that I want to see carved out a bit.

“I’m a fan of his, and I think he’ll be a second-pairing defenceman, which is a good sign. There’s a lot of potential for him to be an impact player, but I don’t think that will be next year. It’s a big grind going from 35 to 70, 80 games, so I want to see him transition, play a bit in the AHL, and we’ll see him in the NHL before long. But don’t rush it.”

As the NHL season winds down and teams prepare for off-season acquisitions, NCAA free agency offers an avenue to add depth. While this year’s class may not feature any future superstars, there are still a handful of intriguing prospects who could provide value at the pro level.

You can watch the full segment below: