Kyle Beach, Zach Boychuk, or Tyler Myers may not be atop the list of any NHL teams at Friday’s entry draft, but at tenth overall, they would each be considered an outright “steal,” and would undoubtedly make the Vancouver Canucks organization very pleased.

In a recent interview, Canucks’ General Manager Mike Gillis stressed that the team is looking at three characteristics in any player which they are looking to acquire at the draft: character, integrity, and intelligence. Gillis went as far as stating that the Canucks may pass up on a more skilled player for someone that possesses these three traits, leading many to believe that Kyle Beach may be out of running, due to his alleged attitude problems. However, as seen below, these alleged attitude problems may have been way overblown.

Barring any trade, Kyle Beach, Zach Boychuk, or Tyler Myers could very likely turn out to be Vancouver’s selection at tenth overall come Friday; below is a look at what the Canucks could be getting in each of these highly touted prospects.

Kyle Beach – C/LW
Everett Silvertips – WHL
ISS Ranking: 13
CSS Ranking: 7
Percentage of surveyed Canucks fans who would like to select Kyle Beach at tenth overall: 18%

It has been rumored that Kyle Beach could go as high as fourth overall to the St. Louis Blues, but could also fall to the late first round, making him without doubt the biggest wild card in the draft. The Canucks’ recent tendency of selecting “safe” players in the first round has many fans craving a player of Beach’s upside. And according to his line-mate and Canucks prospect Dan Gendur, the reward with Beach would certainly outshine the risk.

“I know people question his attitude but I do not,” said Gendur, Vancouver’s seventh round pick in the 2007 entry draft. “He is well liked by all his teammates in Everett and whichever NHL team is lucky enough to draft him will see his value on and off the ice.”

So much for the apparent “head case” who is hated by all his teammates. Beach, a native of North Vancouver, plays on the edge and has been to known to cross the line in the past, but with the help of his coaches and the Silvertips’ veterans such as Dan Gendur, he is continually learning to keep his emotions in check.

At 6' 3", 203 pounds, Beach is a prototypical power forward. He’s big, strong, and physical, and he certainly has the offensive skills to add to the package. Furthermore, Beach is as versatile as they come.

“He is a guy that can play any style of game a coach would want,” said Gendur, who will be living with Beach this summer in Vancouver. “He competes game in and game and only gets better when the game is on the line.

Beach patterns his game after Calgary Flames all-star forward Jarome Iginla, which is apparent in his feistiness and ability to perform in clutch situations. To boot, over the past two seasons, Beach has focused in on becoming a complete player – just like Iginla - and has a done a good job at it, according to Gendur.

With some improvement in his skating, Kyle Beach could join the party sooner rather than later, and would surely be welcomed by the Canucks’ faithful. Beach’s ability to play at center or on the wing would also prove beneficial in his attempts to crack an NHL roster. In addition, after playing within Everett’s defensive oriented system over the last two years, Beach could slot in as a checking forward before his expected emergence as an impact player on one of the top two lines. Gendur is convinced that Kyle Beach has what it takes to make the proverbial next step in his hockey career.

“Kyle has one goal in mind and that is to make the NHL. It’s not a question of if he is going to make it but how soon. The sky is the limit with his skill and determination.”

Zach Boychuk – C
Lethbridge Hurricanes – WHL
ISS Ranking: 12
CSS Ranking: 8
Percentage of surveyed Canucks fans who would like to select Zach Boychuk at tenth overall: 18%

In the “new NHL,” a far greater emphasis has been put on speed and skill, rather than size. This notion was established last season with the respective performances of undersized rookies Sam Gagner and Patrick Kane. One can only imagine the impact Gagner or Kane could have had on a somewhat lackluster Vancouver Canucks squad. Standing at 5’ 10”, Zach Boychuk may not be able to duplicate the super rookies’ season immediately, but he’ll be ready to fight for his spot on a professional team this summer, whether it is with the Canucks, or any other team.

“When it comes down to being in shape, having the mindset to do whatever it takes to get there, I’m ready and believe anything can happen if the opportunity arises,” said Boychuk - the native of Airdrie, Alberta.

Despite his diminutive stature, Boychuk’s hockey résumé speaks for itself. Internationally, Boychuk represented Canada at the 2007 U-18 World Championships, the eight-game Canada – Russia “Super Series” and the 2008 World Junior Championships. Furthermore, in 2006-07, Boychuk led the Lethbridge Hurricanes in scoring as a 16-year-old, and most recently, helped lead his team to an Eastern Conference championship this spring, leading all WHL players with 11 postseason goals. Lastly, he notched two goals in the 2008 CHL Top Prospects game. Clearly, Boychuk has found ways to work around his height deficiency.

