It’s finally time for the Vancouver Canucks‘ annual development camp, where prospects and invites are welcomed to their facilities for a week-long event. This is a great chance for the Canucks’ coaches and management to take a look at some young and upcoming players in their organization, along with some free agent invites. The Canucks have invited 33 players to development camp, and there are five specific players I am fascinated to see.
Braeden Cootes, Centre, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
It’s no surprise that people would be excited about the Canucks most recent first-round pick, but now fans get the chance to see him up close. It’s one thing to see footage of him from junior, but being able to see him in a Canucks jersey is something special. Braeden Cootes was a dynamic player last season with the Seattle Thunderbirds as he captained the organization and led them in points with 63. He also captained Team Canada at the U18 World Championship. He has incredible offensive instincts and amazing speed, and getting the chance to see that among his peers in the Canucks organization will be a welcome sight for fans.
Vilmer Alriksson, Left Wing, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
After being picked in the fourth round in the 2024 NHL Draft, Vilmer Alriksson returned to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Guelph Storm for his draft-plus-one season. Injuries brought down his season totals as he only played 26 games with the Storm and recorded 23 points. He was eventually traded to the Brampton Steelheads, where he recorded 12 points in 17 games with his new team.
Vilmer Alriksson, Vancouver Canucks (Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
An injury-plagued season can be frustrating for many players, but even in his 43-game OHL season split between two teams, Alriksson had 35 points, which is a massive improvement in terms of points per game from his draft year. In 2023-24, he scored at a 0.49 points per game rate, whereas last season, he scored at a 0.81 points per game rate. Now, he comes to development camp looking to make a big impression after improving himself from the season prior.
Anthony Romani, Forward, Michigan State (NCAA)
Anthony Romani was drafted as an overager in the 2024 NHL Draft after recording 111 points in 68 games with the North Bay Battalion of the OHL. This past season, just like Alriksson, he suffered many injuries and only played 35 games spread over two different teams, but he was still able to record 35 points. Even in a season where he played very little, he was able to score at a point per game. Now he has commited to play next season at Michigan State University and will be looking to make a big impression on the Canucks staff. He is an incredibly skilled and talented winger that Canucks fans should pay attention to during this development camp.
Parker Alcos, Defenceman, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Port Moody’s own Parker Alcos was a sneaky pick by Patrik Allvin and his staff in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, as they were able to grab him in the sixth round. He will not appear on the score sheet much, but standing at 6-foot-3 and having a coveted right-handed shot is an attractive skill set for a late-round pick. What separates Alcos from different players is his skating ability. He is someone that is tall, has a very good stride, always forces players out wide, and avoids giving an open lane to an attacker for a good scoring opportunity. It will be exciting to see what a full season of development has brought to the player at this summer’s camp.
Aleksei Medvedev, Goaltender, London Knights (OHL)
It’s always eyebrow-raising when a team selects a goaltender, especially when it is in the first 50 selections of a draft. Being chosen this past draft at 47th overall was Aleksei Medvedev of the London Knights, who wasn’t even the starting goaltender on his team. But the prospect was still able to play 34 games for the Memorial Cup Champion Knights, and in those games he recorded a 22-8-2 record and a .912 save percentage as a 17-year-old backup in the OHL. Those numbers are enticing and should garner further excitement from Canucks fans and management as they are now able to see how he performs surrounded by other peers of his at development camp.
Development camp is always a great time for teams and fans as it gives them a look at the next generation of players. The Canucks have a decent prospect pool, and these five players will look to be a big part of what is to come for the organization.
