It has been announced that the Canucks will have the honor of picking 5th overall in Vancouver next June. While not officially announced - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden, and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson - will join together for a press conference tomorrow at Roger’s Arena, where they are expected to officially declare Vancouver the host.
The last time Vancouver hosted the draft was in 2006, where Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues) was selected first overall, followed by Jordan Staal (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks). Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals) and Phil Kessel (Boston Bruins) rounded out the top five that year.