2025 DRAFT Thread
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Cootes is the kind of kid who you draft and fret about because his point totals aren't gaudy, and his work ethic isn't seen on stat sheets, and defensive players who are drafted for defense is riskier. Cootes is the kind of kid you draft, and then after 5 years of the aforementioned, you go "thank God we drafted this guy". He is a floor raiser, not just for himself but for those around him. He plays hockey to win the game, and if he is best served to fill water bottles then expect those water bottles to be perfect. If he needs to win a faceoff, he was put on earth to win that face off, if you need someone to lean on a superstar for every second they're out there, he's leaning. Add to it that I believe he has legit points getting talent in the NHL and I would be THRILLED if we selected him.
VIPettersson
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One of my favourites of this draft for upside, Ryker Lee, according to Steven Ellis measured in at 6 foot 0.25 from 5 foot 10 earlier in the year.
lawrence
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My original post for Cootes.
Link to original article WHL: Braeden Cootes - Neutral Zone - Men's
He shows offensive skills according too neutral zone.com. The areas for improvement are coachable and will respond well to practice. Strength gains will follow through summer training.
He can skate can shut down, could be a Cirelli type.
I have faith that somebody will drop precipitously in this draft. That's what happened in 2022 when the Canucks nabbed Lekkerimaki at 15th overall.
Scouts were concerned about his size and skating, but a lot of mock drafts had him going higher. The 2025 list is full of players who are difficult to project, and a lot of GM's will probably be drafting 'by position' anyway.
Surely the Canucks are due for some draft luck eventually.
Scouts were concerned about his size and skating, but a lot of mock drafts had him going higher. The 2025 list is full of players who are difficult to project, and a lot of GM's will probably be drafting 'by position' anyway.
Surely the Canucks are due for some draft luck eventually.
lawrence
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Anyone else recall the Kesler draft in 2003? An overage pick whose stats were underwhelming. Another defensive grinder type without much offensive upside, despite a decent shot, good wheels, and a physical edge. Fan reaction was anger, since we wanted tambelleni. History proved that pick had hidden value. Let's hope our scouts have uncovered something similar this time around. That said, I fully expect our pick to be traded. I'd be shocked if we actually hit the podium on June 27.
Ryan Kesler was a poster-boy for the importance of post-draft player development. When he was drafted, he was a swift skating center but with hands of stone. He finished his draft year at Ohio State with 11 goals and 20 assists.
And there was nothing in his early Canuck career to indicate he'd ever be much more than depth center. His first pro season was split between Manitoba and Vancouver where he finished with five goals and 11 assists.
He finally broke out in his second pro season with the Moose, where he blossomed to 30 goals and 28 assists. If memory serves he might even have been rookie of the year in the AHL.
Then it was up to Vancouver for next two seasons: 10 goals and 13 assists in year one; and slumped to 6 goals 10 assists, where he hurt for the last 30 games. Finally, in his fifth year of pro hockey he scored 21 times and never looked back.
To me, that's what so encouraging about the way the Canucks are developing their draft picks right now in Abbotsford. It's a slow, but steady progression. And a number of kids who've been written off more than once in their careers, look to be on track to at least play in the NHL.
And there was nothing in his early Canuck career to indicate he'd ever be much more than depth center. His first pro season was split between Manitoba and Vancouver where he finished with five goals and 11 assists.
He finally broke out in his second pro season with the Moose, where he blossomed to 30 goals and 28 assists. If memory serves he might even have been rookie of the year in the AHL.
Then it was up to Vancouver for next two seasons: 10 goals and 13 assists in year one; and slumped to 6 goals 10 assists, where he hurt for the last 30 games. Finally, in his fifth year of pro hockey he scored 21 times and never looked back.
To me, that's what so encouraging about the way the Canucks are developing their draft picks right now in Abbotsford. It's a slow, but steady progression. And a number of kids who've been written off more than once in their careers, look to be on track to at least play in the NHL.
