Excellent news regarding Canucks' top prospect Tom Willander: Right on track
During the 2023 NHL draft, the Canucks held the 11th overall pick. The team chose with a clear idea in mind, and for now, it seems to be the right call.
Patrik Allvin went to the 2023 Draft with the idea of acquiring a right handed shot defenceman who could eventually develop into a partner for the team's captain Quinn Hughes. Even though the BC Native, Zach Benson was still on the board, the Canucks opted for their need and selected the Swede Tom Willander. Benson went on to crack the Buffalo Sabres' roster in his first training camp and then collected 30 points in 71 NHL regular season.
Willander for his part, transferred to Boston University to adapt to the North American game and sized rinks. He may not have made the jump to the NHL straight away, but he's been progressing and asserting his dominance everywhere he's been since being selected by the Canucks. During this year's Canucks Development Camp, everybody watching confirmed that Willander was standing out as the best player on the ice:
Through 38 games in the NCAA this past season, Willander collected 25 points without being a constant fixture on the man-advantage. The plan for him at the moment is to return to the NCAA where he's expected to play in a bigger role. If everything keeps going according to plan, the Canucks could have reinforcements at the end of his collegiate carreer as he'll be eligible to join the team.
Looking back a year, are you satisfied with the Canucks selection of Willander, or do you believe they should've selected Benson instead?
| POLL | ||
Are you confident that the Canucks made the right call by selecting Tom Willander over Zach Benson? | ||
| Yes | 1600 | 65.7 % |
| No | 347 | 14.3 % |
| Confident, yeah, but we'll see | 488 | 20 % |
| List of polls | ||
