I’ve made my thoughts on most of these prospects plain over the last month, so I’m not going to spend a lot of time re-evaluating them here. Instead, I’m just going to highlight some of the thoughts I had about the specific selections.
Good to see Hall/Seguin go 1-2. I thought the Oilers might over-think themselves and do something funny and it was a relief to see them make the obvious pick. Boston took the other guy, but while some people have highlighted their depth at centre, it’s probably not a big deal to move Seguin to the wing if they decide they like him better there, at least for the first couple of years. It’s generally easier for a young player to break in on wing anyway, where the defensive responsibilities are less.
Interesting to see the Portland pair go as early as they did. I like Johansen and Niederreiter quite a bit but I wouldn’t have taken them with some of the players left on the board. Neiderreiter in particular sticks out to me; he was brilliant at the World Juniors but his junior scoring dropped off quite a bit afterward. I think he’ll play but I don’t like the risk at number five.
Very happy to see Jeff Skinner go early on; I wouldn’t have taken him given some of the players left on the board but I had him in the top 10 and I think he was deserving of that slot. Also, given that I’m an Oilers fan, I was not at all happy to see Granlund go to Minnesota; that player flat-out scares me.
The Burmistrov selection by Atlanta shocked me; he’s a good player but not the type I generally associate with Rick Dudley, given that one scout told THN he was “built like Gilligan.” He also went earlier than I really expected.
I like McIlrath, but the Rangers took him absurdly early. I also like Campbell, but blowing a pick on him with Cam Fowler still on the board was not a decision I’d be comfortable making.
The Fowler slide wasn’t deserved in my opinion, and I think teams are going to regret letting him fall the way they did. He’s not a perfect player but he’s got very good offensive potential and both numbers and physical attributes that appeal. I was also surprised to see Gormley fall, although less so.
The Joey Hishon pick at 17 was the first real off-the-board selection, but the more I think about it, the more I like it, and if I were re-doing my top-30 today he’d be in it for sure. His numbers last year were phenomenal, and he struggled through injuries this year on a poor team. He’s an under-the-radar pick who may pan out very well indeed, and given the quality left on the board I have no issue with Colorado taking a chance on him.
I don’t feel strongly about the trade the Canucks made, but I think they probably got a good deal. I’ve never been sold on Grabner, given his lacklustre AHL totals and the fact he relies so heavily on the power play to produce offence, and dumping Steve Bernier is probably a plus given his contract.
I wasn’t surprised to see Emerson Etem slide given the scouting report on him, but I still think Anaheim got a steal at 29. I was fairly lukewarm on the player but his goal-scoring totals in the tough WHL were very high-end.
Finally, on John McFarland not going in the top-30: it was totally deserved. People go on and on about his potential but the reality is he had a brutal draft year and didn’t deserve to go in the top-30. I still feel bad for the guy (as I do for most of the highly-touted prospects who fall on draft day; it’s ugly to watch) but I wouldn’t have spent a first round pick on him.
Alright, the NHL Entry Draft is finally upon us. Soon the faux-drama surrounding who’s number 1 will be behind us, but the fun shouldn’t stop there. Will a team move their top pick for a building piece? What on earth is Brian Burke going to do tonight, and what say you Darryl Sutter? Keith Ballard appears to be on the trading block, anybody want a hazard for their own goaltender?
Anyway, I’m here until the coverage stops tonight. I’ve got a bevy of beverages beside me, a family size box of Lucky Charms, and a whole butt-load of enthusiasm. Do check in with us, the blog should be updated at least every 15 minutes or as transactions unfold.
6:30 pm: Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Landsberg is finished badgering GMs with questions they have no intention of answering. We’re still about half an hour from the actual draft, but the pre-game show should be a hoot… amiright? According to Bob MacKenzie, Keith Ballard could be headed to Vancouver. Ballard has 5-years remaining on a contract that holds a cap hit of $4.2 million per, so I’m not entirely sure what the logic is there right now.
