Canucks: Should they pick Mason McTavish with the ninth overall pick?
By Joshua Rey
The Vancouver Canucks will have some tough decisions to make leading up to the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
The team achieved a moral victory at the draft lottery on Wednesday night, staying put at the ninth overall pick. However, despite the expected incoming crop of talented young players, the Canucks will still need to do their research in order to select the best player for the long-term future and success of this franchise.
Yesterday, The Canuck Way kicked off its coverage of potential first round prospects for the team, starting with right winger Fabian Lysell. Today, we’ll be putting Mason McTavish under the microscope to see if he could be a fit with the Canucks moving forward.
Who is Mason McTavish?
McTavish was born in Zurich, Switzerland on January 30, 2003, but he is actually Canadian, having been raised in Pembroke, Ontario. His father, Dale, a former Calgary Flame, was playing in Switzerland at the time of his birth.
According to EliteProspects, McTavish clocks in at 6’2″ and 207 pounds, and shoots left. He traditionally plays centre, but can also move to the left wing if needed. In the 2019-20 season, he scored 29 goals and 42 points in 57 games with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL before the season shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This past year, he was loaned to EHC Olten of the Swiss league, making it full circle for the Swiss-born player. There, he had nine goals and 11 points in 13 games. McTavish also played at the World Under-18 tournament this past May. He had a good showing on the international stage, recording five goals and 11 points in seven games, en route to Canada winning gold.