Hossa
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In most recent drafts, the Canucks tend to sit on their late first round pick and hope their target is there, sitting out the second round and collecting a bunch of prospects from rounds three to seven. This year, the latter was still true, but a series of draft day trades - including dealing Dougie Hamilton and David Perron - resulted in a much more active and unique draft day experience.
1st Round, 27th Overall: David Edstrom, C, Frolunda
Edstrom was always the target in the first, but jittery about a lack of back-ups left on the board, the Canucks moved up from 28 to 27 at the cost of a fifth. The result was selecting a player I feel has both a high floor and a high ceiling at centre. Edstrom has been characterised as an extreme late riser, fairly given his lack of attention before the U18s. But looking at the total body of work over the past twelve months, starting at the Hlinka-Gretzky and through to his promotion to the SHL, reassures that the U18s were no flash in the pan.
Edstrom is a 6’3” centre with a strong all-around game who projects to play on both special teams, at least as a match-up third line centre who is strong on face-offs and plays heavy in both ends. Where the high upside comes in would be the rapid improvement in Edstrom’s skating, puck-handling and overall vision, especially off the cycle where he made several high-end plays at the U18s. The package of tools and development trajectory recalls that of Joel Eriksson Ek a few years ago, and if Edstrom hits that kind of upside, he will be a steal at 27.
2nd Round, 34th Overall: Bradly Nadeau, LW, Penticton
Nadeau, by contrast to Edstrom, was not a target heading into the draft until the club added this pick and the 43rd selection. In fact, the Canucks have not used an early pick on a player of Nadeau’s style since maybe Kyle Palmieri in 2009. But, there was a need for a different type of prospect than Edstrom and those players targeted at 43, and Nadeau, in a draft with many smaller skilled forwards, was along with Gavin Brindley an appealing option here even if his video game season in Penticton makes the context of his production a bit of an issue.
From a tools perspective, Nadeau grades out extremely well offensively, with an outstanding shot that should allow him to at least score as a Victor Olovsson-style specialist role down the line, but he also skates quite well, has very good hands and can make plays. I was also impressed in my somewhat limited video looks at Nadeau’s willingness to work in all zones to start players, not only finish them. All in, Nadeau has legitimate top six upside, even with a fair bit of risk, which is not easy to find outside the top 20.
2nd Round, 43rd Overall: Danny Nelson, C/W/D, US NDTP
Cut from a similar cloth as Edstrom in a way, Nelson played the full year with the NTDP but struggled for much of it to find the right role. Entering the year having played more on the blueline, Nelson was not a great fit as a complimentary winger on the second line to Oliver Moore, but thrived later in the year and at the U18s when entering his own line. Next year he will play with his brother Henry - also a Canucks prospect - at the University of Notre Dame.
Nelson’s tools package is extremely intriguing. At 6’3” and with strong skating abilities, Nelson is one of the better athletes in the draft. His defensive game is quite advanced as well, so like Edstrom his potential as a match-up centre is evident. The question is more about office and to an extent position. Nelson has great hands and can make plays, but the lack of success with better line mates raised questions about hockey sense. Like Edstrom, the tools package gives Nelson a high floor with an intriguing ceiling.
3rd Round, 92nd overall: Juraj Pekarcik, W, HK Nitra
If Edstrom used the U18s to launch himself into first round consideration, Pekarcik may have used it to go from a possible draft pick to a possible second rounder, after a series of fantastic games with Slovakia. Prior to that tournament, Pekarcik was on the radar but with only three points in 30 games in the top Slovak league, he had done little to draw attention to himself, although he did produce 8 points in 8 games in the second pro league, with a track record for office before as well.
Pekarcik stood out at the U18s with outstanding skating and competitiveness, hounding pucks on the forecheck and back check, forcing turnovers and creating chances on almost every shift. There is also a broader tools package that intrigues, as Pekarcik is 6’2”, flashes great hands and skill, and is three days away from being eligible instead for next year’s draft. The package at the moment is raw, as he plays almost too fast for his skills, but the upside is exciting.
