Meet the Canucks’ 2025 Draft Class: Reaction & Analysis

In that initial target piece, I compared Cootes to Bo Horvat, but he has aimed a bit higher and identified two-way dynamo Brayden Point as someone he emulates. “His complete game and his work ethic,” Cootes said were the main attractants. “He kind of does everything right. He’s a really smart player too: high hockey IQ, a guy that’s kind of always in the right spot and is a good skater as well. And he’s a winner. I mean, two Stanley Cups, it’s a pretty good resumé” (from ‘Canucks’ new draft Braeden Cootes wants to be Brayden Point,’ The Province , 6/27/25). Regardless, the Canucks got a good one, someone who will hopefully be in the blue and green for a long time – maybe even the captain after Quinn Hughes – and lead this franchise to a Stanley Cup.

2nd Round, 47th Overall – Aleksei Medvedev, Goaltender, London Knights (OHL)

The Canucks stayed in the CHL with their next pick and selected Aleksei Medvedev from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) 47th overall. The 6-foot-3 Russian goaltender split the crease with Austin Elliott this season and posted a solid 22-8-2 record alongside a 2.79 goals-against average, .912 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts. He also won an OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup, so he’s definitely used to winning. Similar to Cootes, his work ethic and character are trademarks of his game, which, as this draft class intro goes on, you will start seeing as a theme.

As for Medvedev’s skills as a goaltender, here’s what The Hockey Writers’ Andrew Forbes had to say in his prospect profile: “He plays with composure and makes big saves in key moments of games. While he’s still somewhat light and could grow some more in his draft plus-one season, Medvedev’s ability to move from post-to-post and read the play in front of him allows him to make saves that might be above average for rookie goaltenders in the CHL. He’s strong positionally and he understands where he needs to be to give himself the opportunity to make each and every save.”

Forbes also went on to say that he’s one of the best stickhandling goalies he’s seen in a while, which is something the Canucks have not had in their system since probably Johan Hedberg. While that’s not as notable a skill as it was back in the heyday of Martin Brodeur and Marty Turco, having a goaltender that can move the puck is an added bonus, since defenders don’t have to go back below the goal line for retrievals. All they have to do is wait for their goalie to pass it to them.

With the selection of Medevdev, the Canucks have bolstered their goaltending and now have real depth in that department. Beyond NHLers Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen, they have Arturs Silovs, Nikita Tolopilo, Ty Young, Aku Koskenvuo, and now Medvedev in the pipeline. With Silovs eligible for waivers and Demko on track to sign an extension, we could see Silovs traded, which means Medvedev could become an even more important addition to the depth chart. I think the Canucks using a second round pick on a goaltender says a lot about what they are planning to do in the future.

3rd Round, 65th Overall – Kieren Dervin, Center, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

The Canucks stayed in the OHL for their next pick and also went back to the center position with another hard-working all-around pivot, Kieren Dervin from the Kingston Frontenacs. While he doesn’t have the top-six upside of Cootes, he has the potential to be a utility bottom-six center that leads a penalty killing unit and wins key draws at the end of a game. Dervin is a bit of a wild card, though, when it comes to evaluating his talent. He only played 10 games in the OHL, spending most of his draft year in high school at St. Andrews College. He ripped it up there, showcasing a lot of offence at the AAA level, with 33 goals and 79 points in 50 games. That may never translate to the next level, but just seeing those numbers should get people excited for what he could do over a full season in the OHL and eventually the NCAA, when he joins Penn State in 2026-27.

5th Round, 143rd Overall – Wilson Bjorck, Center, Djurgarden Jr. (Sweden Jr.)

The Canucks left North America for their next pick and went to their favourite stomping ground over the years, Sweden, and selected Wilson Bjorck from Djurgarden in the Swedish junior league. Yet another center with a high motor and two-way game, he had 28 goals and 67 points in 43 games this season, notably playing alongside his brother, Viigo, a projected 2026 first-round pick. Looking at those numbers, you would think the Canucks got a steal in the fifth round. That might not be the case, however, as he could be a product of playing with a first-round talent.

Luckily, Bjorck has a lot of tools in his toolbox that go beyond numbers on a page, specifically his skating, motor, and hockey IQ. Those three things are trademarks of a lot of successful bottom-six forwards, so even if he can’t translate his offensive skills to the pro level, he could still turn into a value pick that makes it to the NHL one day.

