RUMOR: Canucks eyeing all options at draft

What’s the Benning/Linden plan heading into a CRUCIAL draft?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
RUMOR: Canucks eyeing all options at draft
Keystone Press

If you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan and you were watching the NHL’s Draft Lottery, chances are you’re still a little sour. The Canucks bucked the odds and fell from the 2nd draft position to the 5th position in draft rankings. It was just more hard luck for one of the NHL’s most hard luck franchise’s. Worse yet? The team likely won’t receive any immediate help from whomever they choose at pick number five. At least, that’s the latest determination from Fanrag Sports’ Erik Wollschlager.

In his latest article for the publication he highlights two players who, while skilled and lauded in their own right, likely won’t be on the roster for 2017-18 even if selected by the Canucks.

The first on his list is Windsor Spitfire forward Gabriel Vilardi. He’s the fourth ranked North American skater in the draft and for good reason. The big, smooth skater scored 29 goals and 61 points in 49 regular season games with the Spitfires and was just as good in the playoffs with six points in seven postseason games. The biggest positive or negative, depending on how you look at things is that Vilardi is still just 17 years old. That all but guarantees that he’ll be back in the OHL next season.

Next, Wollschlager takes a closer look at Junior A defenseman Cale Makar. The native of Calgary, Alberta has torn up the AJHL the past two seasons and should make the transition to the NCAA for next season. Makar is the top rated North American defensive prospect, but still may be seen as a bit of a reach at pick number five, seeing as how he’s ranked ninth overall.

There are other names in play of course like Casey Mittelstadt, Timothy Lioljegren, Michael Rasmussen, Cody Glass, Owen Tippett, but none of these players are expected to make an immediate impact either. Whomever the Canucks pick at five, fans will likely be forced to wait even longer to see the fruits of their development.