Every fan loves the idea of landing the next star late in the first round. And we already covered a few names that could fit that bill in and around the 24th overall pick.

The reality, however, is that successful organizations aren’t built exclusively through home-run swings. Stanley Cup contenders are often supported by players who may never appear on a highlight reel but consistently help drive winning hockey.

As the Vancouver Canucks continue reshaping their prospect pipeline, the back half of the first round presents an opportunity to add players with clearly defined NHL traits. These prospects may not possess the flashiest skill sets in the class, but they have the habits, intelligence, and versatility that often translate into long professional careers.

If Vancouver swings high at the top end of the opening round, these five names deserve serious consideration.

Unfortunately, the cat might be out of the bag when it comes to Alexander Command. Once hovering around the late first in most draft circles, many believe that Command’s mix of dog-on-a-bone mentality and soft skills has catapulted him into top-20 contention. But one can dream.

While he may lack a truly elite defining characteristic to warrant such a high pick, Command consistently impacts the game through intelligence, work ethic, and attention to detail. Command supports the ice incredibly well while maintaining strong off-puck awareness. And rather than sit back and wait for the play, he places himself into the mix and creates things for himself. He’s dedicated to his defensive craft, while also possessing enough vision and touch to contribute on the scoresheet. He’s a coach’s darling, bringing a brand of hockey that rarely falters off its course.

He led all U18 skaters at the J20 level in Sweden, racking up 44 points in 30 games to lead Örebro in that regard. Will that offence grow with him as he jumps up the ranks? We do believe that there is enough skill to contribute in a mid-range fashion. If he doesn’t, he brings a very safe third-line centre projection, with the potential to add more to your middle-six and special teams.

Simply put, Command feels like a prototypical pro centre that you win with late in the season. And the Canucks need players who understand their assignments, elevate teammates, and can be trusted in serious situations. He’s not incredibly flashy; he just works.

Depending on how things go with the Canucks’ first pick of the 2026 draft, Ilia Morozov could be a perfect complementary piece to round out the opening round.

The Russian forward already possesses many of the attributes NHL organizations covet in a middle-six centre. He brings size, intelligence, and a mature understanding of how to impact the game without necessarily dominating the scoresheet. Morozov is a player who wins with his mind, rarely forcing plays and relying instead on strong positioning, efficient puck movement, and the ability to anticipate developing situations.

As this year’s youngest player within the NCAA circuit, Morozov consistently demonstrated a willingness to engage physically while maintaining strong defensive structure. He’s the type of player coaches quickly come to trust because his mistakes are infrequent and his effort is rarely questioned.

While his offensive game may not be his calling card, that isn’t to suggest there’s nothing in the toolkit. Morozov has flashed legitimate playmaking ability and possesses enough touch around the net to contribute offensively. The debate among scouts revolves around whether those flashes can become a consistent part of his identity.

There is a decent chance that Morozov’s mature skill set has him gone by the time the clock strikes at the 24th pick for Vancouver. Yet, if he does manage to slip, he could become a valuable middle-six centre capable of contributing in all situations.

The son of former NHL forward Pierre Dagenais enjoyed a breakout campaign, finishing second on the Québec Remparts with 62 points in 62 games. Like many we speak on today, he brings the physical dimensions organizations crave while continuing to expand the offensive side of his game.

In addition to that natural-born size, his offensive game grew over the season, using his above-average size to create space for himself and find the guts of the ice. And for a 6-foot-4 build, Dagenais moves reasonably well and has shown encouraging touch around the offensive zone.

The obvious question is whether his game warrants enough skill to generate at the next level. At this stage of the draft, that’s usually an obvious question, and given the intangibles we know he will bring, he’s a worthy bet in the late first and early second rounds.

As a player who seemed to get better as the season wore on, the Canucks would essentially be betting that Dagenais’ upward developmental trajectory continues.

You don’t have to watch Brooks Rogowski for very long to understand why NHL teams are fascinated by his potential.

Of all the names on this list, he’s probably the least likely to shatter his future projection. But when we just saw a player like Michael McCarron land a six-year deal, you know there’s a spot for him in a lineup, and you can almost guarantee Rogowski will play games.

The towering centre possesses the size that remains a rare commodity in 2026. Standing at an incredible 6-foot-7 and 230-plus pounds, Rogowski uses his frame effectively to shield defenders, establish positioning around the net, and extend offensive-zone possessions. Once he gets inside, he becomes extremely difficult to move.

With just 65 points (26 goals, 39 assists) across two seasons (112 games) with the Oshawa Generals, his stat sheet doesn’t necessarily jump out as first-round worthy. But there are tangible skills within, and he has steadily improved his playmaking while continuing to develop confidence with the puck.

Now entering the draft, he’s shown that he’s more than just a net-front specialist, displaying flashes of creativity and an understanding of how to support teammates offensively.

As you might imagine from such a towering presence, his biggest challenge is pace. He will need to continue improving his skating and overall consistency if he hopes to maximize his sizeable gifts. Even so, power centres with a dash of offensive upside remain a coveted combo in the NHL, and Rogowski represents an opportunity to add legitimate size down the middle combined with scoring potential.

If everything clicks, the Canucks could emerge from the draft with a player capable of impacting games in multiple ways down the lineup. But is 24 too early?

Jack Hextall is a tough one to peg in terms of his draft stock. Depending on who you ask, he could easily be available to the Canucks at 33, but it’s just as realistic to see him gone before 24. The latter is mainly due to a strong floor that teams who are simply looking to stick with a safe projection on a player who’s likely to play up the middle on your middle-to-bottom six in the future.

The American centre has quietly developed into one of the more dependable two-way forwards projected in this portion of the draft. Like Morozov, Hextall consistently shows a mature game, bringing structure and tons of juice with every shift across all three zones. He processes the game exceptionally well and is rarely caught out of position.

Offensively, Hextall’s ceiling remains the primary question. While he has shown flashes of creativity and enough finishing ability to remain productive, he doesn’t possess the dynamic traits often associated with top-six projections. But they do show up in flashes, evidenced by his near point-per-game season at the USHL level (58 points in 59 games).

For Vancouver, Hextall checks several boxes. Should they decide to fade the centre position with their top-three pick, Hextall could provide a solid secondary option to fill a role behind Braeden Cootes for years to come.