1440
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Two names with Canuck connections worth watching for mid-late round defensemen:
Artyom Gonchar (nephew of Sergei) Scouting Report
Jonas Woo (brother of Jett) article
Both are somewhat undersized offensive-minded defensemen who could provide some decent upside outside of the first 2-3 rounds. Gonchar could be a particularly astute late round pick. Good skater, good puck skills, good counting stats in the MHL, once he puts some weight on his 6' 160 lb frame he won't really be undersized for today's NHL. Plus there should be 0 worry about him staying in Russia given the connection with his uncle. If Jonas Woo was the same size as his brother, he would be in the conversation for a first round pick. He has the better puck skills and offensive instincts that his brother did at the same age, but lacks a standout trait that would allow him to succeed as a 5'9 defenseman in the NHL.
Artyom Gonchar (nephew of Sergei) Scouting Report
Jonas Woo (brother of Jett) article
Both are somewhat undersized offensive-minded defensemen who could provide some decent upside outside of the first 2-3 rounds. Gonchar could be a particularly astute late round pick. Good skater, good puck skills, good counting stats in the MHL, once he puts some weight on his 6' 160 lb frame he won't really be undersized for today's NHL. Plus there should be 0 worry about him staying in Russia given the connection with his uncle. If Jonas Woo was the same size as his brother, he would be in the conversation for a first round pick. He has the better puck skills and offensive instincts that his brother did at the same age, but lacks a standout trait that would allow him to succeed as a 5'9 defenseman in the NHL.
Development requires patience. Team needs to show it. Personally, I don't like to call kids up multiple times in a season for a few games here and there if they are performing well in the A. Rather let them marinate down there and put in a full good season than interrupt it for a few games at a time. If they are needed for longer stretches, that's fine.
2023 draft class is eligible from the CHL to play in the A next season. Or anyone with a late birthday from 2024 class (but we only have rds 4-7 guys left). Willander, Mynio, Alriksson, should go pro. Hunter B. traded and Mueller already in the A last season. Perkins needs to find a new NCAA home to put up some stats. Cellibrini should return to BU. Romani from 2024 draft is 20, so can play in the A. Probably better to make the jump vs an overage age year in the O, unless NCAA is an option for him. But, probably time for him to stop playing against non adults.
1440
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Agreed, he would be a completely reasonable (if lower upside) pick. There are a group of WHL forwards projected to go outside the top 10 picks in the first round (Cootes, Kindel, Lakovic, Schmidt, Reschny) who could all be reasonable options at 15. For me Kindel (son of former Whitecap Steve Kindel and former Canadian women's soccer team member Sara Maglio) is the best of that group, but you can certainly make an argument for Cootes if you want a center. Kindel will likely be familiar to Henrik Sedin because he is the same age as and had been playing in the same elite lower-mainland soccer circles as Henrik's son Valter up until Kindel chose to pursue hockey full time.
SelltheTeamFrancesco
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2025 NHL Combine Heights & Weights - The Hockey Writers NHL Entry Draft Latest News, Analysis & More
We reveal the heights and weights observed at the 2025 NHL Combine. See which prospects have made noticeable gains throughout the year.
thehockeywriters.com
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I want to draft Mans Goos purely for the name.2025 NHL Combine Heights & Weights - The Hockey Writers NHL Entry Draft Latest News, Analysis & More
We reveal the heights and weights observed at the 2025 NHL Combine. See which prospects have made noticeable gains throughout the year.
and thank you for posting this!
VIPettersson
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Just out of curiousity gleening from Canucks Amateur scouts it doesn't appear we ever replaced Russian Scout Sergei Chibisov?
Bubbles
Die Hard for Bedard 2023
Tocchet had him fired. No more Russians.
Hansen
tyler motte simp
It sounds like 15 is gone, but I hope somehow we're able to nab Josh Ravensbergen in the 2nd
supercanuck
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Yeah, Cootes isn't going to be a guy who puts up 90 points in an NHL season but he has a very high floor and a pretty good chance into developing into a Sam Bennett/Anthony Cirelli-type gritty high-leverage 2C with enough offense to get by. And fans don't love those picks but GMs absolutely kill for this type of player.
