As far as playoff-less seasons go, there was a lot the Canucks could take from 2022-23.
Vancouver missed out on the Big Dance for the eighth time in the last nine seasons, caught in the depths of NHL purgatory once more.
Things aren't quite as bad as they appear, however. Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes and Andrei Kuzmenko all surpassed the 70-point plateau. Pettersson fell just short of his first 40-goal campaign, continuing to showcase the creativity and scoring punch that make him one of the best centers in the league. And did we mention he's just 24 years old?
Vancouver fans will be heartened by the liveliness the team showed following Bruce Boudreau's dismissal; the Canucks went 20-12-4 under interim coach Rick Tocchet. Still, questions loom, namely on the blue line — Vancouver had the ninth-highest goals-against average in the league last season.
There's a lot to like about the Canucks squad. But there's a lot of room for improvement, too. What better way to do that then through the draft?
MORE: NHL Draft Big Board 2023: Ranking the top 100 prospects
With that, here's what you need to know about Vancouver's selections in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Canucks draft picks 2023: When does Vancouver pick?
In total, Vancouver has seven draft picks across all seven rounds of the draft.
Here's where the Canucks pick:
- Round 1, Pick 11: Tom Willander, D, Sweden
- Round 3, Pick 75: Hunter Brzustewicz, D, Kitchener
- Round 3, Pick 89: Sawyer Mynio, D, Seattle
- Round 4, Pick 105: Ty Mueller, C, Nebraska-Omaha
- Round 4, Pick 107: Vilmer Alriksson, LW, Djurgarden Jr.
- Round 6, Pick 171: Aiden Celebrini, D, Brooks
Canucks 2023 NHL Draft order
The Canucks hold six selections in this year's draft, headlined by their No. 11 pick in the first round. Three of those picks came via trade; Vancouver acquired the Maple Leafs' third-round selection (No. 75 overall) for Luke Schenn; the Red Wings' fourth-round selection (No. 107 overall) in the Filip Hronek trade; and the Rangers' fourth-round selection (No. 119 overall) for Tyler Motte.
| Round | Pick (Overall) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 11 |
| 3 | 75 |
| 3 | 89 |
| 4 | 105 |
| 4 | 107 |
| 4 | 119 |
| 6 | 171 |
Canucks NHL Draft biggest need
Vancouver is spoilt for choice with offensive firepower. Pettersson, Miller, Hughes and Kuzmenko have all proven themselves as prolific scorers. However, it's those defensive frailties that have surfaced time and time again Gastown.
The Canucks were the worst team in the league defending the power play, giving up goals 28.4 percent of the time on the penalty kill. Thatcher Demko, Spencer Martin and Collin Delia all toiled in the crease, posting rather subpar save percentages as a unit. As such, it would behoove Vancouver to add some more talent in its defensive core, which has struggled in recent seasons.
Canucks mock draft 2023
Here is the latest prediction for who the Canucks will pick with the No. 11 selection in this year's draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Oliver Moore | C | USA U-18 (USHL) |