Who Should The Canucks Draft 3rd Overall?

The Canucks have some difficult decisions to make this offseason, but perhaps none are more difficult than what to do with the 3rd overall pick in the draft.

Round 1 of the NHL Draft is on Friday, June 26th at 7pm. This is the day that Canucks fans have been looking forward to ever since that time in December when they traded that one guy. 

It’s been a miserable season in Vancouver, capped off by the fact they lost both draft lotteries and slipped to 3rd in the order. Although the Canucks likely won’t be getting the player they wanted most, they will have the opportunity to draft a quality player with their selection. There are tons of great players available at the top of this draft. It’s tough to predict who the Canucks are going to go for. Here are the players I think they could potentially draft at pick 3, and how I feel about each of the options.

Also, important note, Gavin McKenna will be drafted 1st overall by Toronto. I ruled him out. I am not delusional enough to pretend otherwise.

Ivar Stenberg

I’ll be honest, when I started writing this article, this seemed like more of a possibility than it does now.

After winning the 2nd overall pick in the lottery, Sharks GM Mike Grier made it clear that he always wants to draft the best player available rather than drafting for positional needs. Considering that would be Ivar Stenberg, it seemed from there that he would be their pick.

However, San Jose has a huge hole on defense while being completely stacked on young forwards. With a couple defensemen ranking at the top of this year’s draft, there was certainly some speculation as to whether San Jose would opt to bolster their back-end rather than going for yet another forward.

It seems this was laid to rest on Tuesday.

The Sharks traded William Eklund along with two prospects to Ottawa in exchange for the 9th overall pick. This opens up the space for San Jose to take Ivar Stenberg at pick 2, while also allowing them to go for the likes of Daxon Rudolph, Alberts Smits, Ryan Lin, or another defenseman at pick 9. 

The only reason there may be some hope remaining is because San Jose has apparently been open to moving the 2nd overall pick. Unfortunately, I’d probably place the odds of Stenberg going to the Canucks at well under 1%.

It’s still worth stating that if Ivar Stenberg is magically available when the Canucks are on the clock, it would be an unfathomable mistake to not draft him. His 33 points in 43 SHL games tops what the Sedins accomplished in the same league in their draft year. Plus, Stenberg put on great performances at both the World Juniors (where he helped Sweden win their first gold medal since 2012) and at the more recent World Championships.

Stenberg is quite clearly a top 2 player in this draft, and for a while there he was competing with Gavin McKenna for that 1st overall slot. McKenna claimed that spot with his strong finish to the season in the NCAA. Stenberg will still be a 1st-line winger for years to come, likely making an immediate impact in the NHL as well. He'll be a gift for whoever gets to draft him, and if the Canucks have the opportunity, it’s a no-brainer.

Caleb Malhotra

Familiar last name, right?

It’s no secret at this point that one of the highest ranking prospects in this year’s draft also happens to be the son of recently-appointed Canucks head coach, Manny Malhotra. But Caleb is a lot more than just his last name. The 6’2 centre put up a monster season in the OHL, posting 84 points in 67 games with the Brantford Bulldogs. This was a notable step-up from his production in the BCHL the season before, where he had 26 points in 44 games, making Malhotra’s stock one of the biggest risers this season.

To be clear, I don’t think that Manny’s promotion automatically means the Canucks are going to go with the nepotism pick here, despite what many fans think. If anything, it likely hurts Caleb’s chances of being drafted by the Canucks. Reports recently have stated uncertainty in the Canucks drafting Caleb. It would avoid potential awkwardness that comes with having a father/son duo.

What I do know is that if the team does opt to select him at 3rd overall, it’s not because of his father. The team has been gravitating toward Caleb since long before Manny’s promotion, and it’s clear to see why. A big, smart centre who can produce points and could grow to be your future 1C. What’s not to like?

The biggest question about Malhotra is whether this season was a fluke or whether he’s truly the real deal. The immediate point jump from the BCHL to the OHL is not seen often, if ever. Plus, it has to be stated that Malhotra had a great team around him in Brantford. Now, he wasn’t carried by any means, but he wouldn’t put up that impressive statline on just any team. He’s clearly good enough to be an impactful centre for whatever team drafts him, but his ceiling is difficult to predict. It feels like it could be a risky pick at 3rd overall.

If Ivar Stenberg is still on the board, Malhotra is the only player I could envision the Canucks drafting over him. In that case, it would seemingly be a mistake. However, if Stenberg is taken by San Jose, Malhotra is not a bad pick at all. You’re certainly banking on him developing into a 1C, as you already have Braeden Cootes and Marco Rossi to battle for that future 2C spot (maybe Elias Pettersson is still around too), but if you believe in Malhotra enough, I guess you should go for it.

Carson Carels

Quinn Hughes did not want to play in Canada.

That is what Jim Rutherford stated at his year-end media availability in April. Hughes, the former captain of the Canucks, never intended on staying in Vancouver. 

More recently, Brady Tkachuk was traded from Ottawa for a similar reason. He didn’t want to be in Ottawa and in turn was sent to Florida. These situations have sparked online debate regarding American players not wanting to play for Canadian teams. It honestly seems like a real issue, even if it’s obviously not all American players.

So, what does this have to do with Carson Carels? Well, a couple months ago the Canadian defenseman has been open about the fact that he wants to play for a Canadian franchise. Not just normal PR-trained responses where he says that he’d be happy to play for any team. He told TSN he actively wants to play for a Canadian team and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. That kind of passion is something that would turn the heads of many Canucks fans. There would be no anxiety about Carels leaving for the USA just so he can escape Canada. Plus, the Canucks new front office has made it clear that their current focus is to build the right culture in Vancouver. If you’re going for the culture pick, Carels seems to be the guy.

