Article content

Let’s, for fun, time travel back to June 23, 2017 and the sports bar at Rogers Arena where Vancouver Canucks’ fans have assembled to watch the entry draft.

The mood of the faithful has already been soured by a lottery that dropped their NHL team from second overall to fifth — and subsequent events did little to improve their mood. Just before the Canucks’ pick, there’s an audible groan as the cameras train on general manager Jim Benning who’s talking on the phone.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ed Willes: In picking Pettersson, Canucks prove you can't lose them all at draft Back to video

Benning, as it turns out, has been discussing a trade with Vegas where the Golden Knights move from the six-hole to five and give the Canucks an extra pick. But Knights’ GM George McPhee calls off the deal just before the Canucks’ selection, leaving Benning to take the stage at the United Center in Chicago.

“With our first selection we select from Timra, Elias Pettersson (which he pronounces as Peterson),” Benning announces.

Back in Vancouver, there is no audible or visible reaction from the viewing party. Nothing to suggest the Canucks’ GM has made a franchise-altering pick. Nothing much of anything, really.