Vancouver Canucks prospect Brooks Rogowski, who quit baseball only about 2½ years ago to focus on hockey, said his learning “curve” has been steep as he accelerates into a more prominent role. In comments and discussions with Canucks development staff, Rogowski and director of player development Daren Hermiston pointed to his size, an unusually fast timeline, and an improving two-way game profile as key reasons for optimism heading into his next stages of development.
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Brooks Rogowski said his learning “curve” has been steep as he commits more fully to hockey, comparing it to a cliff face while saying he welcomes the chance to keep rising.
Rogowski, a centre from Brighton, Michigan, said he quit baseball about 2½ years ago to focus on hockey full time. He said his father, Casey Rogowski, was a former Chicago White Sox draft pick whose professional career stayed in the minors while he worked toward a Major League opportunity, and Rogowski said his father “got shafted” and that reaching the top is never guaranteed.
The Canucks selected Rogowski with the first pick of the second round, 33rd overall, in June. Before Vancouver made the pick, Rogowski had been viewed on NHL draft boards as a wide-ranging possibility.
Canucks director of player development Daren Hermiston said Rogowski’s length could help him improve quickly. Hermiston described Rogowski as an unusually big athlete who is still raw because he has not specialized in hockey training for as long as some peers, and said his ceiling is “extremely high” despite the late start because he has not yet accumulated the same number of on-ice and practice reps.
Rogowski’s timeline reflects that shift. He helped Detroit Catholic Central win a Michigan state title while continuing to play hockey in high school, before the Oshawa Generals drafted him in 2024. After that, he pivoted full time to hockey as his junior role moved toward a more offensive orientation.
In the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League season, Rogowski recorded 23 points in 63 games as a rookie. The following season, he posted 15 goals and 42 points in 46 games for Oshawa.
Rogowski said he is committed to Michigan State University, but plans to spend his draft-plus-one season back in junior before transitioning to university hockey in 2027, a plan he said would keep him playing more while he refines his game at both ends of the ice.
At the 2026 World Junior showcase in Windsor, Ontario, Rogowski played for Team USA and scored three goals and added four points in four games. The tournament wrapped with Team USA as winners, and Rogowski said the experience helped build confidence heading into the next stage of evaluation.
Rogowski told reporters his drafted status is “a reset of everything” he has worked for, moving him “from square one” in terms of training and expectations. He said staying grounded is important during the transition away from baseball.
He said the D-zone is his “bread and butter,” and said he is focused on developing the offensive side by shooting more and becoming a complete 200-foot player.
Rogowski also described his growth over the past two years as “exponential,” while acknowledging improvement will likely slow as it levels out. He said the steep part of development will flatten, giving him time to climb more steadily toward the level he expects to reach, and he added that he has also had self-doubts despite his confidence.
He called a recent showcase where he scored three goals a “major” moment that strengthened his belief in the offensive direction of his game. He said he is still working to build a complete game as he progresses through the next phases of development.
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