“Björck’s motor is arguably the biggest standout trait in his game,” said Justin Giampietro in his THW prospect profile. “He could use a boost in strength, as he can get overpowered despite having about a league-average frame, but the effort is there. He’s the one who battles for pucks on his lines, and he does a good job of winning those battles. That’s not exclusive to the offensive zone, however—he’s perhaps more relentless defensively.” That sounds like a forward every team needs in their pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

It will be interesting to see how Bjorck looks on the smaller ice in the NCAA next season when he joins Colorado College and plays against more skilled opponents. If that motor and all-around game translates to that level, the Canucks might have another Swedish success story on their hands in a few seasons.

6th Round, 175th Overall – Gabe Chiarot, Right Wing, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

Moving away from the center position and to the wing, the Canucks went back to the OHL for their next pick and selected Gabe Chiarot from the Brampton Steelheads. A smaller forward at 5-foot-11, he made major strides in his second season in the OHL, jumping from five goals to 21 goals. Described as a “tireless, unrelenting checker” by Elite Prospects, he started showcasing his offence more often this season thanks to his ability to finish plays in tight. But, considering he was one of the older players in the OHL – he turns 19 in September – that production could be a bit misleading.

“It’s more likely that Chiarot’s calling card will be his checking ability. He’s a fast mover and a heavy player at just 5-foot-11, establishing the forecheck, outworking players in battles, and attacks puck carriers, challenging them with heavy pressure and stick lifts.”

– Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

As is the case with every forward the Canucks have drafted this year, the stat sheet doesn’t tell the whole story. Chiarot could make it to the NHL just for his checking, physicality and motor, three things that the Florida Panthers have shown are very valuable to a winning roster. You need players like Chiarot in the lineup, and while he might not give you a lot of offence, he could still be a big piece of a championship one day, thanks to a key block, hit or simply a hard-working shift.

7th Round, 207th Overall – Matthew Lansing, Center, Fargo Force (USHL)

The Canucks went off the board – at least in this draft – and traveled to the USHL for their final prospect, Matthew Lansing, from the Fargo Force. Yet another center, their fourth selected this year, he played most of his season with the Waterloo Black Hawks before getting traded to the Force in February. He only had 12 goals and 27 points split between the two teams, but a lot of scouts have noted some tools in his game that could indicate untapped offensive potential.

“His offensive zone play stands out, especially on rushes where he uses his strength and reach to shield the puck while battling through stick checks,” said Matthew Buhrmann in Lansing’s THW prospect profile. “He’s not the flashiest skater, but his skating is solid, and he pairs it with a strong frame to carve out space and create opportunities. What sets Lansing apart is his willingness to go into the dirty areas on the ice. He’s not afraid to fight for rebounds, muscle through defenders, and score those tough, gritty goals in front of the net.”

Despite that potential, Lansing is still projected to become a bottom-six forward in the NHL thanks to his 200-foot game and reliability in all situations. He won’t likely be a high-end scorer, but could carve out a role as a penalty-killer and key role player. But those are the types of players you get in the seventh round. He might hit, he might not, but just looking at his intangibles, he was another great low-risk, high-reward swing for the Canucks’ final pick of the 2025 Draft.

Canucks’ 2025 Draft Class Classified By Hard Work & High Motor

As you can probably tell by now, the buzzwords for this year’s draft class are hard work, high motor, and being tough to play against, three attributes I absolutely love in prospects and players in general. In my mind, you can’t get anywhere without working hard, no matter what you do in life. The Canucks have shown through the 2025 Draft that they value this in their organization and want it as a part of their culture. As Allvin said, “I am happy with every pick we’ve made. We made it for a reason. I love the fact that we have competitive people. We have good people, and people that we want to be Vancouver Canucks. And I think that is the most important thing. You talk about Cootes? Quality human being. All the players that we’ve selected, our guys have done the work on them, and they’re quality people. And that’s important for us.”

The Canucks also more than filled their biggest organizational need, depth down the middle. They also added to their goaltending depth, which could make it easier to move a guy like Silovs in a deal for an NHL-ready center. All in all, this was as solid a draft class that I’ve seen in a long time. It might only produce one (maybe two if Medvedev becomes a starting goaltender) impact player – that being Cootes – but I could see almost all of them make it to the NHL or, at the very least, AHL one day, and that doesn’t happen too often. When we look back at this draft 10 years down the road, it could turn out to be one of the best in Canucks history. Kudos to the scouting staff for all the hard work – there’s that buzzword again – I have a feeling it will pay off down the road.