Latest news with #NilsHöglander
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Latest mock draft has Bruins making 2 first-round selections after trading top-6 forward
The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is fast approaching and soon Bruins will know how Boston uses its No. 7 pick. The Bruins have been connected to Brady Martin, Jake O'Brien and Roger McQueen in mock drafts. The Athletic had Boston taking O'Brien in its latest mock at No. 7, but the outlet also had the Original Six franchise trading back into the first round. Advertisement Here's the proposed trade: Vancouver Canucks trade No. 15 pick and forward Nils Höglander to Boston for center Pavel Zacha and forward Marat Khusnutdinov. The Bruins would then use the No. 15 pick to draft Jackson Smith, a left-shot defenseman. 'Smith's all-around upside as a defenseman makes him a valuable prospect with time to grow behind Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Mason Lohrei,' Fluto Shinzawa wrote. 'There is no rush for Smith to turn pro.' While Shinzawa noted the Bruins are 'wary of dealing Zacha,' the chance to get the No. 15 pick is a 'critical opportunity to add to a thin prospect pool.' Advertisement Zacha has been versatile for Boston since joining the organization in 2022, playing both center and wing when needed. He's also developed strong chemistry with David Pastrnak. Thomas Drance, Canucks reporter for The Athletic, believes the trade works out for both teams because Vancouver is 'all-in' on being Stanley Cup contenders in the 2025-26 season and 'needs size and productivity from the middle of the forward group more than anything.' 'Landing Zacha addresses the Canucks' need for a 'top two line center,' and at a reasonable price, with term, cap-wise,' Drance wrote. 'This is a deal that permits Vancouver to focus its resources on adding a legitimate top-of-the-lineup goal threat to try to replace what the club lost when it dealt J.T. Miller (and may lose more of in the likely event that Brock Boeser signs elsewhere in free agency).' It's unclear how the Bruins will utilize their seventh pick or if they will make trades to make multiple picks in Round 1. During Marco Sturm's introductory press conference on Tuesday morning, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney left the door open on potentially trading the pick. Advertisement 'We've been an aggressive organization, whether or not you want to point out fault in regard to trying to win and accomplish the ultimate goal. That's what we're here for,' Sweeney said. 'So we will use the draft capital and try and improve our hockey club this year and moving forward in every capacity possible. It might be making the selection, but it won't mean that we aren't having conversations that say, 'How do we improve our hockey club today and moving forward.'' More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Stats Behind Game #77: Vegas 3, Canucks 2
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Latest From THN's Vancouver Canucks Site: Nils Höglander Returns To The Canucks Lineup Against The Vegas Golden Knights All Of Alex Ovechkin's Goals Against The Vancouver Canucks MUST SEE: Canucks Elias Pettersson Scores First Career Goal The Canucks were outplayed in their loss to the Golden Knights. Vegas held a 26-22 even-strength scoring chances advantage, while Vancouver also lost the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 10-8. While there were some positive moments in the game, the Canucks struggled to match the Golden Knights speed, which ended up costing them on Sunday night. As for the heatmap, it is a good illustration of how Vancouver's defence struggled against Vegas. The Golden Knights generated shots from all over the zone and were able to get 35 shots on Kevin Lankinen. Yes, it is a positive that the Canucks were able to limit Vegas to just eight high-danger shots, but overall, they struggled defensively as the Golden Knights held most of the possession. Looking at the forward lines, Vancouver's top trio was Nils Höglander, Pius Suter and Brock Boeser. During their 11:19 of ice time, the Canucks held a 9-6 scoring chances advantage, while also outscoring their opposition 1-0. Overall, this line was impressive as each member was able to generate an individual high-danger chance at even strength. To wrap things up, Aatu Räty also had a strong night. During his 11:10 of even-strength ice time, Vancouver finished with a 6-5 scoring chances advantage, while Räty led the team with two individual even-strength high-danger chances created. Räty also won six of nine faceoffs and showed once again why he deserves a full-time spot in the NHL. Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.