Team opts for well-rounded right shot blueliner with its first pick

The Vancouver Canucks opted for organization need and hope they combined that with the best player available when they stepped to the podium to select Tom Willander with the 11th overall pick in the National Hockey League draft on Wednesday night.

With volatility and a few surprises in the top 10, the Canucks had options still on the board including Chilliwack native Zach Benson who racked up 98 points for Winnipeg of the Western Hockey League. But the Canucks need help on the blueline and selected the 6'1" 180 pound Willander from Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League.

"Vancouver was actually my first ever (NHL) team I started cheering for I'd say mainly because the Sedins obviously being the most-dominant pair of players ever, but also I thought the logo was cool," he explained shortly after his selection. "So I got a little bit nostaligic seeing it up on the stage."

Willander met with the Canucks among other teams at the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month in Buffalo. And the 18-year-old said he had an inkling that the team had taken a shine to him and the fact that he developed as his season in Sweden went along. Willander was considered one of the fastest risers in this draft class over the second half of the season.

"I just kind of received the results of my training at that point," he explained. "I feel like it was a little bit slow in the beginning, but putting the hours down and being serious about my practice is where I feel it took a leap and I saw the results."

Willander, who lists basketball and surfing among his hobbies, revealed he models his game after Dallas Stars standout Miro Heiskanen. He will head to Boston University next season to continue his development path.

"For me personally I just think it's a better fit," he said of going the NCAA route. "I feel like I have a lot of development left to do -- getting a bit heavier but also skills wise I have a bit to go. The NCAA teams being a bit more toward the development side contrary to the SHL teams, I feel like that was a good move for me."

Willander becomes the first defenceman the Canucks have selected in the first round  since Quinn Hughes in 2018. He will make his way to Vancouver to take part in Canucks summer development camp at UBC next week.