Canucks: Should they pick Fabian Lysell with the ninth overall pick?
By Joshua Rey
Once again, the Vancouver Canucks will be not picking first overall.
After entering the NHL Draft Lottery with the highest odds, the Buffalo Sabres were finally awarded the first pick this year, with newcomers Seattle Kraken winning the second overall pick from the second draw of the evening. Unlike previous years, the Canucks did not fall back in the draft lottery and stayed where they were, locking in the ninth overall. (That’s a win, right?)
While the 2021 draft class isn’t as deep as last year’s, there are still a lot of intriguing prospects that the Canucks can land in the first round. For the next three days, The Canuck Way is going to profile three different prospects that could fall into the ninth overall spot come draft day on July 23rd.
The first player we’re going to look at is right winger Fabian Lysell.
Who is Fabien Lysell?
Lysell was born in Goteburg, Sweden on January 19, 2003. According to EliteProspects, he clocks in at 5’10” and 172 pounds, and shoots right. He currently plays for Lulea HC of the SHL, where he had two goals and an assist in 26 games in a bottom six role this past season. He also played for Frolunda’s under-20 team, where he scored three goals and 10 points in 11 games before transferring to Lulea to play against men.
He had three goals and six assists in seven games at the World Under-18’s in Texas this past May, helping Sweden get the bronze medal. In that game, the Swedes crushed rival Finland 8-0.
There is also a Vancouver connection with Lysell. He was drafted 30th overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2020 WHL Import Draft.