Canucks 2012 Draft picks

[SKYO]

1st round pick 26th overall -

Brendan Gaunce
OHL center
6'2 215lbs

Brendan is big, strong two-way center. He is a good skater with a good stride and he moves well. He can improve his quickness and by doing so, he will become more difficult to stop because with his size, when he gains a step, an opponent is faced with a losing proposition.

He is smart and plays the game well both with and without the puck. He makes plays and because he's smart he gets scoring chances and an improved shot can make him that much better offensively.

He works without the puck and is also capable of playing on the wing which adds a component of versatility to his game. He will assert with his body, hold off defenders and create advantages for himself and the team with his approach but is not going to be the punishing type.

He has shown the ability to raise the level of his play when the games become more demanding and important. He's a very effective player and because he can find a way to contribute in multiple ways, this enhances his play and adds value to a team.

"Some project Gaunce as a future NHL captain." GordMac'

http://yhoo.it/PLGyRz

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=10199&sort=finalRank&year=2012

[Cornuck]

Point a game and has size. Good pick for #26

[Boston Canucker]

Well, who the hell knows, seems better than Patrick White at least...yes, low bar.

The whole thing is such a crap shoot. All I know is that Pierre McGuire thinks every pick is great!!! Hate that guy.

Good luck to the kid...see you in 3 years maybe, buddy.

[SKYO]

Random hf posts

-IMO, this kid's potential is sky high. He can pass, he can score, he can hit, he can fight, he can do everything.

-Could become a poor man's Ryan Getzlaf. Getzlaf didn't put up huge numbers back in the WHL with the Hitmen.

-Just needs to improve his skating. All other facets of his game are in place.

Dude is already massive, so he just needs to work on his skating the next coupla years.

HawkeyeCB-
I'm a Habs fan who cheers for the Canucks second.

I was hoping to move up to grab Gaunce, but I'm glad my second favourite team drafted him.

I saw Gaunce play about 25 times last year. He's the real deal. The reason he dropped so far is not his fault - it's his teams fault. Besides Subban and Gaunce, they had nothing to work with. Seriously, Gaunce carried that team to the playoffs with Subban in net. The Bulls suck.

I had him in my Top-12.

Great pick.

[Lancer]

Random hf posts

-IMO, this kid's potential is sky high. He can pass, he can score, he can hit, he can fight, he can do everything.

-Could become a poor man's Ryan Getzlaf. Getzlaf didn't put up huge numbers back in the WHL with the Hitmen.

-Just needs to improve his skating. All other facets of his game are in place.

Dude is already massive, so he just needs to work on his skating the next coupla years.

HawkeyeCB-
I'm a Habs fan who cheers for the Canucks second.

I was hoping to move up to grab Gaunce, but I'm glad my second favourite team drafted him.

I saw Gaunce play about 25 times last year. He's the real deal. The reason he dropped so far is not his fault - it's his teams fault. Besides Subban and Gaunce, they had nothing to work with. Seriously, Gaunce carried that team to the playoffs with Subban in net. The Bulls suck.

I had him in my Top-12.

Great pick.

I only saw the Bulls twice and didn't really notice him, but I'll defer to the guy with the bigger sample size. Still, can't say as I like the pick as it seems to me there were other options which advertised better upside (hated to see Samuelsson get picked right afterward) like Sissons and Sutter. I get more of a Nathan Smith vibe off this pick, but as I've said elsewhere the fact that he's booked into Gary Roberts' offseason fitness program is a good sign that he's committed to improvement in the fitness/lifestyle category. It's his skating that gives me cause for concern, but I guess we'll see. Not holding my breath though.

[Lancer]

Funny how not a single euro was drafted by Gillis this year. Interesting to see Gillis and Co. dipping into the high school and Junior AAA ranks in the later rounds. At that point, it's a true crap shoot so why not go out there? Hopefully the scouts he has in those 'watering holes' are good 'fishers'

[Fred]

I'd like to know how and who our scouts are regionally. Who is the pushy guy looking after the Q and which midget do we have covering the Dub.

Maybe these kids are going to be great, but frankly ( yawn ) I'm at best indifferent this draft.

[SKYO]

I'd like to know how and who our scouts are regionally. Who is the pushy guy looking after the Q and which midget do we have covering the Dub.

Maybe these kids are going to be great, but frankly ( yawn ) I'm at best indifferent this draft.

@ElliottPap
Thirty-two WHL players selected in NHL entry draft. none by Vancouver Canucks.

Don't know why they don't bother with the WHL.

[Potatoe1]

I'd like to know how and who our scouts are regionally. Who is the pushy guy looking after the Q and which midget do we have covering the Dub.

Maybe these kids are going to be great, but frankly ( yawn ) I'm at best indifferent this draft.

