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I’m so stoked to see this kid have the NCAA debut that he did, but I must say that I’m not the least bit surprised. I thought he played exceptionally well at the U18’s and he looked very confident defending against America’s super powered offence in that tourney. 
 

I remember trying to watch ASP at the U18’s because I thought that’s who the Canucks would target in the draft, but by the end of the tournament I was completely sold on Willander because in my opinion he just looked like the better all round defensemen. 

 

PS my username on CDC was “YearoftheNuck” and some of you probably heard me saying exactly that in the 2023 Draft Forum leading up to the draft. If so, sorry for repeating myself lol!

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3 hours ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

Awesome to hear he had a great debut.  If he can make the team next season;

 

24-25

Hughes - Hronek

Cole - UFA

Soucy - Willander

 

We're going to get even better on the back end.  Apparently he's put on weight AND gotten taller.  Super excited for this kid.

 

 

I'd like to see Tanev back on a 2 year deal. Gives us Hughes best d-partner to date back, gives Willander another 1-2 years to develop and then take that job over for the next 6-8 years. 

 

Hughes - Tanev 

Soucy - Hronek 

Cole/B.Dillon - Willander 

 

That is a defense to be excited about. Best d corps since 2010-11. 

 

Edler- Erhoff

Hamhuis - Bieksa 

Ballard/Rome - Salo

 

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1 minute ago, TheWhiskeyPickle said:

I was unsure on Willander but he is starting to grow on me. But this is a silly way to compare the two players. 

Totally agree... Never really understood comparisons, especially different positions.  I understand that there are some fans here that really wanted Benson.  I get it... If Willander wasn't available at our pick then definitely, we should have picked him. 

 

Anyway, soon enough, it will be a moot point because Willander is going to keep piling up the points and will be the best skater on the ice most nights all season.  This guy will probably end up breaking some NCAA records this year.  When did he switch over to playing defence.... Like 3 seasons ago???

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anyone else notice that there is a 66 yr old playing for BU this year

 

 

# Name Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- Birthdate Age Birthplace Hght Wght
71 Mack Celebrini F 2 3 1 4 0 2 2006-06-13 17 Vancouver, BC 5.11 189
5 Tom Willander D 1 1 1 2 0 2 2005-02-09 18 Stockholm, Sweden 6.01 180
22 Aiden Celebrini D 1 0 2 2 0 2 2004-10-26 18 North Vancouver, BC 6.01 187
20 Lane Hutson D 2 1 1 2 2 -2 2004-02-14 19 Holland, MI 5.09 148
16 Jeremy Wilmer L 2 0 2 2 0 2 2003-08-16 20 Rockville Centre, NY 5.06 155
12 Jack Harvey C 1 0 1 1 0 1 2003-03-31 20 Stacy, MN 5.10 175
7 Case McCarthy D 2 1 0 1 0 -1 2001-01-09 22 Clarence Center, NY 6.01 198
11 Luke Tuch F 2 1 0 1 0 1 2002-03-07 21 Baldwinsville, NY 6.02 203
13 Dylan Peterson C 2 0 1 1 4 1 2002-01-08 21 Roseville, CA 6.04 192
9 Ryan Greene C 2 0 1 1 0 1 2003-10-21 19 Paradise, NFLD 6.01 174
18 Shane LaChance L 2 0 1 1 0 -1 2003-08-30 20 Andover, MA 6.04 218
17 Quinn Hutson R 2 0 1 1 0 0 2002-01-01 21 Barrington, IL 5.11 171
14 Michel Frechette R 1 0 0 0 0 1 1957-05-28 66 Sorel, PQ 5.10 175
23 Doug Grimes F 1 0 0 0 0 0 2002-04-18 21 Brookline, MA 6.02 205
62 Mathieu Caron G 2 0 0 0 0 0 2000-03-29 23 Abbotsford, BC 6.00 177
10 Nicholas Zabaneh F 2 0 0 0 2 -1 2001-03-27 22 Toronto, ONT 5.10 182
25 Sam Stevens C 2 0 0 0 6 0 2000-04-27 23 Montreal, PQ 6.01 185
3 Tristan Amonte F 2 0 0 0 0 0 2000-02-01 23 Norwell, MA 6.00 165
8 Cade Webber D 2 0 0 0 2 0 2001-01-05 22 Weston, MA 6.07 208
4 Ty Gallagher D 2 0 0 0 2 -1 2003-03-06 20 Clarkston, MI 6.00 188
21 Devin Kaplan R 2 0 0 0 2 -2 2004-01-10 19 Bridgewater, NJ 6.02 199
2 Gavin McCarthy D 2 0 0 0 0 0 2005-06-02 18 Clarence Center, NY 6.02 185
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I know it's only one game (which is absolutely a big enough sample size to base grandiose conclusions on, ex:BB6 🤣) but seeing the third pair, the Canucks Pair, combine for 1g 4pts and +4 compared to the other 4 BU dmen combining for 1a and -5 is really encouraging.

