Fan In Van

Draft Countdown - Stefan Elliott

Every year, there’s always a local British Columbia kid who the media thinks the Vancouver Canucks will draft. Last year, it was Kyle Beach, who went one selection after the Canucks drafted Cody Hodgson. This year, it’s defenceman Stefan Elliott of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. Born and raised in North Vancouver, Elliott has been pegged to be taken by the Canucks in several mock drafts, including Pierre McGuire’s yesterday.

This season Elliott’s numbers were impressive for a defenceman, as he posted 16 goals and 55 points in 71 games. Many scouts agree that the North Vancouver product has a Mike Green thing going on, as the offensive blueliner loves to join the rush, carry the puck and generate offense. So far, not many believe his dynamic game has cost his team defensively.

There’s no questioning the fact that Elliott is a gifted individual. He’s got a ton of offensive ability, which has seen him play in all situations of the ice. He’s the first defenceman to be thrown out on a powerplay and the penalty kill, and he’s the kind of player you put onto the ice when you’re down a goal late in the game. Elliott has also taken on more of a leadership role with the Blades under head coach Lorne Molleken and will likely wear a letter on his chest next season, his third campaign with Saskatoon.

However with all his strengths, Stefan Elliott certainly has a lot of work ahead of him in order to make the big jump to the NHL. Like a lot of players in their draft year, Elliott needs to continue to add muscle to his body, as he stands at 6′0 and 185 pounds. He would be best served to add another 10 pounds before he’ll be ready for full-time duty with his NHL club. As is also the case with the majority of draft-eligible defencemen, he also needs to gain more confidence with the puck and show that he is capable of being the go-to player for the Blades and a potential top-four defenceman in the NHL.

A lot of scouts liken Elliott’s play to Mike Green, but I see him developing into more like a Brian Rafalski-type player; one who can carry the puck or make a strong first pass out of the zone and someone who has no problem unleashing bombs from the blueline and quarterbacking the powerplay.

There are a number of reasons to believe that the Canucks have Elliott in their sights, as there’s a lot to like about him. He was, however, ranked #35 among draft prospects by Bob McKenzie, behind the likes of other offensive defencemen such as Nick Leddy and David Rundblad, so it seems while Elliott has tremendous potential, he’s certainly behind the pecking order behind an abundance of other players of his ilk.

And finally, a quote from coach Lorne Molleken, as reported by TSN: “Stefan Elliott’s strengths include his skating ability, his snap shot and wrist shot, and his one-on-one defensive play. Stefan is a very intelligent player who uses his stick and body positioning to his advantage while in the defensive zone. He is not a physical player but his stick and body positioning make up for his lack in physical play. He possesses above average puck handling skills and can make a good first pass. Stefan is very good at quarterbacking a power play and his ability to read the play makes him an offensive threat.”