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Hockey Widow wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 4:19 pm You know if we do land the 1st overall we will know weeks in advance who we are picking. Rutherford will not be able to continue himself and his cryptic not so cryptic comments.

Unless they are gunning for the Swede. Then it'll be locked up tighter than Jesus's tomb at Easter...

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 8:13 am
If Calgary gets the second pick, I won’t be surprised to see them take a flyer on Malhotra to fill their biggest positional need.
Centres always move up on draft day.

The way Calgary is playing, they may end up picking 4th or 5th overall - at which Malhotra would make sense.

Craig Button:

Craig’s List - March 24

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/craigs-l ... apid-rise/

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 8:13 am I think one of those two wingers will end up being there at number three.
Many teams will choose one of the defensemen - Reid, Carels or Verhoeff - over a winger at number two based on positional value (and maybe BPA).
I won’t be surprised if Vancouver is the only team that would actually take Stenberg with the second pick?
The more I learn about Carels, the more I like him as the top defensemen in the draft.
If Calgary gets the second pick, I won’t be surprised to see them take a flyer on Malhotra to fill their biggest positional need.
Centres always move up on draft day.
I won’t be upset when the Canucks lose the lottery. That’s expected.
They’ll still get a great piece for the rebuild if they draft the best player available (and if they’re right).
I’m more concerned with their ability to be right.

Biggest positional need has to be a big factor in clubs determining BPA.
Center has to be the Canucks biggest positional need at the moment.
If they're picking #3 i hope they consider 6'2 Maholtra or 6'2 Suvanto.

dangler wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 8:29 am

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2026 8:13 am I think one of those two wingers will end up being there at number three.
Many teams will choose one of the defensemen - Reid, Carels or Verhoeff - over a winger at number two based on positional value (and maybe BPA).
I won’t be surprised if Vancouver is the only team that would actually take Stenberg with the second pick?
The more I learn about Carels, the more I like him as the top defensemen in the draft.
If Calgary gets the second pick, I won’t be surprised to see them take a flyer on Malhotra to fill their biggest positional need.
Centres always move up on draft day.
I won’t be upset when the Canucks lose the lottery. That’s expected.
They’ll still get a great piece for the rebuild if they draft the best player available (and if they’re right).
I’m more concerned with their ability to be right.

Biggest positional need has to be a big factor in clubs determining BPA.
Center has to be the Canucks biggest positional need at the moment.
If they're picking #3 i hope they consider 6'2 Maholtra or 6'2 Suvanto.

The Canucks best prospect is a center. Not that you can't use another. You always can. But how many wingers are there in the system that you think have a chance to be guys that you really want to have on the roster in 4 years? Oberg? I think yes, and least based on what we've seen and can imagine as a development path. Sushi is still a possibility, but he always had the low floor scenario and this wasn't a good year developmentally to mostly lose to injury. Hard to tell if he solved the AHL or just had a couple hot weeks. With centers, you not only have Cootes, but a decent argument that Raty tracks as a bottom six fixture whose faceoff ability keeps him above the replacement level line, but won't ever get too expensive. No one to be excited about, but someone who fills a need and gives you a bit more flexibility to be forgiving with carrying a center on the roster who struggles at the dot. And then there's Rossi and Pettersson. I don't think its likely either will be planned on being guys you want to have in Vancouver in 4 years, but there are a few different scenarios where the rebuild is working, and it will make more sense to keep one of them than fill that role elsewhere.

It wouldn't surprise me terribly to see the Canucks move down in this draft if they don't get the #1 overall pick. If their guy is Stenberg and its true he's not who the other bottom feeder/lottery winners are leaning towards, why not try to see if you can get Stenberg and assets by moving down a bit.

