If defenceman Axel Sandin-Pellikka continues to be on the board, do Canucks maintain their choose? If he is gone, do they nonetheless choose or set off Blackhawks swap speak?
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Choosing a second-tier defenceman typically interprets into a 3rd inserting on NHL depth charts.
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That’s what the Vancouver Canucks have to be conscious of prematurely of the draft on June 28-29 in Nashville.
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If a state of affairs performs out the place Canucks common supervisor Patrik Allvin drops down and exchanges the No. 11 choose for No. 19 belonging to the Chicago Blackhawks, it may set off a big sequence. The Canucks would push to unload an current contract to clear wage cap house and add at the very least a second-round choose.
The Canucks surrendered their 2023 second-round choice by buying defenceman Filip Hronek from the Detroit Crimson Wings. The Blackhawks have three picks within the second spherical — thirty fifth, forty fourth and fifty fifth — and the Canucks may handle wants.
What they really want is a collective perception.
Do they make the choose at No. 11, particularly if right-shot Swedish defenceman Axel Sandin-Pellikka continues to be on the board? If not, do they take the very best obtainable participant or set off the Blackhawks swap?
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If it proves the latter, there are defencemen to contemplate at No. 19 in Tom Willander, Mikhail Gulyayev and Theo Lindstein.
Willander is intriguing due to a powerful second half of his season and is predicted to vault from mid-season rankings that ranged from twenty third to thirty second.
“Defencemen are hard-chargers after Christmas, they begin to really feel snug and play at a a lot greater and extra constant clip,” NHL prospects scout Shane Malloy mentioned throughout a draft preview present to be launched on Hockey Prospects Radio on the Sirius SM NHL Radio Community.
On the published, Jason Bukala, a Sportsnet analyst and former NHL director of beginner scouting, was joined by Brad Allen, the present’s director of scouting, to evaluate a trio which will draw the Canucks’ curiosity.
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Willander performed most of this season with Rogle BK J20 within the Swedish junior ranks and managed 25 factors (4-21) in 39 video games. He additionally performed in two Swedish Hockey League video games with Rogle BK Angelholm and represented his nation on the Below-18 world championship and impressed with eight factors (3-5) in seven video games.
Within the gold-medal recreation, Sweden misplaced 3-2 in extra time to the U.S.
The 6-foot-1, 180 pound Stockholm native turned heads and a few draft-day ideas
“It’s going to be attention-grabbing. Some groups worth him nearer to the opposite (greater rated) guys and he is perhaps a trade-down goal on the draft,” mentioned Bukala. “His development in relation to different gamers has arguably been essentially the most progressive.
“His skating and stature are similar to Pellikka, however he’s somewhat bit greater and wider. His skating is elite and he can observe pucks.”
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On the world stage, Willander excelled by taking part in a affected person recreation with zero panic.
“There have been even performs on the U-18 worlds the place a puck would get dumped into his zone,” recalled Bukala. “He’d pivot, return and get it. Gamers would attempt to observe him for a turnover — one taking part in the physique and the opposite making an attempt to get a unfastened puck — however he’s so elusive.
“He’d simply take the puck to a protected place the place there’s not stress on his companion. They might then simply go up the ice due to his velocity and the way in which he reads the play.”
Willander was categorized as a transitional defender, however his offence additionally got here a great distance by the top of the season.
“He bought extra pucks on internet and was used on the ability play extra typically,” added Bukala. “He doesn’t shoot it exceptionally laborious, however he finds house. Slightly deception, so he finds that lane to get it to the online.”
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Gulyayev was ranked from 18th to twenty fifth and may pique the Canucks’ curiosity in the event that they go the commerce route with the Blackhawks and land the No. 19 choose.
The 5-foot-10, 172 pound Russian was ranked 18th to twenty fifth on draft boards and his capability to maneuver pucks on a smaller body has drawn curiosity, however the very last thing the Canucks want is one other small defender.
Gulyayev had 25 factors (2-23) for Omskie Yastreby in his nation’s MHL junior league.
“He’s particular,” mentioned Bukala. “He escapes stress and has good velocity and might run an influence play. He’s extra of a two-way, transitional defenceman and an area defender. That’s the place it’s going to be harder for him. Good skater and offensive upside win out for me.”
Added Allen: “He jogs my memory somewhat little bit of Jared Spurgeon (Minnesota Wild). When you could have a defenceman this small, he must be insulated. However you all the time need a smaller however multi-faceted defenceman.
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“He’ll bodily provoke when he needs to and can torpedo into gamers.”
Lindstein is attention-grabbing due to the place he might venture after this draft.
He cut up this season between Brynas IF J20 within the Swedish junior loop and had however 4 factors (1-3) in 34 video games after which performed a dozen video games with Bryans IF within the SHL, the place the 6-foot-1, 181 pound Swede managed one help.
“He’s a bottom-pairing puck mover and really streamlined in some methods, however the high quality that basically stands out is the technical playmaking,” mentioned Allen. “He’s an excellent one-touch processor and might transfer pucks via layers and already performs with an incredible quantity of construction.”
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Originally posted 2023-05-31 21:27:38.
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