Your teams draft

[beantownmaniac]

OK everybody, the draft is over. How do you feel your team did this year? Are you happy or disappointed?

I'll go first. I'm a little bit confused with the Bruins draft. Sure Tyler Seguin was a great pick, but it was a no brainer. It's after that where I get a little lost. Two more centers with the 32nd and 45th picks? They have to be looking long term because we have an abundance of centers now. We picked up 2 left wingers with the 97th and 135th picks, I like that, a goalie at 165, I like that, and a d'man in the 7th round, another good pick. All in all, I think the Bruins drafted well and we're sure set at center for years to come.

 

[Destroydacre]

Sharks get an F for passing on Etem and handing him right to the Ducks. Supposedly the Sharks' 3rd round pick would still have been around in round 5 too where the Sharks had 3 picks. DWil can be pretty savvy when it comes to trades, but at the draft the guy is a buffoon, although some of the blame has to fall on the scouting department as well.

 

[HonusWagner66]

I like the Pens' top pick. He is a bit of a risk, but he is a skilled winger. That's something the Pens need in their system.

I don't hate their third round pick, but I'd much rather seen them take Galiev -- who of course went to Washington six picks later.

I love their 4th round pick of Tom Kuehnhackl.

Overall I was satisfied. They used their top 4 picks on wings, which I was glad to see.

 

[juliansteed]

OK everybody, the draft is over. How do you feel your team did this year? Are you happy or disappointed?

I'll go first. I'm a little bit confused with the Bruins draft. Sure Tyler Seguin was a great pick, but it was a no brainer. It's after that where I get a little lost. Two more centers with the 32nd and 45th picks? They have to be looking long term because we have an abundance of centers now. We picked up 2 left wingers with the 97th and 135th picks, I like that, a goalie at 165, I like that, and a d'man in the 7th round, another good pick. All in all, I think the Bruins drafted well and we're sure set at center for years to come.

I think when it comes to the draft you always have to be thinking long-term and pick the (perceived) best player available regardless of position. You can never have too many quality centerman in the system. By the time these guys are ready to make the NHL the Bruins lineup could look completely different. If they still have an abundance of centers these guys (or the centers already in the lineup) could be used as trade bait. Also some of these guys can probably be moved to the wing easily enough.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Although I think Darcy was really hoping that Sheahan or Tinordi would fall in his lap at the 23rd spot, I think they made it obvious that the Sabres really need some defensive players. I like the first 2 picks they made with Pysyk and Gauthier-Leduc. The one nice thing about Pysyk is his skating, and Gauthier-Leduc looks like he can also contribute offensively as well.

I also like the pick of Shipley. He's a big Center who can add some size and grit to the Sabres while helping to get the puck into the net. The Sabres really need people who can score.

The Sabres have a great track record of drafting, so I hope some of these picks pay off in the long run.

Overall a decent draft for the Sabres.

 

[TOX1]

Pheeeew!! What's that goddamn smell???



oh, that's right....it's the Flyer's draft table....nevermind.

 

[pixburgher66]

my favorite pick is perhaps the 4th rounder. i like him alot.

 

[scottflyers88]

my favorite part was when it ended. possibly the most boring draft especially after all of those rumors.

 

[puckhead]

Canucks:

have to include the trade for Ballard in the mix, as it was our big move (and our first round pick).
it was rather expensive, but the pieces that we sent were going to have a hard time fitting into our plans. Bernier showed flashes, but never found his hands, even she slotted in the prime triplet role. Grabner is offensively gifted. He could be a very good player. he'll get a better chance at that in Florida then he would have here.
Canucks, for their part got tougher. Ballard's stats would have put him #1 on the Canucks (by a large margin) in blocked shots, and #2 in hits. Both of those are very valuable, and pretty much essential if Mitchell moves on.
Oreskovich seems like a 4th line plumber, if he hits and stays out of trouble, that's OK. he can replace Glass. again adds to the team's toughness.

as for the draft picks:
115: Patrick McNally. Every team needs a good irishman, maybe he can be a drinking buddy for O'Brien. They feel he was a bargain as because he has committed to go to Harvard.
145: Adam Polasek. the name reminds me too much of Libor. was passed over last draft due to a clerical error?
both are basically two large defensemen (6'3, 6'2), as our prospect bin is fairly dry on the blueline.

172 - Alex Freisen C - third line grinder.
175 - Jonathan Iilhti G - theythink he should be in the mix for Finland's WJHC team.
205 - Sawyer Hannay - another big (6'4) defenseman.

they seemed to get almost everyone from the QMJHL this year. odd.
oh well, at least i can get good scouting reports from juliansteed

the common theme seems to be grit.

 

[dash]

There was a draft?!? Somebody must have left a door open.

As I mentioned in the draft thread, why not take a shot at Kabanov at #64 overall? If history has taught us anything, GMs love a reclamation project. If he doesn't pan out for Calgary, he can be easily moved down the road.

In a word, frustrating.

