Over the last 10 days, I have posted 5 articles about potential draft candidates for the Vancouver Canucks at #3. Ivar Stenberg, Carson Carels, Caleb Malhotra, Keaton Verhoeff, and Chase Reid. All are prospects with different skill sets and production profiles that were worth mentioning as potential draft options for the Canucks.

However, the Canucks do have 4 picks in the top 50. In this Article, I will go over my top players to look Vancouver to draft at 3rd, 24th, 33rd, and 41st overall. I will mention potential risks, strengths, plus their projected draft range, and combine those with my own analysis to come up with this list

3rd Overall

3rd Overall Pick Stats:
65.6% play 500+ NHL Games
54.1% score 300+ NHL Points
31.1% score 500+ NHL Points

At 3rd overall, I project that Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg will be off the board.
When Vancouver makes their selection, they will be choosing between two players:
A Center with a game centered around power, playmaking, and two way impact, or
A Right Handed Defenseman who along with fantastic skating and size, excels in transition, has a wicked offensive tool kit, and an untapped defensive game.

Caleb Malhotra: 6’2″, 185lbs. 29 goals, 55 assists, 84 points, 51 PIMs, and 33 +/-.
Center.

Production Highlights:
Amongst OHL Players, Malhotra ranks 11th in Assists Per Game, 19th in Points Per Game in the OHL, including 3rd and 2nd amongst players 18 or younger. 6 months younger than Reid.

Stylistic/Analytical Highlights:
Extreme proficiency in transition, excels at using his body to create advantages for his teammates both offensively and defensively.

Risks:
Awkward development path, multiple years of early season struggles and late season production growth, and has the tendency to turn the puck over an extreme amount, and shows a reluctancy to shoot the puck.

Chase Reid: 6’2″, 190lbs. 18 goals, 30 assists, 48 points, 30 PIMs, and 27 +/-
Right Handed Defenseman.

Production Highlights:
Amongst OHL Defensemen, Reid ranks 3rd in Points Per Game, 2nd in Goals Per Game, including 1st amongst players 18 or younger. Has plateaued production wise, despite OHL scoring being down by 0.6 goals per game.

Stylistic/Analytical Highlights:
Best OHL defenseman at slot passes per 60, Controlled Entries per 60, and Advantages Created per 60. Extremely deceptive, which drives his well-rounded projection profile.

Risks:
Too anxious to regain puck possession, not physically assertive, pinches too aggressively at times, was cut by his USHL team not long ago, and had late developmental growth as a result.

SAP’s Selection: Chase Reid.
He has a position, production, and analytical profile that is too hard to ignore for a Canucks team that is absent of superstars.

24th Overall

24th Overall Pick Stats:
37.9% play 300+ NHL Games
25.8% play 500+ NHL Games
20.6% score 300+ NHL Points
8.6% score 500+ NHL Points

At 24th overall, there will be a healthy selection of talent for Vancouver to select from. I believe the Canucks should take a run at trying to find a top 6 forward talent, even if it comes with risk.

Mathis Preston: 5’11”, 176lbs. Winger
18 Goals, 26 Assists in 46 WHL Games
2 Goals, 4 Assists in 5 U18 WJC Games.
4 Goals, 3 Assists in 5 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Games.

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Extremely Fast, High Skill Ceiling. Elite Transition Game, Elite Playdriver.

Risks:
Middling production profile, Small winger with Injury Risk, Doesn’t attack the middle enough.

Elton Hermansson: 6’1″, 181lbs. Winger
11 Goals, 10 Assists in 38 HockeyAllsvenskan Games.
3 Goals, 6 Assists in 13 U20 Nationell Games
14 Goals, 19 Assists in 18 International U18 Games.

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Fantastic combination of hands, shot, and creativity. Fantastic production profile to back it up. Drives play offensively.

Risks:
Commonly known to take shifts off, can frustrate coaches with his unwillingness to use his size to his advantage, lacks defensive intensity.

J.P. Hurlbert: 6’0″ 183lbs. Winger
42 Goals, 55 Assists in 68 WHL Games
1 Goal, 0 Assists in 3 CHL-USA Prospect Challenge Games

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Has incredible foresight and vision. Uses delays and changes of pace to expose less intelligent players, and can pick apart WHL teams with his deception and ability to thread passes. Elite ability to enter the zone.

Risks:
Lacks intangibles, including an inability to win puck battles. Will turnover the puck too much, even in a developmental context.
Lacks International Games, and Tournament Production against his more talented peers.