Beyond just the nationality, Carels had a monster season with Prince George of the WHL, registering 73 points in 58 regular season games, along with 10 points in 10 playoff games. Carels is a two-way defenseman, which is especially interesting when you think of the fit in Vancouver. A 1-2 punch of Zeev Buium and Carson Carels on the left side of defense seems like it could be deadly when they reach their primes. 

I’m honestly surprised there hasn’t been more chatter linking the Canucks to Carels. He’s ranked near the top of all draft boards and seems like a player they should be considering. If they did opt to go for the surprise pick, I wouldn’t be against it. I think he’s going to be a solid player on the ice, and a great piece for the culture off the ice. 

Chase Reid

Now, we get to the American defenseman.

Though I do like that Carels actively wants to play for a Canadian franchise, I also don’t actually believe you should avoid drafting Americans just because they’re American. Think about Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko. Both American, both absolutely love being in Vancouver. Skipping over the best player available just because you’re concerned they may leave in 8 years seems silly. In this case, Chase Reid may end up being the best player available at 3rd overall.

Reid finished the season with 48 points in 45 games for the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. While these stats aren’t quite as good as Carels’ were, it’s important to note that he missed time with a wrist injury. In his D-1 season, Reid was also a point-per-game player. So while this season wasn’t as big of a step forward as one would hope, it was partially out of his control. Reid has all the tools to be a monster on the blue line in the NHL. He has a wicked shot for a defenseman and is a great puck-mover as well. He does make some mistakes in the defensive end, but you can easily help an 18-year-old defenseman clean that up. 

Right-shot defensemen are at a premium in the NHL, with many competitive teams struggling to find the right ones (Montreal, Buffalo, etc.). If the Canucks were to add Reid, he would join Hronek and Willander on the right side eventually. That may be too enticing to pass up.

Until recently, it seemed like Chase Reid may be too enticing for the Sharks to pass up. He would fit them perfectly. They need an elite young defenseman, and there just are not enough on the trade market. At least, none with the potential that Chase Reid has. I guess it’s not totally impossible for the Sharks to still go the Reid route, but the Eklund trade feels very telling about what their plan is.

If the Sharks do opt for Stenberg, I think Reid should be the Canucks’ pick. In my opinion, he is the 3rd best player in this draft. The Canucks are not in a spot where they should be drafting for positional needs over a guy with the tools that Reid has. 

Viggo Björck

This was once seen as off the board. People have been warming up to it recently.

Björck spent the season as the 1st line centre for Djurgårdens of the SHL, where he collected 15 points in 42 games. It’s not quite Ivar Stenberg numbers, but it’s very respectable production for a 17-year-old in the SHL. Björck is a skilled player, a fantastic playmaker who can be a great piece to an NHL offense in the future.

He was one of Sweden’s best players at the World Juniors, oftentimes impressing even more than Stenberg did, finishing the tournament with 9 points in 7 games and driving a lot of the offense for his country. He was also present at the World Championships, where his performance was a respectable 6 points in 8 games. He turned many heads at the tournament, including childhood hero Sidney Crosby’s, who was impressed by Björck’s performance in a game against Canada.

The main downside of Björck? He stands at just 5’9. The thing is, I don’t see as much of a problem with that as many others would. Remember the time back in 2019 where the Canucks passed on small Cole Caufield at 10th overall, opting instead for Vasily Podkolzin? How did that work out for them?

Viggo Björck is small, but has been commended by scouts for not playing small. He uses his frame well and doesn’t get bullied out on the ice. His stock rose dramatically this season. It’s at the point now where if Vancouver used the 3rd overall pick on him, there may be a couple eyebrow raises, but it’s a move that would be justifiable. 

I’m so sick of teams drafting for size instead of skill. Especially that high in the draft, you can’t afford to draft just because a guy is big. So many small players have been panning out in the NHL recently, like Caufield, Alex Debrincat, Logan Stankoven, and more. Björck is not just doomed because of his height. If you think he’s the best player you can draft there, the size shouldn’t make you shy away. There’s certainly some risk, but I’m really not against the idea.

I’m pretty confident a lot of the Canucks’ fanbase would be up in arms if Vancouver opted to draft the 5’9 Swedish center over the 6’2 Canadian centre. But you really can’t please everyone. I wouldn’t say my preference is strong between Malhotra and Björck, but I would be upset if the choice made between them was because of the height difference. It should be about their hockey skill.

So, to summarize my opinion in a few bullet points:

• Gavin McKenna will be drafted 1st overall. He’s not in consideration for 3rd overall at all.
• If Ivar Stenberg is somehow still available at pick 3, you take him. Don’t even think.
• If Ivar Stenberg is available at pick 3 and you take anyone else, I cry.
• If Ivar Stenberg is drafted at pick 2, you should use pick 3 on Chase Reid. He is going to be an elite defenseman in the NHL and I believe he is the best player available at that point.
• If Caleb Malhotra, Carson Carels, or Viggo Bjorck are drafted by the Canucks over Chase Reid, I won’t be mad. I just think Reid is your guy.
• If anyone else’s name is called by the Canucks at pick 3, I will cry.

The NHL draft is just 2 days away now. The Canucks also hold picks 24, 33, 40, and 6 other selections throughout the draft. Who will join their 3rd overall pick? The Ruck twins? Vancouver Giant Mathis Preston? Actual giant Maksim Sokolovskii? 

This is set to be a hugely impactful draft for the franchise. It’s their first draft since committing to a rebuild. There’s also still time for the Canucks to make a move for more draft stock, with guys like Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Jake DeBrusk finding their names in trade talks. It will be really interesting to see what draft strategy the Canucks employ. Let’s see if Ryan Johnson can knock this one out of the park.