Canucks Select 8 Players in the 2017 NHL Draft

Chicago, Illinois - The Vancouver Canucks selected a total of eight players in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft: centre Elias Pettersson fifth overall, forward Kole Lind 33rd overall, forward Jonah Gadjovich 55th overall, goaltender Michael DiPietro 64th overall, defenceman Jack Rathbone 95th overall, defenceman Kristoffer Gunnarsson 135th overall, forward Petrus Palmu 181st overall and defenceman Matt Brassard 188th overall. The Canucks acquired the 135th and 181st selections from Chicago in exchange for the 112th selection earlier today.

Pettersson, 18, spent the 2016.17 season with Timra in Sweden's second division, collecting 41 points (19-22-41) in 43 games. His goals and points ranked second among the team while his assist totals were the most by a junior-aged player in Sweden's second division. In 2015.16, the 6-2, 165-pound centre split time between Timra's junior club where he registered six goals and eight assists in 22 games and its main team in the second division where he collected three goals and six assists in 25 games. The season prior, the Sundsvall, Sweden, native recorded 38 points (20-18-38) in 18 games with Timra's Under-18 team and added 14 points (5-9-14) in eight playoff games to help secure the League's bronze medal.
Lind, 18, led the Kelowna Rockets and finished 15th in the WHL in scoring with 87 points (30-57-87) during the 2016.17 season en route to being named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team. The 6-1, 185-pound forward also added 12 points (6-6-12) in 17 games during the WHL playoffs. During his first full season with Kelowna in 2015.16, Lind posted 41 points (14-27-41) in 70 games played. The Swift Current, Saskatchewan, native made his WHL debut the season prior, collecting an assist in six games. He also added three assists in seven postseason contests to help the Rockets win their fourth Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Gadjovich, 18, led the Owen Sound Attack and ranked third in the OHL in goals with 46 in 2016.17. The 6-1, 199-pound forward recorded 74 points (46-28-74) in 60 regular season games and seven points (4-3- 7) in 17 playoff games. In 2015.16, the Whitby, Ontario, native notched 14 goals and 10 assists in his second OHL season with the Attack.
DiPietro, 18, led the Windsor Spitfires to a Memorial Cup Championship in 2017 posting a 4-0-0 record along with a 2.00 GAA and .932 save percentage en route to being awarded the Happ Emms Memorial Trophy as Most Outstanding Goaltender. During the 2016.17 regular season, the Amherstburg, Ontario, native had a 30-12-6 record with six shutouts along with a 2.35 GAA and .917 save percentage. The season prior, DiPietro posted a 16-8-2 record along with a 2.45 GAA and .912 save percentage en route to being awarded the Dinty Moore Trophy awarded to the OHL rookie goaltender with the lowest GAA.
Rathbone, 18, led Dexter School in assists (19) and points (35) in 22 games playing in Massachusetts in 2016.17. Named to the United States High School All-USA Hockey First Team, Rathbone also appeared in four games for Youngstown of the USHL registering an assist. The year prior, the 5-10, 172-pound native of West Roxbury, Massachusetts, registered 35 points (16-19-35) in 22 games for Dexter School.
Gunnarsson, 20, split the 2016.17 season between Oskarshamn IK of the Swedish Allsvenskan (1-1-2 and eight PIM in 29 games) and Frolunda HC of the SHL (29 PIM in 10 games). The season prior, the 6-1, 205- pound native of Molndal, Sweden, also split the season with Oskarshamn IK (5 games) and Frolunda HC (13 games).
Palmu, 19, led the Owen Sound Attack and ranked fourth in the OHL in scoring with 98 points (40-58- 98) in 62 games in 2016.17. The 5-6, 175-pound forward's 58 assists also ranked second on the team and tied for eighth in the OHL while his 40 goals ranked third on the team and ninth in the OHL. During the 2015.16 season, the Joensuu, Finland, native recorded 49 points (23-26-49) in 52 games in his second OHL season with the Attack.
Brassard, 18, split the 2016.17 OHL season between Oshawa (7-11-18 in 33 games) and Barrie (5-9-14 in 29 games). The 6-2, 197-pound defenceman native of Barrie, Ontario also ranked sixth among OHL blue liners in shots per game with 3.27. The year prior, Brassard notched a goal and three assists in 28 games in his first season in the OHL.