Vancouver Canucks' 2024 NHL Mock Draft – Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks won't pick until the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft after trading a first-rounder to the Calgary Flames in the Elias Lindholm deal and a second-rounder to the Chicago Blackhawks as a sweetener to end Jason Dickinson's contract. If Lindholm is re-signed, both of those jobs will be huge hits as they will only have Josh Bloom (who was traded for Riley Stillman) to show for it.

As a result, the Canucks will have to be open to talent in the next rounds, unless they find a way to return a first or second round before the festivities begin at The Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28 and 29. What does it look like now. , general manager Patrik Allvin and his scouts have five picks – number 93, 125, 162, 189 and 221. Let's predict who those picks will be for our first mock draft of the season.

3rd Round, 93rd Overall – Eriks Mateiko, Left Wing, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

The last Latvian drafted by the Canucks was successful, so why not grab another one? Arturs Silovs appears to have established himself as a legitimate NHL goaltender after his impressive performance in the 2024 Playoffs and could be Thatcher Demko's backup in 2024-25. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 Draft, and is the latest player born in Latvia to skate in the NHL. Now Eriks Mateiko hopes to be next.

Preparing for the Saint John Sea Dogs this season, Mateiko scored 23 goals and 43 points in 49 games, improving on his 16-goal effort from his rookie season. He also played in the World Juniors, where he scored in five games. With his 6-foot-5 frame, strong work ethic and mature defensive game, he has all the tools to be an elite bottom-6 presence that kills penalties and leads a highly effective third or fourth line. His speed and shooting are also noteworthy, so with some improvement, he could climb even further than that and take some reps in the top six. THW's Jim Bay said the best of Mateiko's profile about his NHL potential:

Mateiko is a big striker who also plays well in defense. He uses his range to shut down passing lanes and create opportunities both on the power play and on the penalty kill. This skill set should lead him to a bottom-six role in the NHL, where he can kill penalties and be reliable when his team needs to close out games.

If Mateiko can hit that ceiling, he'll be Rick Tocchet's favorite in no time. His skill and style of play is the type of package needed in the playoffs. Seeing as his defensive game is already NHL-ready, he can transition faster than other late draft picks and may offer his services to the Canucks in a few seasons. As for whether he'll be available at age 93, that remains to be seen considering he's ranked No. 59 by McKeen and No. 94 by Elite Prospects. But if he's still around, he could be their best pick this draft.

Round 4, 125 Overall – Jack Bodin, Right Defence, Örebro HK J20 (Nationell)

Moving into the fourth round, the Canucks opted to add more depth to their defense by selecting another Swede in right-hander Jack Bodin. In last year's program, they strengthened it with Tom Willander, Hunter Brzustewicz, Sawyer Mynio, and Aiden Celebrini. However, they are down to just three after trading Brzustewicz to the Flames. He was a right-hander as well, so Bodin was just replacing him on the depth chart. But that's all he would do, as he played a completely different style. While Brzutewicz's claim to fame is his skating, puck movement, and offensive game, Bodin is physical and defensive.

Bodin isn't afraid to throw his body around, and when he connects, he really connects, sending players flying with loud checks. Think Nikita Zadorov, but without the travel or guilt. At 6-foot-3, 214 pounds, he's already a big body, and he takes advantage of every opportunity he gets. He also has a great game from the blue line, but at this stage of his development, he doesn't use it well, he lets it go from the most dangerous areas that probably won't score from behind. NHL level.

Bodin's defensive game, however, has improved as scouts have noticed his poise and composure in his position. He rarely turns the puck over and can often make the right play to move the puck up the ice. He struggles with the puck at times, and could use a little more quickness in his skating, but overall, he should be a solid tight end defenseman who could complement an offensive-minded partner like Quinn Hughes; like former running backs Chris Tanev and Luke Schenn.

