Vancouver Canucks Messageboard

Diehard1 wrote:Hunter seems to have a lot of Patrick Kane in his game. Very good shot, good skater, needs to add muscle. I really like the two picks today, all of a sudden the Nucks have a decent number of forwards coming soon. They were badly needed and the D looks ok given Corrado, Tanev, Edler, Garrison are all here for a number of years to come.

A lot of Jeff Skinner comparisons to Shinkaruk's game.

RoyalDude wrote:

Diehard1 wrote:Hunter seems to have a lot of Patrick Kane in his game. Very good shot, good skater, needs to add muscle. I really like the two picks today, all of a sudden the Nucks have a decent number of forwards coming soon. They were badly needed and the D looks ok given Corrado, Tanev, Edler, Garrison are all here for a number of years to come.

A lot of Jeff Skinner comparisons to Shinkaruk's game.

Yep that's another good comparison. They had him as a Zach Parise type on TSN but he's not as physical. Skinner and Kane are good comps. I'll be ecstatic if he gets anywhere near that level.

I am very happy with what we got at todays draft...

Yes not happy with how the whole goalie situation was dealt with, but I love all the draft picks, easily the best draft for Mike Gillis and co.

Did not expect him to be around at 24. I thought he was a surefire top 20 pick so getting him at 24 is pretty damn solid.

With Horvat and Gaunce's size, tenacity and two way play, the size of Kassian and Jensen, the Canucks needed a skilled forward like Shinkaruk.

Difficult not to get excited about the Canucks nabbing two forwards who some rankings had in the top 15 and even the top 10.

This is a really deep draft and there were suggestions that things were wide open outside the top 6-8 picks and that's pretty much what we saw.

Yeah I am pleased to see Shinkaruk was around at 24.

This is the typical Gillis faller, a player with top 10 skill that is still hanging around when the Canucks (were supposed to) pick first.

I'm not an expert on junior players but in a draft class of this quality having a player with high end skill drop this far is great for this team.

A few years down the line being able to surround the vets with Schroeder/Kassian/Jensen/Gaunce/Horvat/Shinkaruk should make for a pretty nice mix.

edit: by the by, the Oilers blog coppernblue did a series of historical comparables of the offensive production of picks over the last few decades.. Here is Shinkaruk's.

Of the players drafted after 2008, 15 of 19 have played in at least 400 regular season games, but very few would have ever been considered star offensive players.

...

The most probable outcome for Shinkaruk looks to be a middle six NHL forward who might play on the top line so long as someone else is driving the bus.

coco_canuck wrote:Did not expect him to be around at 24. I thought he was a surefire top 20 pick so getting him at 24 is pretty damn solid.

With Horvat and Gaunce's size, tenacity and two way play, the size of Kassian and Jensen, the Canucks needed a skilled forward like Shinkaruk.

Difficult not to get excited about the Canucks nabbing two forwards who some rankings had in the top 15 and even the top 10.

This is a really deep draft and there were suggestions that things were wide open outside the top 6-8 picks and that's pretty much what we saw.

The thought of these guys growing with Kassian is awesome comfort.

I think the Canucks did well today in round 1.

And the Flames blew it so that's even more comforting.

Ya everyone singing Feaster's praises but I don't think he did that well outside his first pick.

Edmonton had a lot of smoke but time will tell how much fire.

Vpete wrote: The thought of these guys growing with Kassian is awesome comfort.

I think the Canucks did well today in round 1.

And the Flames blew it so that's even more comforting.

I like the mix of forward prospects we have now, some skill, two-way ability, size and grittiness.

The only thing that is probably missing is a game breaking centre for the future. If we can find someone for that role over the next year or two, I will be pretty content with the future of the Canucks up front.

Not big on what the Flames did either. Monahan was an easy pick at 6 but their other two picks could have easily been 2nd round selections.

To be fair, this was a deep draft and there wasn't as much separation between players ranked 20-50 as there usually may be but I think the Flames passed on better players with picks 22 and 28.

Loved his last interview:

"My Dad's a dentist, my Sister is in her first year of University...my Mom, um... helps around the house."

I'll cut the kid some slack though; named Bo and raised in Alberta... he's bound to have a little chauvinistic red neckery rub off on him.

I'm weary but really excited about this pick. He was ranked in the top 15 by many draft guides so this is a potential steal, but apparently he didn't interview well. Still you never know how small, skilled, scorers who drop in the draft turn out. Schroeder was as much of a sure thing as any but he has ended up behind the development curve in comparison to other players in his draft year.

FAN wrote:I'm weary but really excited about this pick. He was ranked in the top 15 by many draft guides so this is a potential steal, but apparently he didn't interview well. Still you never know how small, skilled, scorers who drop in the draft turn out. Schroeder was as much of a sure thing as any but he has ended up behind the development curve in comparison to other players in his draft year.

What more can you add to that tidbit about not interviewing well? Did he not come off assertive enough, dedicated enough, smart enough?

As for Schroeder, I think part of that may have had to do with the college program he was at. I think it's a key factor in picking college-bound prospects because the wrong program can ruin some kids.

As for Shinkaruk, the kid's thrived in the WHL and I haven't heard anything bad about the Medicine Hat organization. I think, with this draft being as deep as it was with not much difference in quality from 10-25 it became what teams wanted more than picking the bext player available.

I you tubed hunters 'highlight' reel..

Kid loves to score

Strangelove wrote:Is it a coincidence they're both serious Christians?

Really? Wow! I'm starting to wonder if MG is a christian boy or someone on his staff is.

Todd Bersnoozi wrote:

Strangelove wrote: Is it a coincidence they're both serious Christians?

Really?

No.

(couldn't handle seeing Dude so happy is all)