NHL Draft Live: What are the Canucks going to do in Round One?
Friday will be a consequential day in the future of the
Vancouver Canucks
, one way or another.
As things stand, they hold the 15th overall pick in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.
The general feeling is they'll trade the pick — GM Patrik Allvin admitted earlier this week that he's had talks about trading back and he and president Jim Rutherford have also said in the past they recognize they'll likely have to make a trade to grab the second-line centre they covet, which surely will come at the cost of their first round pick.
We'll see how that goes…
Check back here as the afternoon progresses — the draft is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. — and we'll give you our Canucks-centred analysis as the round progresses.
pjohnston@postmedia.com
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Winnipeg Free Press
32 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipegger to meet his heroes after being drafted by Penguins
Peyon Kettles remembers the Evgeni Malkin jersey he rocked as a youngster. So you can imagine his delight when the Winnipegger pulled on a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey on Saturday after being chosen in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft with the 39th overall pick. 'It was definitely a huge relief and I'm definitely happy to hear my name called by the Penguins. To have their history, with me growing up around that time, is really cool and really special,' Kettles said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles, where he attended the event at Peacock Theater with his parents and his brother. 'I owned a Malkin jersey and all of the stuff like that. It's a full circle moment for me.' DAMIAN DOVARGANES / ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Carter Bear, left, stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by Detroit Red Wings during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. Kettles, listed at 6-5 and 194 pounds, is a hard-hitting defenceman who had five goals and 14 points in 53 games in the Western Hockey League with the Swift Current Broncos. 'I'm a big defensive guy who likes to play physical,' said Kettles. 'I'm a really good skater. A guy that is not afraid or is going to back down from anyone. 'I thought I had a pretty good season. I was out with some injuries, but that happens. Overall, I thought I had a really good season and I proved myself to Pittsburgh and a lot of other teams. I'm really happy to be part of their organization.' Kettles spoke with 21 different teams at the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this month and he's looking forward to heading to development camp in Pittsburgh during the coming days. 'I thought I had a really good interview with everyone, but my interview with Pittsburgh was really good. I thought they really liked me. It's cool to see them trade up and pick me,' said Kettles, noting he enjoyed watching the Penguins win multiple Stanley Cups while he was growing up. 'I've dreamed of this moment my whole life, so it's cool to see it come true. For me to meet my heroes and my idols is going to be really cool in this next week or two.' Kettles was in attendance on Friday night, since some mock drafts had him going late in the first round. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Hayden Paupanekis, then a Winnipeg Wild forward poses outside his home in 2022. That was a stressful situation to navigate, but Kettles made the most of it and didn't need to wait long on Day 2. 'I went (Friday) night and saw a lot of buddies go,' said Kettles. 'To hear my name called this morning was a big relief and I'm excited to get going.' It was a solid day for the Keystone province as seven Manitobans had their names called on Friday and Saturday. The seven selections is one short of the record, set three times (2017, 2018, 2022). That it comes one year after Brandon product Clarke Caswell was the only local kid drafted (in the fifth round, by the Seattle Kraken) represents a strong rebound for Manitoba. Carter Bear of West St. Paul went 13th overall to the Detroit Red Wings and the high-scoring winger from the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League was the only Manitoban to go in the first round. Burke Hood Later in the second round, Winnipegger Matthew Gard of the Red Deer Rebels went 57th overall to the Philadelphia Flyers. The left-handed shooting centre had 19 goals, 36 points in 66 WHL games this season. Gard also suited up for Canada at the U18 championship in Texas this year, collecting a goal and four points in seven games, capturing a gold medal. In the third round, Winnipegger Hayden Paupanekis was chosen 69th overall by the Monteal Canadiens. Paupanekis split last season between the Kelowna Rockets and Chiefs of the WHL, collecting 22 goals and 43 points in 71 games. Later in the third round, the Winnipeg Jets used the 93rd overall pick on Oakbank product Owen Martin, who had a strong season with the Spokane Chiefs. ROB WILTON/VANCOUVER GIANTS FILES Vancouver Giants goalie Burke Hood, shown staring down Wenatchee Wild forward Maddix McCagherty. Martin dealt with a foot injury that limited him to 39 games, but he produced at nearly a point-per-game rate (13 goals, 34 points). Seeing a bunch of fellow Manitobans hear their names called was special for Martin. 'I've been texting them, congratulating them. And then, once I got taken, they all congratulated me,' Martin said during a Zoom call on Saturday. 'It's a good group of Manitobans. We all know each other pretty well so yeah, it's been super cool seeing that success for all of us.' The sixth Manitoba chosen came in the sixth round when goalie Burke Hood went 170th overall to the New York Islanders. Hood, who hails from Brandon, is coming off a solid season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants, posting three shutouts a .910 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average in 42 appearances. The final Manitoba chosen on Day 2 was McCreary product Brady Turko, a right-winger with the Brandon Wheat Kings who had seven goals and 26 points in 68 games this season. TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Brady Turko of the Brandon Wheat Kings tries to keep the puck out of reach of Brayden Klimpke of the Saskatoon Blades during WHL action. Turko's teammate and fellow forward Roger McQueen was chosen 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Simon Wang becomes highest-drafted player born in China, going 33rd to Sharks in NHL draft
