Day: July 3, 2026

NHL Draft 2026 Review– Canucks Day 2 Picks: Lucian Bernat Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja, Finland)

On By CanucksBanterIn Canucks NewsLeave a comment
Close-up of a Vancouver Canucks hockey puck on the ice with the text 'RD' on the left and 'SIX' on the right in bold letters.

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

July 3, 2026

Why Lucian Bernat Could be the Canucks’ Next Power Forward

Lucian Bernat (RW, shoots right) is a 6’4″ (193 cm), 198–201 lb (91 kg) Slovakian prospect born June 8, 2008, in Bratislava.

The Vancouver Canucks selected him 176th overall (6th round) in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft out of Tappara U20 (Finland U20 SM-sarja / Liiga juniors).

He is a rare combination of size, skill, and two-way elements for his age. He stayed in Finland’s structured development system for his draft year instead of reporting to the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack (who selected him 75th overall in the 2025 CHL Import Draft). He is now expected to join Owen Sound for the 2026-27 season.

Portrait of a young male hockey player wearing a red, white, and blue jersey with a neutral expression, set against a gray background.

Profile

  • Drafted: 2026 NHL Draft, 6th Round (176th Overall) by the Vancouver Canucks
  • Position: Right Wing
  • Shoots: Right Height / Weight: 6’4″ / 201 lbs
  • Nationality: Slovakia (Bratislava)
  • 2025–26 Team: Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja, Finland)
  • 2026–27 Team: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Skills, Talents, Evaluation

Lucian Bernat is a massive, highly intriguing prospect who represents exactly the type of high-upside swing teams look for in the later rounds of the draft. Spending his draft year in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja rather than crossing the pond early, he posted a solid 15 goals and 16 assists (31 points) in 37 games against older competition.

  • Player Type (per Elite Prospects): Cerebral Tactician • Sniper • Two-Way Forward.
  • Bernat is often described by scouts as a rare blend of size, skill, and hockey sense.
  • Size & Physical Tools: 6’4″ frame with projectable strength. Uses reach, body positioning, and net-front presence effectively. Wins board battles, controls play down low, and is difficult to play against when engaged. Shows power-forward flashes (especially internationally). canucksarmy.com
  • Skating: Fluid and advanced for his size. Good first-three-stride acceleration, long powerful stride in transition, and sharp edgework in tight spaces (influenced by Finnish development).
  • Shot & Scoring: High-end tool with a quick, deceptive release. Versatile (wrister, one-timer, mid-range). Mature shot selection and positioning in scoring areas. Off-wing scoring feel.
  • Puck Skills & Protection: Strong in traffic. Shields the puck well, manipulates it into his hip, executes give-and-gos at pace, and protects along the right half-wall on the power play.
  • Hockey Sense & Two-Way Play: Cerebral player who reads structures quickly. Mature defensive habits — purposeful backchecking, stick-on-puck disruption, reliable 200-foot game. Good off-puck positioning and lane awareness. Reliable on both special teams.

Key Scouting Notes:

  • The Hockey Writers highlighted his “rare combination of size and skill,” advanced edgework, and mature defensive habits from the Finnish system. thehockeywriters.com
  • Neutral Zone gave him a B+ at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup for his big-bodied power-forward play, net-front presence, board work, and poise on the power play (led tournament in PP ice time).
  • Canucks Army / Steven Ellis: Likes the shot and transition game; solid power-forward tendencies; difficult to play against but needs more consistent checking engagement.

Analytical / Metrics Context

Public advanced metrics (e.g., expected goals, Corsi) are limited at the Finnish U20 level. Evaluation relies heavily on scouting observation and basic production.

