2026 NHL Draft

[rockalt]

So it seems that Lawrence has moved up to 4th in some draft rankings... I know, late climber bias et al.

But still - if Van's lovely lady luck holds - and they end up drafting 3rd... With 1st, 2nd going McKenna, Verhoeff - would you skip the Swede, and go for the Centre?

No, I think centre's are moving up this draft simply due to the lack of them available.

Bingo! We need to draft best player available. Centre is obviously important but the Canucks have so many holes, they simply need to choose the best player. If they finish dead last and guarantee a top 3 pick, they need to go with one of Mckenna, Stenberg or Verhoeff. There appears to be a gap after those 3.

[Meds]

The stats and scouting reports I'm reading on the centers projected to go in the first round, I'm probably taking the chance on Stenberg and hoping that one of Rogowski, Dagenais, Shilov, Suvanto, or Morozov, are available to us with the Minnesota pick. None project as 1C's, but right now all I'm seeing is that even the highest projected center is going to be a poor man's 1C at best.

My one caution with Stenberg's ascent into the top spot in some of the rankings is that much of it talks about his 200 foot game. That's a good thing, no question, but it is also a teachable thing, and a 200 foot winger can just as easily end up on the 3rd line as the 1st line.....so do we burn our first top-3 pick in over 20 years on the next Jannik Hansen?

Its a tough one - as Lawrence is projected to go somewhere in the top 10, but scouting reports aren't SUPER favorable, saying he has "top 6 (in the lineup) potential). Not a great endorsement, but he is really young.

Stenberg has "good player, solid but not spectacular" written all over him. So if both have a similar floor, Stenberg perhaps having a slightly higher ceiling, but in a weak position... perhaps take the center? A good 3rd line center is way more important than a great 3rd line winger no?

Or perhaps you just swing for the fences, if 1st/2nd are taken - and trust your scouts to try to find the diamond in the rough? Pickup Rogowski and keep drafting for size. Go big bad Bruins style?

Obviously a 3rd line C is more valuable than a 3rd line winger. Which is why I said I'm probably doing just that (it's the part in bold ).

If I'm swinging for the fences, then I'm going with the combo of size and skill rather than just reaching hard on the outside pitch for skill alone.

When I think of skilled "shrimps" that were impactful when games get heavier......

Datsyuk, St. Louis, Theo Fleury, Marchand, Marchessault.....it's a short list (see wot).....

And one thing most of those guys have in common is that while they are short, they aren't actually shrimps.

[Meds]

So it seems that Lawrence has moved up to 4th in some draft rankings... I know, late climber bias et al.

But still - if Van's lovely lady luck holds - and they end up drafting 3rd... With 1st, 2nd going McKenna, Verhoeff - would you skip the Swede, and go for the Centre?

No, I think centre's are moving up this draft simply due to the lack of them available.

Bingo! We need to draft best player available. Centre is obviously important but the Canucks have so many holes, they simply need to choose the best player. If they finish dead last and guarantee a top 3 pick, they need to go with one of Mckenna, Stenberg or Verhoeff. There appears to be a gap after those 3.

Even without holes all over the boat, BPA is generally the best option because you can parlay that BPA into perhaps a player/position you need if another team has a plethora.

[Aaronp18]

I'm still quite torn on who I would want with the first overall, McKenna or Verhoeff. To me Stenberg is a consolation 3rd, but could simply be a bias at this point.

McKenna I can see being a scoring winger that drives a line and makes everyone around him better, he has dynamic potential.

Verhoeff can be that elusive mix of size and strength at both ends of the ice solidifying the backend. Which can drive multiple lines if he eats up 30 minutes a night, as long as we have at least some capable forwards.

I seem to lean towards McKenna but it could be that I see what Celebrini and maybe Bedard is doing and hope for something similar in a Canucks uni.

[theman]

If I was picking:

1. McKenna
2. Verhoeff
3. Stenberg

Stenberg is probably the ‘safest’ pick but I would go first with who has the highest ceiling. Still would be happy with any of them.

[Carl Yagro]

If I was picking:

1. McKenna
2. Verhoeff
3. Stenberg

Stenberg is probably the ‘safest’ pick but I would go first with who has the highest ceiling. Still would be happy with any of them.

Did we just become best friends?

Yup!

[Topper]

Verhoeff can be that elusive mix of size and strength at both ends of the ice solidifying the backend...

For a decade

[donlever]

Yeah...I've thought it over...I'm taking Verhoeff....

[Aaronp18]

Verhoeff can be that elusive mix of size and strength at both ends of the ice solidifying the backend...

For a decade

Well exactly!

McKenna could be just as dynamic for a decade and solidify a PP.

I mean it would be slightly poetic that we turfed our fist legitimate #1 Dman in franchise history and that same draft picked up our second one.

Either way the rest of the draft can be catered to whoever we take with our first. Although it may be an easier task should we take Verhoeff, next up would be solidifying centre. Take McKenna and we likely still need to look at centre and then D as well.

[Cousin Strawberry]

If I was picking:

1. McKenna
2. Verhoeff
3. Stenberg

Stenberg is probably the ‘safest’ pick but I would go first with who has the highest ceiling. Still would be happy with any of them.

Did we just become best friends?

Yup!

theman has been Tbagging your drums

[Cousin Strawberry]

Stenberg is gonna fill nets for 157 years

[donlever]

The Athletic....

Screenshot_20260127-195027_Instagram.jpg (30.74 KiB) Viewed 42 times

[Aaronp18]

Petey for Wright and Sea 1st.

We take the first with Seattles pick because they win the lotto, and we get bumped to third inevitably. Take Verhoeff and McKenna.

[Cousin Strawberry]

McKenna is a bit of a Perimetersson clone. I'm surprised Mëds has a pocket woody for his nemesis just because his passport has the cornflake on the cover

There's some concerns about him busting.

Stenberg is fast, agile, strong on pucks, sees the ice well... I dunno man.

I could get behind the Topper Verhoeff hypetrain but if it's McK or IS then I'm going with the swede

[Carl Yagro]

A guy on the wing could be considered on the perimeter, I suppose.

Once he gets the puck though, he's got lasers. Nobody on that list has the innate offensive vision.

Bang. Shot past the goalie or deep dish on your tape. Lethal and efficient, no need to pound the puck into the ice looking for chances. Unteachable.

Everything else you can coach into the player. I bet it wouldn't take him 10 years to learn to work out over the summer and come to camp in shape.

Too much whale watching, Cuz. Missed the boat again.