[Vancouver Canucks] HOW SWEDE IT IS! Welcome to the Canucks, Tom Willander!
HOW SWEDE IT IS! 🇸🇪
Welcome to the #Canucks, Tom Willander!#NHLDraft | @ToyotaPacific pic.twitter.com/5ogtUoDr9S
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 29, 2023
by PaperMoonShine
48 Comments
SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO FEEL
Tell me how to feel
Willander is fine.
Benson is going to be an All-Star.
If you’re reading this in 2027 and I’m wrong feel free to dunk all over me. I can take it.
check out the scouting report by Ben Kerr
https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2023/05/27/tom-willander-scouting-report-2023-nhl-draft/
Tell me what to think!
BE EXCITED Y’ALL, damn.
Top pairing RHD potential, great pick.
explain this in nba terms
Will be interesting to see where Willander stacks up in a couple of years to Benson and ASP
He’s a great pick. Didn’t go bpa but he has all the foundations to be a good player
There are some angry people in the draft thread.
His face looks similar to Hogs, just narrower.
Finally, Canucks draft a high potential RHD
Good pick
Maybe going position over BPA here but at this point in the draft it’s hard to tell.
If Benson hits he’ll be a freaking stud.
At least it wasn’t ASP
Either he becomes a bona-fide top 2-4 dman, and Benson is ppg winger. Or we got Juolevi’d again.
Extremely high end skater with good size going to an excellent development situation. This guy hits his ceiling and you have another Hamhuis or Tanev.
I think it was a good pick. I can understand why they took Willander over Benson.
Two-way RHDs are at a premium in the NHL, and Williander fits a huge need.
Part of me is really excited for this pick, part of me is really worried we’re gonna regret not taking Benson or Moore…
I feel pretty good about this.
I know Benson’s super fast, but Willander’s amazing defensively. And they DO need to stock up on their defensive prospects, so there’s that.
I agreed with this take: Willander’s a good pick, wish we selected Benson. I’d also add Moore.
I like Willander. Benson and Moore and maybe Wood were BPA.
Very very good skater with defensive skills and a smart mind. Commited to play at BU with Lane Hutson next year.
Benson or Moore were BPAs for me but I dont think we’ll regret it. Willander has a great toolset and would be the perfect Hughes partner.
I’ll take a right handed dman. Not the sexy pick to take but it’s a need and I’m all for that.
Thank fuck we didn’t take a winger. Be happy we didn’t take a winger.
If we get a Jonas Brodin from this pick, I have no problem with that.
The Athletic’s scouting reports:
Scott Wheeler:
> One of the better-skating defencemen in the draft, Willander, who is committed to Boston University for the fall, was a horse for the Swedish national team and Rogle’s junior team this year. He’s a strong-in-all-three-zones two-way defenceman who plays a confident and decisive game that uses his beautiful, balanced skating to push forward or fall back onto his heels and outlet the puck. He pulls away or retreats from pressure with ease and excels on exits. His head is always up. He gets his shots through. And then on top of the pro frame, and the skating, and the general athleticism, he also just plays the game with an intentionality that is rare in players his age. He looks and operates like a pro out there, his passes are quick and firm, he’s aggressive on pinches and closing gaps, and rarely mistimes them, swallowing up play defensively. Willander doesn’t have dynamic skill or creativity on the puck, but he projects safely as an NHL defenceman and might be a two-way transition monster in a second-pairing role with the right development. I expect him to step right into the college game and be impactful.
Corey Pronman:
> Willander’s skating is his main asset for the NHL; he is one of the best skaters in the draft. He has a quick, powerful skating stride and can push the pace up ice with the puck. Willander’s skating allows him to close on checks well and be a quality defender especially when combined with the fact he has some physicality in his game. I wasn’t always sold on his offensive touch. I don’t see a big-time playmaker as a pro, but Willander has good enough skill and vision to move pucks at higher levels well, especially given the space his feet can generate. He has the making of a good two-way top four defenseman.
fucking love the pick. we’ve needed a solid defensive top 4 guy since Tanev left. Benson might have a higher ceiling but Willander has a higher floor and fills a massive need, and his ceiling is really high as well
Yes sir! 1 D pick down 6 to go…
There’s been so many early round wingers over the years that people were pissed their team didn’t pick… most of them play in euro league or buffalo’s minor team now. Canucks made a great pick and I think he’s the best D besides reinbacher
Extremely predictable. We have PTSD from Juolevi but I think we’ll turn out much better here.
With our back end I’m happy we finally drafted a RHD
I love this pick
We don’t need another small winger on this team.
We desperately need a defender that can play tough minutes.
An ok pick. Not mad they went for need. But wish we got Benson instead. Shouldve went BPA
It’s tough, I’ve been told Benson is an absolute guaranteed stud on the level of Bedard by this sub. But I also know we need talented and very strong two way defenseman according to this sub.
I do t know which angry take to believe!
I don’t hate this pick, but I’d been happier with the best player (Benson most likely) available. Anyway Willander does have D skills we do need, so I’ll reserve judgement for now. Welcome to Vancouver, Tom.
Benson overrated, great pick for the Nucks.
Willander reminds me of Ivan Drago LOL
If I see more uninformed armchair GM Canucks’ fans call “Juolevi” on this I will pull my beautiful luscious hair out. Y’all actually forget that Juolevi was hampered heavily by injuries. He didn’t just bust out of thin air. And y’all really don’t understand Willander’s game either. He’s a fantastic skater and a RD. Juolevi was never a great skater.
I wanted benson but with the state of this team and how stacked we are offensively, willander will make the bigger impact in my opinion. But I still would like another pick to take a centre😂
Edit: a guy like Oliver Moore is very intriguing
Good pick
Hometown players get a penalty I’m afraid. Not moving away can stunt their development
Apparently Willander was a Canucks fan growing up and his favourite players were the Sedins. Alright, I can fuck with that
For athletic subs:
https://theathletic.com/4636231/2023/06/28/tom-willander-nhl-draft-2023?source=user-shared-article
Canucks needed defensemen, especially on the right side. I’m good with it, Hughes was a huge get for us and Jeuolevi was grade A trash.
Everyone shitting on this pick is hilarious. You don’t know more than this team’s scouting staff lol
All you bitching about Benning but then you mad when we dont take the obvious Benning pick which was Benson, a smallish winger. Redditors kinda dumb.
How can people who are fans of this team with legends like the Sedins, naslund, Ohlund, Edler, Petey, and even Gradin look at this pick and think “ugh another Swede”?
Really? Grow up.
We rarely draft D in the first round. Glad we did this year. Seems to fit a valuable development need for this team. Hope he shows well when he’s ready.
Not sorry we didn’t draft yet another winger. I appreciate that Benson is impressive but we’ll just have to see.
They’re all still so young. /shrug
Edit: missing a word.