That said, there's also more than a decent chance he turns into a Teddy Blueger which - while still a solid NHL role player - isn't the optimal result for a mid-1st round pick.
Woo is absolutely tiny and a 2006-born older draftee and has basically no chance of being selected in this draft.
VIPettersson
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Amazing hands , great shot, really creative hockey player who shows a high offensive IQ. I would say his two main weaknesses were his size and skating but hes still growing so who knows? Definitely a boom or bust prospect who I liken to a smaller Jason Robertson type. He has an extremely high ceiling but I don't think he has a very good floor if his offensive game doesn't pan out. I will say I have a major weakness for High IQ prospects.Any specifics that you like about the player?
Diablo2020
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I was gonna make a point about culture and point out how Kesler, Burrows and Bieksa all formed their original bonds in Manitoba and how sorely we lack that now, but I need to point out the absolute gold mine of throwbacks on that final Moose team they played on.
Lee Scorin' Goren
Jeff Heerema of early Canes legend status
Josh Green
Nolan Baumgartner
Tomas Mojzis of Canucks prospect lore
KIRILL KOLTSOV actually played in NA
Peter Sarno led the team by 20 points (who?)
Jesse Schultz & Jason Jaffray
Wade Brookbank
Wade Flaherty
Kent Huskins
Cory Pecker thats a real person
and Ryp played 8 games too
Anyways we need Abby to build that culture and we need guys like Manny to always lead it. This old core is showing its on thin ice we need the next waves to come bleeding blue and green from day one like Kes, Burr and Juice did.
PS draft thread - keep the pick, take Braeden Cootes. He can be that Kesler minus the 40 goal year.
The Sedins and Ryan Kesler were some of the best and most dynamic forwards in franchise history. But when you look at their development curve, they hardly dazzled during their first few years in the league.
The Sedins in particular, were painfully slow to percolate. Henrik broke in as 19-year old, and had four seasons of 9, 16, 8 and 11 goals, and crested 40 points only once. Daniel was a little better with 20, 9, 14 and 18 goals, but also only broke the 40 point mark once.
In fact they were both so discouraged, they were talking about returning to Sweden during the lockout season in 2005 and just staying there. And it was Trevor Linden who apparently talked them out of it.
And of course Ryan Kesler's early struggles were well chronicled. Fast, decent on the draws but with no vision and hands of stone.
Despite all this, there are people on these Boards who want to trade Lekkerimaki ASAP,......even saying that if he isn't an impact player as early as next season (when he'll still be only 21) then he's basically a bust.
Fortunately most NHL front offices don't reflect the unreasonable impatience of their fan base.
The Sedins in particular, were painfully slow to percolate. Henrik broke in as 19-year old, and had four seasons of 9, 16, 8 and 11 goals, and crested 40 points only once. Daniel was a little better with 20, 9, 14 and 18 goals, but also only broke the 40 point mark once.
In fact they were both so discouraged, they were talking about returning to Sweden during the lockout season in 2005 and just staying there. And it was Trevor Linden who apparently talked them out of it.
And of course Ryan Kesler's early struggles were well chronicled. Fast, decent on the draws but with no vision and hands of stone.
Despite all this, there are people on these Boards who want to trade Lekkerimaki ASAP,......even saying that if he isn't an impact player as early as next season (when he'll still be only 21) then he's basically a bust.
Fortunately most NHL front offices don't reflect the unreasonable impatience of their fan base.
lawrence
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Nash has the LV and TB firsts I believe, plus their own. With them moving Askarov, they seem the most logical to use one of these 2 picks to get him. Either at 23 with TB or 30 with LV.
He's a late birthday, so 1 more year in the W and then off to the A for 2-3 years (unless he's aiming to go NCAA after WHL). That would take him to half way through Sarros contract.
A number of draft sites have the Canucks picking Cootes at #15.
His draft profile is being compared favorably to Bo Horvat in his draft year. The knock on Horvat was clearly his skating--which he obviously worked on relentlessly, to a point where it became one of his strengths.
But I guess any time you're picking a kid with some 'skating issues', then post-draft player development becomes crucial. And there's always going to be some risk.
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