 

I really hope they let them continue to play together and develop chemistry when Willander's skill inevitably has him moved up the lineup. Keep them together and see how long they stay the "Third pair".

 

Although playing alongside Hutson might be a great way to prepare him for playing with Hughes.

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26 minutes ago, R1invic said:

anyone else notice that there is a 66 yr old playing for BU this year

 

 

# Name Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- Birthdate Age Birthplace Hght Wght
71 Mack Celebrini F 2 3 1 4 0 2 2006-06-13 17 Vancouver, BC 5.11 189
5 Tom Willander D 1 1 1 2 0 2 2005-02-09 18 Stockholm, Sweden 6.01 180
22 Aiden Celebrini D 1 0 2 2 0 2 2004-10-26 18 North Vancouver, BC 6.01 187
20 Lane Hutson D 2 1 1 2 2 -2 2004-02-14 19 Holland, MI 5.09 148
16 Jeremy Wilmer L 2 0 2 2 0 2 2003-08-16 20 Rockville Centre, NY 5.06 155
12 Jack Harvey C 1 0 1 1 0 1 2003-03-31 20 Stacy, MN 5.10 175
7 Case McCarthy D 2 1 0 1 0 -1 2001-01-09 22 Clarence Center, NY 6.01 198
11 Luke Tuch F 2 1 0 1 0 1 2002-03-07 21 Baldwinsville, NY 6.02 203
13 Dylan Peterson C 2 0 1 1 4 1 2002-01-08 21 Roseville, CA 6.04 192
9 Ryan Greene C 2 0 1 1 0 1 2003-10-21 19 Paradise, NFLD 6.01 174
18 Shane LaChance L 2 0 1 1 0 -1 2003-08-30 20 Andover, MA 6.04 218
17 Quinn Hutson R 2 0 1 1 0 0 2002-01-01 21 Barrington, IL 5.11 171
14 Michel Frechette R 1 0 0 0 0 1 1957-05-28 66 Sorel, PQ 5.10 175
23 Doug Grimes F 1 0 0 0 0 0 2002-04-18 21 Brookline, MA 6.02 205
62 Mathieu Caron G 2 0 0 0 0 0 2000-03-29 23 Abbotsford, BC 6.00 177
10 Nicholas Zabaneh F 2 0 0 0 2 -1 2001-03-27 22 Toronto, ONT 5.10 182
25 Sam Stevens C 2 0 0 0 6 0 2000-04-27 23 Montreal, PQ 6.01 185
3 Tristan Amonte F 2 0 0 0 0 0 2000-02-01 23 Norwell, MA 6.00 165
8 Cade Webber D 2 0 0 0 2 0 2001-01-05 22 Weston, MA 6.07 208
4 Ty Gallagher D 2 0 0 0 2 -1 2003-03-06 20 Clarkston, MI 6.00 188
21 Devin Kaplan R 2 0 0 0 2 -2 2004-01-10 19 Bridgewater, NJ 6.02 199
2 Gavin McCarthy D 2 0 0 0 0 0 2005-06-02 18 Clarence Center, NY 6.02 185

hahaha that's supposed to be Mick Frechette who is born 2003 and plays Defense.

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17 hours ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

Awesome to hear he had a great debut.  If he can make the team next season;

 

24-25

Hughes - Hronek

Cole - UFA

Soucy - Willander

 

We're going to get even better on the back end.  Apparently he's put on weight AND gotten taller.  Super excited for this kid.

 

 

We have quite an emerging set of D in Abby, you might have to open the door for one of them.

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2 hours ago, filthy animal said:

 

I wouldn't go THAT far. Lets temper the expectations a bit

 

I've said it a few times now but the more I watch him the more he reminds me of Jake Sanderson. For both of them it all starts with the skating. Explosive with elite deceptive ability. Both were arguable the best skaters in their draft classes. But both were looked at primarily as defensive or two-way defensemen. Granted, they're probably not going to be elite offensive defensemen, but I could easily see 40-50 points from both of them, in addition to being PKers and matchup workhorses playing 25 minutes a night.

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21 hours ago, RWJC said:

Canucks top prospect Tom Willander shines in first NCAA game

 

When Tom Willander committed to Boston University at the start of 2023, it was a clear statement that the soon-to-be Vancouver Canucks first-round pickwanted to take a different route than most Swedish hockey prospects. 
 

Diving into the NCAA development program on one of the best teams in the association while honing his game on the small ice surface seemed like an ideal scenario for the right-shot defender’s development. College hockey has been a springboard for players for decades. 

