The Vancouver Canucks have locked up 32nd place, so we know they’re assured of a top-three pick in the upcoming draft.
But what about their other selection?
For the first time since 2014, the Canucks are set up to draft twice in the first round, thanks to the Quinn Hughes trade in December. In that deal, the Canucks received Minnesota’s first-round pick in the 2026 draft.
The bad news is, Minnesota is one of the best teams in the NHL this season and already have 100 points. The good news is that Hughes’ new team is in the league’s toughest division, likely needing to beat both Dallas and Colorado to get to the Western Conference Final.
How the draft order works
The draft order is a relatively complicated process, given it takes into account points gained in the standings, division-winner status, and appearances in the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final.
In a normal season, picks 1-16 are made by the teams that miss the playoffs. Picks 17-28 are made by teams that get eliminated in the first or second round, while teams that make it to the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final get picks 29-32.
This year will be a little bit different, due to the sanction levied against the Ottawa Senators as a result of the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade in 2021. The Sens are guaranteed to pick 32nd, meaning that everyone else gets bumped down a spot.
The draft order among teams eliminated in the first and second round is determined by total regular season points. Teams with higher point totals get lower picks.
The exception to this rule is that division winners pick last, regardless of their point totals.
Another thing to note is that making it to the second round does not negatively impact your draft selection, compared to teams knocked out in the first round.
How low can Minnesota go?
Canucks fans will be cheering hard against the Wild down the stretch and into the playoffs, and not just because they’re feeling salty towards Quinn Hughes.
The best-case scenario for the Canucks first involves Minnesota dropping as low in the standings as possible before the regular season wraps up next week.
How low can Minnesota go? (NHL)
It’s possible, but unlikely that the Wild could drop below Pittsburgh and Boston in the standings. The race with Dallas, Buffalo, and Montreal is more interesting though.
From there, Canucks fans will be cheering for three things.
First, for Minnesota to be eliminated in the first or second round.
Secondly, for division winners to get knocked out before the Conference Finals.
And thirdly, for teams ranked below Minnesota to make Cinderella runs to the final four.
Given the way the standings are presently set, Canucks fans would be cheering for:
Minnesota to lose in the first or second round
All four division winners (Colorado, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Edmonton) to be eliminated before the Conference Finals
The last four teams standing to include teams like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Ottawa, Anaheim, Vegas, Utah, and Nashville
If absolutely everything broke the Canucks’ way in that scenario, Vancouver would get the 19th overall pick.
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