SAP’s Selection: Mathis Preston.
Elton Hermansson has more of a Pro-Ready build, which leads me to believe there is a high likelihood of him being off the board when Vancouver makes the 24th selection. Preston, despite being smaller, is 89th percentile in Puck Battles, carries an elite transition and playdriving toolkit, and despite his injury this season, is still blazing fast. This is a boom-or-bust selection for Vancouver, but one they can afford to take considering their options at #3

33rd Overall

2nd Round Pick Facts:
39.9% play 100+ NHL Games
25.1% play 300+ NHL Games
21.4% score 100+ NHL Points
9.6% score 300+ NHL Points

The 33rd Overall Selection will be the first pick in day 2 of the NHL Entry Draft, which is when rounds 2 to 7 will be selected. The Canucks will have first dibs on any potential first round level talent that through a variety of circumstances were not selected on day 1. Here are a couple names that could be available when Vancouver announces the 33rd Overall Pick:

Marcus Nordmark: 6’2″, 187lbs. Winger
14 Goals, 24 Assists in 25 U20 Nationell Games
0 Goals, 1 Assist in 8 SHL Games
19 Goals, 18 Assists in 25 U18 International Games

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Top Producing U18 International player for Sweden. Has an incredible combination of size and offensive tools. His shot will get a lot of the attention due to his ability to shoot in stride, and the deception he brings with it, but his vision allows him to be a better playmaker that believed. Could be a modern day power forward, who is a 2-way threat on the Powerplay along the goal line.

Risks:
Inconsistent compete level, moreso than other players who are labelled as such. Despite his size he will often default to the perimeter, and can make fancy plays when unneeded, leading to turnover chances against. Off the ice, he may be a character risk as well, according to multiple people I’ve talked to that would know

Xavier Villeneuve: 5’11”, 163lbs. Left Handed Defenseman
6 Goals, 32 Assists in 37 QMJHL Games.
1 Goal, 0 Assists in 3 CHL-USA Prospect Challenge Games

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
In Shooting, Shots, xGoals, In.Slot and Out.Slot, he ranks in the 99th or 100th Percentile.
In Playdriving, Puck Touches, Passes, Slot Passes, and Shot Assists, he ranks in the 99th or 100th Percentile.
In Transition, he ranks in the 100th Percentile for Pass Entries, Carry Entries, and Carry Exits, while ranking in the 81st Percentile for Pass Exits.
Despite his size, is 87 in Puck Battle Won Percentile, and 66th Percentile in Takeaways.
Has committed to Boston University for 2026-27′, where he’ll hope to follow a similar development path as Lane Hutson.

Risks:
Small offensive defensive are the ultimate boom-or-bust picks. They typically have 3 outcomes
One: Top Pair Defenseman, Powerplay Quarterback
Two: #6/7 Defenseman, in and out of the lineup with 2nd PP Unit Time
Three: End up in Europe as top defensemen elsewhere.
Will not throw hits or use his body in any way, shape, or form, and despite his intelligence there is genuine concern that his skating will not be able to carry him the same way it has for Lane Hutson, who people will often compare him to when looking at his ceiling.
Plateaued points-wise, and had a major injury.

Jack Hextall: 6’1″, 185lbs. Center
20 Goals, 38 Assists in 59 USHL Games.
2 Goals, 5 Assists in 5 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Games

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Extremely competitive two way center who will go to the “dirty areas” to score. Excelled on the powerplay, with 31 points, and along with his competitiveness, showcases high-end intelligence. With his ability to win faceoffs, win puck battles, forecheck, combined with underrated playmaking ability, there could be the potential of him becoming a player similar to Phillip Danault. Not the best at exiting the zone, but showcase an ability to be an effective zone entry option.

Risks:
His shot, while hard, doesn’t project to result in many goals at the NHL level, which limits his ceiling. His shot quality is good (70th Percentile), but his In.Slot shooting being in the 18th Percentile, and his shots taken being in the 34th Percentile indicates a player with only one projectable offensive tool. His defensive talent is evident, but sometimes his positioning can be questionable. Would like him to take the next step and be an undeniable defensive forward, or else he may not be anything more than a High-End AHL’er or 4th Line Center. His motor and competitiveness is excellent, but he will need to add muscle to truly standout against NHL’ers.

SAP’s Selection: Xavier Villeneuve
I see Villeneuve has being the biggest Boom-Or-Bust prospect in this draft. If he hits his ceiling he will be the best point producing defenseman in the class, and this is something that the Canucks cannot pass up on, especially after their mistake putting Lane Hutson on their “Do Not Draft” List. Also, with this being Vancouver’s first draft since officially announcing their rebuild, they can afford to take more risks, as they have years ahead to make up for any busts as they attempt to start stocking their cupboards with High-End Prospects. Nordmark was an interesting option here, but his character issues combined with my belief that Ottawa will take him if he falls to 32nd, led me to Villeneuve.

