However, it seems as if the tables have turned lately since a lot of the Canucks' draft picks or signings have turned out quite well. Let's not take into account Andrei Kuzmenko for the well-being of the exercises.
In 2019, they selected Aidan McDonough, who just now joined the team on an entry-level contract after a very successful collegiate career. That same year, the Canucks had also selected Arturs Silovs (6th Round), Nils Hoglander (2nd Round), and Vasily Podkolzin (1st Round). The lot has all been developing constantly and will be made to make an impact as soon as next year. In 2020, Joni Jurmo was the team's first selection (3rd Round), he's still in Finland, but has also been growing into a player that could be making an impact at the NHL level.
In 2021, they picked Danila Klimovich to be their first selection in the 2nd Round, he's been nothing short of excellent since joining the Abbotsford Canucks. He's still in the midst of his development and he's finding his game on the North American-sized rinks. Later in that draft, the Canucks selected in the 7th Round, Lucas Forsell whose development has been tremendous so far.
The playoffs have just started in the SHL and the forward has been red-hot since. The forward's physic is still very much under development since he displays a 6'00 and a shallow 165 pounds, though his confidence has really grown over the last two years. After he managed 6 points in 30 games in Sweden's top league, he doubles his production this year and gathered a total of 13 points. However, since the playoff started, he's really picked it up and displayed the true potential of a future NHLer with 4 points in 2 games.
The Canucks have really upped their drafting game and it's starting to show, if they want to keep improving in the long term, they should keep on piling the picks and developing them internally.
The conversion rate of 7th Rounders to NHLers isn't that high, but the Canucks seem to be getting good players out of their selection, with Aidan McDonough (2019), Kirill Kudryavtsev (2022) who are already under contract in Vancouver.
POLL | ||
MARS 19 | 210 ANSWERS LATEST | Canucks Draft Pick is sensational and the Canucks may have done another steal in the 7th Round Have the Canucks been drafting better in the last few years? | ||
Yes | 155 | 73.8 % |
No | 55 | 26.2 % |
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