The Vancouver Canucks are preparing for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft — and so are we.
Unfortunately, the 2015-16 season was cut short for the Vancouver Canucks, which means we have a long offseason ahead of us. Canucks GM Jim Benning and his staff will use the time to prepare next season’s roster, and the 2016 NHL Entry Draft will certainly play an important part in that process.
Vancouver started off strong in the fall of 2015 but ended the season with a thud. Thanks to their abysmal 28th rank in the league standings, the Canucks own seven picks early in each round. Benning did a great job in his first two years at the job and another successful draft could certainly help boost the rebuild.
Here at The Canuck Way, we will do our best to prepare you for the upcoming event by profiling as many draft-eligible players as we possibly can. Keep in mind that we are not saying these are players the Canucks are targeting. Instead, these are players that we think the Canucks could or should have interest in.
Round 1
Defensemen
POS
Team
League
Profile
Bean, JakeLDCalgary HitmenWHL
Chychrun, JakobLDSarnia StingOHL
Fabbro, DanteRDPenticton VeesBCHL
Juolevi, OlliLDLondon KnightsOHL
McAvoy, CharlieRDBoston UNCAA
Sergachev, MikhailLDWindsor SpitfiresOHL
Forwards
POS
Team
League
Profile
Brown, LoganCWindsor SpitfiresOHL
Dubois, Pierre-LucC/LWCape Breton Screaming EaglesQMJHL
Gauthier, JulienRWVal d’Or ForeursQMJHL
Jost, TysonC/LWPenticton VeesBCHL
Keller, ClaytonCU.S. National U18 TeamUSDP
Laine, PatrikRW/LWTappara TampereLiiga, FIN
Matthews, AustonCZSC LionaNLA, SUI
McLeod, MichaelCMississauga SteelheadsOHL
Nylander, AlexanderRW/LWMississauga SteelheadsOHL
Puljujarvi, JesseRWKarpat OuluLiiga, FIN
Rubtsov, GermanCTeam Russia U18MHL
Tkachuk, MatthewLWLondon KnightsOHL
Tufte, RileyLWFargo ForceUSHL
Round 2
Defensemen
POS
Team
League
Profile
Clague, KaleLDBrandon Wheat KingsWHL
Johansen, LucasLDKelowna RocketsWHL
Forwards
POS
Team
League
Profile
Benson, TylerLW/CVancouver GiantsWHL
Dahlen, JonathanC/LWTimra IKAllsvenskan
DeBrincat, AlexCErie OttersOHL
Laberge, PascalC/RWVictoriaville TigresQMJHL
Morrison, CameronC/LWYoungstown PhantomsUSHL
Pu, CliffordC/RWLondon KnightsOHL
Round 3
Defensemen
POS
Team
League
Profile
Cederholm, JacobRDHV71 U20SuperElit
Day, SeanLDMississauga SteelheadsOHL
Green, LukeRDSaint John Sea DogsQMJHL
Lindgren, RyanLDU.S. National U18 TeamUSDP
Mete, VictorLDLondon KnightsOHL
Moverare, JacobLDHV71 U20SuperElit
Niemelainen, MarkusLDSaguinaw SpiritOHL
Peeke, AndrewRDGreen Bay GamblersUSHL
Forwards
POS
Team
League
Profile
Gettinger, TimLW/RWSault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL
Gregor, NoahCMoose Jaw WarriorsWHL
Kuokkanen, JanneC/LWKarpat Oulu U20Jr. A SM-Liiga, FIN
Nurmi, MarkusRW/LWTPS Turku U20Jr. A SM-Liiga, FIN
Rounds 4-5
Defensemen
POS
Team
League
Profile
Anderson, JoshDPrince George CougarsWHL
Forwards
POS
Team
League
Profile
Eder, TobiasCTolzer LowenOberliga (GER3)
Sokolov, DmitriC/LW/RWSudbury WolvesOHL
Stransky, SimonLWPrince Albert RaidersWHL
Rounds 6-7
Defensemen
Forwards
POS
Team
League
Profile
Abols, RodrigoCPortland WinterhawksWHL
Bleackley, ConnerCRed Deer RebelsWHL
Brazeau, JustinRWNorth Bay BattalionOHL
O’Brien, BroganCPrince George CougarsWHL
Suter, PiusC/LWZSC LionsNLA, SUI
Wiederer, ManuelC/RWMoncton WildcatsQMJHL
Next: Beichler's Full First-Round Mock Draft
Our work will be intensive and we want your feedback. Is there a player you would like us to profile and give our feedback on? Do you think there is a player that the Canucks absolutely must target in the draft? Is there someone who many think the Canucks should pick but you are against? Let us know via the comment section or social media and we will do our best to answer the call!