4th Round, 118th Overall: Hoyt Stanley, D, Victoria
Growing up in Vancouver playing against guys like Connor Bedard, Matthew Wood and Andrew Cristall, Stanley was mostly a small, skilled forward, switching to defence a couple years ago as he hit a growth spurt. He also missed most of the previous two seasons due to the pandemic and a concussion before emerging this year as an intriguing defence man in the BCHL. Off to Cornell, Stanley is now 6’3”, skates very well, flashes playmaking ability and has a great shot, but the defensive play and decision making is a work in progress.
4th Round, 123rd Overall: Dans Locmelis, C, Lulea HF
A fourth round pick of Boston last year, Locmelis went back to Lulea’s J20 team and was one of the best players in the league, although it was his play at the WJC and ultimately the Worlds that showcased his growth in his D+1 season. A centre from Latvia who is off to the University of Massachusetts next year, Locmelis is still quite raw - he started playing hockey late and has a lot of filling out to do on his 6’0” frame. Still, Locmelis is a quick player with very good compete who shows rapidly improving offensive ability with a willingness to play quick and to the inside.
5th Round, 132nd Overall: Kenny Connors, C, UMass
A fourth round pick of Los Angeles last year, Connors awaits Locmelis at UMass, where he had a fantastic freshman season scoring 26 points in 32 games, second on the team. His strong play also earned him a spot on the US World Junior Team where he provided speed, physicality and a couple goals down the line-up. Already 20 years old, Connors is a fairly advanced 6’1” centre who has third line upside, and has an outside change to sign an ELC after his sophomore year.
5th Round, 150th Overall: Connor Hvidston, C, Swift Current
Picked last year in the fifth round by Anaheim, Hvidston was four days away from being first time eligible in 2023 instead, and doubled his production this year. He also moved, quite successfully, to centre in the course of the season where his skating and playmaking allowed him to adapt quite well. Yet another player who is quite raw, Hvidston is 6’2’ but only 165lbs, with flashes of real skill, including in a late-season stint in the AHL. Should go back to the WHL for his final year of junior and could be a dark horse for the WJC, similar to fellow Canucks prospect Caedan Bankier.
5th Round, 156th Overall: Philip Svedeback, G, Providence College
A repeat member of the Canucks draft list, Svedeback finally goes after a strong freshman season at Providence College, where he started 34 games on an inconsistent club. Drafted originally by Boston, whose last goalie to come out of Hockey East was Jeremy Swayman, Svedeback is a bigger goalie at 6’4” with outstanding athleticism. The key to making it in the NHL will be to refine his technique and consistency, but the potential is exciting for this stage of the draft.
5th Round, 182nd Overall: Kevin Reidler, G, AIK
Another Swedish goalie, even bigger and rawer than Svedeback, Reidler is also following his route by going to the USHL next year and then likely on to NCAA. Drafted by the Senators last year of the Swedish J18 league, the 6’6” Reidler was only a couple weeks away from being first-time eligible this year and made considerable progress this year in the J20 league. Huge, athletic and raw, Reidler will be the third goalie for Sweden at the WJC Summer Showcase.
6th Round, 188th Overall: Noah Laba, C, Colorado College
Similar to Connors, Laba is an 03 centre drafted in last year’s fourth round, in his case by New York, who turned in a strong freshman campaign and played at the WJC. Laba is a bit bigger, tougher and has better hands than Connors, but is not as skilled overall nor as good a skater. Still, Laba has several projectable skills and impressive year on year growth, so there is possible third line centre upside there if things break right.
6th Round, 189th Overall: Anton Johansson, D, Leksands IF
Another re-entry, Johansson is a different profile from the others as a 6’4” defence man drafted by Detroit, presumably on recommendation from the famous Hakan Andersson. Playing on the same team as Canucks first round from 2022 Lian Bichsel, Johansson is nowhere near as advanced or imposing, but is still highly mobile for a large defenceman. A full season of regular SHL minutes will be a key test for him, as will the WJC Summer Showcase, where he is on the preliminary roster.
7th Round, 200th Overall: Michael Callow, RW, Muskegon
And once again a re-entry, Callow probably would not have made the list if not for a strong home stretch with Muskegon when Joe Connor - see below - joined the club after the prep season finished. An Anaheim fifth rounder, Callow is a 6’4” winger with fantastic hands, improving skating and a ton of filling out to do. Four years at Harvard should do wonders for refining those tools.
