Canucks Tap Young Third Pairing OHL Defender Miles Liberati with Seventh Round Pick

Photo Via @Miles_Liberati

With their final pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, the Canucks selected a second London Knights player (in addition to 9th overall pick Bo Horvat) in American defenceman Miles Liberati. On a stacked London Knights club a season ago (a team that featured Tommy Hughes, Olli Maata, Nikita Zadorov along the blue-line) Liberati played sparringly, and recorded only nine points in forty-two games in his rookie season in Major Junior.

When Liberati did get an opportunity he showed flashes according to Corey Pronman, and he may have an opportunity to step up and play more often with Tommy Hughes graduating and Olli Maata likely in the mix for a roster spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins next season. Liberati is eighteen years old and was seventeen years old as recently as nine days ago, and he’s also a CHL player who the Canucks will have to make a decision on whether or not to sign within by June 1st of 2015. As such he’s a very un-Mike Gillis draft pick and bucks several trends in Vancouver’s drafting habits over the past handful of seasons. 

You can follow Miles on Twitter: @miles_liberati