Canucks Make Big Moves, Select 6 Players in Draft

When Vancouver Canucks GM Travis Fleming met with reporters after the draft it was hard to miss the grin on his face. Clearly, he felt the draft had gone well.

After a lackluster season that forced the Canucks into a rebuild, Fleming dealt all his impending UFA's for a bevy of draft picks, prospects, and young players.

The cornerstones of the abrupt rebuild were the four first round picks that the team acquired. Fleming made it clear that the team's plan was to build through the draft, so heading into the weekend the pressure was on the GM to deliver.

As of yesterday morning, the Canucks held picks 14, 16, 27 and 28, along with a whopping 7 picks in the later rounds. Rumours had been swirling for weeks that Canucks were interested in moving up from 27 and 28, but it looked like they weren't going to be able to pull it off.

That all changed late Friday night when the team announced a trade with the Lightning. The Canucks sent picks 27, 58 and 122 to Tampa Bay for pick 17. But Fleming wasn't done yet.

Right before the start of the draft Fleming and Winnipeg Jets GM Joe Tremblay appeared to be in heated trade talks. We'll never know what exactly they were discussing but one would suspect the talks circled around the #15 pick, which was rumoured to be available. If Fleming had pulled that off it would have given him an unprecedented four picks in a row. Clearly though, the talks fell through.

Just when it looked like the Canucks were going to stand pat a trade was announced before the #12 pick. Vancouver dealt picks 28, 72, 88 and 109 for the 12th pick.

In less than 24 hours Vancouver went from 11 picks to 6. However, they now had four picks in the top 20. With the trades finally complete Fleming went to work.

With the 12th selection, he took centre Barrett Hayton from the Sioux St. Marie Greyhounds. Then two picks later he grabbed defenseman Ty Smith from the Spokane Chiefs. With picks 16 and 17 he selected centres Joe Veleno from the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Isac Lundeström from Luleå HF.

With their third and fourth-round picks the Canucks capped off their draft by taking Jonathan Davidsson and Michael Lindqvist.

So the question is, were the trades worth it? 

"It was definitely a gamble," said Fleming following the draft. "I just felt like in order to accelerate this rebuild I wanted to get as many high-end guys as I could. I liked the guys available at 27 and 28, and there were going to be a lot of good guys available with those later picks as well. But I just don't think they would have had the same kind of impact as the guys we traded up for."

Many in the media and around the league were applauding the Canucks' efforts at the draft, but afterward the Vancouver GM was being modest.

"It's way too early to tell," Fleming said with a chuckle when asked if he felt he had "won" the draft. "Anytime you have four first-round picks people are going to talk about you having a good draft. But at the same time, if you have four picks in the first round that probably means you were pretty lousy in the regular season. Personally, I'd rather win the Stanley Cup than the draft."

We'll have to wait and see whether the Canucks made the right moves at the draft. That being said, the future is certainly looking bright.

Here's a rundown of all the Canucks' picks:

#12 Barrett Hayton

Hayton was seen by many as one of the top centres in the draft. Although some question his offensive ceiling he plays a solid 200-ft game that should help him when he makes the transition to the NHL.

Scouting report:

Slick, two-way center who can beat you in a variety of ways. Whether you view Hayton as the beneficiary of a deep supporting cast, or a key cog in Sault Ste Marie’s attack, the truth is a very skilled, heady player. He has excellent vision and makes most defenders miss when he’s controlling the puck below the circles. - The Draft Analyst

What Fleming had to say:

"I think he's a guy who might have been higher up on a lot of people's draft boards had he not been playing on such a deep team in Sioux St. Marie. I think you'll see him take a more prominent role on the team next year and he should really break out offensively. I don't like to make player comparisons, but we see a lot of Patrice Bergeron in him."

#14 Ty Smith

The Canucks were definitely lacking in quality defense prospects, so the addition of Ty Smith is a welcome one. The small, mobile defenseman put up an impressive 73 point in 69 games for the Spokane Chiefs last season.

