31 Teams in 31 Days - Vancouver Canucks

1. Ethan Keppen - Flint Firebirds
Not the best draft +1 year for Keppen, whose production took a step backward this season in Flint. Some of that was due to injury issues. Some due to inconsistent play. When healthy, he was routinely part of Flint's second line and did see some powerplay time, so a lack of ice time wasn't the issue. If you recall, I was a big fan of Keppen's in his draft year, so his development this year was definitely disappointing. I still think that he has the hands, vision, size, and three zone IQ to be a middle six player at the NHL level. But his skating will need to improve. And the consistency of his physical game and ability to win those battles in the corners was also somewhat frustrating. There are times where he is noticeable out there with his energy, but it's not translating to production. So where's the disconnect? I'd definitely like to see Keppen playing near the crease more consistently. He's a big kid and has good hands, but he's not seeking out those second chance opportunities or crashing the net the way that you'd like to see. Next year, Keppen probably plays a similar role for Flint, with a chance at the top powerplay unit. So he's going to really need to elevate his game and stay healthy to earn a contract from Vancouver. Again, I do still believe that we'll see him return to form next season and the 35/35 year that I predicted a year ago fits for the 2020/21 season too. 

2. Arturs Silovs - Barrie Colts
Silovs first OHL season probably didn't quite go according to Vancouver's plan. Splitting the starting role with Jet Greaves, he struggled with consistency. He would go a few weeks and look terrific. Then he would go a few weeks of really fighting the puck. Certainly, some of that could be attributed to Barrie's struggles as a team. The Colts are a young team and Silovs certainly had to face his share of odd man rushes, penalty kills, and other high end scoring chances. The 6'4 netminder certainly has an intriguing package of size and athleticism. It's why he was drafted in the first place. He looks the part of an NHL goalie some outings. However, the finer details of his game require a lot of work. He gets himself out of position or doesn't quite cover his angles properly when trying to challenge shooters. This is especially true for his blocker side, be it far side or near side. He also gives up too many second chance opportunities, failing to secure longer shots or failing to find pucks in traffic. All of these areas do certainly show potential, as I mentioned. And he's only an '01, so he still has time to figure it out. It remains to be seen what Silovs' intentions are next season. He could certainly return to Barrie for another year. The Colts could trade him and roll with Jet Greaves as their starter. He could play in the ECHL (as a European drafted player). Or he could play overseas somewhere. Seems likely that he comes back to the OHL, I'm just not sure it's with Barrie.