With the Vancouver Canucks naming Ryan Johnson as General Manager and Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-Presidents of Hockey Operations, we may finally see the Canucks enter a proper rebuild.
Outside of winning a Cup, rebuilding has seemed to be the one thing Vancouver hasn’t managed to do; at least not the proper, old-fashioned way of drafting and developing prospects while selling veterans for young players and draft picks. But with a new regime, there finally seems to be a sense of optimism around the team for the first time in what feels like forever.
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At his introductory press conference, Johnson had this to say about the Canucks’ process for the rebuild:
“We’re going to do this step-by-step, and we’re not going to race through it. We’re going to be very strategic with everything we do. We’re going to be aligned with everything we do so that, as a group, we are sticking to the vision that was talked about in May of 2026 and not ever get outside of that vision.”
Fans and media will have their own opinions on what moves the Canucks should make during this rebuild, but one thing is certain: this year’s draft, in which Vancouver holds 10 picks, including the third overall selection, will be a huge part of this team moving forward.
During the Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford era, the Canucks never tanked correctly, but they still drafted a high-end defensive prospect in Tom Willander and acquired another one in Zeev Buium via the Quinn Hughes trade. Outside of Buium and Willander, Vancouver still lacks the blue-chip prospects other rebuilding organizations have. The best way to acquire elite prospects is by drafting them.
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Looking at other NHL rebuilds, teams such as the Montréal Canadiens, the San Jose Sharks, and the Chicago Blackhawks all drafted their core players. But where they picked is the biggest thing.
For Montréal, much of the discussion has been about their young stars producing for them. While Lane Hutson was a second-round pick and Nick Suzuki was acquired via trade, the Canadiens picked in the top five from 2022 to 2024, drafting Juraj Slafkovský first-overall in 2022, David Reinbacher fifth-overall in 2023, and Ivan Demidov fifth-overall in 2024. From 2019 to 2025, Montréal had eight first-round picks. Accumulating draft stock is crucial in the early stages of rebuilding.
Chicago has done the same. Since 2018, the Blackhawks have had seven top-10 picks and 17 first-round picks. As for the Sharks, from 2021 to now, they have had five top-10 picks and 10 first-round picks.
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The Canucks have another nine picks in the 2027 and 2028 drafts, but they only have one first-round pick. The lack of first-round picks brings the focus to the Filip Hronek dilemma. Canucks fans, and surely management too, are torn on whether to trade the star defenceman or not.
Hronek is locked in at $7.25 million for the next six seasons, with a full no-move clause for the next two. He is, without a doubt, Vancouver’s biggest trade chip and their best chance to net another first-round pick and potentially other assets as well.
If Hronek waives his no-trade clause, the Canucks need to jump on it, because waiting to trade him will only hurt them. He is a right-shot defenceman on a great contract who can play in all situations. Asset management has hurt Vancouver in the past, and if Johnson and the Sedins want to avoid repeating those mistakes, they should move Hronek if given the opportunity.
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As for the future, a large part of who the Canucks trade may be determined by who they select this year. If Vancouver finds themselves in a position where Ivar Stenberg is on the board at three, they get an potential first-line winger. This could make trading Jake DeBrusk more viable. If they draft a defenceman at three, trading Hronek becomes more of a possibility. Lastly, if they can land Caleb Malhotra, they may be more willing to part ways with center Elias Pettersson.
For the first time in years, the Canucks finally seem willing to prioritize patience over shortcuts. With 10 picks in this draft, they have set a good foundation for this rebuild. If they can acquire more picks in the next two drafts and get some lottery luck, it would be a successful start to the Johnson and Sedin management era.
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view inside the venue prior to the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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