Future Watch: 2021 Draft Eligibles (Part Four)
Week four of our future watch series brings you twins, Basil, twins! Jaxsin and Corbin Vaughan played big minutes for a surprising Pursuit of Excellence Bantam Prep team that won games over the top competition, despite a roster made up almost entirely of 2006-born players. We take a look at one of Pacific Coast's best draft-eligible players this year and talk about another couple of Bantam Varsity standouts who will also be looking to make a big splash in the Bantam Prep division.
Corbin Vaughan, Defenceman, Pursuit of Excellence Bantam Prep
"A strong, reliable two-way defenceman. Corbin has a strong understanding of how to use his body to eliminate opponents, protect the puck and create space for his teammates. A decent skater with better four-way mobility than his twin brother. Corbin is utilized in all situations from a shutdown role on the penalty kill to a facilitator on the powerplay. His puck skills are average in that he is good in some areas like carrying the puck around guys for a zone entry on occasion and protects the puck well, but does not hold a diversified arsenal of shots. Decent gap control and uses his reach and stick effectively at times. His decision making is rather conservative which shows his understanding of risk mitigation when it comes to moving the puck or picking his spot for a big hit. Overall, Corbin has the potential to do more from the backend especially in terms of engagement and activation. Corbin has the potential to be a more threatening and dynamic defenceman in transition with further development of his puck skills and skating. He shows flashes when handling the puck and has jumped in the play effectively at times. Should he develop his puck skills, including a threatening shot from the point and first pass, and find another gear, he will be one of the most effective all-around defencemen in the Bantam Prep league next season." - Zach Moffat
Jaxsin Vaughan, Center, Pursuit of Excellence Bantam Prep
"Built like a bull. Jaxsin plays a simple and reliable two-way style utilizing his spatial awareness. Physical in that he will occasionally land a big hit or eliminate a defenceman on the forecheck but also in that he is willing to play through the opposition creating space for his linemates. Willing to play the tough minutes and sacrifice for his team. Over the course of the season, Jaxsin developed his puck skills at speed and showed increased confidence with the puck against older, top-level competition. He drives his lanes and finds the soft spots around the net to capitalize on rebounds or provide a passing option for a linemate. He won't razzle-dazzle you, but he is capable of producing offensively and plays a style that makes him effective even when he's not contributing offensively. His size may have held back his foot speed this past season, should he become more explosive and find another gear for his top speed he will be a very difficult player to handle in this year's Bantam Prep division." - Zach Moffat
Ollie Josephson, Forward, Pacific Coast Hockey Academy Bantam Prep
"As a 13-year-old playing for the Pacific Coast Academy Bantam Prep team, Ollie Josephson showed promise of being a solid and reliable two-way forward. Second on his team in scoring behind only 2005-born Ty Halaburda (2020 2nd round pick, #32 overall by Vancouver Giants), Ollie averaged well over a point per game (1.28) and has a natural ability to play both ends of the ice at a high level. Ollie is a strong skater with quick first step acceleration which allows him to receive passes at top speed for dangerous up ice rushes. To go along with his great footspeed, Ollie is very agile and able to work his edges to leave opponents stumbling in pursuit. In the offensive zone, Ollie is more of a chance creator (27 assists in 29 games) both at even strength and on the powerplay, as he is able to set up teammates in prime scoring positions. Josephson is also gifted with smooth hands and a fantastic stickhandling ability which allows him to maneuver around opponents and keep possession. In addition to his offensive abilities, Ollie is very engaged and committed to playing a full 200-foot game. In his own zone, he shows great awareness, keeping his head on a swivel, with his eyes on both the puck carrier and potential scoring threats around him which allows him to anticipate and disrupt opponent zone time. This is in part due to his high-level compete in all areas of the ice whether it’s going to the net to score, taking a hit to make the safe play or his all-around engagement in the game. At 5’6 and 125 pounds, Ollie will certainly benefit from his physical maturation in the coming years and should allow him to take his game to the next level as the level of competition increases." - Adam Goodwin
Gabriel Guilbault, Defenceman, Burnaby Winter Club Bantam Varsity
"On the talented Burnaby Winter Club Bantam Varsity team this past season, strong-skating defenceman Gabriel Guilbault was the second-leading scorer among 12 players with at least a point-per-game average! Through 30 games when the season was cut short, Gabriel scored 19 goals from the blue line and added 23 assists for 42 points with only 14 penalty minutes! Stellar on the power play, Gabriel scored eight of his goals with the man advantage (tops on the team) with two game-winning goals. His huge back-end presence was evident in helping BWC hold the opposition to less than two goals per game, and Gabriel was a solid defender on the penalty kill. With his long reach and stick, Gabriel can poke check the puck out of scrums along the boards and in the corners quickly and reset for transition either way. Physically strong and agile, Gabriel uses his body to his advantage - but fairly and with punishing force. Because of his offensive skills with a hard and heavy shot with accuracy, Gabriel is a scoring threat from either point or closer in, effortlessly using his cruising ability to make space for crisp passes and the no-look snipe. One of Gabriel's greatest assets is his endurance - he seems to be able to skate on multiple lines, double-shifts, and both powerplay and penalty kill even back-to-back without even appearing to look winded. Working to stay active in positional play without the puck will be something to improve on this next season, but considering Gabriel's stamina, desire to learn, and work ethic, he will improve in all areas of his game and become a prized prospect for the 2021 WHL Draft." - Phil Dietz
Chase Valliant, Forward, West Vancouver Bantam Varsity
"On a team full of rising stars, one of the most impressive players is velvet-smooth skater, Chase Valliant! A lightweight, but growing, center, Chase is hyper agile and bounces off contact like a pinball, quickly regaining his balance and speed. His change of direction while maintaining control of the puck is great and displays his relentless work ethic going to create magic at the net front. He attacks defenders head-on and is able to deceive them with his shoulders and force an overplay or sharply change direction to gain space. Another of his strengths is his puck skills, with a quick stick and eye-hand coordination, Chase not only controls the puck well but is consistent in the faceoff circle, setting up teammates ready for one-timers. In most cases on the breakout and pushing the rush, he makes very accurate lead passes which allow his teammates to gain and maintain top speed for a fast-paced game. A relentless, tenacious center that utilizes his speed to cause havoc for the opposition and consistently produce offensive chances. With next season definitely bringing even more improvement and a heavier frame for more physical play, Chase looks to be a candidate to be taken in the first round." - Phil Dietz
See you for next week's edition of Future Watch!