Scouting Report:

Instinctive two-way force from the blue line with exceptional hockey sense and a strong desire to join the attack and create chances. Smith’s mobility and vision seem to throw opponents into a state of confusion — his ability to transition quickly from defense to offense is excellent. He’s an effortless skater with strong balance and agility, and he can pivot with the best of them. - The Draft Analyst

What Fleming had to say:

"Going into the draft Ty was one of the guys we were really targetting, so we were elated when he was available at 14. The league is moving towards more mobile defenseman who can move the puck, and that's exactly the type of player Ty Smith is. We were really excited to be able to draft him."

#16 Joe Veleno

Veleno was a bit of a polarizing prospect heading into the draft. Given exceptional status by the QMJHL at age 15, Veleno never quite lived up to expectations. That being said, he was still seen as one of the most offensively gifted players of the 2018 draft.

Scouting Report:

Multi-purpose center with quickness and a sharp hockey mind... Although Veleno has an arsenal of weapons to beat you, he’s at his best when he is creating chances for his linemates via deadly accurate passes or plays off the rush. peed is an important part of Veleno’s game, but he also slows the game down and is more than adept at carving up static defense schemes with quick cross-ice passes or slick maneuvers that present him with open lanes to the net. - The Draft Analyst

What Fleming had to say:

"Things really seemed to click for Joe when he got dealt to Drummondville. I think the numbers he put up there (48 points in 33 games) are more indicative of the type of player he is. I think some of the teams that drafted ahead of us might regret not taking him when they had the chance."

#17 Isac Lundeström

The Canucks went with yet another centre with the 17th pick. Lundeström is seen as one of the safer picks available in the draft. Although his offensive ceiling might be limited his all-around game at such a young age is very impressive.

Scouting Report:

Playing smart, two-way hockey at high speeds is something you rarely see from any teenager, let alone one that receives top-six minutes in Sweden’s top league. Lundestrom was far too advanced a prospect to play junior hockey, and he succeeded with an altered role for Lulea. He’s fast, aggressive and loves to cause havoc on the forecheck. - The Draft Analyst

What Fleming had to say:

"Any time a kid spends the entire season playing in the Swedish Elite League as an 18 year old that's impressive. I've heard other scouts questioning whether he can be a top six guy, but my team and I really think he has untapped offensive potential."

#92 Jonathan Davidsson

A 21 year old prospect who spent last season playing in the Swedish Elite League, Davidsson put up an impressive 31 points playing for Djurgårdens IF. The Swede was ranked as the 85th best NHL prospect in the Hockey News' most recent Future Watch edition.

Scouting Report:

He processes the game quickly and makes decisions quickly. He has good vision when passing the puck and leads teammates up ice on the rush. - Hockeyprospect.com

What Fleming had to say:

"I honestly didn't think Davidsson would be there at 92, so we were thrilled to get him. He was excellent in the SHL last season and I think he could make an impact on our team sooner rather than later. We're really excited about him."

#98 Michael Lindqvist

An under-the-radar pick, commissioner Kevin Lacy was even heard saying "Who's that?" following the selection. Lindqvist is another Swede who spent last season in the Elite League. He registered an impressive 20 goals and 34 points in just 33 games for Färjestad BK.

Scouting Report:

At 5’10” and 172lbs, Lindqvist is not an imposing skater. However, he makes up for his lack of size with a solid wrist shot and good positioning... Lindqvist seems to have a knack for scoring with the man advantage. Of his 33 points, 14 came on the power play, including 10 goals. He ranked second on the team in power play points, third on the team overall points and sixth on the team in shots on goal. - Bluelinestation.com

What Fleming had to say:

"Scoring over a point per game in the SHL is an impressive feat, so Linqvist was definitely someone we had our eyes on going into the draft. We're really excited to see what he can do when he makes the transition to North America.