SUNRISE, Fla. – The Vancouver Canucks have selected American winger Brock Boeser in the first round of the National Hockey League draft this evening.
The 18-year-old from Burnsville, Minn., had 35 goals and 68 points last season for Waterloo of the U.S. Hockey League. Ranked 14th by The Hockey News and 27th among North Americans by NHL Central Scouting, Boeser went 23rd to the Canucks.
His selection brightened an otherwise disappointing day for the Canucks, who saw a potential trade that would have sent defenceman Kevin Bieksa to the San Jose Sharks mysteriously collapse shortly before the draft began.