Prab Rai
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Birthday:
1989-11-22 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2007 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2008 |
Height:
5-11 |
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Acquired:
5th round (131st overall), 2008 |
Weight:
191 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- D
History
2006-07: After playing 38 games with limited success the season before, Rai’s 2006-07 campaign got off to a rough start when he demanded a trade from Prince George after 24 games. He was eventually dealt to the Seattle Thunderbirds, where he finished the season with 19 points in 38 games.
2007-08: Rai had a much better opportunity to showcase his skill set and it translated directly to points. Rai scored 20 goals and 45 assists for 65 points in 72 regular season games. He added six more points during the T-Birds 11-game playoff run.
2008-09: Rai got off to a fast start for Seattle in his fourth WHL season and scored at over a point-per-game pace for the Thunderbirds. Seattle finished third in the U.S. Division and Rai was the team's second-leading scorer behind Greg Scott despite missing 11 games. Rai scored 25 goals with 40 assists and was +11 with 29 PMs in 61 games. Seattle slipped into the playoffs and in the Thunderbirds' five-game, first-round series with Spokane Rai scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was -3.
2009-10: Rai was Seattle's leading scorer as a 20-year-old and was named to the WHL West Second All-Star team despite playing for a young Thunderbirds squad that finished with the WHL's third-worst record. Rai's 41 goals tied him for seventh amongst WHL scorers and he had 28 assists with a -6 plus/minus and 29 PMs. Rai signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks in March 2010.
2010-11: Rai missed the entire season due to a back injury.
2011-12: Rai made his pro hockey debut with Vancouver's ECHL affiliate Kalamazoo on January 20th after missing the entire 2010-11 season. He skated in 24 games with the Wings and scored 2 goals with 4 assists; finishing plus-one with 7 penalty minutes. Kalamazoo finished first in the North Division and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Rai played in two playoff games and was minus-one with no points nor penalty minutes.
Talent Analysis
Following the example of year’s past, Rai is another prospect in the Canucks system described as a real speed demon. A player who uses his skating ability to create scoring opportunities (and make up for errors in all zones), Rai possesses an above average skill set and is confident in his abilities. He has a bit of a reputation as a player who doesn’t like to play in high traffic areas, something he will need to improve upon in the coming years.
