Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Vancouver Canucks’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.
2024 Draft Grade: D
Vancouver didn’t have many picks and didn’t pick until 93, so I’m sure Canucks fans were prepared that this was highly unlikely to be an exciting draft class. Their first two picks in Melvin Fernström and Riley Patterson are talented, but they aren’t sure things to make it due to their skating. We’ll see how many games they get from this group, but the odds are against them.
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Draft Class
93. Melvin Fernström, F, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)
February 28, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 187 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Fernstrom had a big J20 season in Sweden from a numbers perspective being a top player on a team that made a deep playoff run. He was also an important player for Sweden’s U18 team. He’s a very skilled winger who sees the ice at a high level and has a good wrist shot. He’s quite dangerous on the flank on the power play. He’s a great junior scorer, but whether his game translates to the pros is a question. He’s a subpar skater, and his compete level is average as well.
125. Riley Patterson, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
March 22, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 192 pounds
Analysis: Patterson had a strong rookie season in the OHL after coming in from the OJHL. He is a skilled forward who can play center or wing. He displays strong offensive creativity and vision with the puck. Patterson competes well enough although I wouldn’t call him overly physical to play against. The main concern in his game is his lack of footspeed. He’s a so-so skater who will struggle to get around NHL defensem*n.
162. Anthony Romani, C, North Bay Battalion (OHL)
July 12, 2005 | 6′ 0″ | 179 pounds
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Romani was one of the top forwards in the OHL this season in his second draft-eligible year. Romani is a very skilled winger. He routinely beat OHL defenders one-on-one and created a lot of chances for himself and his teammates. He makes a lot of tough plays in the offensive zone and has a good shot from range too. Romani isn’t that big or physical, but he creates enough offense in the high-percentage areas. He was passed over in the draft before primarily due to his skating. It’s still not a strength, and the main reason I have some skepticism on his pro projection even if his pure skill is NHL caliber.
189. Parker Alcos, RHD, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
July 20, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 174 pounds
Analysis: Alcos is quite mobile for a 6-3 defender and his athletic profile gives him a chance to play NHL games. His puck play is quite poor, though. He can use his feet to generate some offense but he struggles to make the right passes.
221. Basile Sansonnens, LHD, Gottéron U20 (U20-Elit)
August 19, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 198 pounds
Beat writer’s analysis
The Canucks appeared to have undergone a shift in philosophy at the 2024 NHL Draft.
After a 2023 draft class that heavily prioritized defensive depth and “traits, “the club leaned into upside bets on players with robust production profiles in Las Vegas this weekend.
To hear director of amateur scouting Todd Harvey tell it, that’s more about how the draft fell than any significant change in the club’s approach.
“I don’t know that the approach changed,” Harvey toldThe Athletic. “We were just hoping that the guys we liked on our list would get to us. The draft takes on a life of its own. We always want to take the best player available and it just so happened that a lot of our guys fell to us to where we were able to take them.”
The club had limited draft capital, the product of trades to bolster the roster ahead of the postseason and clear cap space over the past few years, but seemed to find several talented players to bet on — especially with their first three picks — despite playing with a less-than-full deck.
Mid-round picks are all low-leverage, low-probability gambles, but by adding Fernström, Patterson and Romani toa prospect system in need of skill and sizzle, Vancouver’s amateur scouting staff at least managed to swing at seemingly worthwhile pitches on Saturday. — Thomas Drance
(Photo of Melvin Fernström: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Corey Pronman is the senior NHL prospects writer for The Athletic. Previously, Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman
