For whatever reason, when it comes to the National Hockey League draft, the Vancouver Canucks have seemingly ignored the British Columbia teams in the Western Hockey League over the past quarter-century. Dating back to the Year 2000, the Canucks have selected just four players from what is essentially their ‘backyard,’ and only one of them has suited up for the hockey club.

Kole Lind, taken with one of two second-round picks in the 2017 Draft, from the Kelowna Rockets, got into seven games with the Canucks late in the North Division 2021 season before being nabbed by the Seattle Kraken in that team’s expansion draft. Ty Young of the Prince George Cougars was the last player the Canucks nabbed from a BC WHL team, taking the netminder in the fifth round of the 2022 Draft. Prior to Lind and Young, the Canucks used seventh-round selections on two other PG Cougars – Tate Olson in 2015 and Evan Fuller in 2006.

Otherwise, the Canucks have completely ignored the six teams that make up the BC Division of the WHL – Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Prince George.

Perhaps the most egregious example of the Canucks unwillingness to take a BC Western Leaguer was in 2021 when they opted for Danila Klimovich with the 41st pick in the draft while Kamloops native and Blazers star Logan Stankoven was still on the board. Stankoven went six picks later to Dallas and is now a Stanley Cup champion from helping the Carolina Hurricanes hoist the trophy on Sunday night. Stankoven has already logged 183 regular season NHL games and added 53 more in the playoffs. He had 11 goals in 19 games on the Hurricanes’ run to this year’s title.

Earlier, David Quadrelli examined the top BC born players eligible for this year’s draft. As a companion piece, here are the top 10 players on BC Western Hockey League teams that could be available when the Canucks use any of their 10 picks in next week’s draft:

Carson Carels – Prince George Cougars

The big defenceman will be the first player from a BC Western League team to hear his name called in Buffalo. And it will be early in the draft – likely in the top five. Checking just about every box necessary for an impact defenceman, the Cypress River, MB native is headed for the University of North Dakota next season. But he has left his mark on the WHL and will continue the proud tradition of the PG Cougars, who produced other high-end defencemen and early draft picks like Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis.

Ryan Lin – Vancouver Giants

There is some debate about just how high in the draft Lin could get selected. But with the Canucks having two first-rounders this year, it’s not out of the question that the Richmond native could still be on the board when the team uses the 24th overall selection. The smooth-skating right-shot defender posted 57 points in 53 games with a struggling Giants team last season.

JP Hurlbert – Kamloops Blazers

The pride of Allen, Texas, dominated in his one and only season in the WHL, posting 42 goals and 97 points to finish fourth in league scoring. Off to the University of Michigan next season, Hurlbert is projected to beat a late first-round selection, with the possibility that he could slide to the early second round, where the Canucks have the 33rd overall selection.

Mathis Preston – Vancouver Giants

One of the fastest skaters in the draft, Preston was a mid-season acquisition by the Giants and had 12 points in the 10 games he played for them after battling through injury. The Penticton native will either be a late first-round selection or may have to wait until early on the second day of the draft to hear his name called. Either way, an NHL team will be pleased to find him still on the board when it’s their turn to pick.

Timofei Runtso – Victoria Royals

A 6’3” right-shot defenceman from Marina Del Rey, CA, Runtso is expected to be a second-round selection in this year’s draft. He posted 44 points as a rookie blueliner in the provincial capital. He’s headed for Miami (Ohio) University in the fall. Runtso is a 2007 birth year, so he’s a year older than most of the prospects in this year’s draft.

Arseni Anisimov – Prince George Cougars

Anisimov took a big leap in his second WHL season. The left-shot Russian defender contributed 41 points to the Cougars’ attack. Solid, but not flashy, Anisimov is pegged as a mid-round selection in this year’s draft.

Harrison Boettiger – Kelowna Rockets

Boettiger is likely to be the first goalie from a BC-based WHL team to hear his name in this year’s draft. From Wheat Ridge, CO, he stands 6’2” and made 41 regular season appearances for the Rockets, posting a .911 save percentage. He’s pegged as a middle-of-the-pack prospect, but we often see a run on goalies at some point on the second day of the draft, so don’t be surprised if Boettiger is part of that.

Sean Burick – Penticton Vees

They don’t come much bigger than Burick. The 6’8” right-shot defenceman from San Clemente, CA has the kind of range NHL teams covet. Based on his size, he’ll get drafted somewhere in the mid to late rounds. He had just four points in 50 games on a talented Vees squad. Burick is expected to return for a second season in the South Okanagan before heading to the University of Denver in 2027-28.

Phoenix Cahill – Prince George Cougars

The third PG Cougar defenceman on this list, Cahill, projects as a late-round prospect. He’s 6’2” and is a right-handed shooter. The Cottage Grove, MN product had just three points (all assists) in 45 games this season. An NHL team willing to be patient may find some value in taking Cahill with one of its final picks.

Josh Evaschesen – Kamloops Blazers

Already 19, Evaschesen made the successful jump to the WHL after a season with Trail in the BCHL. He scored 33 times and put up 73 points for the Blazers. The left winger has committed to RPI next season. Goal scorers are always in demand, so the Medicine Hat native will likely get selected in one of the late rounds of the draft.

Other names to keep an eye on: Kayden Lemire (Prince George), Brett Olson (Vancouver), Brock Souch (Prince George) and Nolan Stewart (Victoria).

With a total of 10 selections as it stands right now in this year’s draft, the Vancouver Canucks will be looking to bolster their prospect pool. And with a new regime in place, perhaps this will be a chance to demonstrate a different draft philosophy and take a good look at players that have been on display all season at rinks throughout British Columbia.

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