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Canucks Talk

The Whiteboard: A Complicated Pick

10 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the focus of the NHL draft conversation for the Canucks?

24.449 - 49.335 Jamie Dodd

Welcome back to Canucks Talks, Sportsnet 650. Jamie Dodd, Thomas Drance. We are live from the Kintec Studio. 650-650 is the Dunbar Lumber text line trusted by contractors and DIY champions across Metro Vancouver for generations. Find them at three convenient locations or visit Dunbar Lumber online today. The Jays Care 50-50 presented by Kintec Footwear and Orthotics is now live.

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49.755 - 72.891 Jamie Dodd

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72.971 - 77.608 Jamie Dodd

We did the crossover in the first segment. So let's wrap up the show with the whiteboard.

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83.275 - 85.158 Thomas Drance

All right, fellas, let's focus up.

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85.178 - 100.659 Jamie Dodd

It is your daily deep dive into what's up with the Canucks for today, June 10th. And we want to keep talking about the draft. So I'll make the headline. We are two weeks and two days away from the beginning of the NHL draft from day one, round one, Friday, June 26th.

100.679 - 117.323 Thomas Drance

Yeah, so it's a critical draft for the Canucks. And obviously that starts at third overall. Yes. The third overall pick. The draft really starts at two. Everyone knows it's going to be Gavin McKenna one. I think we've known that for a long time. Yep. And I don't think we should indulge in if there was real Stenberg.

117.363 - 119.306 Jamie Dodd

Except on the war room. Then we can indulge it.

120.387 - 144.888 Thomas Drance

I think if there was any real heat to Toronto considering Stenberg, you'd begin to see them planting seeds. Yep. You know, the seeds that like, hey. No, it's over. Yeah, it's over. Yeah. Right. And it's like, remember with the right ear, like you started to hear it. When a team's going to shock you, they start to plant seeds because they don't want to shock the world to too significant an extent.

146.63 - 170.05 Thomas Drance

Okay. So I want to talk really quickly about Caleb Malhotra. And in particular, you know, we've had a lot of conversations about him. And one of my big takes has been, typically that I think with the scoring profile that he has and how back-weighted it was this season, which you can absolutely frame as a plus in a rocket ship trajectory, but the overall scoring profile leaves me a little bit

Chapter 2: Who is Caleb Malhotra and why is he significant to the Canucks' draft strategy?

514.957 - 515.998 Thomas Drance

That is a red flag.

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516.098 - 532.407 Jamie Dodd

Generally speaking, young and actually young Jamie at the time. Well, I don't know, 27, whatever, but young Jamie, uh, Watching that. And they trade, of course, Corey Schneider for the ninth overall pick. And my immediate reaction is they're going to draft Natchushkin. Like the, you know, the Russian phenom, right? The size, everything. Oh my gosh. The elite squad profile. Yep.

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532.647 - 551.247 Jamie Dodd

And they draft Bo Horvat. And I look at his stats. It's like he didn't top 10 pick and not even a point per game in the OHL. And I was not on board. An early miss for Jamie. And I think it gets to what you're talking about. Like, The scouts were right. And if the scouts are going... If you're going to trust the scouts on any player type, it's this player type.

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551.267 - 574.932 Thomas Drance

It's the OHL centerman. Yeah. The... I remember messaging Harrison Mooney and we were chatting about the pick. Harrison Mooney, formerly of the Pass to Bullets blog, and his take on it was, the name Bo Horvat even sounds like a bust. And I've always remembered it because it's just so funny. Because he's right. Like, all apologies to Bo. He's obviously become an awesome player, but like...

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575.401 - 600.572 Thomas Drance

Before we knew what and who he was, it was like, oh. Yeah. I was pretty skeptical. Okay. So, yeah. I think, though, my takeaway remains that, like, I think Caleb Malhotra is, like, a home run pick at five or six. I still think with the profiles still on the board when the Canucks are going to be picking at three, particularly that of Carson Carl's Keaton Verhoff and Vigo Bjork.

601.253 - 618.415 Thomas Drance

It's still probably too rich for my blood, but I think my takeaway is going to be much like it was with Braden Coots last year, where whether it's the optimal pick, the way that I tend to analyze this stuff, it's in range. And I don't think people should be like mad about it or upset about it. Yeah.

618.435 - 632.991 Thomas Drance

I think it's fair to have concerns about it, especially when you factor in the awkwardness, the queasiness of who the head coach is. But I think he's in range at third overall, especially once you account for draft capital into your cohort analysis.

633.072 - 651.777 Jamie Dodd

Yes. And I think if there wasn't the coaching situation, the family relationship situation, I'd have no issue with it. I'd be like, yep, seems reasonable. Awesome. Excited to watch him play. I still think the coaching thing makes it too complicated for me, and I would go in a different direction. Having said that, it doesn't mean it's going to be a disaster, right?

651.797 - 654.301 Jamie Dodd

And it's still an exciting player, but I would steer away from it.

Chapter 3: What concerns exist about Caleb Malhotra's scoring profile?

731.832 - 738.48 Thomas Drance

People will not capitulate on the players that they pour their hopes in. Like, here's one that I know you got in on. Travis Snyder.

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738.54 - 748.052 Jamie Dodd

Oh, buddy. How long do you have? Lunchbox Hero 45, who I still follow on Twitter. Yeah, dude. My guy, Travis Snyder.

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748.072 - 755.882 Thomas Drance

I remember when they traded Travis Snyder and it's like you knew on some level that he wasn't that good, but like you still were so mad. Oh, I loved Travis Snyder.

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755.862 - 775.59 Thomas Drance

So when fans pour their hopes and dreams into one of these young guys and get attached and it takes, you know, even when it's very, very apparent that the bet wasn't, isn't working or like is working and the guy might be an NHL player, but he's clearly not as big a star as some of the players that the team left on the board. Fans are still going to hold on for years and years and years.

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776.17 - 789.743 Thomas Drance

I can't live in a world where... whoever the Canucks pick at third overall is like, I'm like the hater of that player. I just can't, we can't do that all rebuild. I can't do that. No, it's not going to be fun. I don't have the appetite for it.

789.763 - 791.187 Jamie Dodd

I also don't have the appetite for that.

791.267 - 792.049 Thomas Drance

For me to do that?

792.089 - 794.155 Jamie Dodd

Correct. Yeah. Or for me to do it.

794.135 - 807.475 Thomas Drance

Yeah, I just like I, you know, they're going to make a pick and Malhotra is in range. And I'm not even just playing politics here. I think when you adjust for draft capital, he's a totally valid pick at three, even if it's not, you know, the way that I would.

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