Canucks are on the verge of finding the next Marian Hossa and this is huge
Ivar Stenberg and Manny Malhotra are suddenly tied to a Canucks draft trail that feels more serious now.
That is the takeaway from Rick Dhaliwal's latest note.
If Stenberg is getting a dinner with Vancouver this week, that is not casual background work. Teams do not carve out that kind of face time with a top prospect unless the player is firmly in the mix.
And for the Canucks, that matters a lot.
Vancouver is sitting in the part of the draft where one strong preference can change everything. Once a team starts bringing a player in for that extra layer of access, the conversation shifts from broad scouting to real interest.
That is where this gets interesting.
Stenberg already carries the kind of offensive profile that would make sense for a team still looking for more top-end skill in its next core wave. He is the type of name that can start climbing in fan conversations quickly once the club gets visibly closer.
The dinner is the tell.
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Vancouver looks like a team doing more than routine homework
This is what fans should focus on.
A dinner is where teams test more than talent. They want to feel the player's presence, hear how he thinks, and figure out whether he fits the room they are trying to build.
That matters even more now with Manny Malhotra behind the bench.
The Canucks have made it clear they want stronger culture, better habits, and cleaner long-term decision-making. So when a prospect gets this kind of personal attention, it usually means the organization is trying to picture him in that environment for real.
That does not mean Vancouver will take him.
It does mean Stenberg is on the board in a meaningful way.
And honestly, that should get Canucks fans excited.
Because if the club is spending real time with him, then it likely sees more than just a nice skill package. It sees a possible fit with the direction this franchise is trying to lock in.
That is why these little draft nuggets matter.
They give away just enough.
A public meeting would be one thing.
A quiet dinner says more.
It says Vancouver wants a better read before the biggest call of its summer. And if Stenberg leaves that room making a strong impression, this rumor is only going to get louder from here.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 2, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | - | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||