Team selects Swedish defenseman Tom Willander with 11th overall pick
There will never be universal agreement on any subject debated by Canucks Twitter. It's simply not going to happen. But it seems for the most part that there is a consensus when it comes to understanding the many reasons the Vancouver Canucks walked to the podium at Bridgestone Arena and nabbed Swedish defenseman Tom Willander with the 11th overall selection in the opening round of the 2023 National Hockey League Draft.
Oh sure, there were other options available including a high-scoring local boy in Chilliwack's Zack Benson. But the Canucks blueline has been neglected for so long through the draft that walking away with one of the top defensive prospects in this year's cattle call of talent seemed like a no-brainer for the organization.
In Willander they get a smooth-skating puck mover with a head to process to the game at the highest level and drive to match. And now the question is how long will he need to develop his game before he can reach NHL ice. Seeking more of an opportunity to play significant minutes than he likely would have received as a teenager in the Swedish Hockey League, Willander will suit up for Boston University next season. Perhaps he'll be one and done at the NCAA level and then require a year in Abbotsford. Or maybe he'll be ready to make the jump to the NHL to start the 2024-25 NHL season.
Regardless, Willander instantly becomes part of the pitch the Canucks will craft to keep Elias Pettersson in the fold long-term when they begin contract extensions with their budding superstar this summer. Because with EP40 set to turn 25 in the fall (and Quinn Hughes turning 24), the Canucks are in dire need of talented support pieces for their best players and Willander suddenly shoots to the top of the team's thin prospect pool.
At the high end, Willander has been projected to top out like Boston Bruins stud defender Charlie McAvoy or perhaps more like fellow Swede in Calgary's Rasmus Andersson. There have been suggestions Canucks fans may liken Willander's game to that of Dan Hamhuis who was never flashy and wasn't the kind of player that sold tickets, but certainly helped win hockey games. Hamhuis was proficient in all areas and rarely had an off-night.
For his part, the well-spoken Willander says he models his game after gifted Dallas d-man Miro Heiskanen.
Right now, though, he is simply Tom Willander. An confident 18-year-old from Stockholm who checks off many boxes for the Vancouver Canucks. At this point in time, he was the right pick for the hockey club. And the hope is that will remain the case for years and years to come.
Wednesday in Nashville was a good night for the Vancouver Canucks. Something that hasn't been the case nearly enough regarding this team in recent years -- at the draft or on the ice.