I was assuming McKenna, Stenberg to be #'s 1 & 2, but debates are also putting Carels,Reid and Verhoeff in the top 5 as well.
It seems like it'd be quite a gamble to move down hoping your target is still there, plus kind of a long-shot to find a trade partner. But anythings possible, and another (decent, not 7th rd.) asset would definitely be a advantage.
Big Centers are something the Canucks and many others need, Maholtra, Suvanto & Lawrence might be the players to fill that need.
Petterson is obviously not going to cut it at 1C once the club starts making the playoffs again, so imho start grabbing Centers now and hopefully one will develop into a 1C in a year or 3.

dangler wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 10:05 am Petterson is obviously not going to cut it at 1C once the club starts making the playoffs again, so imho start grabbing Centers now and hopefully one will develop into a 1C in a year or 3.

He’s not cutting it right now.

Mëds wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 11:31 am

dangler wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 10:05 am Petterson is obviously not going to cut it at 1C once the club starts making the playoffs again, so imho start grabbing Centers now and hopefully one will develop into a 1C in a year or 3.

He’s not cutting it right now.

After last night, NOBODY was cutting it.

Doesn’t seem like any of the centres in this draft are projected to be top end top liners. The best ones seem to be projected as very good second line centres or low end first line centres. From what I’ve read the top five BPA in the draft are the two wingers and the three defensemen. I’d say Malhotra is a bit of a reach in the top five, but I am totally expecting him to be selected in the top five because of team needs.

Been reading today that the Canucks are very high on Chase Reid.

Also reading that the Canucks are likely to replace both GM and HC.

2026 NHL draft: Forbes’ top 96 April rankings


https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nhl/20 ... r-AA20qEuI

theman wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 3:36 pm Been reading today that the Canucks are very high on Chase Reid.

Also reading that the Canucks are likely to replace both GM and HC.

Dare to dream

Reading the last draft rankings seems Mckenna still is ranked slightly ahead of Stenberg at 1OA. But Stenberg is described as a LW/RW and NHL ready, already having developed a two way game. I still favour McKenna but I am swinging back to Stenberg as he may be more versatile and more ready to join the team.

A number of centres and Dmen starting to climb into the top 10. There will be centres and Dmen available to us with our Minny pick and our 32nd pick. So I believe we have to stick with one of the big wingers if we get the chance. The easiest thing for this fan base would be if we landed the 2OA pick and whoever picks first takes McKenna, then we pretty much have to take Stenberg. If we select him over McKenna it will not go over well.

Of course there are some tempting Dmen and centres. See, I'm so confused about who we should take and that is largely because I have only seen a handful of these guys play a few games. Like I really dont know who we should take!

I am kind of hoping the Canucks end up with the 2OA pick and just select the left overs of McKenna and Stenberg. If the Canucks do end up with 1OA and take the Swede, my god the media will go nuts. I think the Swede is probably the safer pick but think McKenna had the higher ceiling, both should be solid players. I would not be surprised if the Swede ends up with the better career when all is said and done but doubt that would happen in Vancouver with the pressure cooker he would walk into if the Canucks select him over McKenna. That being said, I would be happy with either in Canuck colours.

Also next draft is supposed to have a generational player and I doubt the Canucks would be allowed to end up with back to back 1OAs.

Hockey Widow wrote: ↑Fri Apr 10, 2026 11:07 am Reading the last draft rankings seems Mckenna still is ranked slightly ahead of Stenberg at 1OA. But Stenberg is described as a LW/RW and NHL ready, already having developed a two way game. I still favour McKenna but I am swinging back to Stenberg as he may be more versatile and more ready to join the team.

Neither of them will make a difference to this franchise next year beyond ticket sales, jerseys, and fan excitement/disappointment.

We are (should be) rebuilding with eyes on 5 years from now. Drafting a guy because he’s NHL ready, but possibly possesses a lower NHL ceiling, would be to follow in the footsteps of so many Canuck teams that have come before.

Versatility is as likely to be Alex Burrows as it is (good headspace) JT Miller. When you throw in the reports of them being perimeter players, versatility is more likely to be Mason Raymond than Patrick Kane.

We don’t need another European. We need a Canadian kid who grew up in this time zone.

McKenna and Cootes could end up being out Kane and Toews.