Vancouver Canucks: Redrafting the 2010 NHL Draft
If you were disappointed when the Vancouver Canucks traded their second and fourth-round picks of this year’s draft, I hope you didn’t pay attention in 2010.
When we think back to the year 2010, we often connect it with the Vancouver Canucks’ most successful era. Between 2008 and 2013, Vancouver won five straight division titles, as well as two President’s Trophies. In 2010, they were still one year away from their first time atop the league standings, but they were already good enough to turn the focus away from the draft. The Canucks wanted to win.
As noted in our 2008 Redraft, the Canucks traded their 2008 first-round pick Michael Grabner, their 2010 first-round selection and Steve Bernier to the Florida Panthers for Victor Oreskovich and Keith Ballard. So, Vancouver was without a first-rounder in 2010.
The Vancouver Canucks’ second-round pick went to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade that sent Raffi Torres to Buffalo in exchange for Nathan Paetsch and this pick. Hence, the Canucks were also without a second-round selection.
Last but not least, the Canucks sent their third-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Andrew Alberts. That left Vancouver with the following selections:
115 – D Patrick McNally
145 – D Adam Polasek
172 – F Alex Friesen
175 – G Jonathan Iilahti
205 – D Sawyer Hannay
Of course, drafting NHL players in the later rounds is far from easy. At least the Canucks got forward Alex Friesen, who made his NHL debut for the club in the 2015-16 season. It is hard to predict where that will go, but it is good to have gotten at least one professional.
That said, it could have been much better — as always.
Next: Round 4
Round 4 – 115th Overall
Original Pick: D Patrick McNally
New Pick: D John Klingberg (131st to DAL)
Honorable Mentions: D Patrick McNally, G Louis Domingue (138th to PHX), G Petr Mrazek (141st to DET)
Highschool prospects are difficult to evaluate, as their competition is much weaker than that at the college or junior level. But in the fourth round, Patrick McNally of the Milton Academy looked like a solid prospect. A nicely sized defenseman with great offensive upside, he recorded 22 goals and 51 points in 29 games in his draft year.
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McNally had a strong rookie year at Harvard University as well, but struggled with injuries later on. In 2015, he signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks. McNally played in 37 AHL games for the San Jose Barracuda in 2015-16, recording just one goal and three points. But, he could still become an NHL player one day, which is why I listed him as an honorable mention.
Instead, the Canucks could have had John Klingberg who was selected 16 picks later by the Dallas Stars. It took him until 2014 to break into the NHL, but the wait was well worth it. Klingberg is one of the most talented offensive defensemen in the world — this is no exaggeration. So far, he has 22 goals and 102 points in 154 games.
Chris Tanev, Erik Gudbranson and John Klingberg on the right side would be terrific depth this season. But who knows, maybe Nikita Tryamkin will develop into a top-pairing player on the right side as well (there’s always hope).
Alternatively, the Canucks could have had a solid goalie, though we have yet to find out whether Louis Domingue and Petr Mrazek can be NHL starters. Klingberg would have been just fine.
Next: Round 5
Round 5 – 145th Overall
Original Pick: D Adam Polasek
New Pick: RW Brendan Gallagher (147th to MTL)
Honorable Mentions: D Dalton Prout (154th to CBJ), W Jesper Fast (157th to NYR), D Brandon Davidson (157th to EDM)
In the fifth round, the Canucks went for another defenseman: Adam Polasek. Another solid two-way defenseman, Polasek was a good pick. He later spent two and a half years with the Canucks’ AHL and ECHL affiliates, but failed to develop into an NHL player. In 2014, he returned to Europe.
The player Vancouver could have had instead is someone Jim Benning probably wouldn’t select if he was available this year. Brendan Gallagher is a 5-foot-9 forward who had 41 goals and 81 points in his draft year, but he also had 111 penalty minutes thanks to a lack of physicality and defensive ability. The Montreal Canadiens took a chance at him and it is really paying off today.