6:35 pm: I really hope we get some Murray and Burke interaction this year.
6:39 pm: I can tell already that Pierre McGuire wishes there were more guys using abbreviated forms of their names. That smug look on his face is dying to call Brett Connolly “Brettopher”. Either Pierre watches more junior hockey than anyone, or he’s been lurking around here reading JW’s bad ass draft previews.
6:42 pm: Pens apparently interest in Kris Versteeg, but price tag is rather high at a first-round pick and prospect, according to Pierre LeBrun.
6:50 pm: TSN is killing time with a human story of Gudbranson’s younger brother receiving a bone marrow transplant last year. Nice story, but c’mon… let’s get ‘er going. I can tell you after watching the NBA draft last night, I’m ecstatic to see some kids curve the bill of their hat before putting it on. Kids…
6:52 pm: LeBrun is saying that Ballard is on his way to Vancouver pending trade approval. More to come…
6:55 pm: The Oilers are aggressively pursuing the 2nd overall pick, can’t imagine the price tag that would come with that. T-minus five minutes, let me shovel a few spoonfuls of Lucky Charms in here and I’ll be right back.
7:03 pm: TSN cuts to a shot of Rexall Place in Edmonton and the crowd goes wild. Rumours are coming in at a furious pace, but one worth mentioning was a Robyn Regher and Daymond Langkow package to Ottawa for Spezza. We’ll see, say what you will about Spezza, but having him feeding the puck to Jarome Iginla could be deadly.
7:09 pm: Taylor Hall being interviewed, mentions spotting Jennifer Love-Hewitt last night. Big Party of Five fan for a young guy. Seguin looks much more human than Hall.
7:11 pm: Sounds like there could be something holding up the Ballard deal, I’ll update when the smoke clears. Chasing these rumours is kind of silly, but I’ll post the good ones here.
7:14 pm: Edmonton hoping Hall/Seguin doesn’t become what this guy became:
7:15 pm: Gary has taken the stage, hears cheers for the first time when he thanks Kings fans. Get on with it bud… Bettman mentions that eight Californian born players receiving rankings, bro. Rexall looks more packed than Staples.
7:16 pm: Tambo ready to make his selection… and… it’s…
7:20 pm: Taylor Hall! Was there ever any doubt. Thank fuck that’s over. Now would be a great time to mention I’m a die hard Oilers’ fan. The future is now. Katz’s kid hands jersey to Hall, Christ that kid has one helluva an afro, good gut on him, too. That’s the life of a drug store magnate’s child, I guess.
7:25 pm: Here comes Chiarelli, walks right by the Leafs table. Burke’s head is down the whole time. Tyler Seguin is your second overall draft choice. Don’t act surprised.
7:28 pm: I like Seguin’s make up, like so many have said, he’s not “as ready” as Hall. Regardless, the Bruins are stacked at centre barring a Savard deal. Been told by a couple knowledgeable folks that Seguin projects Spezza-like production with excellent hockey sense (read: less giveaways).
7:35 pm: Panthers take Erik Gudbranson with the third pick. Another OHL guy. Tallon goes with a Seabrook-esque guy in Florida. Wow, Gudbranson is such a well spoken guy, he’s got the smarts.
7:41 pm: Columbus is on the clock next, man I wish Doug MacLean was there to blow it.
7:46 pm: Scott Howson goes with a centre and takes Ryan Johansen of the Portland Winterhawks 4th overall. Bit of a reach down the board IMO, he’s got the size to be a dominant centre, but his physical game could come up a notch or three. Although, he’s a prototypical late-bloomer. Spongebob just mentioned he played some Double-A, Vinny Lecavalier played some Double-A.
7:48 pm: More on the Ballard deal, latest has Ballard, Oreskovich to Van for Bernier, Grabner and a 1st. Vancouver is apparently sitting on the deal depending on player availability. More to come on this one…
7:54 pm: Samantha Micelli, aka Alyssa Milano is sitting with James Duthie. She hasn’t aged in years, hot-damn. She could be 24-years old. “E” from Entourage is taking the stage with the Islanders wtf?