6th round, 162nd overall – Dawson Cowan, Goaltender, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

After opting not to select a goalie in the 2023 Draft, the Canucks went back to the source here in the sixth round with Dawson Cowan. Silovs was the last goaltender drafted in the sixth round, followed by Aku Koskenvuo in 2020 and Ty Young in 2021, both in the fifth round. Batting coach Ian Clark likes batsmen who are quick and quick with their pads, and Cowan has that in abundance. His work ethic and willingness to adjust and improve his game should also draw the interest of Clark and rookie scouts, as well as his character on and off the ice.

“…You don't always have to be written or listed. You can find your way. No one will ever avoid a hard worker – and that Dawson is, he works extremely hard. He didn't play but it didn't stop his dream of playing in this league and beyond. All he has done is grind his teeth and work and it has paid off so far.”

– Chiefs coach Ryan Smith about how Cowan works

Cowan will need to work on his rebound control and reaction time, but with his size at 6-foot-3, glove-hand and athleticism, Clark has more than enough tools to work with to make him a serviceable NHL goaltender. He fits the mold he likes to push for his general manager, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Cowan selected at this point when the actual draft rolls into the sixth round later this month.

6th Round, 189th Overall – Alexander Siryatsky, Left Defense, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)

At right back on defense, the Canucks opted to go with another Russian in Alexander Siryatsky. The latter looks good as Kirill Kudryavtsev put together another productive season in the Ontario Hockey League with 47 points in 67 games. Siryatsky is on the list of only two stores, McKeen is 179th and FCHockey is 52nd, which is the largest gap between the rankings. He may or may not be available if the Canucks trade their sixth-round pick.

Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini's Top 128 Rankings

Siryatsky could end up being a steal if he falls in the sixth round. FCHockey's Jake Janso describes him as an “aggressive two-way defenseman [with a] a combination of size, quickness, confidence, and cerebral play,” which sounds like the perfect package of skills for the modern NHL. He also looks at Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, and tries to move them to the MHL and Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

I follow Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. They are attacking defenders who swing a lot and contribute offensively, scoring and assisting on goals. Their grappling skills are top-notch, as is their hockey IQ. I like their style of play. Sometimes I even try to do some moves like they do.

Siryatsky played most of his season in the MHL with Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk where he was one of their top defensemen logging 20-24 minutes a night. He also qualified for three games in the KHL, where he caught the eye of EPrinkside's Russian scout, Dylan Griffing. “Syryatsky's defensive instincts stood out quickly, aggressively closing gaps, learning quickly, and providing plenty of defensive space in his limited minutes. He found his rhythm by using tricky returns and patient plays on the puck. All in all, he didn't look like a player who had never competed in a men's hockey game before.”

The Canucks seem to love their Russians as much as they love their Swedes, so Siryatsky may be on their radar. Since the Russian factor is always a fixture, I see him going down to the sixth round, where Allvin will happily knock him out.

7th round, 221st overall – AJ Spellacy, Center, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

With their final pick of this mock draft, the Canucks selected AJ Spellacy from the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Another forward with a strong work ethic, he excelled in his sophomore season with a career high 21 goals and 38 points. His speed was also evident every night as he often blew past his opponents to break goals and small goals. In fact, he led the team with five of them.

Spellacy's calling cards are his speed and motor, as both run hot every time he's on the ice. He's also very good defensively, using his size (6-foot-2.5, 200 pounds) and willingness to get physical on the boards to isolate opponents with the puck in his zone. Of course, he is also an effective forecaster because of those qualities. All in all, he could be a diamond in the rough in the seventh round — if he gets there, that is, considering Elite Prospects and McKeen just released their final rankings that put him at 64th and 72nd, respectively.

The Canucks will need to find value in the later rounds this year

Without a first- or second-round pick, the Canucks' team of ateur scouts will be heavily counted on this year to find some value in the later rounds. They've done a great job in that area recently with Vilmer Alriksson, Elias Pettersson, Kudryavtsev, Brzutewicz, and Mynio, so there should be confidence that they can do it again. It won't be an exciting first day for Canucks fans to follow the draft, but Day 2 should provide some intrigue as we wait to find out who they will add to their prospect pool in 2024.