7th Round, 202nd Overall: Vsevolod Komarov, D, Quebec
The last re-entry on the list is also the only one with an ELC already, which Komarov signed with Buffalo as the Remparts were moving towards a league championship and ultimately a Memorial Cup title, with Komarov a key player in their run. Big, tough and with a knack for jumping into the play, Komarov has developed considerably in two years in the QMJHL. With continued investment in his skating, he has a good chance to be a third pairing player in Buffalo.
7th Round, 214th Overall: Joe Connor, C, Muskegon
Playing much of the year at prep school, Connor finished strong in Muskegon, better than his six points in 12 games indicate, as he and Callow formed an impactful line that created chances and energy on almost every shift down the stretch. Stylistically Connor is the opposite player, a 5’10” centre who buzzes around the ice creating chances off the rush and forecheck. The skating is very good, but the question will be overall offence and he almost certainly ends up on the wing.
7th Round, 220th Overall: Michael Emerson, RW, Chicago
A deep cut, Emerson is a late 03 who was not listed on Central Scouting and came out of nowhere this year to score 30 goals in 60 games in the USHL. Emerson is not a flashy player, with a powerful but clunky stride, but he competes hard, drives to the net and can finish. What is intriguing is that when he was drafted into the USHL three years ago, Emerson was 5’5”, 125lbs; now he is 6’2”, 185lbs. North Dakota, with its exceptional facilities and track record developing talent, is a perfect place for him to continue his development.
Overall
Although a lot of picks in volume, this draft will ultimately come down to the development of Edstrom, Nadeau and Nelson, three forward prospects for a team in transition. Landing those three is almost a best case scenario though, short of somebody falling unexpectedly, as both Edstrom and Nelson were well-researched targets and Nadeau complements their talent and risk profiles very well. Edstrom in particular is exactly the player targeted at 28, and there is a good lesson to be taken from the risk mitigation measure to flip a fifth rounder to move up one.
Otherwise, beyond Pekarcik and Stanley, both excitingly raw prospects, the rest of the picks did not play out quite as one would have hoped, with far more re-entries than planned. While many of them were deliberately targeted, especially Locmelis, Connors and the goalies, a bit more balance would have been ideal (and a bit more fun). Still, as a group, it represents an exciting collection of tools, with a lot of players with projectable traits and experience at premium positions. Players like Connors and Laba, for example, have some upside as third line centres but could also slide over as a Miles Wood type of winger.
1st Round, 27th Overall: David Edstrom, C, Frolunda
Edstrom was always the target in the first, but jittery about a lack of back-ups left on the board, the Canucks moved up from 28 to 27 at the cost of a fifth. The result was selecting a player I feel has both a high floor and a high ceiling at centre. Edstrom has been characterised as an extreme late riser, fairly given his lack of attention before the U18s. But looking at the total body of work over the past twelve months, starting at the Hlinka-Gretzky and through to his promotion to the SHL, reassures that the U18s were no flash in the pan.
Edstrom is a 6’3” centre with a strong all-around game who projects to play on both special teams, at least as a match-up third line centre who is strong on face-offs and plays heavy in both ends. Where the high upside comes in would be the rapid improvement in Edstrom’s skating, puck-handling and overall vision, especially off the cycle where he made several high-end plays at the U18s. The package of tools and development trajectory recalls that of Joel Eriksson Ek a few years ago, and if Edstrom hits that kind of upside, he will be a steal at 27.
2nd Round, 34th Overall: Bradly Nadeau, LW, Penticton
Nadeau, by contrast to Edstrom, was not a target heading into the draft until the club added this pick and the 43rd selection. In fact, the Canucks have not used an early pick on a player of Nadeau’s style since maybe Kyle Palmieri in 2009. But, there was a need for a different type of prospect than Edstrom and those players targeted at 43, and Nadeau, in a draft with many smaller skilled forwards, was along with Gavin Brindley an appealing option here even if his video game season in Penticton makes the context of his production a bit of an issue.
From a tools perspective, Nadeau grades out extremely well offensively, with an outstanding shot that should allow him to at least score as a Victor Olovsson-style specialist role down the line, but he also skates quite well, has very good hands and can make plays. I was also impressed in my somewhat limited video looks at Nadeau’s willingness to work in all zones to start players, not only finish them. All in, Nadeau has legitimate top six upside, even with a fair bit of risk, which is not easy to find outside the top 20.
