Canucks: Followers weigh in with questions forward of NHL Draft

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The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is Wednesday.

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For a lot of followers, it’s a time for hope, to see the upbeat way forward for their workforce.

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On Saturday, it’s the opening of free company, which in lots of cities is one other hopeful day, however in Vancouver, after a near-decade of free-agency signings which have turned out poorly as a rule, Canucks followers are understandably cynical about potential wheeling-and-dealing.

With that in thoughts, listed below are some questions fired Postmedia Information’s method by followers:

If one of many three top-rated defensive prospects is offered on the No. 11 spot, will they decide one? — Syd Blackwell by Fb

David Reinbacher is the title everyone seems to be citing because the best-upside blueliner on this vary of the draft, however will probably be an enormous shock if he’s nonetheless accessible at No. 11. There’s been numerous discuss Axel Sandin Pellikka, however the Canucks appear inclined towards one other Swedish defenceman: Tom Willander.

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If Dimitri Simashev, who flew beneath the radar for a lot of the yr, is offered, he might draw the Canucks’ curiosity as nicely.

Is it true they’re not excessive on Zach Benson? — Glued by BlueSky

Zach Benson is a participant many have been raving about nevertheless it’s unclear how the Canucks are in him.

He profiles equally to Frank Nazar, who went thirteenth general final yr. The Canucks weren’t very all for Nazar, however have they modified tune on a participant who grew up in their very own yard?

It’s robust to say. Experiences for a lot of the season haven’t linked Benson with the Canucks, however reportedly the Canucks did take him out to dinner in Buffalo throughout the NHL scouting mix earlier this month.

Will the Canucks make a commerce of any kind on the draft? — Jordan Spinks by Twitter

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In two of the three drafts run by Judd Brackett, the Canucks made trades throughout the draft so as to add picks.

On the whole, having extra picks — particularly close to the highest of the draft, within the first two rounds — is sensible.

On the 2017 draft the Canucks had a second decide within the second spherical whereas in 2019 they added three picks within the closing two rounds of the draft.

Anyway, the Canucks don’t at present have a second-round decide; the second by seventh rounds go on Thursday.

They might get one by making a commerce within the first spherical. There had been speak that they may swing a take care of Chicago to commerce again to No. 19, possibly packaging Conor Garland alongside, however the Blackhawks traded for a a lot better winger in Taylor Corridor on Tuesday.

Might the host Nashville Predators, who’ve the fifteenth general decide, be a commerce goal? New common supervisor Barry Trotz values his workforce’s cap house, so would he view Garland’s deal as a match? Or would he be keen to easily transfer a second-round decide to maneuver as much as 11.

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It’s fairly sure that the Canucks might get a participant they like at No. 15, although you’ll suppose they want to clear just a little extra cap house forward of the opening of free company on Saturday.

What do you suppose is administration’s imaginative and prescient for constructing the blue-line? Is it dimension, pace, talent or are their choices restricted as a result of they don’t have a lot selections? — Ernest by Twitter

GM Patrik Allvin stated final week they’re very excited in regards to the youthful defencemen they’ve within the steady — Akito Hirose, Cole McWard, Jett Woo and Filip Johansson — however the buyout of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, plus the damage to Ethan Bear leaves the Canucks very skinny on the blue-line.

Two pending free brokers are of apparent attraction to the Canucks, sources counsel: 34-year-old Ian Cole, who Allvin and his administration colleagues who used to work for the Pittsburgh Penguins know nicely from Cole’s Stanley Cup-winning time in Steeltown, and 28-year-old Carson Soucy, who was with the Seattle Kraken and is large and powerful.

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Each would fill short-term wants on the Canucks’ blue-line, however followers ought to be cautious of long-term commitments to both.

Are the Canucks severe bidders for Ryan O’Reilly or is that this simply all smoke and mirrors? — Andrew Bauer by Fb

It’s exhausting to think about becoming two defencemen and a centre of O’Reilly’s pedigree beneath the cap, until the Canucks are capable of pull one thing else off. They do must discover a third-line centre, however that’s additionally been an issue right here for years, apart from, paradoxically, the start of final season when the Canucks’ centre depth was nearly pretty much as good because it’s ever been.

(Sedin/Kesler/Malhotra/Lapierre is clearly one of the best.)

Allvin and his employees actually hope to tug off some large strikes on the commerce deadline and there’s no motive to suppose they aren’t all for taking some large swings within the coming days.

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That stated, O’Reilly can have a couple of choices in entrance of him and if the Canucks do make a severe supply, they’d be removed from an apparent alternative.

It is a workforce that believes in being a playoff workforce subsequent yr — however not essentially a contender.

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