With their only third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Vancouver Canucks have nabbed goaltender Dmitri Ivchenko at the 78th overall spot. Standing tall at 6’3”, Ivchenko has been making waves, climbing the NHL Central Scouting's EU Goalies rankings from 8th to 4th by the final evaluation.
Ivchenko's performance with Omsk in the MHL has been impressive, boasting a .922 save percentage and an 11-5-1 record over 19 games. This Russian netminder fits right into the Canucks' preferred goaltender profile-tall, athletic, and fiercely competitive.
His calm demeanor and adept post play make him a natural fit for Vancouver's goaltending strategy, which emphasizes the RVH (Reverse-VH) technique against the posts more than most teams. While he shows great promise, early observations suggest he could improve his puck tracking through traffic, as delayed reactions to high passes can sometimes lead to tricky rebounds.
Elite Prospects has high praise for Ivchenko, noting that if size and technique were the primary criteria, he'd be a top choice. Their scouts rank him as the second-most technical and fourth-smartest goaltender in the draft class.
The third round was a busy one for goaltenders, with several teams making their moves to avoid missing out on key prospects. Ivchenko now joins a promising Canucks goaltending lineup, which includes Aleksei Medvedev, a second-rounder from last year, and Ty Young and Aku Koskenvuo, both expected to play in AHL Abbotsford next season.
The selection of Ivchenko was made possible through a pick acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Conor Garland trade prior to the trade deadline. This move adds another intriguing piece to Vancouver's goaltending future.
In Other News...
Canucks Eyeing Familiar Blue-Line Reunion Fans Will Definitely Debate
The Canucks are keeping an eye on the veteran side of their blue line again, and Ian Cole is a familiar name in that search. According to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK, Vancouver is interested in the pending unrestricted free agent defenseman after his one-season run with the club in 2023-24, a stretch that left the Canucks with a clear sense of what he can and cannot bring. Cole has continued to be a useful contributor in recent seasons, which only adds to the appeal for a team looking to steady its back end.
There is also a roster wrinkle building around Pierre-Olivier Joseph, with Vancouver expected not to issue him a qualifying offer, which would push him toward free agency. Put together, the two moves hint at a blue-line reset that favors experience and familiarity, even if the debate in Vancouver will come down to whether that is the right mix for a team trying to stay competitive while reshaping its defense. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks May Be Near Their Biggest Pettersson Decision Yet
The Elias Pettersson trade chatter around Vancouver has a very real business side to it, and that is what makes this one different from the usual offseason noise. Pettersson is tied to the Canucks through the 2031-32 season, and his cap hit is large enough to make any move complicated before it even gets to the hockey fit. For a team trying to keep its options open heading into free agency, that kind of contract can quickly become the central issue.
What makes the situation even trickier is the timing. July 1 is creeping closer, and the longer the offseason goes, the fewer paths there may be to create real salary cap flexibility. Vancouver could always try to make the numbers work in a variety of ways, including retaining some salary, but as of now there is still no confirmed deal and plenty of uncertainty about whether this is a true market or just a difficult one to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Predators Just Made Another Forward Move Fans Will Want To See
The Predators have continued to reshape their forward group this offseason, and the latest move gives them another cost-controlled option with some runway left on his contract. Nashville brought in Nils Hoglander from Vancouver for a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft, adding a winger who still has two years left at a $3 million cap hit per season before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2028.
For a Predators front office that has already added Ross Colton, Jack Drury and Adam Edstrom, the deal fits the broader pattern of stacking depth while keeping plenty of flexibility. Nashville still has nearly $17 million in cap space heading toward free agency, so the move raises the question of whether this is another incremental piece or just the latest step in a much bigger offensive shuffle. [Read more 🡒]