The Vancouver Canucks’ best trade-down option might be the Nashville Predators

With the 2023 NHL Entry Draft just two weeks away, it’s time to lock in all the options that the Vancouver Canucks have with their 11th overall pick.

There are plenty of great prospects who will be available at 11th overall. The Canucks could draft one of the centres in Dalibor Dvorsky, Nate Danielson, or Oliver Moore. They could go with one of the defencemen like Axel Sandin Pellikka, David Reinbacher or Dmitri Simashev. The Canucks may stick with tradition, and go with one of the talented wingers like Zach Benson or Colby Barlow.

We also know that the 11th overall pick is the most consistently moved pick in the first round over the past 10 years. Trading down from 11 has happened twice on draft day over the past four drafts.

From the recent history, we are looking around at trade-down options for the Canucks and have spotted one team that looks to have the right return available at their disposal and that team should be interested in making a splash one day one of the NHL Entry Draft.

That team is the Nashville Predators.

Nashville is the host of the 2023 draft and they currently possess two first-round picks, two second-round picks, three third-round picks, three fourth-round picks, two fifth-round picks and a sixth-round pick at the 2023 draft.

There are a couple of different trade-down options with the Nashville Predators but we are going to key in on one where the Canucks can still pick in the top 15 of the draft.

This trade value is based on the 2019 draft where the Arizona Coyotes traded down from 11th overall and acquired the 14th pick as well as the 45th pick.

We know that the Canucks are without a second-round pick in the 2023 draft after the Filip Hronek trade back on March 1st.

The Predators will likely be looking to make a splash on the draft floor as many host teams do. Depending on who falls to 11, the Preds could look to bolster their prospect pool with a talented winger like Benson or Barlow.

The Canucks would be gaining an extra top-50 pick by sliding down four spots in the draft and we are also moving the teams’ top third-round picks to balance out the trade.

With how the Canucks’ prospect pool is currently shaped, this could be massive for the pipeline. You can find a very good defenceman with the 46th overall pick and if the Canucks were able to pick up either Nate Danielson or Tom Willander at 15, they are looking like geniuses in this potential trade.

We all want the Canucks to take the best player available and that best player being available at 11th or 15th can surely change depending on the eye of the beholder. We just don’t think there’s that much of a difference between 15 and 11 at this draft, and unless your premiere target falls to 11th, moving down four spots while picking up a second-round pick and gaining a few spots in the third round feels like it can make sense for both teams.

The Canucks can get a defenceman in the top 50, whether that be at 15 or 45. The Predators can make a splash on day one of the NHL draft, and pick a player who they truly can sell as a top-10 talent in their eyes.

It feels like a win-win for both teams and the value checks out in terms of recent trade-down options.

What are your thoughts, would you be happy, mad, or fine with the Canucks pulling off this trade at the draft?