Though the Vancouver Canucks did not hold many high-value picks this season, the team tried to find the best value in their late-round picks. The club was able to make five selections in the 2024 Draft with picks in the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh rounds. Although it is too early to tell what the players will turn into at this moment, the Canucks look to have gotten some good value with their selections.
Melvin Fernstrom, 93rd Overall, Orbero (J20 Nationell)
It’s no surprise that the Canucks decided to go to Sweden for their first pick as the team has grown to love drafting Swedish talent as you have seen with players like Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Tom Willander. Melvin Fernstrom fits that mould but brings a lot of upside to his offensive game.
Related: 3 Canucks Draft Targets With the 93rd Pick
Fernstrom spent the vast majority of this season with Orbero of the J20 National League in Sweden and put up great offensive numbers. The forward scored 31 goals and 32 assists for 63 points in 45 games along with 10 points in eight playoff games. He also represented Sweden at the U18 level scoring 26 points in 27 international games. As a right-shot winger, he has one of the best shots in the draft and is a very creative player. He will need to work on his two-way game and off-the-puck skills, which he will have time to do as he develops in Sweden.
Riley Patterson, 125th Overall, Barrie Colts (Ontario Hockey League)
Riley Patterson is an interesting player who just came off his rookie year in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts. He spent his first junior season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with the North York Rangers as he intended to pursue the NCAA route with a scholarship from Michigan State. But during the summer of last season, his rights were traded from Flint to Barrie and he decided to commit to the Colts.
Patterson had a slow start to his OHL career but was able to pick up some speed as the season went on and scored 29 goals and 33 assists for a total of 62 points in 68 games. He is a well-rounded player who does not have a particular part of his game that stands out as either a positive or a negative. For him to take that next step he will need to improve in all aspects of his game to elevate his potential.
Anthony Romani, 162nd Overall, North Bay Battalion (Ontario Hockey League)
Anthony Romani’s career progression is one of the most fascinating improvements I have seen in many years. He went undrafted in 2023 as an eligible player and entered his draft-plus-one season in 2023-24. After the disappointment of not being picked last June, he took the OHL by storm and scored 58 goals and 53 assists for a total of 111 points. The North Bay Battalion forward prospect found something in his game this season and went on an offensive mission. Romani has a very high hockey IQ in the offensive zone and can make plays happen out of nothing once he enters the opposing team’s zone with speed. He has one of the best shots in the OHL and is a very strong skater. He will need to work on his defensive play to make it to the next level.
Parker Alcos, 189th Overall, Edmonton Oil Kings (Western Hockey League)
With their first defenceman of the draft, the Canucks took a chance in the sixth round with Edmonton Oil Kings Parker Alcos. He stands in at 6-foot-3 and is a right-handed defenceman, which is a very highly coveted commodity in the NHL. He is a defensive specialist who can shut down opposing players in the defensive zone and break up odd-man rushes when he needs to. You won’t see him have much impact on the offensive side of the puck since he was only able to score one goal in 67 games. His main priority will be to add on weight during the offseason as he is only 174 pounds and will need to be closer to 200 if he wants to take a big step next season.
Basile Sansonnens, 221st Overall, Gotteron U20 (U20-Elit)
For the Canucks’ final selection, the team went European again and selected Swiss defenceman Basile Sansonnes. He is a big defenceman clocking in at 6-foot-4 and played most of his season in Switzerland’s developmental league and was able to play four games in the country’s senior league against men. He scored three points in his 40 games with Gotteron and scored a goal and three assists in nine playoff games for his club. The Canucks have plenty of time with this player as he is one of the younger players in this draft and will be staying in Europe for at least the next two years.
The Canucks were able to get some good value picks in this draft as they took players with high ceilings. You always hope that one of your later-round picks can become key players for your team and that could very well happen with at least one of these prospects.