  • Rankings (pre-draft): NHL Central Scouting — #39 European skaters (final); Midterm ~#35 EU. McKeen’s ~#77 overall; other mid-round projections (3rd–5th round in some mocks). He climbed rankings through the season.
  • Production: 0.84 PPG in U20 as a 17-year-old is respectable against older competition. Scored consistently enough to be a top contributor on his team.
  • Scouting Grades: Draft Prospects Hockey — C+ overall, middle-six projection. Elite Prospects scouting notes emphasize shoot-first winger with physical tools and power-forward potential (some variability in consistency noted). draftprospectshockey.com

Upside

Bernat has legitimate middle-six NHL upside as a secondary scorer with size, a good shot, and two-way reliability. His frame is projectable — adding strength and consistency between ages 18–21 could turn him into a difficult power forward who contributes on the power play and penalty kill.

Possess genuine shooting talent and high hockey IQ which are premium commodities at the professional level.

Right-shot wingers with his combination of tools are valuable. If the skating, puck protection, and defensive habits translate (as Finnish development often helps), he could become a bottom-to-middle-six winger with physical presence. Late-round picks with this toolkit are high-variance “lottery tickets” with meaningful upside.

Downside & Risks

  • Inconsistency: Production and engagement can fluctuate (e.g., quieter stretches in league play).
  • Physical Development: Needs to add functional strength to sustain battles and dominate at higher levels (Liiga, AHL, NHL).
  • Untested Levels: Has not played Liiga (top Finnish pro league) or faced North American pace/ice surface consistently yet.
  • Adaptation: Transition from Finnish structured play to the smaller, faster NHL/NA game (and OHL) is an unknown.

Elite Prospects scouting notes some power-forward flashes but questions consistency and on-puck adjustments for sustained NHL impact (potential 4th-line or European middle-six floor in some evaluations).

Expectations for the Canucks

This is a classic developmental project with legitimate upside — exactly the type of pick teams hope hits in rounds 5–7. The Canucks get a big, skilled, right-shot winger with two-way elements and a translatable toolkit developed in a high-quality system.

Development Timeline:

  • 2026-27: OHL with Owen Sound Attack — focus on consistency, physical engagement, and adapting to NA game/ice.
  • Next 2–4 years: Junior → AHL seasoning. Monitor strength gains and special-teams contributions.
  • Ceiling Projection: Middle-six winger (secondary scoring + physical presence) by ~2029–2031, if development goes well.
  • Floor: Depth/AHL player or solid European pro.

Canucks Fit:

Adds size and right-shot depth to the prospect pool. Complements skillier or smaller forwards. Patient approach expected — Finnish prospects often benefit from time to mature physically and mentally.

Overall Verdict:

Solid value at 176th overall. Bernat brings a desirable package (size + shot + IQ + two-way play) that is harder to find late in the draft. High-upside swing with manageable risk for a 6th-rounder. The next 2–3 years in the OHL and AHL will be critical in determining how much of his tools translate. thehockeywriters.com

Already possessing the physical tools and structural discipline, his developmental trajectory could take a massive leap over the next three years. If he can increase his overall pace and successfully adapt his decision-making to the tighter checking of the OHL next season, the Canucks may have unearthed a legitimate steal who can eventually bring heavy, skilled minutes to their lineup.

NEXT TIME

Profile of Canucks Samuel Eriksson, LD, 6th round, 184th overall

Until next time, hockey fans

Canucks Sign Matthew Stienburg To A 1 Yr, Two-Way Contract

On By CanucksBanterIn Canucks NewsLeave a comment

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

July 3, 2026

Canucks’ New Depth Forward: Who is Matthew Stienburg?

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson announced July 2, that the Canucks has agreed to terms with forward Matthew Stienburg on a one-year, two-way contract.

Matthew Stienburg is signed to a 1 year, $850,000 contract with a cap hit of $850,000 per season, playing for the Vancouver Canucks. His contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season, making Stienburg an Unrestricted Free Agent (Group 6).

Stienburg, 25, appeared in eight games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) in 2025.26, recording three points (2-1-3) and 11 penalty minutes.