 

After missing Boston University’s first game of the season — a penalty for an Allsvenskan professional game he competed in 2021-22, Willander was finally able to suit up against the University of New Hampshire tonight — the start of his NCAA journey. 

He did so with a bang. 
 

Making a good first impression

 

On the Swede’s first shift of the game, just as a power play expired, Willander delivered, recording a primary assist off the left point. 

 

The sequence was fairly nuanced. 

As the puck flew up the near boards, the 18-year-old took the puck retrieval in one motion, pivoted, and sent a bullet to Tampa Bay prospect Jack Harvey, waiting on the other point.

Quickly moving into the middle of the ice, Willander took the pass back, shuffled into an open shooting lane, opened his hips up in the process to push laterally, and whipped the puck on net, tipped by Montreal Canadiens prospect Luke Tuch. 
 

While typically you don’t want defenders to move from the middle of the ice towards the boards, this sequence was a fairly precise showcase of the skill blending and sense that the Canucks banked on with their 11th-overall pick. 
 

Canucks prospects connect

 

Willander only kept the ball rolling in the first period. After fellow Canucks prospect and 2023 NHL draft pick Aiden Celebrini found himself free and clear to start an odd-man rush, Willander read the opportunity, trailed the play, and hammered Celebrini’s pass off the right-hand circle, scoring his first NCAA goal.  

 

Besides two defenders leading the rush, Willander himself set his hands proactively and placed the one-time shot perfectly top blocker. New-age two-way defenders must join the rush to produce offence in the NHL. It’s a way to create odd-man transitional attacks at a higher frequency, especially if forwards are trapped in battles like the sequence above. 
 

Willander’s transitional game was fairly muted, but he had an interesting breakout to presumptive 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini. He first pre-scanned where the younger Celebrini brother was tagging up on the blue line as he recovered the neutral zone puck and snapped a hard two-line pass, sending him in with speed. Macklin made a deft cross off a delay move, almost resulting in a goal. 
 

Willander struggled to produce more offence for the rest of the game, only having a couple of sustained offensive zone sequences in the back half of the contest. Boston University employs Canadiens’ prospect Lane Hutson, one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the NCAA, so power play time is at a premium for the Canucks prospect.

 

Defending with Aiden Celebrini

 

Both Canucks prospects, Willander and Celebrini, skated on the third pairing in this game. They complement each other quite well, with the Vancouver-born Celebrini playing a support role. 

 

Celebrini recorded two points in the game himself, but his ability to clog shooting lanes, particularly in the slot, paid dividends for Boston University. 
 

Boston University lost to New Hampshire, allowing six goals against in what was a fairly chaotic and unstructured game. Remarkably, Willander was not on the ice for any of the UNH’s conversions. 
 

There wasn’t a whole lot to write home about defensively, however. Willander wasn’t as disruptive and didn’t kill plays at the frequency seen in Sweden last season. Nevertheless, the physicality, competitiveness at the net front, and the inside-to-outside pressure were all present. The 6-foot-1 defender may have saved a goal in the third, just pressuring enough to tip a puck high as he rolled out of a box-out. 

 

European prospects go through a level of adjustment when they make the hop over the pond. The size of the rink, the speed at which players close on the forecheck, the difference in systems, the list can go on forever. 

 

It is just one game 

 

At the end of the day, this is just one game in a long season — sample sizes are important. There will be ups and downs. 

 

Time will tell if Willander’s decision to take his talents to the NCAA will bare real dividends in terms of his long-term projectability, but at least for the first game of the season, Willander showed well in every aspect, which is good news for everyone, the Canucks organization and its fans. 

 

 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canucks-prospect-tom-willander-first-ncaa-game

Did the author say in the "new hockey", dmen must join the rush to generate offense?

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On 10/13/2023 at 5:57 PM, aGENT said:

Are people still concerned about picking him? 😁

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=240680

 

I'm fine with him, still wasn't my BPA available though. Would have far rather gone with the offensive dynamo from Vancouver.

Edited by MeanSeanBean
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6 hours ago, MeanSeanBean said:

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=240680

 

I'm fine with him, still wasn't my BPA available though. Would have far rather gone with the offensive dynamo from Vancouver.

i couldnt hide my anger during the draft

 

ive loved what jr/pa have done but this is the one decision i see as unforgiveable

 

bensons gonna be an elite 1st liner and we'll watch wondering what could have been

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2 minutes ago, eeeeeeeeergh said:

i couldnt hide my anger during the draft

 

ive loved what jr/pa have done but this is the one decision i see as unforgiveable

 

bensons gonna be an elite 1st liner and we'll watch wondering what could have been

Vancouver has no shortage of those

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