Montreal, QC - The Vancouver Canucks selected a total of six players in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from July 7-8, including right wing Jonathan Lekkerimäki 15th overall (round one), defenceman Elias Pettersson 80th (round three), centre Daimon Gardner 112th (round four), goaltender Ty Young 144th (fifth round), defenceman Jackson Dorrington 176th (sixth round), and defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev 208th (seventh round).
Canucks Select Six Players at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft
Lekkerimäki, 17, split the 2021.22 season between the SHL and J20 Nationell leagues with Djurgårdens IF. The 5'10", 171-pound forward recording 35 points (20-15-35) in 26 games with the J20 club and nine points (7-2-9) across 26 regular season games with the SHL team. On the international stage, the Tullinge, Sweden native has represented his home country on multiple occasions, highlighted by a recent gold medal victory at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship where he led the tournament in scoring with 15 points (5-10-15) in six games.
Pettersson, 18, spent last season with Örebro HK at various levels, including the SHL (0-1-1 in 17 games), J20 Nationell (10-8-18 in 37 games), and J18 Nationell/Region (4-10-14 in 10 games). The 6'2", 185-pound defenceman appeared in six playoff games with the J20 club, leading the entire team in scoring with 10 points (2-8-10) and a registering a team-high +12 plus/minus rating. A native of Västerås, Sweden, Pettersson won gold alongside Lekkerimäki at this year's U18 World Championship, appearing in all six games.
Gardner, 18, appeared in 30 games with the Warroad Warriors in the Minnesota State High School League, leading the team in goals (45) and points (83), and ranking tied for fourth in overall league scoring (45-38-83). The 6'4", 200-pound forward has also spent parts of the last two seasons in the USHL with Omaha and Tri-City, totalling eight points (4-4-8) and 50 penalty minutes in 39 games played. The Eagle Lake, Ontario native is set to stay in the USHL next season and has committed to Clarkson University for 2023.24.
Young, 17, appeared in 23 games for the Prince George Cougars (WHL) in 2021.22, posting a 6-9-3 record to go along with a 3.50 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. The 6'2", 181-pound product of Coaldale, Alberta also played 17 games with the Calgary Canucks (AJHL), ranking tied for second league-wide with a .918 save percentage while also registering a 3.38 goals against average.
Dorrington, 18, played 41 games with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL during 2021.22, collecting 11 points (3-8-11) and 51 penalty minutes. One season prior, the 6'2", 192-pound blueliner led all Boston Jr. Bruins defencemen in scoring with 20 points (2-18-20) in 33 regular season games, before adding three points (0-3-3) in six playoff games. A native of North Reading, Massachusetts, Dorrington represented the US at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, picking up an assist in four games.
Kudryavtsev, 18, spent last season with the Soo Greyhounds in his first OHL season, recording 39 points (5-34-39), 10 penalty minutes, and a +13 plus/minus rating in 68 games. Previously, the 5'11", 200-pound defenceman played for Loko Yaroslavl in Russia's Junior Hockey League during the 2020.21 season, notching seven points (2-5-7 in 20 games). The Yaroslavl, Russia native also competed internationally at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (1-0-1 in 5 games), winning gold.
