Vancouver Canucks: Redrafting the 2009 NHL Draft

Vancouver Canucks drafting greatly improved in 2009, but there was still a lot of work to be done.

The years prior to the 2009 NHL Entry Draft were sad for the Vancouver Canucks, to say the least. Embarrassing probably isn’t too strong a word for what Vancouver did on draft day regularly. In 2008-09, they won the second Northwest Division title in three years, and their drafting improved as well.

Whether you like Mike Gillis or not, he led the Canucks to success extremely quickly, and he led them to their biggest achievement to date. All that started with his first draft in 2009, when he selected the following players:

22 – C Jordan Schroeder
53 – W Anton Rodin
83 – D Kevin Connauton
113 – D Jeremy Price
143 – D Peter Andersson
173 – G Joe Cannata
87 – F Steven Anthony

You might notice that only one of them is currently on the team’s roster — Anton Rodin. But even Rodin is only virtually on the roster, as he will have to prove his worth in training camp this year. Compared to past years, however, it has been an improvement.

Jordan Schroeder is still in the league, or rather again. So is Kevin Connauton. Joe Cannata is currently a member of Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, and as said, Rodin will hopefully be in Vancouver starting this year. There is no denying that those four players were better picks than what Dave Nonis got in the years prior.

Still, it could have been much better. As the Northwest Division Winner, Vancouver obviously missed out on the top-end players like John Tavares, Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene, but there was enough talent left at 22.

See for yourself.

Next: Round 1