Will Beach, Schultz haunt the Canucks?

Mike Gillis hasn’t made any new friends since taking over as the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.

But he might have missed a golden opportunity last weekend to get some props and also snare a couple of good looking prospects from our little pocket of the world.

Gillis and the Canucks had the chance to draft both Kyle Beach of Kelowna and Justin Schultz of Westside at last weekend’s NHL draft but went with a couple of eastern Canadian players instead.

Not that a team should pick a player just because of where he lives but wouldn’t it have been interesting if the Canucks had taken Kelowna Minor Hockey product Beach and Westside Minor Hockey product Schultz.

Or one of them. They had their chance at both.

Beach was selected in the first round, 11th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Canucks picked before the Hawks and Beach was there but instead the Canucks took Toronto’s Cody Hodgson with the 10th selection. Maybe it’s because I really like Kyle Beach but I think this was a mistake.

Considered the best power forward in the draft, Beach has the right attitude to make it to the NHL.

He has persevered through a lot at such a young age and has put up big offensive numbers in the WHL.

I think he is misunderstood and I think a lot of people (to coin a hockey phrase) have tried to throw him under the bus.

But in dozens of interviews with the Everett Silvertips forward, I’ve found Beach to be about as honest as a person gets.

Last year he got in trouble with Hockey Canada because of a practical joke about OHL players that was widely reported.

What wasn’t ever reported was that all of the players, including players from the OHL and the QMJHL, were making the same type of jokes in private.

But a teammate sold Beach out to the press and he was torched.

But it was a lesson, and I think in the long run the Blackhawks are going to be very happy to have such a determined, skilled, feisty and tough player in their system.

We’ll see what type of player Hodgson turns out to be.

Then the Canucks had the chance to right a wrong in the second round when they had the 41st overall pick.

Westside’s Schultz was still available. But again the Canucks passed and picked a defenceman from the QMJHL instead.

Remember the name Yann Sauve, and let’s see who turns out to be a better blueliner.

Schultz was selected two spots later by Anaheim who said they were very happy he was still there.

It makes you wonder where Gillis is from.

A quick Google search and I’m not surprised it says Sudbury, Ont. That’s pretty near the centre of the universe I think.

Not that any player is a lock but it will be interesting to follow the careers of Beach and Schultz as they try to make the NHL.

If they do it will be another drafting mistake you can mark down for the Vancouver Canucks.

kparnell@kelownacapnews.com