The 6’1”, 182lbs forward has appeared in eight career NHL games, all with the Colorado Avalanche, registering 22 penalty minutes.

In 71 career AHL games across four seasons, all with the Colorado Eagles, Stienburg has posted 20 points (8-12-20), 81 penalty minutes, and a +2 plus/minus rating.

In seven career Calder Cup Playoff games, he has one assist, six penalty minutes, and a +1 plus/minus rating.

Prior to beginning his professional career, the Halifax, Nova Scotia native spent four seasons at Cornell University, appearing in 73 games and scoring 46 points (20-26-46), adding 93 penalty minutes and a +21 plus/minus rating.

Stienburg was originally selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round, 63rd overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Close-up portrait of a young male athlete with blond hair, wearing a hockey jersey with a blue and black design. He has a neutral expression and is facing the camera against a white background.

Profile

AttributeDetail
Age25 (Born October 7, 2000)
HometownHalifax, Nova Scotia
PositionCenter / Right Wing
ShootsRight
Height / Weight6’1″ / 182 lbs
Drafted2019, Round 3 (#63 overall) by the Colorado Avalanche
Current Contract1-year, two-way ($850,000 NHL / $160,000 AHL) signed July 2, 2026

Skills & Talents

  • Positional Versatility: Stienburg is highly adaptable and capable of slotting in naturally at both center and the wing.
  • Physical Engagement: He plays a high-energy game, willingly throwing the body, battling in the corners, and dropping the gloves to spark his team.

Scouting Report

Stienburg is a gritty, high-motor forward built for a checking-line role. The son of former NHL first-round pick Trevor Stienburg, Matthew plays with a noticeable edge and isn’t afraid to mix it up in the difficult areas of the ice.

While he was a solid producer in the prep circuit and during his tenure at Cornell University, his offensive game has not translated to the professional ranks.

At the pro level, he projects as a defense-first agitator who relies heavily on his work ethic, forechecking, and physicality rather than high-end puck skills.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths:

  • Physicality: Brings a rugged, agitating presence to the bottom six and does not shy away from contact.
  • Versatility: His ability to move seamlessly between the middle and the wing gives coaching staffs lineup flexibility. Sports Forecaster
  • Pedigree: Coming from a hockey family, he understands the professional environment and the sacrifices required to carve out a role as a depth player.

Weaknesses:

  • Extensive Injury History: Health is his biggest red flag. He has suffered significant shoulder injuries and has only played 21 professional games over the past two seasons combined. Canucks Army
  • Offensive Ceiling: He lacks the dynamic puck skills and playmaking ability to contribute consistently on the scoresheet at the AHL or NHL levels.
  • Discipline: His physical, on-the-edge style can sometimes cross the line, leading to costly penalties or supplemental discipline (such as his two-game NHL suspension for charging in late 2024).
  • Strength: Despite his physical style, he could still afford to add functional muscle to handle the heavy toll of a full professional season.

Evaluation & Organizational Fit

Stienburg is a low-risk, high-compete depth signing for Ryan Johnson’s front office. Should he see NHL ice time, his willingness to play a fast, heavy, north-south game aligns well with the structural identity Manny Malhotra is looking to establish in Vancouver.

As the front office continues navigating the path back to playoff contention, filling out the Abbotsford roster with competitive, low-maintenance depth during this July 2026 free agency window is a functional necessity.

Stienburg represents a low-risk depth swing. If he can manage to stay healthy, he provides immediate internal competition down the middle for players like Riley Patterson, Ty Mueller, and Chase Wouters in the AHL. Should injuries hit the main roster, he offers the coaching staff a versatile checking option who can be called up to Vancouver in a pinch to provide a quick physical spark on the fourth line.

Ultimately, however, Stienburg is destined for Abbotsford, where he will be expected to bring energy, protect younger prospects, and stay healthy enough to serve as reliable bottom-six depth.

Until next time, hockey fans