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Simon Wang was proud to become the highest-drafted player born in China when the San Jose Sharks selected him Saturday with the first pick of the second round of the NHL draft. The big defenseman is also confident he won't hold that distinction for long. 'It's an unreal moment for my family, for hockey in China,' Wang said. 'Just a really surreal moment, a dream-come-true moment. … I hope I've inspired a lot of kids back home.' The 6-foot-5 blueliner was chosen 33rd overall while the NHL concluded its newly decentralized draft with the final six rounds at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The New York Islanders kicked off the draft Friday by using the first overall pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Wang's family moved from Beijing to Toronto when he was 12 to further the career of a kid who attended the NHL China Games and became fascinated with a sport that has grown steadily in China. Wang is only the third Chinese-born player ever drafted by the NHL, but he knows he won't be the last. Kevin He was drafted 109th overall by the Winnipeg Jets last year, and Andong Song was chosen 172nd by the New York Islanders in 2015. 'Hopefully one day my record will get broken again,' Wang said. 'Someone will go in the first round, even top 10. I think there will definitely be someone that's going to make a huge impact on the game.' His real name is Haoxi Wang, but he plans to go by Simon during his hockey career because 'it's simpler for North Americans,' he said. Wang is a physical specimen who probably isn't even done growing, but he surged forward in his hockey development over the past year, showing more than enough potential to entice the Sharks and several other teams. Wang aspires to be an imposing two-way defenseman in the mold of Victor Hedman or Colton Parayko, but he had little draft buzz until the start of last season, when teams began to take notice of his rapidly developing skills. He soon joined the OHL's Oshawa Generals and got even more exposure during their playoff run. 'Seeing so many scouts in the Junior A barn, it just started hitting me,' Wang said. 'The summer before the season, I thought I was going undrafted, to be honest with you. But it happened for a reason, and I worked so hard for this. I deserve to be here.' Wang got into hockey as a child, but he didn't truly embrace the game until his family took a trip to Los Angeles eight years ago. The 10-year-old attended a Kings game right across the street from where he was drafted — although he fell asleep during the game, he recalls with a laugh. Wang then attended that Bruins-Flames game played in Beijing in 2018, and he soon decided to move to Canada to boost his development. Wang walked the red carpet in Los Angeles on Friday with his mother, who propelled his career — and even bought and moved his former junior team. He also got his first chance in nearly two years to see his brother, who studied at Boston University, where Wang might play college hockey starting in 2026 if next year in Oshawa goes well. After minimal player movement Friday, several significant trades were executed Saturday. Longtime Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson was traded to Detroit in a package for Petr Mrazek, while defenseman Jordan Spence went from Los Angeles to Ottawa in a bid for more playing time. Almost every first-round prospect was in attendance in Los Angeles, but the players in the audience dwindled on the second day. The late rounds were still memorable for several attendees — including Alexis Mathieu, who went 136th overall to the Anaheim Ducks in the fifth round. Mathieu, a physical defenseman from Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL, knew he wouldn't be a first-round pick, but his family decided to take a vacation to Southern California so Mathieu could attend the draft. His family kept him upbeat with jokes while the draft stretched into the back of the middle rounds Saturday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The group roared with excitement when Mathieu's name was announced, and he got got to walk down to the stage to pull on the orange sweater and hat. 'When I heard my name called, it was something special,' Mathieu said with a broad grin. 'Like they say, dreams come true. … It was a little vacation for us at the start of the week, but when I arrived downtown, it was draft mode.' The 223rd overall pick was also in attendance: Aidan Park, a product of the Los Angeles Jr. Kings system and the nephew of former NHLer Richard Park. The 19-year-old center got one last big cheer and a walk to the stage when he was chosen by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round. ___ AP NHL:
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Simon Wang makes history at NHL draft
