As early as the top ten, some people in Vancouver started champing at the bit that Hunter Shinkaruk might drop low enough for the Vancouver Canucks to take him in the 24 position.

In his last two seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, Shinkaruk has showcased offensive abilities any team would love a piece of. Scoring 177 points in 110 games, Shinkaruk inspired this from Ross McLean of International Scouting Services:

“He is strong on the puck, has quick reactions and knows how to score goals. He typically is the player on the ice who pushes the pace of play and forces everyone else to play the game at his speed. He has great hands and is extremely tenacious around the puck. I don’t think I’ve come across a player who loves the sport as much as Shinkaruk and his passion to be on the ice, scoring goals and winning games is unbelievable.”

The knock on Shinkaruk will sound familiar to Canucks fans: he’s not the biggest player in the world. While Hunter won’t increase the team height or weight stats, he was by far the best player available in the 24 position. He’s been widely compared to Evander Kane of the Winnipeg Jets for his passion and style of play.

Look for Shinkaruk to get at least an audition with the Canucks this year, but don’t be surprised if he winds up playing a fourth year in the Dub as the big club asks him to beef up for regular NHL duty.