2nd Round, 43rd Overall: Danny Nelson, C/W/D, US NDTP
Cut from a similar cloth as Edstrom in a way, Nelson played the full year with the NTDP but struggled for much of it to find the right role. Entering the year having played more on the blueline, Nelson was not a great fit as a complimentary winger on the second line to Oliver Moore, but thrived later in the year and at the U18s when entering his own line. Next year he will play with his brother Henry - also a Canucks prospect - at the University of Notre Dame.
Nelson’s tools package is extremely intriguing. At 6’3” and with strong skating abilities, Nelson is one of the better athletes in the draft. His defensive game is quite advanced as well, so like Edstrom his potential as a match-up centre is evident. The question is more about office and to an extent position. Nelson has great hands and can make plays, but the lack of success with better line mates raised questions about hockey sense. Like Edstrom, the tools package gives Nelson a high floor with an intriguing ceiling.
3rd Round, 92nd overall: Juraj Pekarcik, W, HK Nitra
If Edstrom used the U18s to launch himself into first round consideration, Pekarcik may have used it to go from a possible draft pick to a possible second rounder, after a series of fantastic games with Slovakia. Prior to that tournament, Pekarcik was on the radar but with only three points in 30 games in the top Slovak league, he had done little to draw attention to himself, although he did produce 8 points in 8 games in the second pro league, with a track record for office before as well.
Pekarcik stood out at the U18s with outstanding skating and competitiveness, hounding pucks on the forecheck and back check, forcing turnovers and creating chances on almost every shift. There is also a broader tools package that intrigues, as Pekarcik is 6’2”, flashes great hands and skill, and is three days away from being eligible instead for next year’s draft. The package at the moment is raw, as he plays almost too fast for his skills, but the upside is exciting.
4th Round, 118th Overall: Hoyt Stanley, D, Victoria
Growing up in Vancouver playing against guys like Connor Bedard, Matthew Wood and Andrew Cristall, Stanley was mostly a small, skilled forward, switching to defence a couple years ago as he hit a growth spurt. He also missed most of the previous two seasons due to the pandemic and a concussion before emerging this year as an intriguing defence man in the BCHL. Off to Cornell, Stanley is now 6’3”, skates very well, flashes playmaking ability and has a great shot, but the defensive play and decision making is a work in progress.
4th Round, 123rd Overall: Dans Locmelis, C, Lulea HF
A fourth round pick of Boston last year, Locmelis went back to Lulea’s J20 team and was one of the best players in the league, although it was his play at the WJC and ultimately the Worlds that showcased his growth in his D+1 season. A centre from Latvia who is off to the University of Massachusetts next year, Locmelis is still quite raw - he started playing hockey late and has a lot of filling out to do on his 6’0” frame. Still, Locmelis is a quick player with very good compete who shows rapidly improving offensive ability with a willingness to play quick and to the inside.
5th Round, 132nd Overall: Kenny Connors, C, UMass
A fourth round pick of Los Angeles last year, Connors awaits Locmelis at UMass, where he had a fantastic freshman season scoring 26 points in 32 games, second on the team. His strong play also earned him a spot on the US World Junior Team where he provided speed, physicality and a couple goals down the line-up. Already 20 years old, Connors is a fairly advanced 6’1” centre who has third line upside, and has an outside change to sign an ELC after his sophomore year.
5th Round, 150th Overall: Connor Hvidston, C, Swift Current
Picked last year in the fifth round by Anaheim, Hvidston was four days away from being first time eligible in 2023 instead, and doubled his production this year. He also moved, quite successfully, to centre in the course of the season where his skating and playmaking allowed him to adapt quite well. Yet another player who is quite raw, Hvidston is 6’2’ but only 165lbs, with flashes of real skill, including in a late-season stint in the AHL. Should go back to the WHL for his final year of junior and could be a dark horse for the WJC, similar to fellow Canucks prospect Caedan Bankier.
5th Round, 156th Overall: Philip Svedeback, G, Providence College
A repeat member of the Canucks draft list, Svedeback finally goes after a strong freshman season at Providence College, where he started 34 games on an inconsistent club. Drafted originally by Boston, whose last goalie to come out of Hockey East was Jeremy Swayman, Svedeback is a bigger goalie at 6’4” with outstanding athleticism. The key to making it in the NHL will be to refine his technique and consistency, but the potential is exciting for this stage of the draft.
