Wake With Elias: Filip Johansson’s potential & the weird Wild draft pick thing

The Vancouver Canucks prospect depth is bad. Like, everywhere.

That’s no secret to fans of this team. Years of graduating top prospects to the NHL while trading high draft picks have decimated this team’s prospect pool.

So, how does signing a former 2018 first-round pick, who many labeled a bust, change that narrative?

That waits to be seen, but the Canucks’ most recent signee automatically becomes the best right-shot defenceman in the system.

Canucks sign Johansson

• Patrik Allvin announced on Monday that the Canucks have signed 2018 24th overall pick Filip Johansson to a two-year, entry-level deal.

“Filip plays a solid defensive game and has shown consistent improvement over the past three seasons.” Allvin said in the Canucks’ press release.

“He will continue to develop his game in Sweden with Frölunda next season, but we look forward to welcoming him to Vancouver for Development Camp at UBC next month.”

Johansson purely seems to be a defensive defenceman, never registering more than 11 points in an SHL season. To date, he’s registered 26 points in 132 career SHL games.

The 22-year-old’s offence did increase during postseason play this year. He tied for the team lead with five goals in nine playoff games. Johansson also scored another three goals and added an assist during 12 Champions Hockey League games.

His postseason and Champions HL performances hint at some untapped potential, but the Canucks would just be happy if Johansson could develop into a solid defensive defenceman on the right side.

Considering that Johansson cost nothing to acquire, coupled with the fact that there are no sure bets among current right-shot defensive prospects in Jett Woo, Jonathan Myrenberg and Viktor Persson, this decision has to be considered a win.

The weird Minnesota draft pick thing

Nearly two weeks before the Canucks signed Johansson, the Wild received a second-round draft selection this year for not signing their former first-round pick.

Johansson became a free agent on June 1st, after the Wild passed on the right to sign him.

I don’t recall this scenario coming up in recent memory, but this clause was added to the 2013 CBA agreement.

Here’s Article 8.3 on Compensatory Draft selections.

8.3 Compensatory Draft Selections.

(a) In addition to the seven (7) rounds of the Entry Draft, there shall be an additional number of Compensatory Draft Selections not to exceed the number of Clubs to be in the League in the following League Year.

(b) In the event a Club loses its draft rights to an Unsigned Draft Choice drafted in the first round of the Entry Draft (except as a result of failing to tender a required Bona Fide Offer (as defined below)), who (i) is again eligible for the Entry Draft, (ii) becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent, or (iii) dies, a Compensatory Draft Selection shall automatically be granted to that Club, which Compensatory Draft Selection shall be the same numerical choice in the second round in the Entry Draft immediately following the date the Club loses such rights. By way of example, if a Club cannot sign the third pick in the first round, it will receive the third pick in the second round as compensation.

Not sure if I get the logic here...a team makes a bad first-round selection, so they’re rewarded by getting a second-round draft pick for choosing not to sign their bad draft selection?

Hmm...thanks Gary!