Defence prospect represents the future

Just because Jakob Chychrun essentially lapped the field early doesn’t mean he’ll go on to be the top defenceman of his 2016 draft class.

Sure, Chychrun, the 16th overall pick, played 68 games in the big leagues for Arizona, while no other defenceman played more than six. And yes, 11 slots higher the Canucks picked Olli Juolevi, who wasn’t even offered an NHL amuse-bouche after his draft-plus-one year ended with the London Knights.

But there remains a long way to go to determine how the Juolevi pick will pan out for the Canucks.

“We’re not even a year past yet,” TSN prospect analyst Craig Button rightly pointed out.

So what about the mock 2016 re-drafts that suggest Chychrun should have been a pick in the top four or five?

“Not for me,” Button said. “I still don’t think Jakob Chychrun is a top-two defenceman.”

Of course, Juolevi will be compared with other players who were picked after him, and not just Chychrun.

Centre Clayton Keller has topfive worthy talent. Defenceman Charlie McAvoy showed well in the playoffs with the Boston Bruins and is a potential beast. Winger Matthew Tkachuk — taken sixth overall, the selection after Juolevi — just put up 48 points in 76 games, helping turn around the Calgary Flames.

The Hockey News re-picked the Juolevi draft and had him going 13th overall.

But every prospect develops at a different rate, and with Juolevi, it’s always been a matter of waiting for his physical maturity to catch up with his brain.

Juolevi is the future of the Canucks’ defence, and projects nicely in a league where young, quickthinking, puck-moving defenders are coveted.

The final four teams left in the NHL playoffs have a number of

young defenders playing huge roles.

There’s a strong case to be made that, if the Canucks can’t get a top-end centre, they should build a puck-moving blue-line that can make all the forwards look better.

In other words, get Juolevi some help with their fifth overall pick in next month’s NHL Entry Draft.

One of the defenders being compared to Juolevi is Miro Heiskanen, who was his partner at the world junior championship.

Many now have Heiskanen as the top defenceman available in this year’s draft, making him a potential target for the Canucks.

“Juolevi is a smart player, too, but Heiskanen is a better skater,” Button said.

Both players have been compared to retired Red Wings legend Nick Lidstrom in the way they think the game. This seems good.

It’s a huge summer for Juolevi. Many around the team think the thing holding him back is his strength, and if that improves significantly, he’ll play for the Canucks in the fall.