Niko Sigur appears to be well on his way to establishing himself as a key player for the Canadian men’s national team ahead of next summer’s FIFA World Cup thanks to his composure and maturity.
VANCOUVER — To understand the heft of this draft for the Vancouver Canucks, consider this: their three selections in the top 65 matched their volume of picks in that range from the last five years.
Friday night’s first-rounder, Seattle Thunderbirds centre and captain Braeden Cootes, equalled their second-highest pick since 2019. And their eager selection Saturday of 17-year-old London Knights goalie Alexei Medvedev with the 47th pick was their first second-round choice since the 2021 draft.
In all, the Canucks’ six swings at future National Hockey League players included four centres, which emphatically addressed organizational needs down the middle of the ice, one winger and the first Russian goalie the franchise has ever drafted.
But more important than their positions, the skater draftees generally profile as ultra-competitive, physically engaged players who are difficult to play against.
The Canucks, and everyone else, have noticed how unyielding and abrasively the Florida Panthers have played on their way to the last two Stanley Cups.
“Well, I think if you watch the playoffs. . . that’s what happens when the chips are down,” Canucks amateur scouting director Todd Harvey explained Saturday after the NHL’s annual talent lottery was finally completed. “I think that’s what we’re trying to do here: be annoying to play against, be hard to play against. And I think our players that we selected are that.
“I am happy with every pick we’ve made. We made it for a reason. I love the fact that we have competitive people. We have good people, and people that we want to be Vancouver Canucks. And I think that is the most important thing. You talk about Cootes? Quality human being. All the players that we’ve selected, our guys have done the work on them, and they’re quality people. And that’s important for us.”
