Drafting by position can be like Russian Roulette. You pull the trigger and hope to not shoot yourself in the foot.

ARTICLE TOOLS

• Printer friendly
• E-mail

Font:

• *
• *
• *
• *

Ask NHL general managers about pre-draft strategy and they usually lean toward taking the best player -- not the best goalie, defenceman or forward.

Mike Gillis may stray from that strategy Friday in Montreal. With the 22nd overall pick, the Vancouver Canucks GM could address two needs by selecting blueliner Stefan Elliott. He would land a budding power-play quarterback, who was sixth among WHL defenceman in scoring with 55 points (16-39) last season for the Saskatoon Blades, in hopes of one day filling the void left by the late Luc Bourdon.

Elliott was also the Canadian Hockey League's scholastic player of the year and the leadership qualities demonstrated by the North Vancouver native are what Gillis is determined to add to the organization. So, he could cash in on the daily double instead of double trouble.

"It's not a dangerous game to play," said Gillis. "It goes into the equation and we have certain areas that we see two or three years down the road and we see where the need is. It [position] will have influence in my mind in who you select. If you have three players rated very closely and they're all right there, the position plays an influential role."

The Canucks could also try to move up to take defenceman Ryan Ellis, who could go 10th overall to Edmonton or 12th overall to Minnesota. The Windsor defenceman had 63 points (15-48) last season for the Memorial Cup champions, but acquiring the Spitfires ace would likely require moving a prospect in return, something Gillis is loath to do.Then again, Gillis could move down and stock more franchise prospects.

"We're prepared to listen to any type of opportunity," he said.

Regardless, it's becoming clear that Gillis is placing a premium on picks who are as good off the ice as they are on it, like first-round pick Cody Hodgson. They're tough to find, but worth the effort when building a foundation for the future.

"We want to see a single-mindedness in desire and accomplishing goals," stressed Gillis. "People can talk about it, but you have to see examples of it being displayed all the time. It just doesn't get displayed in the hockey rink. It gets displayed in the classroom and in family life and a variety of different ways.

"We want to have as much information about those characteristics as we can."

OF NOTE: Gillis will soon discuss contract extensions for his entire coaching staff and Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel.

"We're going to meet after the draft and they know how we feel. We'll pursue it right after the free-agent period," said the GM.