7:56 pm: Garth Snow announces a 7-year extension for Rick DiPietro, I kid. The Isles take another Portland Winterhawk with Swiss sensation Nino Niederreiter at fifth overall. McGuire actually says Nino “doesn’t have holes in him like Swiss cheese”.
7:58 pm: Dreger reports that the Oilers were denied Florida’s 15th overall choice for Andrew Cogliano. Yzerman and the Lightning are up next. Steve Yzerman is such a good looking man, I’m comfortable enough to say that.
8:03 pm: Yzerman takes Brett Connolly with somewhat of a surprise. I really thought they’d go D and take Fowler, anyway, they gamble on Connolly, who appears to chew his gum like a cow. I hate how he carries himself already.
8:15 pm: Carolina Hurricanes are up, Jim Rutherford apparently doesn’t like drafting defensemen. I’ve got news for you Jim, you could use some. Cam Fowler and Gormley are still on the board, surprisingly, it’s not like they’ve got bionic hands like Brett Connolly.
The ‘Canes take Kitchener Rangers’ right wing Jeff Skinner with the seventh pick. Skinner scored 20 goals in 20 playoff games, that’s all I’ve got for yah right now.
8:21 pm: Rick Dudley and the Atlanta Thrashers are actually going to draft by taking Alexander Burmistrov eighth overall. A Russian, a Russian has gone off the board before Fowler and Gormley. Somebody has to step up and grab those two at some point. All due respect to Russians, I’m just surprised.
8:26 pm: Chuck Fletcher and the Wild coming up with the ninth pick. It’d be very surprising to see them pass on a D-man. Here we go… Mikael Granlund. Bob MacKenzie says he was voted the smartest player in the draft. He’s already planning on playing another season in Helsinki. I don’t know what the hell is going on in Minnesota, but it’s not much. Very surprised they passed on Fowler. That last comment was in regards to their roster, not the Granlund pick… me likes that choice overall.
8:31 pm: Kool and the gang are sending up video as they take it. I’ll try and post as they’re available. Here’s Taylor Hall talking to a crowd of reporters.
8:34 pm: The Rangers pass on Fowler, take Dylan McIlrath. McGuire calls him “Mayhem on Ice” and says the scouts call him the “Undertaker”. Tough as nails.
8:36 pm: I’m beginning to think Cam Fowler flipped off all the GMs prior to the draft.
8:40 pm: Jack Campbell is the first goalie and first American off the board, goes to the Dallas Stars at 11th. Most have him a few years away from seeing NHL action, sooo the faith of the franchise is in Kari Lehtonen’s hands. Yikes.
8:47 pm: Now it all makes sense, Ducks will take Fowler for the fowl connection. That’s the worst joke I plan on making tonight, I think. Finally, Cam Fowler is taken 12th. Niedermayer leaves a void, Cam Fowler will be moving the puck in Anaheim.
8:55 pm: Here come the Coyotes, making the 13th overall pick. Actually a pick from Calgary in the Olli Jokinen fleecing trade. Don Maloney says the Phoenix Coyotes would like to thank our 146 fans, and would like to select Brandon Gormley. There we go, Gormley and Fowler gone.
9:00 pm: John Davidson and the St. Louis Blues are on the clock at 14th. They take Tri-City Storm’s James Schwartz. Best friend of Gormley, apparently. Nice college boy, somewhat undersized for a centre.
9:05 pm:According to Mirtle’s super draft board, the lowest Gormley was ranked was at 7th by The Hockey News. Fowler’s lowest ranking was 6th by McKeen’s Hockey. I’m telling you, these guys must have been out on the town banging hookers and snorting blow last night.
9:08 pm: Tallon is wheeling and dealing again, Bettman announces Florida has swapped the 15th overall pick to the L.A. Kings (crowed erupts) for the 19th and 59th picks in the draft. Kings move up the board, will take the next pick.
