VANCOUVER (Feb. 28, 2018) – The Vancouver Canucks® will host the 2019 NHL Draft™ at Rogers Arena, the National Hockey League, Canucks and City of Vancouver announced today. The 2019 NHL Draft™ will help the Canucks launch their 50th season in the NHL in 2019-20, which will include other special events to commemorate their historic milestone. Vancouver also will play host to the 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, where some of the top draft-eligible prospects will get a chance to play in Rogers Arena, where they hope to hear their name called on stage in June of 2019.
The 2019 NHL Draft™ will be held over two days – Friday, June 21 (Round 1) and Saturday, June 22 (Rounds 2-7). NHL club executives, scouts and coaches will be present on the NHL Draft floor while thousands of fans and hundreds of media are expected to attend.
The 2019 event will mark the third time the Canucks and the City of Vancouver will host the NHL Draft, having previously hosted in 1990 at BC Place Stadium and 2006 at General Motors Place, now Rogers Arena.
“Returning the Draft to Vancouver allows the entire NHL family to meaningfully participate in a highlight of the Canucks’ 50-year anniversary celebration,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “The 2019 NHL Draft will provide another memorable moment for the Canucks and their fans while shining the spotlight on one of the world’s most scenic cities and serving as the starting point for so many NHL careers.”
“Vancouver will be centre stage in 2019 for hockey’s brightest future stars,” said Francesco Aquilini, Vancouver CanucksChairman and Governor. “With the World Junior Hockey Championships, the NHL Entry Draft and the launch of Vancouver’s 50th season in the NHL, it will be a very exciting time for hockey fans in British Columbia. It is our honour to welcome the hockey world back to the West Coast in 2019.”
“Congratulations to our home team, the Vancouver Canucks, on being selected to host the 2019 NHL Draft, one of the most highly anticipated events in hockey", said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The City of Vancouver looks forward to welcoming athletes and their families, international media and representatives from nearly every league worldwide to our city for this exciting event and to cheer on many young players as they start their careers.”
The NHL Draft offers the opportunity for hockey fans to witness the beginning of the careers of the latest NHL® stars. Recent No. 1 overall picks include Alex Ovechkin (Washington, 2004), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh, 2005), Erik Johnson (St. Louis, 2006), Patrick Kane (Chicago, 2007), Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay, 2008), John Tavares (NY Islanders, 2009), Taylor Hall (Edmonton, 2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Edmonton, 2011), Nail Yakupov (Edmonton, 2012), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado, 2013), Aaron Ekblad (Florida, 2014), Connor McDavid (Edmonton, 2015), Auston Matthews (Toronto, 2016) and Nico Hischier (New Jersey, 2017).
Additional details about the 2019 NHL Draft™ will be announced at a later date.
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