Cowan: A couple of players the Canadiens might focus on at NHL Draft
Article content
There are always an excess of mock drafts ahead of the NHL Draft, which will be held Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles.
Article content
But the one I always look forward to and focus on is Bob McKenzie's final draft rankings for TSN. McKenzie is semi-retired now, working only on the world junior championship and the NHL Draft for TSN. He became the first hockey writer to really focus on the NHL Draft back in 1985 when he was with The Hockey News and published his first NHL Draft Special.
Article content
Article content
'There was quite literally zero NHL draft coverage by the National Hockey League media,' McKenzie said on TSN after his final rankings came out on Monday with defenceman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL's Erie Otters ranked No. 1. 'Junior hockey writers used to talk about the draft a little bit — nobody in the NHL talked about the draft. It was a very easy void to fill.'
Article content
McKenzie puts together his rankings after surveying 10 NHL scouts. Last year he had Russian forward Ivan Demidov ranked second behind Macklin Celebrini, who went to the San Jose Sharks with the No. 1 pick. The Canadiens were thrilled Demidov was still available when they picked fifth. McKenzie had centre Michael Hage ranked 21st and the Canadiens took him with the 21st pick.
Article content
Article content
The Canadiens hold two first-round picks again this year — No. 16 and No. 17 — as the NHL switches to a decentralized draft like the NFL and NBA. That means team executives, coaches and scouts will remain in their home cities with commissioner Gary Bettman announcing the first-round picks from the stage Friday at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports).
Article content
Article content
Fifteen of the players McKenzie had ranked in his top 17 last year were taken with the first 17 picks. This year he has Justin Carbonneau, a right-winger with the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, ranked 16th and Jack Nesbitt, a centre with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, ranked 17th.
Article content
Article content
'Excellent skater who will drive inside and attack at defenders to break them down,' Craig Button, TSN's Director of Scouting, said about Carbonneau. 'Has very good hands and can shoot off the fly with an accurate, heavy shot. Plays with determination and may be just scratching the surface with his attributes.'
Article content
'Rangy centre who plays hard and can lean in physically and impose himself,' Button said. 'Offensive skills are solid, and with physical maturity his game can blossom. Has a streak of nastiness and will get involved in the hard areas of the game and not back down.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Colts star selected by Islanders with 17th pick in NHL Draft
Kashawn Aitcheson was selected by the New York Islanders with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft Friday night.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
2025 NHL Draft: How will the Canucks draft in rounds 2 to 7?
Whatever happens Friday night for the Vancouver Canucks in round one of the NHL Entry Draft, we know this much: They will make selections in the rest of the draft, which continues Saturday morning. This year's draft is an unusual affair, with teams making their picks remotely rather than in years past where they all assembled on a common draft 'floor,' usually an arena, although last year at The Sphere in Las Vegas and in its original 1960s and '70s form at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Friday night's big show is at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and league officials will run the remainder of the draft from there. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and his chief scout Todd Harvey will call their picks in from the team's offices at Rogers Arena . As of Friday afternoon, the Canucks will pick 47th, 65th (originally San Jose's pick), 143rd, 175th and 207th. How the picks will play out is anyone's guess. A few round-by-round notes: 47th overall (round two) It's hard to believe a team in the Canucks' position has had so few second-round picks over the past decade, but here we are. They haven't picked in the second round since 2021, when Jim Benning rolled the dice on Danila Klimovich, passing up on the likes of Logan Stankoven. Klimovich had an impressive World U18s in front of Benning — that tournament was in Texas, and you'll recall Benning's return was how we learned he and some of his colleagues had somehow scored a national interest exemption from quarantining upon return — but has yet to play in the NHL. He's shown growth in the AHL, but remains a longshot to be an NHLer. Stankoven, on the other hand, has played NHL games in Dallas and was a key piece in the Mikko Rantanen trade. As a counter, the previous second-rounder was Nils Höglander, selected in 2019, who has proven to be a solid NHLer. 65th overall (round three) The last two third rounders are gone: Melvin Fernström was picked last summer then traded mid-season, and Hunter Brzustewicz was moved a year ago for Elias Lindholm . Both remain interesting prospects, with a good chance of playing NHL games. Elias 'Junior' Pettersson was picked in 2022 and has shown NHL promise already, so there's a good chance of finding an NHLer here. 143rd overall (round five) Beginning in the fourth round, the chances of finding an NHL player really start to dive. The last time the Canucks drafted a player after the fourth round who played NHL games was Adam Gaudette in 2015. Gaudette was actually the fourth time in five years the Canucks found NHL games in the fifth round, following Gustav Forsling — who obviously never played in Vancouver — Ben Hutton and Frankie Corrado. 175th overall (round six) The Canucks grabbed Arturs Šilovs in the sixth round in 2019 and he has played 19 regular season games in the NHL, while also being a star in the Calder Cup playoffs this spring, turning himself into a cult figure with his play last spring in the Stanley Cup playoffs and helping Latvia to an all-time best finish in the world championships in 2023. Otherwise, though, this is the land of Hugo Gabrielson, Connor Lockhart, Dmitry Zlodeyev and Jackson Dorrington. 207th overall (round seven) If things don't change, the Canucks' final pick will be 17th from the end. Kirill Kudryavtsev, selected in the seventh round in 2022, played two games this past season and could see more action next year. In general, though, guys in this round are flashes in the pan at best — remember Aidan McDonough's six games in 2023? Indeed McDonough's NHL appearances were the first games for the Canucks from one of their own seventh-round picks since Mario Bliznak — and he skated in just six games as well after being picked in the 2005 draft. pjohnston@
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
2025 NHL Draft: How will the Canucks draft in rounds 2 to 7?
Whatever happens Friday night for the Vancouver Canucks in round one of the NHL Entry Draft, we know this much: They will make selections in the rest of the draft, which continues Saturday morning. Article content This year's draft is an unusual affair, with teams making their picks remotely rather than in years past where they all assembled on a common draft 'floor,' usually an arena, although last year at The Sphere in Las Vegas and in its original 1960s and '70s form at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Article content Article content Article content Friday night's big show is at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and league officials will run the remainder of the draft from there. Article content Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and his chief scout Todd Harvey will call their picks in from the team's offices at Rogers Arena. Article content As of Friday afternoon, the Canucks will pick 47th, 65th (originally San Jose's pick), 143rd, 175th and 207th. Article content How the picks will play out is anyone's guess. Article content A few round-by-round notes: Article content 47th overall (round two) Article content It's hard to believe a team in the Canucks' position has had so few second-round picks over the past decade, but here we are. Article content They haven't picked in the second round since 2021, when Jim Benning rolled the dice on Danila Klimovich, passing up on the likes of Logan Stankoven. Article content Klimovich had an impressive World U18s in front of Benning — that tournament was in Texas, and you'll recall Benning's return was how we learned he and some of his colleagues had somehow scored a national interest exemption from quarantining upon return — but has yet to play in the NHL. He's shown growth in the AHL, but remains a longshot to be an NHLer. Article content Article content Stankoven, on the other hand, has played NHL games in Dallas and was a key piece in the Mikko Rantanen trade. Article content Article content As a counter, the previous second-rounder was Nils Höglander, selected in 2019, who has proven to be a solid NHLer. Article content Beginning in the fourth round, the chances of finding an NHL player really start to dive. The last time the Canucks drafted a player after the fourth round who played NHL games was Adam Gaudette in 2015. Article content Gaudette was actually the fourth time in five years the Canucks found NHL games in the fifth round, following Gustav Forsling — who obviously never played in Vancouver — Ben Hutton and Frankie Corrado.