9:11 pm: Kings take Derek Forbort from US Development Program/University of North Dakota with the newly acquired pick. Big, strong defenseman, the future is so bright in L.A. that I gotta wear shaaaaaades.
9:16 pm: Trade! Ottawa sends the 16th pick to St. Louis for David Rundblad. Murray was scared Burke would storm the stage and claim the guy they wanted. St. Louis is up again.
9:19 pm: St. Louis selects Vladimir Tarasenko with the 16th pick, Russian right wing. Could end up being a steal, the skill is certainly there. Only the “Russian factor” let him slip. MacKenzie calls him Vladimir Krutov, “but in shape”. Nice.
9:26 pm: The Colorado Avalanche take Joey Hishon from Owen Sound. Another “undersized” forward off the board in the first round.
9:32 pm: Here come the Predators, they take Austin Watson from the Peterborough Petes with the 18th pick. Curves the bill of his cap, good kid. Massive family in attendance for Watson. Annnnnd Burkie is with James Duthie, looking red-faced and haggard. Defends Kessel trade yet again. Can’t blame him I guess. I’d love to have an idea what Burke is expecting in return for Kaberle, he says top six forward but I’m guessing it’s closer to top two by the way things are going.
9:38 pm: Florida makes a selection, go with Nick Bjugstad the gigantic 6’5″ Minnesota native. He’ll attend the University of Minnesota next year.
Pittsburgh and Detroit are coming up, I’m assuming Detroit will wait until the 7th round to draft their next franchise player, though.
9:45 pm: Penguins on the clock, likely they’ll go with defense based on the fact they have about three for next season. Here’s Shero; Beau Bennett the great Golden State hope! So no D, but they grab a cool kid from Gardena.
Dreger talks Gonchar and Penguins negotiations, sounds like they’re still somewhat far apart. Gonchar is looking for three years, Pens willing to offer two. Gonch is still looking for $5 million+. Let him walk…
9:50 pm: Red Wings step up and take booze-bag Riley Sheahan. Jim Nill nearly messes up the announcement of his name.
Let me count the ways this makes me feel great:
9:56 pm: Phoenix trades the 22nd and 113th to Montreal for 27th and 57th picks. Montreal is up, could grab Tinordi.
Habs take Jarred Tinordi with the 22nd pick, I’m a clairvoyant. Tinordi is similar in style to his father, but could pack a lot more offensive upside and be an impact player. Great pick by Montreal.
We’ve got fresh video of Steve Kouleas breaking down the Vancouver/Florida trade. For your viewing pleasure:
10:08 pm: Jarred Tinordi and dad Mark are chatting with Duthie, Mark Tinordi looks like he swallowed ex-Toronto Raptors GM Glen Grunwald. Jesus.
23rd overall pick on the way.
10:11 pm: Buffalo Sabres, with the 23rd pick in the 2010 NHL draft, select defenseman Mark Pysyk from the Edmonton Oil Kings. Buffalo is building themselves a pretty solid blue line. Several scouting reports have Pysyk ready for the NHL in a year or so, we’ll see.
Just for the hell of it, here’s another flashback to a draft decision that someone made on acid. Acid man, acid.
10:15 pm: Here come the Blackhawks with the Byfuglien trade via Kovalchuk to New Jersey pick. Nice score by Chicago, let’s see where they go with it.
Bowman and cronies finally get their asses in gear, take Kevin Hayes with the 24th pick. Hayes jumps way up the draft board, which as Gord Miller points out, is due to his impressive performance at the combine.
10:19 pm: The Canucks are due, the pick in the Ballard deal is conditional based on the availability of an unnamed player. If he’s available, the draft choice going to Florida becomes a 2011 pick. Word. We’re winding down now, thanks for everyone who stopped by, we’ll keep ‘er going til the show’s over.
10:22 pm: Bettman officially announces the Ballard deal, Canucks don’t have their man, 25th pick is Florida’s. Once again, ladies and gentlemen… Dale Tallon and co.
