When the Vancouver Canucks selected defenceman Olli Juolevi fifth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, not everyone was happy. “Matthew Tkachuk is better” or “they shouldn’t have reached for a D-man” were just two of fans’ arguments.
To everyone’s defence, fans didn’t have much to cheer about. First, the Canucks finished the season 28th in the standings. Then, they fell two spots in the draft lottery. Seeing the club select a player that wasn’t No. 1 on your list can be frustrating in that situation.
Nevertheless, Juolevi seemed to be appreciated more and more as the summer went on.