Canucks 2026 NHL Draft preview: The rebuild starts here

VANCOUVER — Wonderful however true: over a interval of 5 entry drafts, from 2020 till 2024, the Vancouver Canucks picked thrice within the prime 70. In complete.

That they had two first-round choices, neither within the prime 10, and one second-round alternative throughout this darkish age. Is it any surprise the Canucks’ prospects pantry was as empty as beer kegs in Boston after Scotland’s Tartan Military ended its week-long World Cup encampment?

The Canucks’ first decide in 2020 was No. 82 (Joni Jurmo), and their prime choice in 2024 was No. 93 (Melvin Fernstrom). In 2021, they gave themselves one likelihood to select among the many first 136, and it was forty first (Danila Klimovich).

Blasting Canuck scouting and drafting is a well-liked and breezy pastime on the west coast. However actually, director of scouting Todd Harvey’s greatest downside was being employed by a corporation that gave him little to work with.

Nonetheless, just lately fired basic supervisor Patrik Allvin’s legacy in Vancouver may develop into the bonanza of 2026 draft picks he gathered for Harvey and new GM Ryan Johnson.

Simply in time for the Canucks’ first rebuild this century, the group has two first-rounders on Friday and a pair of second-round choices on Saturday, all of them within the prime 41. Their third-overall decide on Friday — bumped down from No. 1 for the sake of any fan engagement in what the Nationwide Hockey League calls the draft lottery — is the best decide for the Canucks since former basic supervisor Brian Burke orchestrated a Sedin monopoly in 1999 when twins Daniel and Henrik have been seized second and third.

The twins are actually Canuck co-presidents.

“It’s sort of a brand new starting here to sort of get some actually thrilling gamers to place into our prospect pool and look in the direction of the longer term,” Harvey, embraced by Johnson amid this spring’s regime change, informed Sportsnet on Wednesday. “I feel having No. 3 is actual thrilling and we’re going to get an amazing participant at that spot. After which to have the opposite three picks within the prime 41… we’ve not had that here. However the way in which we’ve been making ready for it’s just about the identical.”

Besides the stakes really feel increased now. That is arguably an important draft in franchise historical past, an opportunity to assemble portion of the inspiration to help regardless of the subsequent good Canucks workforce goes to be. And the workforce wants, nicely, every little thing.

“I imply, we sort of really feel strain on a regular basis,” Harvey stated of his scouting workers. “And should you do not feel it, you are not in it. We do have a accountability. We’ve a accountability to the workforce, to the franchise, to the town, to do our work and ensure we do our due diligence and get this workforce to the place it is contending for the Stanley Cup yearly.”

The Canucks have 10 picks in complete, capped by three within the sixth spherical on Saturday.

It’s the begin of a brand new period in Vancouver.

And for the file, Harvey stated new coach Manny Malhotra, whose son Caleb is a possible first decide for Vancouver, has not seen the Canucks’ last draft checklist.

“No, I do not suppose so,” Harvey laughed. “I feel Manny’s in all probability fairly busy attempting to get his teaching workers collectively here and get ready for subsequent season. He is busy proper now.”

For a change, the Canucks will probably be busy on the draft.

Potential spherical 1 choices

Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford Bulldogs, Ontario Hockey League

If some groups have been stunned how shortly and excessive Malhotra rocketed upwards throughout his draft-eligible season, the Canucks weren’t amongst them. Since final fall — earlier than the workforce’s collapse, regime change and the onerous pivot right into a rebuild — Vancouver’s scouts have cherished the good, two-way centre who oozes management and first-line potential. Malhotra adopted a superb rookie common season within the OHL (84 factors in 67 video games) with an excellent playoff run (13 objectives and 13 assists in 15 video games). That his dad was named the Canucks’ new head coach on June 1 modified nothing about how the scouting division feels about Malhotra.

It doesn’t imply that the Canucks will routinely search for a household reunion on Friday. However for a corporation embarking on a rebuild, determined for gifted, high-character core items — and somebody who initiatives as a first-line NHL centre — it might be tough for GM Johnson to move on the coach’s son. Each Johnson and Manny Malhotra have acknowledged emphatically that household ties received’t complicate no matter choices have to be made on gamers.

Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda, Swedish Hockey League

As Gavin McKenna surged within the second half of his school season at Penn State whereas Stenberg’s manufacturing slowed in opposition to prime professionals in Sweden, it was nearly like some folks forgot how good Stenberg’s two-way sport actually is. The senior world championships in Could was a reminder because the dynamo generated eight factors in eight video games for Staff Sweden, the fourth-most factors ever by a draft-year participant on the match (behind solely Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews and Juraj Slafkovsky). Stenberg’s 0.767 points-per-game within the SHL was additionally fourth highest for a draft-eligible Swede within the nation’s prime league (behind Markus Naslund, William Nylander and Daniel Sedin).

Stenberg’s creativity and flash have by no means gotten hearts pumping fairly like they do when McKenna is on his sport, however he’s undoubtedly an elite, offensive driver from the wing — a quick, expert participant who competes and performs heavier than his five-foot-11, 183-pound body. No, Stenberg is just not a centre. However he will probably be a core piece for someone.

Chase Reid, D, Soo Greyhounds, OHL

And not using a participant projected to have the famous person upside of the final three first-overall picks — Matthew Schaefer, Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard — the 2026 draft sort of appears to be like just like the 12 months of the defenceman within the prime 15. A heaping handful of gifted blueliners may go proper after McKenna and Stenberg — or between them — and the (principally) consensus finest one is Reid, an American who flourished this season in Canada together with his all-around sport.

The smooth-skating, six-foot-three Reid impresses with nearly every little thing. However that total steadiness may additionally imply that Reid received’t be elite at any specific ability on the NHL stage. After all, that hasn’t stopped, say, Drew Doughty constructing a Corridor-of-Fame profession. Reid’s wonderful mobility and agility, mixed with smarts, competitiveness and a tonne of offensive upside will make him a top-five decide. If he doesn’t go No. 2 to the San Jose Sharks, he will probably be a severe candidate for the Canucks at No. 3.

Final 12 months’s prime Canucks decide

Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle-Prince Albert, Western Hockey League

Chosen fifteenth a 12 months in the past, Cootes was a outstanding early-season story for the Canucks. He made the workforce in coaching camp — and bear in mind, at the moment Vancouver was nonetheless prepping for a playoff problem — and was the primary 18-year-old to take action since Petr Nedved in 1990. His preliminary NHL sortie lasted solely three video games, however Cootes impressed together with his mature, detailed play, skating and major-league shot launch.

The right-shot centre from Edmonton didn’t mild the WHL ablaze upon his return to junior, however a mid-season commerce to Prince Albert from rebuilding Seattle allowed Cootes to grow to be a key driver on a formidable workforce. He completed the season with 63 factors in 45 video games, a wholesome enchancment from the point-per-game tempo of his draft season. It stays unclear what Cootes’ offensive ceiling may be on the NHL stage, however he certain appears to have a excessive ground. At minimal, he initiatives as a middle-six centre who may also help on particular groups and with management. Thus far, so good.

Caleb Malhotra to the Canucks has been a part of too many mock drafts for it to be a daring prediction now. So we’ll attempt one thing completely different. Because the NHL and its followers buzz over a collection of impactful trades throughout draft week, the Canucks have to this point been quiet. However they proceed to debate choices to dump veterans and their contracts. Most of those gamers, nevertheless, have commerce safety and almost all carry buyer-beware warnings because of latest efficiency or well being or price. However someday earlier than free company opens on July 1, Johnson will make his first main transfer.