Jared McCann: Prospect Profile for Vancouver Canucks' 1st-Round Pick

Player: Jared McCann

Drafted By: Vancouver Canucks (24th overall)

Position: Center

Final Central Scouting Ranking: No. 10 North American skater

Height/Weight: 6'1'', 179 lbs

DOB: May 31, 1996 (18 years old)

Most Recent Affiliation: OHL, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Background

Jared McCann is a prospect who finished the season ranked as the No. 10 skater in all of North America.

During the regular season, McCann tallied 62 points in 64 games. It was a year of growth for the young center, as he had tallied 18 fewer points in the same amount of games in 2012-13.

There are many reasons why McCann was a sought-after prospect, and that was evident throughout the season.

Full Scouting Report

McCann stands at 6’0”, 179 pounds, so he isn’t going to rely on his body to be a force while on the ice. For starters, McCann is a player with good offensive instincts. He has amazing hands, great vision and the ability to find teammates on the ice.

Another strength of McCann's is his ability to play a 200-foot game. In The Hockey News' draft preview, he is described as a jack-of-all-trades.

He isn't a great skater, but below-average skating hasn't held down otherwise solid players in the past. Another strength of McCann's game is his faceoff proficiency, which will be useful at the NHL level.

NHL Player Comparison

Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers. McCann is a creative player with great vision, hands and he is a consistent point producer. In many respects, he is very similar to Philadelphia's captain.

NHL Timetable

McCann has great talent and upside, but he needs to fill out his frame a little bit more. Therefore, the 2015-16 season would be a realistic target for him to make his NHL debut.

Top-End Potential

At his peak, McCann projects to be a decent two-way center with upside. If he can put some more size on his frame, he will be stronger on the puck and more durable as a player. He has an injury history, so getting stronger will help to keep him healthy as a player.

All in all, he has a lot of talent, but adding that size will help him transition effectively to the NHL level.