Side note, as the camera pans by Brian Burke, I’ve never seen so many old white-haired guys sitting at one table. Anywhere.
Panthers take Quinton Howden with the pick from Vancouver. Emerson Etem remains available.
10:35 pm: Washington Capitals are up, Evgeny Kuznetsov is their choice. The Caps go back to Russia, if it’s not broke then don’t fix it… wait a minute.
10:39 pm: The ‘Yotes are up for the second pick of the first round. In the 27th slot, the Phoenix Coyotes take a goaltender in Mark Visenten. I know nothing of him, that’s my fault. According to MacKenzie he was way down everyone’s draft board at the bottom of the second round. Hit the beach tomorrow, kid.
10:45 pm: The San Jose Sharks are selecting 28th overall, they take Charlie Coyle. Poor Emerson Etem, I hope he gets taken tonight.
10:51 pm: The Ducks are on the clock with a conditional pick they got from Philadelphia for Chris Pronger. Let’s go, give Etem some California love. Emerson Etem! Phew, how fitting.
Cam Fowler and Emerson Etem both slipped down the board, and both end up in Anaheim.
10:57 pm: Chicago holds the final pick of the first round. With the 30th overall pick, the Blackhawks elect to trade it to the New York Islanders for the 35th and 58th picks.
Kevin Connolly, aka “E” from Entourage still kicking around the Islanders’ draft table. Here comes the Isles’ crew, Wangs sizing up what’s still available with the 30th pick.
The New York Islanders take, Brock Nelson, as announced by “E”.
Steve Kouleas is reporting on the 2010 NHL Draft from ground zero in L.A. Here’s a couple of videos he cut earlier today on the Taylor/Tyler debate, and what’s on the horizon for Canadian clubs this weekend.
The final player on our pre-draft list, naturally, is Taylor Hall, the consensus number one pick for tonight’s draft. He’s been tagged with front-runner status since before this season even started, and after some moments of uncertainty, it’s my belief that he’s solidified that spot and that he deserves the attention he’s getting.
Hall’s goal-scoring is probably his most appealing attribute (he’s been a premiere OHL goal-scorer for three seasons now and scored at a point per game pace at this year’s World Juniors), but his speed is probably the best of any player in this year’s draft. He has acceleration, agility and straight-line speed and just as importantly can make plays with the puck while in flight. He’s got a decent frame, and the fact that he’s been playoff tested only adds to his lustre.
There are things to worry about, though, as there are with any player. Some worry about the fact that he plays for a stacked team. Others worry that he takes big hits (although it would be worse if he avoided traffic). There are persistent rumours about immaturity, and his game is occasionally critiqued as too selfish and too focused on offence.
Those flaws are worth noting, and there’s likely some truth in all of them. But the simple fact is that Hall has been skating circles around the opposition for three seasons, and he’s maintained a consistently high-end performance despite being under intense scrutiny for years now.
McKeen’s Rank: #1 - “His speed flat out intimidates his opposition, much like Ovechkin’s in the NHL.”
THN Rank: #1 – [Quoting a scout]: “I compare him to Teemu Selanne. When he gets the puck, you sit up because you know something is going to happen.”
With the near-unanimity among scouting services that Tyler Seguin will be the second overall pick at this year’s entry draft, I sometimes think that the Taylor/Tyler debate is just a touch on the manufactured side.
That’s not to say Seguin doesn’t make a strong case for himself as a possible first pick. He scored 48 goals this year to be awarded the OHL scoring title, so when people talk about Hall as the more dynamic player they aren’t saying Seguin isn’t a scorer. It’s more than offence with Seguin, though. Scouts praise his well-rounded game and his maturity, and the conventional wisdom is that Seguin will evolve into a high-end player in all three zones.
The negatives for Seguin all seem to be a matter of degree rather than serious flaws; if I’ve read that he’s ‘less dynamic’ than Hall once I’ve read it 100 times, and of course there’s the omnipresent need to develop more muscle than he has right now. Minor issues for a very good player. Other than that, my one concern is that Seguin made a huge jump this year, more than doubling his goal-scoring; it may be a leap forward in talent or to some extent it may be an aberration. It’s probably the former, but it’s worth noting he’s not as established as a player like Hall.