@ElliottPap
Thirty-two WHL players selected in NHL entry draft. none by Vancouver Canucks.

Don't know why they don't bother with the WHL.

Ron Delorm is our western Scout and honestly we would have had far more success if we just threw darts at a board full of names.

At least we have had some success signing western free agents because we sure as hell cant draft them.

[Fred]

I'd like to know how and who our scouts are regionally. Who is the pushy guy looking after the Q and which midget do we have covering the Dub.

Maybe these kids are going to be great, but frankly ( yawn ) I'm at best indifferent this draft.

@ElliottPap
Thirty-two WHL players selected in NHL entry draft. none by Vancouver Canucks.

Don't know why they don't bother with the WHL.

Ron Delorme is our western Scout and honestly we would have had far more success if we just threw darts at a board full of names.

At least we have had some success signing western free agents because we sure as hell cant draft them.

I believe Delorme job is much more spread than that, he covers the entire NA/EU. I see Gradin and some of the Giants games... but I don't think he's the Western scout either. Both those guys (A) set out scouting parameters and schedules for the foot soldiers to follow (B) Cross check prospects that are recommended. (C) They then rotate scouts out of their own area to further cross check what become a short list ...... as I understand. But the guys in the west just don't seem to exert enough pressure

[Blob Mckenzie]

I'd like to know how and who our scouts are regionally. Who is the pushy guy looking after the Q and which midget do we have covering the Dub.

Maybe these kids are going to be great, but frankly ( yawn ) I'm at best indifferent this draft.

@ElliottPap
Thirty-two WHL players selected in NHL entry draft. none by Vancouver Canucks.

Don't know why they don't bother with the WHL.

Ron Delorm is our western Scout and honestly we would have had far more success if we just threw darts at a board full of names.

At least we have had some success signing western free agents because we sure as hell cant draft them.

In all honesty they have hardly drafted anyone from the Dub in the last 10 - 12 years. I can't think of anyone other than Grabner and Ellington myself....so they were 1 out of 2. Dan Gendur doesn't really count he was a 7th rounder or something. I guess Prab Rai counts..... so 1 / 3 .

If one goes back to the 70's and 80's and early 90's Vancouver nailed a shitload of picks out of the dub who had good- great careers.
Snepsts, Derlago, Fraser, Smyl,Ashton, Dirk Graham, Butcher, Neely, Linden, Schaefer.

It could also be a case of not many WHL players that they liked being available when the Canucks turn comes up.

[Fred]

I recall Pat Quinn saying he though local players have more incentive to play better before their family and friends

[Blob Mckenzie]

I forgot to mention Brent Sopel and Dave Scatchard as well. Peter Nedved played in the dub..... though I wanted Keith Primeau and he wanted to play here.

[Per]

Random hf posts

-IMO, this kid's potential is sky high. He can pass, he can score, he can hit, he can fight, he can do everything.

-Could become a poor man's Ryan Getzlaf. Getzlaf didn't put up huge numbers back in the WHL with the Hitmen.

-Just needs to improve his skating. All other facets of his game are in place.

Dude is already massive, so he just needs to work on his skating the next coupla years.

HawkeyeCB-
I'm a Habs fan who cheers for the Canucks second.

I was hoping to move up to grab Gaunce, but I'm glad my second favourite team drafted him.

I saw Gaunce play about 25 times last year. He's the real deal. The reason he dropped so far is not his fault - it's his teams fault. Besides Subban and Gaunce, they had nothing to work with. Seriously, Gaunce carried that team to the playoffs with Subban in net. The Bulls suck.

I had him in my Top-12.

Great pick.

I only saw the Bulls twice and didn't really notice him, but I'll defer to the guy with the bigger sample size. Still, can't say as I like the pick as it seems to me there were other options which advertised better upside (hated to see Samuelsson get picked right afterward) like Sissons and Sutter. I get more of a Nathan Smith vibe off this pick, but as I've said elsewhere the fact that he's booked into Gary Roberts' offseason fitness program is a good sign that he's committed to improvement in the fitness/lifestyle category. It's his skating that gives me cause for concern, but I guess we'll see. Not holding my breath though.

Not sure about Samuelsson. He's not his father. Sure, he was on the gold winning US U18 team, and he has some decent numbers from North American junior leagues, but he played for Modo in the SEL last winter, and he sure didn't have the goods. Still, the kid's just 18 and not used to big ice. He could still become a good player, but I'm not sure I'd waste a first round pick on him. I think the Canucks may have done the right thing in passing on him.

[Meds]

I forgot to mention Brent Sopel and Dave Scatchard as well. Peter Nedved played in the dub..... though I wanted Keith Primeau and he wanted to play here.

Sigh.

Imagine this team in 94 with both Linden AND Primeau......