Following the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, Vancouver has its own first-round pick in 2027 while analysts said early views of that class are low.
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The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery left the Vancouver Canucks without the top pick, awarding the Toronto Maple Leafs the No. 1 selection and giving the San Jose Sharks the No. 2 pick before Vancouver settled for the No. 3 slot.
With the No. 3 pick, the Canucks selected Caleb Malhotra.
Writing on Oct. 5, 2026, NHL Draft analyst Scott Wheeler posted a negative early assessment of the 2027 class on X, saying: “My current view of the #2027NHLDraft class: Not high.” Wheeler’s post was followed shortly after by another comment on X from Steven Ellis, who replied: “@scottcwheeler Can confirm.”
Ahead of the 2027 NHL Draft, the Canucks are set to keep their own first-round pick, according to the information provided, and they also have two second-round picks though they do not both belong to Vancouver.
The evidence provided says one of Vancouver’s second-round picks comes from the San Jose Sharks and the other comes from the Dallas Stars.
The same material notes that, unlike Gavin McKenna, it “doesn’t appear to be a McKenna in this class,” describing McKenna as a prospect previously viewed as the probable No. 1 pick for two or three years leading into his draft.
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