| stuff99 | 07-08-2009 10:24 PM |
Canucks prospect Patrick White told no more "Mr. Nice Guy"
By Jim Jamieson, The Province
July 8, 2009 9:01 PM
Patrick White has gone from the Vancouver Canucks’ No. 1 pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft to No. 1 whipping boy when it comes to scrutinizing the club’s draft history this decade.
Canucks fans see red every time David Perron’s name is mentioned, as the St. Louis winger who’s scored 28 NHL goals already and made the Blues right out of junior two seasons ago was selected one spot after White (26th overall) in 2007. Comparisons won’t get any easier, as the Canucks’ top pick last month, Jordan Schroeder at 22nd overall, is one of White’s teammates at University of Minnesota. Schroeder, a dynamic centre, was one of the top scorers in points per game (1.29) in U.S. college hockey last season as a first-year player, finishing with a dazzling 13-27-40 in 32 games.
White, also a centre, had 7-8-15 in his second season with the Gophers on the heels of a 6-4-10 rookie season.
But is it fair to rag on White, who’s here this week as part of the Canucks’ five-day summer prospects camp?
He was projected by NHL Central Scouting as a second-rounder and surprised some onlookers when the Canucks, under then-GM Dave Nonis, picked the former Minnesota high school star so high.
Is he another blown first-rounder? Or is there still a chance he could one day wear the Orca on his chest?
The Canucks certainly haven’t given up on White, particularly because he’s still just 20 years old.
“He’s still a young player,” said Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman. “Different players develop at different rates.”
Don Lucia, White’s coach at University of Minnesota, also thinks the jury is still out on the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder.
“The biggest issue is he’s got to learn to compete harder one on one,” said Lucia. “He’s a really nice kid, great student, comes from a wonderful family, but ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ has got to go away when he steps on the ice. When he learns to battle consistently he’ll take a step as a player. That’s been his struggle over two years. We’ve talked to him about it. He understands it.”
Lucia said there’s still time for White to fulfill his early promise.
He centred the Gophers’ third line and played on the second power-play unit last season and shows signs of the player who put up big numbers in high school.
The acid test will be the coming season, when he has an opportunity to be a more prominent player.
“He’s only 20 years old, he might be one of those four-year [in college] guys,” said Lucia.
“I think he’s got a chance to be a really good player. You watch him in practice and you can see he can score goals. He’s got that natural ability.
“Sometimes it’s not till the back-half of the sophomore year that kids start to get it. He had a pretty strong finish for us and I’m hoping that carries forward.”
White said he’s also well aware of what he has to work on and had regular conversations with the Gophers’ coaching staff and with Canucks director of player development Dave Gagner.
“The coaching staff has been really good at communicating with me,” said White.
“If I had a bad game they’d take me aside and show me the video clips. Dave Gagner talked to me about it, too. It comes with working hard in warmup, preparing yourself for that one chance on your first shift and being ready for it. It started showing in the second half. I had almost my goals in the last half.”
White is well aware that expectations are high on first-rounders and the trash talk that goes on in Vancouver, but he’s committed to following his own time frame.
“It didn’t go as well as I hoped, probably,” he said of his first two years of college hockey.
“I set high goals and I didn’t reach my goals. I definitely made steps from my freshman to my sophomore season and in the second half of that season. At this point, two years out, I don’t think where I was drafted puts pressure on me. Most of my goals are about reaching the final destination and that’s playing in the NHL.” NOTES: The Canucks’ top draft pick of a year ago, Cody Hodgson, made his first appearance of the camp on Wednesday. He missed the first two days of the camp due to a family commitment. ... The camp concludes on Friday with a dash up the Grouse Grind.
© Copyright (c) The Province | 