The 2025 NHL Draft has concluded, and fans will now pour over their draft class to see who may emerge as the subsequent star. One team looking for a star player was the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver hoped to trade for a longtime player. Nevertheless, they were unable to trade their pick.
The Canucks kept the fifteenth overall pick on the 2025 NHL Draft. Vancouver made only one trade on the draft, acquiring Russian winger Ilya Safonov from the Chicago Blackhawks. They didn’t swing any major blockbuster trade despite quite a few rumors leading into the 2025 NHL Draft.
The draft buzz has settled a bit over the weekend. That is the right time to take a deeper take a look at Vancouver’s draft and hand out an initial grade for the general quality of their 2025 class.
Canucks take swing with Braeden Cootes
As mentioned, the Canucks held on to their first-round pick. With this selection, they picked Braeden Cootes, a middle from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Cootes rose up draft boards throughout the season. ClutchPoints mocked Cootes to the Canucks in our final 2025 NHL Mock Draft, as well.
Cootes is a bulldog on the ice who never quits. He’s a implausible forechecker who will all the time discover a option to make something occur. Whether that is retrieving pucks along the boards, picking out passing lanes, or crashing the online for a rebound, the brand new Canucks draft pick is involved in some way, a way.
There are some questions on his offense, mainly his scoring. Cootes is a playmaking center who can drive play on his own line. But his scoring touch may not translate to the NHL. If this does not occur, he could simply transform a shutdown defender on the third line.
After all, the Canucks are banking on every little thing coming together. He has a high floor, and will push for an NHL job soon. Cootes shouldn’t be necessarily a case of if he’ll make the NHL. He’s mostly a case of when he’ll make it and what role he’ll play once he’s there. Vancouver hopes he can play in the highest six, however the projection is barely murky, making this a little bit of a chance.
Vancouver addresses center depth
Cootes shouldn’t be the one center Vancouver chosen on the 2025 NHL Draft. Vancouver added two other natural centers in addition to a winger who can kick inside. Each prospect has their pros and cons, as well.
Vancouver’s third-round pick — coming by means of the San Jose Sharks — was Kieren Dervin from St. Andrew’s College. From all accounts, this was a reach from the Canucks. Nevertheless, it is simple to see why Vancouver likes him. Dervin plays a mature game and has an NHL-frame. Furthermore, he’s a two-way center who involves himself at each ends of the ice.
Wilson Björck was the 143rd pick on this draft. A natural winger, the Swede has the power to play down the center. Again, this was seen as one other major reach on behalf of the Canucks. Björck did have a implausible yr offensively for Djurgårdens IF’s junior team. In saying this, he played in a slightly favorable environment, and it’s hard to pin down his NHL projection because of this.
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The Canucks’ final pick of the draft was Matthew Lansing, a middle from the USHL’s Fargo Force. He was traded midseason, and saw improved ice time because of this. With this improved ice time got here improved results and more opportunities to point out what he can do. There may be quite a lot of intrigue around his future, as he could change into a bottom-six scoring option.
These players aren’t the potential top-six stars that Cootes is. Nevertheless, it is not too difficult to see what Vancouver likes in each player. And every of them has a path to the NHL in the event that they make adjustments. Overall, they did well to provide some hope to a position group that definitely needed it.
An intriguing goaltending gamble
One among the more interesting selections for the Canucks got here within the second round. With the forty seventh pick, they chose London Knights goaltender Alexei Medvedev. Medvedev had some buzz around him as a possible first-round pick earlier within the season. Nevertheless, this died down, and plenty of thought he’d go within the third round on the earliest.
Medvedev does have fans within the hockey world because of his poise and technical ability. In saying this, there are some concerns. He struggles along with his five-hole, and he continues to be adjusting to the North American game. He also played behind the eventual OHL Champions, which definitely helped his production a bit.
Medvedev has boom-or-bust potential. Again, it is not hard to see what the Canucks like on this player. He could definitely change into a starting goalie down the road. Nevertheless, they did reach a bit, and it is a bit of a chance for Vancouver to take at this spot.
Grade and final thoughts
The Canucks get a advantageous grade for his or her 2025 NHL Draft class. Vancouver did reach on some players. And this does factor into the grade a bit. In saying this, they didn’t entirely take raw projects who’ve a mountain to climb before making the NHL. They took players who’ve the tools to succeed, and Vancouver is trusting their player development to assist these players reach their goals. By way of potential, this could possibly be an intriguing class for the Canucks.
Canucks draft grade: B
Best pick: Braeden Cootes – Round 1, Pick 15
Worst pick: Gabe Chiarot – Round 6, Pick 175
Most interesting: Alexei Medvedev – Round 2, Pick 47