The news we’ve all been waiting for, and in many cases endured a gruelling hour of all-filler television for, has come and gone, and wouldn’t you know it, the Vancouver Canucks took a significant hit with their draft stock at the NHL Entry Draft. Though the Canucks finished third-last in the league this season, the lottery draw was not in their favour, as the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets leapfrogged their way into the top-three of the draft – at the expense of Vancouver and the Calgary Flames.

Looked at in a vacuum, today’s events are nothing short of a kick to the collective gut of the Canucks and their fans. Canucks general manager Jim Benning has gone on record saying that a franchise player can be secured in the top three of this draft – which, in and of itself, implies a drop-off at the fourth overall selection.

The crown jewels of this draft class are the presumptive top three selections, Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi – more often than not, in that exact order. All three are likely to suit up for their respective NHL franchises as early as next season and contribute mightily to the middle-six of their lineup.

If you squint your eyes and look at this moment at just the right angle, there’s some semblance of a silver lining to be found. The Canucks haven’t selected a defenceman in the first-round of the draft since Luc Bourdon in 2005. At the fifth overall selection, they fall right into the wheelhouse of top defensive prospects like Olli Juolevi and Mikhail Sergachyov, among others.

Really, though, let’s just call a spade a spade. Today’s results made an already bleak season especially painful. They finished in the bottom three, by accident, and are less likely than they should be to find a franchise type player for their troubles – and oh, what a troublesome season this market just keeps on suffering.