Canucks draft Melvin Fernstrom with first pick in third round

The Vancouver Canucks had a long wait to make their first pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. With no first- or second-round pick and a strong playoff run, the Canucks’ first pick didn’t come until late in the third round, 93rd overall.

Finding a top prospect without a top draft pick is tough. You have to take a chance on a player with one or two significant flaws that you think your development staff can overcome. The ideal bet in the mid-to-late round is a 17-year-old who won’t turn 18 until early September and will see limited playing time with his junior team because he’s behind multiple veterans and just hit 6’1” after a recent growth spurt, and is still growing into his frame and adjusting to his new size.

The Canucks’ first-round draft pick didn’t quite fit that profile, but he’s an intriguing player who will compete with a capable but flawed player.

With the 93rd overall pick, the Canucks selected Melvin Fernström from Örebro HK in the Swedish junior league, J20 Nationell.

Fernström was a beast in the J20 Nationell, leading the league in goal scoring and finishing third in points with 31 goals and 63 points in 45 games. That earned him a cup of coffee against men in the SHL, playing six games for the senior club in the regular season and three playoff games, though he didn’t have any points.

Fernström also excelled at international level. He was Sweden’s top scorer with 8 points from 7 games at the Under-18 World Cup and scored 5 points from 4 games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The 6-foot-3 winger is smart with the puck, gets into good positions to score and has a quick shot to get past goalies after a pass, and is also a skilled playmaker.

“Fernström reads the play away from the puck, anticipates where the next pass will come, and gets there just as his teammates with the puck turn to execute the play,” his Elite Prospects profile reads. “The winger is also just as good at distributing the puck. During games, he often finds teammates at the door, collecting assists.”

So why on earth was he still available late in the third round for the Canucks to take him at 93rd overall?

The problem for Fernström is that he has some key weaknesses that could prevent him from translating his offensive game to the NHL level. His skating options are severely limited, which will make it a challenge for him to find open areas of the ice as the pace of the game increases.

“He’s just not fast enough,” Elite Prospects’ JD Burke said in a scouting report. “He can’t keep up physically and he doesn’t anticipate the play in a way that can make up for that deficit.”

Additionally, Fernström doesn’t protect the puck well enough to play a power game, meaning he loses puck battles on a regular basis, which will be a major hurdle to making it to the NHL.

The point is: flaws are inevitable with players taken in the first two rounds — hell, the first 10 picks. Fernstrom’s advantage is that his unique and intelligent offensive game could make him a legitimate impact player in the NHL if he can address his weaknesses.

“He lacks the speed and quickness to outrun defenders or beat them in straight lines and he loses many of his 1-on-1 battles, but these weaknesses also shape his overall game,” Elite Prospects says. “They forced him to develop some unique ways to score.”

If Fernström can add more speed and strength, his creativity could shine through, making him a second-line winger in the NHL. Overall, it’s an intriguing swing from general manager Patrik Allvin and his scouting staff.