Once you leave the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, going "off the board" starts to lose its meaning. The gap between prospects taken in the third and fifth rounds is small compared to the gap between players taken 10th and 30th overall.
Still, it certainly seems like the Vancouver Canucks went off the board with their third pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft when they took Kieren Dervin 65th overall.
Of the independent draft rankings that had Dervin on their list, all but one had Dervin outside of the top 100 prospects in the draft, with only Dobber Prospects sneaking him into the top 100 at 96th overall. But that might be more a reflection of Dervin's uncertainty than his talent.
Dervin played prep school hockey for most of his draft year, playing for St. Andrew's College. He dominated at that level, racking up 33 goals and 79 points in 50 games, but there's always uncertainty surrounding quality of competition when a prospect isn't playing against his peers.
When Dervin played in the OHL to end the season, he didn't exactly light up the league, scoring 3 points in 10 regular-season games, then adding 3 points in 11 playoff games for the Kingston Frontenacs.
In fairness, Dervin was on a deep Frontenacs team with limited ice time available. That will change next season, as some of their top players will be leaving the OHL.
The Canucks are hoping they're buying low on Dervin, who has the potential to break out in a big way in his post-draft season.
"Dervin is a late-rising, skilled forward who showed real bottom-six potential in his limited OHL experience," said David Saad from Dobber Prospects. "Known for his slick puck handling and strong two-way play, he combines defensive awareness with offensive creativity. Though the sample size is small, his flashes of talent make him an intriguing prospect worth watching."
Dervin has a strong two-way game and drives puck possession with his strong skating and ability to move the puck.
"Dervin’s mobility, especially his north-south transition game, stands out as a clear separating tool," reads his profile from Elite Prospects. "He employs basic weight-shifting and large-ice manoeuvres, often evolving into a protection-heavy power player. He proactively sets up handles, strings together dekes into shot attempts, and flashes playmaking ability with well-timed hook and slip feeds. His knack for connecting plays – including give-and-go attacking and one-touch passing – is a consistent strength in his game."
The 6'1" Dervin has NHL size and plays an NHL-style game, though Elite Prospects projects him as a "checking line, penalty-killing forward at higher levels" rather than a centre with top-six potential. That's not too surprising with a third-round pick, though one has to wonder if the Canucks could have traded down in the draft and still selected Dervin while adding assets.
Dervin is expected to play one more season in the OHL before heading to Penn State University in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season.