5th Round, 182nd Overall: Kevin Reidler, G, AIK
Another Swedish goalie, even bigger and rawer than Svedeback, Reidler is also following his route by going to the USHL next year and then likely on to NCAA. Drafted by the Senators last year of the Swedish J18 league, the 6’6” Reidler was only a couple weeks away from being first-time eligible this year and made considerable progress this year in the J20 league. Huge, athletic and raw, Reidler will be the third goalie for Sweden at the WJC Summer Showcase.
6th Round, 188th Overall: Noah Laba, C, Colorado College
Similar to Connors, Laba is an 03 centre drafted in last year’s fourth round, in his case by New York, who turned in a strong freshman campaign and played at the WJC. Laba is a bit bigger, tougher and has better hands than Connors, but is not as skilled overall nor as good a skater. Still, Laba has several projectable skills and impressive year on year growth, so there is possible third line centre upside there if things break right.
6th Round, 189th Overall: Anton Johansson, D, Leksands IF
Another re-entry, Johansson is a different profile from the others as a 6’4” defence man drafted by Detroit, presumably on recommendation from the famous Hakan Andersson. Playing on the same team as Canucks first round from 2022 Lian Bichsel, Johansson is nowhere near as advanced or imposing, but is still highly mobile for a large defenceman. A full season of regular SHL minutes will be a key test for him, as will the WJC Summer Showcase, where he is on the preliminary roster.
7th Round, 200th Overall: Michael Callow, RW, Muskegon
And once again a re-entry, Callow probably would not have made the list if not for a strong home stretch with Muskegon when Joe Connor - see below - joined the club after the prep season finished. An Anaheim fifth rounder, Callow is a 6’4” winger with fantastic hands, improving skating and a ton of filling out to do. Four years at Harvard should do wonders for refining those tools.
7th Round, 202nd Overall: Vsevolod Komarov, D, Quebec
The last re-entry on the list is also the only one with an ELC already, which Komarov signed with Buffalo as the Remparts were moving towards a league championship and ultimately a Memorial Cup title, with Komarov a key player in their run. Big, tough and with a knack for jumping into the play, Komarov has developed considerably in two years in the QMJHL. With continued investment in his skating, he has a good chance to be a third pairing player in Buffalo.
7th Round, 214th Overall: Joe Connor, C, Muskegon
Playing much of the year at prep school, Connor finished strong in Muskegon, better than his six points in 12 games indicate, as he and Callow formed an impactful line that created chances and energy on almost every shift down the stretch. Stylistically Connor is the opposite player, a 5’10” centre who buzzes around the ice creating chances off the rush and forecheck. The skating is very good, but the question will be overall offence and he almost certainly ends up on the wing.
7th Round, 220th Overall: Michael Emerson, RW, Chicago
A deep cut, Emerson is a late 03 who was not listed on Central Scouting and came out of nowhere this year to score 30 goals in 60 games in the USHL. Emerson is not a flashy player, with a powerful but clunky stride, but he competes hard, drives to the net and can finish. What is intriguing is that when he was drafted into the USHL three years ago, Emerson was 5’5”, 125lbs; now he is 6’2”, 185lbs. North Dakota, with its exceptional facilities and track record developing talent, is a perfect place for him to continue his development.
Overall
Although a lot of picks in volume, this draft will ultimately come down to the development of Edstrom, Nadeau and Nelson, three forward prospects for a team in transition. Landing those three is almost a best case scenario though, short of somebody falling unexpectedly, as both Edstrom and Nelson were well-researched targets and Nadeau complements their talent and risk profiles very well. Edstrom in particular is exactly the player targeted at 28, and there is a good lesson to be taken from the risk mitigation measure to flip a fifth rounder to move up one.
Otherwise, beyond Pekarcik and Stanley, both excitingly raw prospects, the rest of the picks did not play out quite as one would have hoped, with far more re-entries than planned. While many of them were deliberately targeted, especially Locmelis, Connors and the goalies, a bit more balance would have been ideal (and a bit more fun). Still, as a group, it represents an exciting collection of tools, with a lot of players with projectable traits and experience at premium positions. Players like Connors and Laba, for example, have some upside as third line centres but could also slide over as a Miles Wood type of winger.
