Canucks: What NHL groups are in search of throughout pre-draft interviews

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Present up and communicate with conviction.

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That was the directive when the Vancouver Canucks’ new hockey operations division met with its scouting workers previous to the 2022 NHL draft. In a collection of conferences, the onus was on promoting themselves and their imaginative and prescient for choice priorities. It was no time for candy speak.

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Ryan Johnson had a seat at these conferences.

Serving as senior director of participant growth, assistant to Basic Supervisor Patrik Allvin, and GM of the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, he noticed the give-and-take that may be a productive and prickly pre-draft course of.

“You’ve to have the ability to have opinions — proper or incorrect — and there’s no incorrect in predicting and projecting the place a man goes to be,” Johnson advised Postmedia. “It must be primarily based off work and never a guess. Do the work and be satisfied. Sitting on a fence does no good.”

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What the Canucks brass gleaned from these classes, draft mix prospect interviews, and follow-up visits to make sure that they had the best particular person and participant, led to deciding on winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki fifteenth general and defenceman Elias Pettersson within the third spherical at No. 80.

They proved prudent picks.

Lekkerimaki overcame mononucleosis and a concussion to show what was wanting like a misplaced season in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan professional league into with 15 playoff factors (5-10) in 15 video games. In a ranking by The Province of prime 10 franchise prospects, he ranked No. 1.

Pettersson confirmed good tempo, dished out arduous hits, and regarded snug towards males as a Swedish Hockey League rookie. He ranked No. 4 in The Province ballot.

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This yr, the tune remained the identical prematurely of the draft mix at Buffalo that concludes Saturday. Additional evaluating 106 prospects included bodily testing and mental-makeup questions.

“The most important factor for me is I would like our scouts to be keen about gamers we’ve got an opportunity to draft,” mentioned Todd Harvey, the Canucks’ director of newbie scouting. “We wish to make sure that we’ve performed our due diligence. All people has totally different opinions.”

Making an attempt to evaluate the need of a prospect is as important as projecting apparent talent.

Guaranteeing you get the best participant and particular person includes the annual draft mix interview ritual. They are often gentle or wild, relying on the group or participant. It helped promote the Canucks on future captain Bo Horvat, winger Brock Boeser, and star centre Elias Pettersson.

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How gamers cope with NHL success, failure, accidents, group dynamic, journey schedule and household points determines character. The solutions both solidify the idea in a prospect or scares a group away.

Former Canucks common supervisor Jim Benning advised Postmedia of his favorite question.

“One query I prefer to ask is: ‘If we have been to go and ask your teammates what sort of teammate you might be, what would they inform us?’ Then they’ve bought to suppose. They will’t say one thing that’s not true as a result of we might go and ask their teammates.

“If a child comes throughout too cocky or filled with himself — and there’s one other participant you want extra with a greater character to work together higher in a group setting — then you definitely take him.”

Prospects have run the gamut from the mundane to mysterious strains of questioning.

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The Canucks had extremely rated Cale Makar on their draft radar in 2017. They not solely interviewed the well mannered and soft-spoken blueliner on the draft mix, they took him to dinner that very same day.

For sure, they have been impressed. That is what the Calgary native mentioned in a pre-draft Postmedia interview: “My dad and mom raised me proper and saved me humble as I used to be rising up. I needed to work for every little thing I bought and I’m not a man who likes to speak about himself. I’ve to provide credit score to my teammates and all of the coaches I’ve had, for certain.”

No marvel the defence-rich Colorado Avalanche chosen Makar fourth general. Pettersson, who sounded a lot the identical, went to the Canucks with the following decide.

Nonetheless, not all interviews are seamless.

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On the 2016 draft mix, defenceman Lucas Johansen of the Kelowna Rockets was interviewed by 27 groups and chosen twenty eighth general by the Washington Capitals. The Vancouver native had these interview observations: “I don’t keep in mind which group, however one type of made me snicker,” he recalled of this query: “That is going to be your third coach in three years. Are you a coach killer in Kelowna?” Johansen laughed and responded: “I hope not.”

“They attempt to get in your head and fiddle. The Canucks interview went rather well. It was fairly easy-going and it’s humorous as a result of I don’t know if you’d like your interviews to be that or be strict.

“If it’s too straightforward, perhaps they suppose you don’t care. And in the event that they’re too strict, perhaps they’re extra curious. I didn’t know which one to hope for.”

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On the 2010 draft mix, Prince George Cougars winger Brett Connolly had an eye-opener interview earlier than being chosen sixth general by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“It’s important to suppose quick and reply trustworthy, for certain,” the Campbell River native advised Postmedia. “I bought one query the place they requested me if I’d relatively learn a smooth poem or shoot a gun.

“I mentioned shoot a gun. I don’t know why. I used to be nervous and simply wished to get one thing out.”

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