 

[devs30rko]

i'm actually relatively pleased....
the devils needed a goalie, and they took two, in wedgewood and clermont, and while NO ONE saw wedgewood being taken in the 3rd round, i know a couple guys on plymouth and they say he's an absolute stud, and that if he played in more games he'd be ranked way higher than 19th among NA goalies.
clermont i've seen play once. good movement, makes himself big. so while they may not be the spotlight goalies of the draft, i like it. a lot.
as for the devs first pick at 38 they got Merrill who is on the ice a great pick up. they say he potentailly has the best hockey sense of anyone in the draft and is a BIG M'Fer. Plus he can move the puck pretty well. so on the ice he sounds like a steal.
off the ice, well i think thats why he was available at 38 still

 

[falconski]

avs really should have traded down their 1st, probably could have gotten Hishon in the mid-20s at least, otherwise I'm pretty happy... CSS top rated NA (I know campbell should be better than pickard) and Euro goalie and a couple late rounders that look like they could have gone in the 2nd

 

[anderwho2513]

Flyers filled an organizational wasteland with their first pick by taking a center. Seems like a 3rd line guy with size. I'll take it. Another winger with size in the 4th. Not sure about the fifth round pick, as he doesn't have very good stats from the USHL, and he doesn't have much size. Of course they took the president's son in the 6th round. That was probably the only sure-thing coming into the draft. I like the 7th round picks: Blidstrand, shutdown defender with size from Sweden, and Ranford, a LW from the WHL who had 65 points in 72 games. Hopefully he can up the point totals with another year of juniors and turn into something of a steal.

B for the picks, Incomplete (until the Nabokov situation plays out) for what we fans really wanted to see.

 

[mattola]

Canucks:

Bernier showed flashes, but never found his hands, even she slotted in the prime triplet role.

Freudian slip?

 

[forty_three]

Team one: Blew it.

Tarasenko will be very closely watched and if he reaches anywhere close to his potential, this will be a big time black mark on the already totally black-marked Lisping Doofus. He has two forwards over 37 who both got hurt at the end of the year. He has a disgruntled #1 center about to slap five year handcuffs on the organization and some talent which will all be looking for money at the same time. Plus he has a team that has a bit of a reputation for folding easily and he trades the pick that would be Tarasenko (Who by most accounts is physical and competitive) for another Swedish defenseman who has a tendency to be a defensive liability. Who also happens to be signed in Sweden until 2011.

"Screwed the pooch" doesn't even begin to describe it.

I thought it was telling when it came time to make their third round pick they all just kinda looked at each other and shrugged and shook their heads. Then they stumbled across a solid pick. I think Culek was a solid pick, and he will likely be Spezza's replacement, whether he wants to or not.

Team 1A (Jackets).:
They got a younger, cheaper Spezza to feed Nash at number 4. They got a guy who was pretty highly touted in Petr Straka, and who will look very nice alongside their other young Czech Voracek. Dalton Smith is a big gritty kid who could be a real pain to play against. And they picked up a big, solid defenseman in Archibald.

Johansen and Straka will probably have a decent shot at making the team this year.

The Jackets didn't need to force anything and stocked the cupboard really well. Their defense could be ridiculous in a few years. Russell, Golubef, Moore, and Archibald. That's a pretty strong and mobile group.

 

[puckhead]

Freudian slip?

oops. musta been.
I assume that was supposed to be 'when'.
missed it by that much.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I really thought the Isles would take Fowler at 5. I was surprised when the pick was Niederreiter. Considering what he's done already & that he's one of the youngest players in the draft I like the pick a lot. Nino is only going to get better.

Trading both 2nd round picks to get the last pick of the 1st round was a bit steep but, I like the combination of size & skill that Brock Nelson brings to the table. He needs to add some weight which will definately happen while he's at North Dakota.

Getting Kirill Kabanov at pick #65 was AWESOME!! If he becomes a great player it's the steal of the draft. If he doesn't pan out, so what it's just a third round pick.

The Isles took a kid in Clark who's headed to Wisconsin in the thrid round. He could be a solid third liner in a few years.

The 4th round pick was traded to the Oilers for a 3rd next year.

The 5th rounder was an overage defenseman Tony DeHart. He's probably going to be in the AHL next year. Solid stay at home type. Willing to fight just about anybody.

Both 6th round picks went to Atlanta for a 5th next year.

Took a goalie in the 7th round.

I give the Islanders draft an A. Snow & Jankowski ended up with possibly 3 top 6 forwards with size & skill in a couple of years.

 

[sTyLnK]

Not to shabby.

 

[Vadered]

Not to shabby.

Just be glad you actually got your number 1 pick. The Nets got absolutely screwed this year. Worst team, no contest, and they end up with the third pick. Like the Flyers were a few years ago.

Just another reason the NBA sucks. Their draft lottery sucks. Hell, all draft lotteries suck. I understand the reasoning - it means a team that threw the last games to get a better pick don't get an advantage, but it's annoying when the team that clearly needs the most help doesn't get it.

 

[puckhead]

is it wrong that I'm kinda pumped about a kid picked 115th? (Patrick McNally)
I know that it's largely because it was my teams earliest pick, but that's awfully far down on the scouting depth chart.

Anytime a defenseman leads his team in scoring, has got to be a pretty special player.


I also love the soundbite from the guy we took in the 7th round: ‘As assets go, huge and mean are a fine place to start.’