There is an unusual amount of uncertainty heading into the NHL entry draft this afternoon. While the draft is never entirely predictable, the top-10 doesn’t usually result in too many surprises.
Normally, there are generally agreed upon tiers among the draft-eligible prospects. There is the number one pick if there’s a so-called “generational” talent available or the consensus top two or three. This draft has that tier, at least, in Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick.
After that, there’s normally a secondary tier of three or four players, the types that are anticipated to go in the top-5 of the draft. That’s where things go higgledy-piggledy in this draft. The secondary tier has about a dozen players in it.
If you want a centre, you could make a case for any one of Casey Mittelstadt, Gabriel Vilardi, Cody Glass, or Elias Pettersson to be at the top of your draft board. Depending on your scouting staff and priorities, you might even have Michael Rasmussen, Nick Suzuki, or Klim Kostin in the mix. And that’s just the centres!
Among defencemen, it’s just as wide open. While Cale Makar has vaulted up the draft rankings, with Bob McKenzie even noting that one scout he spoke to had him at first overall ahead of Hischier and Patrick, there isn’t even consensus that he’s the best defenceman available. A lot of scouts and analysts prefer Miro Heiskanen, while there are still supporters of Timothy Liljegren who still think he could be the best defenceman in the draft.
And then there are the wingers, Owen Tippett and Martin Necas, that are also in this secondary tier, but are likely not on the Canucks radar with Jim Benning’s focus on centres and defencemen.
This large secondary tier of players gives the Canucks a wide array of options at fifth overall, limited only by what players the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche pick ahead of them. There are very few ways for Benning to go wrong.
He and his scouting staff are rumoured to have narrowed down their list of centres to three players — I’m guessing Vilardi, Glass, and Pettersson — but likely prize defenceman Makar as well, but I see seven players that I would be happy to see the Canucks select fifth overall.
So, I decided to rank those seven players according to my personal preference, complete with links to their PITB prospect profiles:
1 | Elias Pettersson - C
Strikes me as the most likely player in the second tier to become a first-line centre in the NHL. A smart, skilled player, but he’s a beanpole who will need to put on some more weight to play in the NHL.
2 | Miro Heiskanen - D
Polished two-way defenceman who performed at an unheard of level in top Finnish league, but may not have the offensive upside the Canucks are looking for.
3 | Gabriel Vilardi - C
A powerful puck-possessing, playmaking centre. Once he has the puck, it’s hard to get off his stick thanks to his strength and elite stickhandling. Only issue is his skating.
4 | Cody Glass - C
Two-way centre isn’t flashy, but is smart and effective, racking up points in the WHL and playing a balanced, professional-style game.
5 | Cale Makar - D
Dominant offensive defenceman, only the league he dominated was the AJHL.
6 | Casey Mittelstadt - C
Outstanding speed and skill, but concerns over 5-on-5 production in the USHL.
7 | Timothy Liljegren - D
Smooth skating defenceman has plummeted down draft rankings after injury and illness-ridden season, but still has tremendous upside.
