Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning is happy with his draft position, but a trade down is still a legitimate possibility.
In a recent interview with TSN’s Farhan Lalji, Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning confirmed that he has been receiving calls about the fifth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. While he is not actively shopping it, he is listening to offers and expects talks to heat up as we get closer to June 24th.
Benning still isn't looking to move the 5th pick but does expect dialogue to increase in the next week. Has 6 players he likes so happy at 5
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) June 17, 2016
As Benning told Lalji, there are six players he likes for the fifth pick, so he is happy with where he is. Even with the “big three” (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi) likely gone at No. 5, Benning will have several good options. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Matthew Tkachuk are seen as the second tier behind the top three while Alex Nylander, Olli Juolevi, Logan Brown, Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun are all in the conversation as well.
Benning can get one of those players at five, but he would also get one of them later in the top 10.
There are several scenarios where trading down would make sense for Vancouver. If, for example, they had Matthew Tkachuk ranked eighth on their list, they could move down to seventh or eighth and likely still get a player they have ranked ahead of Tkachuk.
Even if that was not the case, trading down could make sense. The Canucks lost their second and fourth round picks in trades and currently own far fewer picks than other rebuilding teams (please don’t let Benning know I called the Canucks a rebuilding team). Trading down could bring back a second-round pick, a comparable prospect or more.
Here are the potential trade partners and what the trades could bring to Vancouver.
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