Canucks Prospects Camp is Big-Time News Now

In case you missed what happened on July 1st, please know that it was really exciting. It was so exciting, in fact, that fans are clamoring for more news--all the news, even. And until Mike Gillis announces that he's traded a defenseman or two for a top-nine forward, there will be nothing that even comes close to meeting the rabid demand for high-end Nuckworld news. Our insatiable appetite has us clamoring to know everything we can about Canucks prospects camp which begins Tuesday, July 6th. This is not big news, people, but information about the 36 young hockey players that have won a special trip to Grouse Mountain has been leaking for the past two days. That's right: the Canucks prospects camp is news of such magnitude that there have been leaks. Ladies and gentleman, I give you: the offseason. So what can we tell you? First, we can tell you who isn't going to be there: veterans. Also, top prospect Cody Hodgson.

But don't panic. Naysayers and pessimists have been waiting for the bottom to fall out on this kid's potentially stellar future with the Canucks since he was drafted. You might recall the hullabaloo last year when he opted not to train with Dave Gagner. Maybe you even remember Pierre McGuire crapping himself when he found out the Canucks had acquired Manny Malhotra to personally assassinate Cody. Disregard all of it, especially the Pierre McGuire stuff. He's more of a Washington Capitals expert. Assistant GM Lorne Henning explains why Cody's better not coming:

Hodgson won't need to attend the sessions, Henning said, as the Canucks' top draft pick in 2008 (10th overall) has already been to two of them previously and it's deemed he's better off staying in the Toronto area to continue his training there.

At this point, we just want to make sure he's ready for camp,” said Henning. “It's just that we don't want to get him away from his routine. He's already acclimated with all this so there's really no need to bring him in.”

Okay, good. So who is coming? All five of the Canucks 2010 draft picks, for instance. Here's your complete list. Note that Players in italics are invitees who have not been signed or drafted by the Canucks.

2010 Canucks Prospects Camp Complete Roster

DEFENCEMEN
Andersson, Peter-- D 6’3” 194 Kvidinge, SWE Apr 13 1991
Connauton, Kevin-- D 6’1” 196 Edmonton, AB Feb 23 1990
Edwards, Maury-- D 5’11 176 Rocky Rapids, AB Mar 16 1987
Ellington, Taylor-- D 6’2” 209 Victoria, BC Oct 31 1988
Ellis, Brendan-- D 6’2 206 Kelowna, BC Jan 5 1989
Fedun, Taylor-- D 6’0 190 Edmonton, AB Jun 4 1988
Hannay, Sawyer-- D 6’4” 192 Moncton, NB Sep 6 1992
McNally, Patrick-- D 6’2” 181 Glen Head, NY Dec 4 1991
Miller, Kevan-- D 6’2 200 Los Angeles, CA Nov 15 1987
Oberg, Evan-- D 6’2” 165 Forestburg, AB Feb 16 1988
Polasek, Adam-- D 6’2” 194 Ostrava, CZE July 12 1991
Price, Jeremy-- D 6’1” 194 Milton, ON Sep 26 1990
Sauve,Yann-- D 6’3” 220 Montreal, PQ Feb 18 1990
Tanev, Chris-- D 6’2 185 East York, ON Dec 20 1989

FORWARDS
Anthony, Steven-- LW 6’2” 205 Halifax, N.S. Mar 21 1991
Clark, Kevin-- RW 5’8 160 Winnipeg, MB Dec 29 1987
Downing, Jack-- RW 6’3 200 New Canaan, CT Mar 16 1989
Fraser, Matt-- LW 6’2 207 Red Deer, AB May 20 1990
Friesen, Alex-- C 5’10” 189 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Jan 30 1991
Froshaug, Mats-- LW 6’2” 209 Oslo, NOR July 31 1988
Henry, James-- LW 5’8 180 Winnipeg, MB Mar 11 1991
Jordan, Tayler-- LW 6’6 200 Wynyard, SK Feb 8 1990
Matson, Taylor-- C 6’0” 185 Mound, MN Sep 16 1988
Morin, Pierre-Olivier-- LW 5’11 162 Trois-Rivieres, PQ Apr 23 1991
Rai, Prab-- LW 6’0” 190 Surrey, BC Nov 22 1989
Rodin, Anton-- RW 6’0” 176 Stockholm, SWE Nov 21 1990
Schneider, Stefan-- C 6’4 206 Vernon, B.C. Dec 13 1989
Schroeder, Jordan-- C 5’8” 183 Prior Lake, MN Sep 29 1990
Tochkin, Kellan-- RW 5’9” 179 Abbotsford, BC Feb 15 1991
Volpatti, Aaron-- LW 6’1 196 Revelstoke, B.C. May 30 1985
Zurevinski, Scott-- C 6’2 190 Saskatoon, SK Jun 4 1988

GOALTENDERS
Cannata, Joe-- G 6’1 200 Wakefield, MA Jan 2 1990
Houser, Michael-- G 6’2 188 Wexford, MI Sep 13 1992
Iilahti, Jonathan-- G 6’1” 176 Vaasa, FIN Apr 27 1992
Kinkaid, Keith-- G 6’3 180 Farmingville,NY Jul 4 1989
Lack, Eddie-- G 6’4 183 Norrtalje, SWE Jan 5 1988


Will any of these guys play with the big club next year? Absolutely. Evan Oberg has already played five games with the Canucks, and you have to think he might do it again this year. If Yann Sauve's shows he's made some strides in training camp, he'll be near the top of the call-up list. Jordan Schroeder flat-out wowed everybody in his brief stint with the Moose at the end of last season, and he's likely to push Cody Hodgson for a roster spot out of training camp. Some people think they might both make the team. One of these five goalies is likely the starter for the Moose, which means he's warming the big-league pine if Luongo or Corey Schneider pulls a groin. My dark horse pick to don the Orca after October would be Aaron Volpatti, the gritty, two-way winger from Brown University that might turn out to be an upgrade on Tanner Glass. Only time will tell.