The 2018 NHL Draft is less than three weeks away. Relative to length of the season, that seems like no time at all. However, in real time, that leaves teams more than enough time to continue evaluating film, talking with scouts, and meeting with draft-eligible prospects. Yet the Vancouver Canucks and GM Jim Benning would be ready to go if the draft was tomorrow instead. Ben Kuzma of The Province reports that the Canucks’ draft board is set and they have no follow-up visits with prospects planned.
In speaking with Benning, Kuzma relays that the Canucks spoke with the majority of the prospects at the recent NHL Draft Combine and feel that they do not need to meet with any of those players a second time in Vancouver. Kuzma opines that this either means they have no idea who will be available when they pick in the first round at seventh overall – although there is no limit to the amount of pre-draft visits a team is allowed and the Canucks could easily cover their bases – or that they feel their draft profiles for all potential targets are complete and they simply have no desire to speak with the players further. Benning said that he was “satisfied with the process of watching them play, the interviews and the physical and medical testing”, but one would think that with 17 days left before draft day, that Vancouver would continue to evaluate players in any way possible.
The other possible reason that the Canucks seem disinterested in spending more time on the draft is that Benning has his eye on trading the pick. Although he told Kuzma that “We think we’re getting a real good player at No. 7 and we like those who have a chance to be there”, it’s also hard to ignore this report in combination with rumors of the team listening to offers on the selection. In particular, it was discussed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Vancouver could be the leader in the efforts to pry young stalwart defender Noah Hanifin out of Carolina. The Hurricanes could benefit from trading one of their many talented defensemen and a package including the seventh pick could be tantalizing. If the teams are deep in discussion about such a deal, Benning may not find further draft preparation to be a priority right now.
Only time will tell how it all plays out, but Kuzma’s report of the Canucks being content with their draft preparation this early in the process is certainly strange and worth keeping an eye on.
Little odd especially when you consider how bad their prospect pool has been in recent years
I don’t think you know much about the Canucks… Their prospect pool is quite strong at the moment.
It’s ok. They have 2-3 solid guys but the rest has been pretty week
Were they not recently given the ‘top’ prospect pool by Button?
So you not know how bad button is
Do*