Mr. Benning’s neighbourhood

Five players projected to be drafted near the Canucks’ position at No. 23 on Friday:

D Jakub Zboril, 6-2, 185 pounds, Czech Republic Saint John, QMJHL: 44 GP, 13-20-33, 73 PIM NHL Central Scouting rank: 12th North American The Hockey News rank: 22nd overall Benning says: “He is a cerebral guy, a hockey-sense guy. He makes a good first pass and makes good plays with the puck. But he also has a meanness about him.”

C Jansen Harkins, 6-1, 181 pounds, North Vancouver Prince George, WHL: 70 GP, 20-59-79, 45 PIM NHL Central Scouting rank: 15th North American The Hockey News rank: 21st overall Benning says: “He’s a real good two-way player. He has a high hockey IQ. He’s on the half-wall on the power play and is real dangerous making plays with the puck.”

D Thomas Chabot, 6-2, 179 pounds, Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que. Saint John, QMJHL: 66 GP, 12-29-41, 62 PIM NHL Central Scouting rank: 16th North American The Hockey News rank: 23rd overall Benning says: “Chabot is a real good skater, an effortless skater. He transports the puck up the ice and jumps in off the rush.”

LW Jake DeBrusk, 6-0, 176 pounds, Edmonton Swift Current, WHL: 72 GP, 42-39-81, 40 PIM NHL Central Scouting rank: 19th North American The Hockey News rank: 28th overall Benning says: “He’s like Max Domi — the complete opposite of his dad. DeBrusk is a scorer. He’s a guy who’s got a real edge to his game and pays the price to get to the areas where goals are scored.”

D Brandon Carlo, 6-5, 185 pounds, Colorado Springs, Colo. Tri-City, WHL: 63 GP, 4-21-25, 90 PIM NHL Central Scouting rank: 25th North American The Hockey News rank: 31st overall Benning says: “For a big man, he’s a real good skater. He has good mobility, makes a good first pass. We think he has the ability to develop into a matchup defenceman at some point.” The disclaimer: “These guys are all going from mid-first round to mid-second,” Benning says. “But I’m not saying we’re going to take any of them.”