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Scott Wheeler talks latest NHL draft rankings, why he’s high on Zeev Buium, and more: Canucks Conversation
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Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Clarke Corsan
Mar 19, 2026, 11:20 EDTUpdated: Mar 19, 2026, 11:21 EDT
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On Wednesday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler to break down his latest NHL Draft rankings, share insights on Canucks prospect Zeev Buium, and more.
Wheeler began with a look at the top of the 2026 draft class, where opinions across the scouting world continue to vary.
“There are scouts who will say Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg have been the top prospects in this draft class all along,” Wheeler said. “They’re the premium talent – from an upside, offensive, and power play standpoint, they’re going to have a larger impact than the defencemen in this class.”
“Yet, there’s a growing group that persists… there are seven or eight names that could understandably be in the conversation for first overall,” he continued. “The argument is: because of some of the criticisms of McKenna — lack of detail, effort off the puck, perimeter play — those concerns lead some to believe the other defencemen in this class belong in the conversation.”
Despite that broader debate, Wheeler has remained consistent in his own evaluations.
“I haven’t quite been able to get there with the other D-men,” he said. “I’ve had five draft lists out so far, and all five have had McKenna and Stenberg one and two. I haven’t seen the variance in this class that maybe some others have.”
That doesn’t mean he isn’t high on some of the defencemen available, just that he views their ceilings a tier below the elite NHL blueliners.
“I like Chase Reid a lot. He’s one of the best stories in the draft, but I don’t view him as a true future number one,” Wheeler said. “The same goes for Alberts Smits. I love this guy, but I still think, with him and all of these guys, you’re looking at an Owen Power, Jake Sanderson, or Moritz Seider-tier defenceman. We’re not talking about Makar, Hughes, or Werenski level guys.”
Later in the conversation, Wheeler turned his attention to Canucks defender Zeev Buium and why patience will be key in evaluating his development.
“Any defenceman as young as Zeev is with that star-level upside – with how hard it is to be a defenceman in the NHL – it’s getting harder for young defencemen to have that big impact over the last few years,” Wheeler said. “It’s a hard leap, and it’s just going to take time.”
Wheeler pointed out that the 20-year-old is still very early in his development curve compared to other young defencemen.
“He’s in his draft-plus-two year. At this same age, Lane Hutson was playing college hockey for the season, and you can go down the list,” he explained. “There’s some grace that’s owed to a lot of those kids having struggles — whether it’s Sam Rinzel, Sam Dickinson, Carter Yakemchuk — all from that class are having some issues. I don’t think Canucks fans need to worry that he’s having some issues, which he’s had both in Vancouver and Minnesota.”
“At the college level, he was so involved in everything. That was the bread and butter of Zeev – offensively, he had the shake and bake and would make guys miss, he’d have the puck at the blue line and attack the slot with it, swing below the goal line.”
That aggressive, puck-dominant style is something that will take time to translate to the NHL.
“Defensively, he played a very active, tight style that allowed him to shut down some of the best players in college hockey across two really good seasons, but it’s hard to play that style in the NHL.”
“He’s got to get back to trusting himself and his ability. He’s got the ability and IQ, and he’s competitive – and it’s all going to come for him.”
To recap: While the top of the draft remains a topic of debate, and Buium’s transition hasn’t been seamless, neither situation calls for overreaction. Patience remains critical. both at the draft table and in player development.
Watch the full replay of yesterday’s show below!

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