Shortly after releasing their prospect pool rankings, Daily Faceoff’s prospect expert Steven Ellis dropped his top 75 NHL-affiliated prospect rankings, and had four Vancouver Canucks on the list.

Coming in as the highest-ranked Canucks prospect on Ellis’ list was recent third overall selection, Caleb Malhotra. After transitioning from the BCHL to the OHL last season, Malhotra’s game took off, scoring 29 goals and 84 points in 67 regular season games. He took his game to an even higher level in the postseason, scoring 13 goals and 26 points in just 15 playoff games before his Bulldogs were eliminated in Game 7 by the Barrie Colts.

Here’s what Ellis had to say about the Canucks prospect:

“Malhotra’s hockey IQ and rock-solid two-way play made him the undisputed top center of the 2026 draft. While the class lacks overall depth down the middle, his high floor safely projects him as a future top-six threat. Serving as the driving force behind Brantford’s strong campaign, he made sure the veterans in the lineup didn’t steal his ice time. Malhotra is a relentless competitor at both ends of the ice, systematically suffocating the opposition and erasing their time and space. Obviously, hiring his father as coach could make things a bit awkward, but it’s hard to deny that the Canucks made the best draft selection available at No. 3 this year.”

Moving up 22 spots from his 2025 rankings, Cootes has had a fantastic season. Split between the Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Thunderbirds, Prince Albert Raiders, and Team Canada at the World Juniors, Cootes played in a variety of important roles, which helped him develop as a prospect and move him up in Ellis’ rankings. He will look to push for a role in the NHL this season, although a full year of conditioning in the AHL may be what’s best for both Cootes and the Canucks.

Here’s what Ellis had to say about the Canucks prospect:

“After an outstanding training camp, Cootes started the year with the big club for a three-game stint. He was ultimately sent back to the WHL, where he’d go on to register 63 points in 45 games between Seattle and Prince Albert. He also played a checking role for Canada’s World Junior team, where he had a pair of goals. Cootes will look to push for an NHL roster spot again (he’s not eligible for the NCAA), but the AHL is also an option thanks to the new ruling allowing players to bypass their 19-year-old season in the CHL. I think Abbotsford is the perfect home for Cootes, who can focus on maintaining a top-six role before making a full-time push in 2027-28. I don’t expect Cootes to be a play-driver in the NHL, but he’s one of the most well-rounded forwards in the system. Many scouts are worried about his offensive projections in the NHL, but I feel confident he’ll be a good NHLer overall.”

Novotný was the Canucks’ second first-round selection (24th overall) at the 2026 NHL Draft. Playing out of Peterborough of the OHL, the 6’1″ Czech winger scored 34 goals and 65 points in 58 games. Most recently, he scored five goals and six points in four games for Czechia at the U20 Five Nations tournament, where he wore the C on his sweater. After signing his entry-level contract, Novotný will attend training camp in Penticton, where he will try to replicate Cootes’s success from last season and earn a few games in the NHL in late September.

Here’s what Ellis had to say about the Canucks prospect:

“This was another fantastic selection in the first round for the Canucks. Novotný is a rugged, heavy-playing forward equipped with a solid shot release. While his lack of raw production at the World Juniors was initially surprising, the underlying process was stellar; he consistently navigated into high-danger areas and generated quality chances. Any concerns about his transition to North American ice were quickly erased during a 30-goal rookie campaign, where he easily paced the Peterborough offense. Combine that offensive drive with a highly committed, responsible two-way game, and he projects strongly as a high-impact, top-six power forward at the NHL level – someone in more of the 40-50-point range.”

Moving down 28 spots from his 2025 rankings, Lekkerimäki barely made the cut on the list. After what was an injury-plagued season for the now-22-year-old Swede, he was held to just 34 games across both the NHL and AHL. However, during his time under Manny Malhotra in the American League, Lekkerimäki produced quite well, scoring 13 goals and 20 points in 21 games. For the sake of his development, hopefully Lekkerimäki can carry that momentum under Malhotra to the NHL next season.

Here’s what Ellis had to say about the Canucks prospect:

“A season-ending injury in February really put a damper on what would have been a potentially solid season for Lekkerimäki. I’ve really liked his AHL game; he’s clearly a highly skilled shooter who can exploit open space and create quality chances. It just hasn’t happened yet in the NHL, and, honestly, it’s hard to impress in a system like Vancouver’s. Defensively, there still isn’t much happening here, and his physical game lacks power. But with the puck, there isn’t a better shooter in Vancouver’s system. I want Lekkerimäki to get a real chance with the big club this year – give him a scoring role, please.”

You can check out Ellis’ full 75-player list here!