LOS ANGELES – Simon Wang is still only 17 years old. The journey that brought him to Peacock Theater on Saturday morning had already been long and winding. Then he made history. The San Jose Sharks chose the defenceman from the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals with the first pick of the NHL draft's second round, making the six-foot-six, 222-pound Wang the highest-ever Chinese player selected at No. 33 overall. 'Unreal moment for my family, for hockey (in) China,' Wang said as he sported his new team's teal threads. 'Trying to soak it in.' The teenager started playing hockey in Beijing at age four, but his family decided he needed more competition to develop following conversations with a friend already in Canada. Story continues below advertisement Wang moved to the Toronto area in 2019, and after heading home during the COVID-19 pandemic, returned to Ontario and enrolled in a private school. Wang's mother, Willa, then bought a junior-A team in Brantford, Ont., and relocated it to Nobleton — roughly 125 kilometres away — where her son started to flourish. The two other Chinese-born players drafted to the NHL are 2024 Winnipeg Jets fourth-round pick Kevin He and 2015 New York Islanders sixth-rounder Andong Song. 'I'm just getting started,' said Wang, who's committed to eventually attend Boston University in the NCAA. 'I never really knew this game, how it's supposed to be played, until (age) 14. I'm always the underdog. Always have distance to catch up. I still have hunger in me, still have to drive that I've got to get better every single day. 'That's why I'm probably one of the most unique guys in the draft class.' Story continues below advertisement Wang started this season in junior-A before signing on in the OHL with the Generals, where he put up two assists in 32 games as he continued to grow into his body and learn the sport. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Now he's set a new draft benchmark. 'Definitely special,' Wang said. 'I hope I've inspired a lot of kids back home, and hopefully one day my record gets broken — someone goes in the first round, maybe top-10. That's probably the ultimate goal for Chinese hockey. 'There'll definitely be someone that is going to make a huge impact on the game.' It could very well be Wang. DECENTRALIZED DRAFT The league's first-ever decentralized draft in a non-pandemic scenario — similar to the NFL and NBA, where teams make selections off-site — continued with the Montreal Canadiens trading up to get Alexander Zharovsky at No. 34. The six-foot-one, 163-pound Russian winger had 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points across 45 games for Ufa on his country's junior circuit this past season. The Vancouver Canucks took goaltender Alexei Medvedev of the OHL's London Knights at No. 47. The Russian went 22-8-2 with a .912 save percentage and 2.79 goal-against average for the Memorial Cup champions. Story continues below advertisement The Calgary Flames picked centre Theo Stockselius at No. 54. The six-foot-three, 196-pound centre put up 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in 40 games in 2024-25 for Djurgardens' developmental team in Sweden. The Toronto Maple Leafs made their first pick OF the draft with the second round's final selection, taking Tinus Luc Koblar, also out of the Swedish junior league, at No 64. The Norwegian centre had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 43 games for Leksands in 2024-25. The Ottawa Senators made a trade with the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the day when they acquired defenceman Jordan Spence for a third-round pick this year and a 2026 sixth-rounder. The Detroit Red Wings made the day's biggest splash, adding John Gibson via trade from the Anaheim Ducks for fellow goaltender Petr Mrazek, a second-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-rounder in 2026. Saturday's third round saw Vancouver take centre Kieren Dervin (No. 65), Montreal grab centre Hayden Paupanekis (No. 69), and Calgary go with defenceman Maceo Phillips (No. 80) before the Canadiens took blueliner Bryce Pickford (No. 81) and goaltender Arseni Radkov (No. 82). The Edmonton Oilers made their first pick of 2025 at No. 83 with winger Tommy Lafreniere. The Leafs then selected Tyler Hopkins at No. 86. The centre from Campbellville, Ont. — just outside Toronto — grew up a fan of both the team and captain Auston Matthews. Story continues below advertisement 'To wear this jersey, I can't even describe the feeling,' said the 18-year-old. 'That was the ultimate dream.' Winnipeg took centre Owen Martin (No. 92) and Ottawa chose winger Blake Vanek (No. 93). Ottawa opened the fourth round by selecting goaltender Lucas Beckman (No. 97), wingers Dmitri Isayev (No. 149) and Bruno Idzan (No. 181), along with netminder Andrei Trofimov (No. 213). Montreal tabbed centre John Mooney (No. 113) and goaltender Alexis Cournoyer (No. 145). The Canadiens then added a trio of defencemen in Carlos Handel (No. 177), Andrew MacNiel (No. 189) and Maxon Vig (No. 209). Edmonton plucked winger David Lewandowski (No. 117), defenceman Asher Barnett (No. 131), goaltender Daniel Salonen (No. 191) and centre Aiden Park (No. 223). Toronto grabbed winger William Belle (No. 137), winger Harry Nansi (No. 153), defenceman Bruno Idzan (No. 185) and winger Matthew Hlacar (No. 217). Vancouver selected centre Wilson Bjorck (No. 143), winger Gabriel Chiarot (No. 175) and centre Matthew Lansing (No. 207). Calgary picked wingers Ethan Wyttenbach (No. 144) and Aiden Lane (No. 176), defenceman Jakob Leander (No. 208) and winger Yan Matveiko (No. 211). Winnipeg wound up with winger Viktor Klingsell (No. 156), defenceman Edison Engle (No. 188) and winger Jacob Cloutier (No. 220). This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025. Story continues below advertisement