In his first full season in the NHL, the 2013-14 campaign, Gallagher recorded 19 goals and 41 points. The next year, he improved to 24 goals and 47 points. In 2015-16, Gallagher only had 19 goals and 40 points — his lowest total since 2013 — but he also played in just 53 games.
Today, Brendan Gallagher is an assistant captain for the Canadiens, and he shows point-per-game potential. He really got over his size issues by playing a gritty and fearless style, making him a role model for smaller players.
Next: Round 6
Round 6 – 172nd Overall
Original Pick: F Alex Friesen
New Pick: F Alex Friesen
Honorable Mentions: None
It is finally happening — the Vancouver Canucks selected a player that I am picking again in this redraft. Not because there are no other players to choose from (well, there aren’t many), but because he is still in the system and actually made his NHL debut this year. Alex Friesen might never become a top-line player, but that was never what he was supposed to be. He is a hard worker and solid depth option for the bottom six.
Congrats, Canucks!
Round 6 – 175th Overall
Original Pick: G Jonathan Iilahti
New Pick: G Frederik Andersen (187th to CAR)
Honorable Mentions: RW Mark Stone (178th to OTT)
With their second sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft, Vancouver decided to go for a goalie. The idea was good, but they went for the wrong one. Between 174 and 205, the Canucks’ next pick, six goaltenders were selected. Only one of them made the NHL, and it was not Jonathan Iilahti.
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The Finn played four games for the Liiga’s Espoo Blues in the 2011-12 season, but he was unable to establish himself at the highest level. The following years, he played in Finnish and Swedish junior and second-tier leagues, and is currently active in Sweden’s third-tier league. Again, Vancouver did not make a bad pick, the player just didn’t develop into an NHL player.
Frederik Andersen, on the other hand, did just that. Originally, he was picked 187th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Draft. I emphasized the year because he was drafted a second time two years later. In 2012, the Anaheim Ducks took a chance at him exactly 100 picks earlier, after the Hurricanes did not sign him to a contract.
Today, Andersen is not with the Ducks anymore. But that is very recent news, as he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 21st, 2016. The Leafs have long been searching for a legitimate starter, but neither James Reimer nor Jonathan Bernier fit the bill. In 2015-16, Andersen had a .919 save percentage, sharing the Ducks crease with John Gibson. In five playoff games, he posted an outstanding .947 save percentage.
Frederik Andersen looks like he could be the starter Toronto has wanted for so long. Jonathan Iilahti is extremely unlikely to ever sit on an NHL bench or even make his way over to North America.
Next: Round 7
Round 7 – 205th Overall
Original Pick: D Sawyer Hannay
New Pick: D Zach Trotman (210th to BOS)
Honorable Mentions: None
As said before, the Canucks didn’t have it easy with only late picks in the 2010 draft. However, it is possible to find NHL players even with the final picks of a given draft. The Nashville Predators did it with Patric Hornqvist in 2005, the Canucks might have done it with Tate Olson in 2015, and the Boston Bruins did it in 2010.
Zach Trotman is a big two-way defenseman who has yet to play a full season in the NHL. But, he looks like a present and future NHL player, as opposed to the Canucks’ 205th pick, Sawyer Hannay. Hannay, a 6-foot-4 blue liner, was never more than a defensive defenseman. But even in that regard, there have always been better players.
After his QMJHL career, he started the 2013-14 season in the ECHL before switching to the CIS, playing for St. Thomas University. His 118 penalty minutes in 25 games last season show what kind of player he is and where he will be able to go with that. Few CIS players ever turn pro, and Hannay is likely preparing for a life after hockey rather than for a professional career.
Meanwhile, Zach Trotman is a full-time NHL player for the Bruins. He only played in 38 games in 2015-16, so far from a full season, without injuries. Trotman was simply a healthy scratch for more than a handful of games. As the Bruins want to shake up their defense, Trotman could certainly get a bigger shot next season. At 25 years old, he still has his best years ahead of him.