Vancouver Canucks: 5 Late-Round Options for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft
Round 4 — D Josh Anderson (Prince George Cougars, WHL)
Ranked #62 by NHL Central Scouting (North American skaters)
The Canucks made a good call selecting Prince George Cougars defenceman Tate Olson with the final pick of the 2015 NHL Draft. His teammate Josh Anderson could be an equally good pick, though Anderson could turn out to be the better player in the future.
Anderson is a 6-foot-2, 220-pound two-way defenceman, whose strengths lie in the defensive zone. He was selected third overall by the Cougars in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft and has since developed — quite literally — into a big piece on their blueline.
Anderson is not the best skater out there, but he does a decent job, making up for it with his defensive awareness and physicality. He likes to crush opposing forwards along the boards and uses his body a lot. Anderson is also not afraid to drop the gloves.
Now in his second season of junior hockey, Anderson’s plan was to shift the focus to offence a little more, but the points still aren’t coming along. After posting two goals and two assists in 42 games last season, he currently has a goal and six points in 39 contests.
Anderson probably won’t set the world on fire offensively, but he still has some time to develop that side of his game. He plays good breakout passes — and that’s a good place to start.
Potential: Top-Six Defenceman
Draft Range: 90-120
Next: Round 5