All things considered, Seguin’s a fantastic player that will certainly go in the top two and is going to make whichever team selects him very happy. He may very well be a franchise cornerstone.
McKeen’s Rank: #2 - “The game comes naturally to Seguin in the offensive zone where his speed and vision simply take over.”
THN Rank: #2 - “To be sure, Seguin is seen as a player who does everything well and uses the players around him better [than Hall].”
The highest-ranked European on my draft list is Finnish sensation Mikael Granlund, who all seems to get passed over when it comes to discussing the best players in this year’s draft class. I have him significantly higher here than he is on most draft lists, but if he slips to where most people have him I think teams will be getting a significant bargain.
Granlund’s hockey sense is his biggest calling card, and I’ll admit I’m a sucker for that particular skill.He’s not a shooter, but his vision is almost certainly the best in the draft, and it’s allowed him to light up opposition in both the SM-liiga and at the U-18’s last season (he scored just under a point per game in Finland and better than two per game at the U-18’s). He’s also a wizard with the puck . Scouts praise his character; he possesses grit in abundance and darts in and out of traffic, refusing to be intimidated physically by professional defenders both older and larger than he is.
Granlund isn’t big (5’10”, 180lbs). He is not a special skater either; he lacks high-end speed although nobody questions his elusiveness. It’s a short list of faults, but not a trivial one.
Given Granlund’s performance in the physical Finnish league and his abundance of character, I’d be more than willing to role the dice on his size if I were an NHL team. His numbers in Finland are mind-blowing (players his age simply don’t perform at that level) and I think he’s underrated by most scouting services.
McKeen’s Rank: #9 - “His patience with the puck and vast array of stick-handling moves mesmerizes defenders as he can flat out embarrass them.”
THN Rank: #10 - [Quoting a scout]: “There’s no doubt he has the same intangibles as [Saku] Koivu. He defies the odds every time. You go to watch him play and you want to not like him, but then he’s one of the best players in the game.”
The final defenceman on my list is Cam Fowler, a player with some excellent points but whose star seems to be falling if the comments of scouting services are to be believed.
Let’s start with Fowler’s strengths, which are considerable. Every scouting report starts with his skating, which is as good as it gets in this year’s draft. He’s got good speed and mobility, and has been labelled an NHL-calibre skater already. Beyond that, he’s poised with the puck, willing to both distribute it and carry it himself when the opportunity appears. He scored a point-per-game with a powerhouse Windsor Spitfires team this season in the OHL. In addition to the mobility and offence, Fowler’s got decent size, at 6’2” and 190lbs.
There are concerns that Fowler doesn’t play with enough grit, and there are concerns that he isn’t as defensively responsible as a lottery pick really should be. Strength is also an area that needs work at this point, as it is with many young players.
I like Fowler a lot, as evidenced by where I’ve ranked him. I have my doubts about his weaknesses; Windsor was a high-offence team that carried the puck a lot and that sort of situation really wasn’t the ideal environment for Fowler to showcase his shutdown abilities. I have few doubts about his strengths, and while his shot isn’t as good as it really should be I think he’s easily the best offensive defenceman in this year’s class. He had a tremendous year last season in the U.S. U-18 development program (his totals there last season blow away the totals that guys like Derek Forbort, Jarred Tinordi, Jon Merril and Justin Faulk put up this year), he had a tremendous season this year, and I think he’s suffering from being in the spotlight too long.
McKeen’s Rank: #6 - “He finished seventh in OHL scoring among defensemen, recording the bulk of his points in even-strength situations.”
THN Rank: #3 - “Nearly all of the hype this season has belonged to Spitfires teammate Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers, but it’s not unrealistic to think 10 years down the road Fowler could be the best player of a very strong draft class.”
