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With youngsters playing like seasoned veterans in the Stanley Cup playoffs — especially David Pastrnak and Patrik Laine and rookies Pierre-Luc Dubois and Marcus Sorensen — the question begs in this market:

Are the Vancouver Canucks inching closer to returning to the post-season by committing to bonafide NHL prospects, or are they going to be sitting on the sidelines years from now still trying to punch their ticket to the dance?

“That’s a hard question to answer,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “We have to see some of these kids and see where they are when they get to camp. Elias Pettersson had a hell of a year and he’s skilled enough that he can make that transition.

“But you still have to see.”

Left-winger Jonathan Dahlen also had a hell of a year. Centre Adam Gaudette showed promise in his five-game debut and Thatcher Demko is ready to challenge Jacob Markstrom for the net.

What we’re really anxious to see is how everything plays out in the middle, on the wings and the back end.