Jim Benning mentioned several times in the lead-up to the 2016 draft that this draft class was particularly shallow. So, with three picks in the final two rounds, he picked players from previous draft classes.
It remains to be seen if this was a smart tactic, as there seemed to still be 17 and 18-year-old players worth taking a chance on at that stage in the draft. The Canucks haven’t had great success with drafting 19 and 20 year olds in the past, though Nikita Tryamkin may prove to be an exception.
In the sixth round, the Canucks took 19-year-old Jakob Stukel, who is an intriguing player because his production completely changed once he got away from the Vancouver Giants. In his first draft-eligible season, Stukel had just 5 goals and 16 points in 49 games, albeit after an ACL tear wiped out his off-season. This past season started the same way, with just 4 points through 12 games.
But then Stukel got traded to the Calgary Hitmen and turned things around, leading the Hitmen in goals with 34 and finishing the season with 56 points in 57 games.
He seems to be a streaky player, with scoring streaks separated by two or three pointless games, but he did very well within those streaks. In one streak in late November, he had 7 goals and 9 points in 6 games. In a January streak, he had 3 goals and 9 points in just 5 games. To finish his season, he scored 5 goals and 10 points in 7 games.
Stukel did a lot of scoring on the power play, with half of his 36 goals on the season coming with the man advantage. His 18 power play goals led the WHL and was fourth in the entire CHL. That’s both a positive and a negative: it’s good to know he can finish on the power play, but it’s generally more encouraging when a prospect can create at even strength. Getting lots of production from the power play in junior can be an indication that a player can't produce when time and space are taken away and that's something that disappears in a hurry at higher levels.
On the plus side, most of his points were primary points, with only 9 secondary assists all season. If his points were boosted by the power play, they weren't artificially inflated by secondary assists.
Setting aside his point totals, there are several reasons to like Stukel and think he was worth taking a chance with a sixth round pick. His skating and shot are both plus tools, and he has the ability to finish in multiple ways. Stukel also plays on left wing, filling a position of need in the Canucks’ system.
Ryan Pike’s draft profile on Stukel notes several deficiencies to go with his offensive upside, questioning his decision making, consistency, ability to win puck battles, and play away from the puck. If Stukel can address those issues and develop his all-around game, his speed and opportunistic finishing ability give him a shot at an NHL future.
The Canucks have to hope that Stukel’s performance with the Hitmen is a truer indicator of his potential than his time with the Giants. Stukel is also a local boy, growing up in Surrey cheering for the Canucks, so he’ll have an additional source of motivation to make good on his potential.