“Height has always been obstacle throughout my hockey career but only externally,” said Boychuk. “When I was young, there were always people telling me that I was too small. That occurs even today. I truly believe I can play against anyone no matter how big or strong they are. As a small player, I have learned to beat opponents in different ways such as using my speed, deception, and most importantly a never quit attitude.”

In addition to his explosive speed and attitude, a considerable part of the appeal with Zach Boychuk is his natural offensive instincts. However, as demonstrated at the 2008 World Junior championships, Boychuk can also play an “in your face type” grinding style of play, or excel as a defensive specialist.

“Offense has always been my strongest attribute but since midget hockey my coaches preached that defense wins championships and good defense leads to offense,” said Boychuk. “I’ve tried to improve that part of my game so I can be equally good on both sides of the puck.”

Zach Boychuk is quite possibly the most dynamic player among this year’s draft class. He can do it all, and he does it all at world class speed. Boychuk possesses all the traits that Canucks’ General Manager Mike Gillis has expressed interest in acquiring: character, integrity, and intelligence, speed and grit. There’s absolutely no reason why Boychuk couldn’t step in and contribute at the elite level just as Gagner and Kane did last season. However, Boychuk’s main focus is to keep on improving, and he’ll let the rest take care of itself.

“There have been many people ask me questions about the draft and its pressures but to be honest, I don’t think about the draft until someone asks me about it,” said Boychuk. “Last year, I had a breakout season with the Hurricanes so every year and every time I touch the ice, I want to improve as much as I can. The most pressure comes from the pressure I put on myself and that is what has made me push to be the player I am today.”

Tyler Myers - D
Kelowna Rockets – WHL
ISS Ranking: 15
CSS Ranking: 4
Percentage of surveyed Canucks fans who would like to select Tyler Myers at tenth overall: N/A (Not included on ballot)

Listed at 6’ 7”, Tyler Myers is the tallest ranked North American skater for the 2008 draft. Many believe that this alone could catapult him into the top ten and perhaps the top five, even though he is considered a “work in progress.” If the Canucks are willing to wait a few years to let Myers fill out and fine tune his defensive play, the towering defenseman could very well be jumping onto the Coquihalla and making the drive down from Kelowna to Vancouver in the near future. Of course, this would only be possible if Myers is still on the board at tenth overall.

The general consensus is that the ceiling with Tyler Myers would be a player of Zdeno Chara’s status, while the basement would be a player of Hal Gill’s standing. Obviously Chara is considered one of the top defensemen in the NHL, but Hal Gill is no slouch either, in large part due to his extended reach. Kelowna Rockets’ goaltender Kristofer Westblom agrees that Myers’ reach would be his finest attribute.

“Tyler's greatest asset would be his reach and use of his stick defensively,” said Westblom – Minnesota’s third round pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft. “He gets his stick on a lot of pucks and clearly frustrates the opposition's forwards.”

Myers, who was born in Houston, Texas but now calls Dewinton, Alberta home, skates extremely well considering his soaring frame, allowing him to hold his own against the several shifty forwards of the Western Hockey League. Another plus is Myers’ ability to play the point on the power-play.

“Tyler has developed his shot a lot this past season,” said Westblom. “His one-timer is very heavy from the point and his snap shot has also gotten a lot harder. He will be definitely be a shooter on the power play.”

For every pundit that believes Myers will easily crack the top ten, there is another that believes he will drop to the mid to late first round, due to his questionable (at times) decisions in the defensive zone. Westblom agrees that Myers needs to improve in that area, but is confident that he will indeed do so.

“Tyler has done a good job of adapting to higher levels of hockey in the past,” he said. “He does need improvement on making better defensive zone plays but that could be said about most 17-year-old defensemen in the league. If it is like any other part of his game, he will soon improve upon it.”

As “intelligence” is one of the areas of interest for Mike Gillis, at this point, Tyler Myers may not be atop the Canucks’ list. However, with the recent passing of Luc Bourdon, a defenseman of Myers’ raw potential would be hard to pass up on come draft day.

Other candidates include Canadian center Joshua Bailey (10th ISS, 14th CSS) of the Windsor Spitfires and Swiss defenseman Luca Sbisa (11th ISS, 12th CSS) of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Farhan Devji is the author of a hockey based novel, “The Hockey Farmer.” For more information, visit thehockeyfarmer.ca.tp.