When you’re into this stage of the off-season, you’re talking mostly about tryouts and free agency when it comes to roster construction. Generally that means older players on the fringe of the NHL for professional tryouts or the players that slipped through the cracks in free agency.

With the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton having just come to a close, that’s not the case at this exact moment, though. The Canucks invited players were, for the most part, draft eligible. Those that weren’t could sign a professional contract at any time — though, depending on the timing, etc. so too could the draft eligible players.

Now, based on what you’ve heard and what you’ve seen from the weekend’s events, who among the invites do you think is worthy of a contract or an invite to the Canucks main training camp? I’m particular to Kyle Maksimovich. And you?

Last week I asked: I want to hear your take on professional tryouts. Do you see any of the Canucks three making the team? Are there any other players you’d like them to target? Make your voice heard!

I want the Canucks to sign Cody Hodgson to a PTO just to watch Canucks twitter and the media go crazy over a no-obligation tryout. It would probably actually give some of the prospects a bit of a taste of how tough playing in this kind of market could be for them, which might be a good educational experience during training camp.

(Also, Hodgson is only 26, once led his entire NHL team in scoring over a season in which he only played 72 games, his shooting % has fallen off a cliff and he’s been a positive position player relative to his teammates the last couple years by CF Rel%).

i don’t see these signings as serious efforts to add to the roster. i wish them well and if they earn it then good for them, but i suspect if either makes the team it will be as a stop gap because somebody is hurt or has flopped at camp.

sheppard is maybe insurance against gaunce making no progress. ruutu is maybe insurance against an injury to hanson or one of the swedes during the tournament.

I give the biggest odds to Ruutu but the only way I see him being signed is if we are facing injuries and need extra depth.