41st Overall

Provided the Canucks do go after Preston and Villenueve with the 24th and 33rd Overall Picks, I could see (and understand) the Canucks going with a more NHL Projectable, safe selection at pick 41. Here are some names that could fit that mold:

Jack Hextall: Yes, this is not a typo. His projected range is between #32 and #56. If Vancouver sees Hextall still available at #41, I could definitely see them selecting him.

Rūdolfs Bērzkalns: 6’4″, 203lbs. Center
13 Goals, 12 Assists in 48 USHL Games
4 Goals, 6 Assists in 16 USHL Playoff Games
1 Goal, 0 Assists in 5 World Junior Games for Latvia

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
An extremely raw prospect, Berzkalans mixes size, work ethic, defensive projectability to create an extremely intriguing selection at pick 41. What also intrigues me is his balanced production profile, having a good mix of goals and assists, with an uptick in production on a point per game basis in the USHL Playoffs. He is an extremely balanced player, constantly shutting down plays, hitting extremely hard, and has the ability to win faceoffs, too. Even offensively, he is good playmaker, and has a heavy one timer on the powerplay. At his size and age, he shows a willingness to use his body to create advantages for his team, go to the net, and disrupt opponents. Just an extremely balanced player with work ethic and size to make up for a middling production profile in Regular Season and International play. Has the ability to one day be an all-situations 3C.

Risks:
Lacks production, and there is a worry that not being able to produce at his size against younger players will result in him being nothing more than a bottom 6 playstopping center. His skating needs work, and despite his willingness to go to the net, isn’t a consistent net front presence, even though he has the hands, including deflection ability, and the stability to do so. Boston College has shown the ability to develop larger forwards recently with Dean Letourneau being an example, so perhaps they can help Berzkains unlock his true talent and reach his ceiling of middle 6 NHL forward, with 3C being the most ideal spot in the lineup for him.

Måns Gudmundsson: 6’3″, 185lbs. Right Handed Defenseman
1 Goal, 24 Assists in 35 U20 Nationell Games.
0 Goals, 0 Assists in 1 SHL Game.
2 Goals, 9 Assists in 21 U18 International Games

Production/Stylistic/Analytic Highlights:
Despite the notion that Gudmansson is a pure defensive defenseman, he showcases a great ability to move the puck. His assist totals remain consistent in league and international play, and while he projects to be an average skater, his combination of size, passing, and skating allow him to project as being either an elite bottom pair playstopping defenseman, or even perhaps a 2nd pair playstopper. His defensive ability to evident, and is best when aggressive. He can pinch to keep plays alive, or step up early in the neutral zone to kill plays for the opposition. Good defensive mobility, even against players who have good rush offense capabilities.

Risks:
Is the prototypical defensive defenseman, so if he is unable to become more calculated with his aggression as he progresses to the NHL, he will likely be unable to stick in the league. This should be heavily emphasized, because his skating is only projected to be average, and as a result will be unable to make up for poor pinches and step ups. His assist production is nice, but he doesn’t project to be anything more than a secondary puck mover, who will take no risks with the puck, even in a bottom pair role. As a result, he will need to be paired with a player that can move the puck to prevent him from being hemmed in the defensive zone for long periods of time.
Also, he will need to either need to increase his mobility, or add muscle to better handle aggressive forechecking at the NHL level, especially as forechecking tactics become more advanced, and NHL forwards become bigger and faster than ever before.

SAP’s Selection: Rūdolfs Bērzkalns
While I think Jack Hextall is most likely to be available at this pick, I feel as if Bērzkalns has the best mix of floor, ceiling, and potential to be available in this spot. Hextall has a low chance of reaching that Danault-type ceiling, and projects to be a bottom 6 playstopper.
Gudmansson could be available here, but with San Jose potentially picking Malte Gustafsson at #9, I could see them selecting his U18 D Partner, Gudmansson at pick 27.
Bērzkalns will be an incredible project for Vancouver to take on, and they would need to trust Boston College to develop him properly, but he could be an AHL’er in as little as two seasons, and as a Latvian, will have ample opportunity to showcase his talents against top competition on the international stage, particularly at the World Juniors, and potentially the World Championships next May. His combination of size, intelligence, and tools would be too tempting to pass up at #41.

Thank you for reading my article! My next article will be after the draft concludes on Saturday, and will be released either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, as I recap the Canucks selections, and potential trades they make, and analyze what Vancouver’s draft philosophy going forward might be.

Enjoy the Draft!