The Vancouver Canucks emerged from the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo with the best report card in recent memory, earning grades ranging from A+ to B from major media outlets for their nine selections over two days. Director of amateur scouting Todd Harvey emphasized the team's clear vision: "We had some direction from RJ (general manager Ryan Johnson) and the staff and we wanted to get bigger, faster and harder. Let's not underestimate the skill in these guys, and they're still developing, but we won't get pushed around."
Top Picks Lead the Way
The Canucks selected centre Caleb Malhotra third overall, a 6-foot-2, 182-pound two-way centre from Brantford of the OHL. Malhotra posted 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 67 regular-season games and elevated his stock with 26 points in 15 playoff games. He is bound for Boston University next fall and is projected as a second-line centre with first-line potential, drawing comparisons to Bo Horvat and Nick Suzuki for reliability and leadership.
At No. 24, the Canucks added left winger Adam Novotny from Peterborough (OHL), a 6-foot-1, 205-pound power forward who scored 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) in 55 games. Ranked as high as 14th overall, Novotny is physically mature with a rapid-release shot and strong forechecking ability. He projects as a third-line winger and returns to Peterborough for further development.
Size and Skill in Later Rounds
With the 33rd pick, Vancouver selected 6-foot-7, 235-pound centre Brooks Rogowski from Oshawa (OHL), who recorded 42 points in 46 games as a rookie. Rogowski moves well for his size and fills a critical need for an imposing centre, projected as a reliable third-liner and future leader. He draws comparisons to Tage Thompson for scoring and Lawson Crouse for physicality.
Norwegian sniper Niklas Aaram-Olsen went 41st overall. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound left winger scored 40 points (20 goals, 20 assists) in 29 junior games and logged 16 games in the Swedish Hockey League. Known for speed and a lethal shot, he is also Boston University-bound and projected as a second-line winger, comparable to Jonathan Lekkerimaki.
Goalie and Depth Additions
In the third round (78th overall), the Canucks drafted goaltender Dmitri Ivchenko, a 6-foot-3, 179-pound netminder from Russia's MHL with a 1.91 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. He will remain in Russia next season, and his poise and skating draw comparisons to Jeremy Swayman.
Other picks included left winger Yaroslav Bryzgalov (97th overall, from Medicine Hat WHL, 55 points in 64 games), left winger Connor Davis (129th, from Cedar Rapids USHL, 55 points in 59 games), right winger Lucian Bernat (176th, from Tappara U20, 31 points in 37 games), and defenceman Samuel Eriksson (184th, from Farjestads Jrs., 6 points in 32 games). Bernat is headed to Owen Sound of the OHL, while Davis joins Merrimack College.
Industry Praise and Rebuild Progress
One media outlet stated: "With as many as four potential NHLers, this is one of the top classes this year. Great work from an organization that desperately needed an injection of talent." Another added: "Malhotra possesses high-end skill and compete and projects as a quality top-six centre. Adding highly competitive winger in Novotný late in the first makes this a fantastic haul."
The strong draft marks a turnaround for a franchise that previously had the worst drafting record in the salary-cap era, with success rates of 17.74 per cent from 2006-2015 and 11.76 per cent from 2016-2020, well below the league average of 28.19 per cent. The Canucks selected seven forwards, one goaltender and one defenceman, focusing on size, speed, skill and stiffness.
