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TEAM-BY-TEAM REVIEWAWHIPPERS86.) David Liffiton (Avalanche, #63, 2003 ). Best pick: Not much to chose from is there? The Aussies only had one pick in this year’s draft and used it on d-man David Liffiton, a big nasty blue-liner out of the OHL. Liffiton is the prototypical crease-cleaner and matches his physical play with a nasty edge and overall decent mobility. Not the flashiest player available, Liffiton is a safe and solid pick at 86 and may develop into a Luke Richardson type of player. BANSHEES30.)
Brent Burns (Wild, #20, 2003) Best pick: Tim Ramholt Banshees kicked off the draft by nabbing Brent Burns with the 30th pick of the draft. Some may deem this to be a steal considering where he went in the NHL draft, however Burns is a project rather than a prospect at the moment. Scouts like his size and fundamentals, but he has so far not displayed any good finishing skills in junior hockey and has a non-existent physical game for a guy his size. Good upside, but a risky pick. Shawn Belle was the next pick at #41. A physical stay-at-home d-man with very good mobility, Belle is a solid pick and should be a safe bet to make it to the NHL sooner rather than later. Overall upside is difficult to assess, but could be a primarily defensive top4 d-man. Another excellent pickup at the end of the 2nd round was Swiss d-man Tim Ramholt, who is a more well rounded prospect than Belle, with some offensive flair. Ramholt has already played as a pro – though in the not very strong Swiss league – and could develop into a solid 2-way d-man. He displays a nasty edge to his game and nabbing him as late as @ 48 might be a real steal for the Banshees. The only question is the Swiss pedigree – for all the promising prospects coming out of Switzerland, David Aebisher is still the most established Swiss player… At 65, Banshees got Slovak Ivan Baranka, yet another d-man. Baranka is a solid, physical stay-at-home type, who has so far not been tested in any high-level senior league in Europe. His upside is difficult to assess, but the fact that his development will be done in the Rangers organization is not encouraging. Overall, a risky pick, especially considering that Barankas upside is limited. There were better options available for this pick, however expectations for a 3rd round comp pick are low. Corey Crawford was Banshee’s 5th pick, at #72. The 2nd goalie selected in this year’s (weak) goalie draft, Crawford is classic butterfly goalie with decent size. At this stage, his development is tough to assess, however at 72 this is still a solid pick At 74, budding power forward Stephan Meyer was the next selection. This pick might be the most exiting of all the Banshees picks, as Meyer has significant upside. Big and reasonably physical, Meyer will go to the net and take a punishment to score. He is a good forechecker and solid skater and displays grit. The only knock on him is questionable vision, but then again, that never stopped a player like Andreychuck from raking in droves of garbage goals The final pick of the draft for Banshees was WHL Red Deer Rebels young Finn Masi Marjamäki. A young energy player, Masi’s strengths are primarily in his work ethic and his tenacious checking. Has reasonable scoring touch, and might turn out to be a pleasant surprise from the draft. Absolute upside is likely 3rd line, however might become a very good pest that is popular with his team mates BLONDES6
Milan Michalek (Sharks, #6 2003) Best pick: Konstantin Pushkarev With all of 12 picks, Blondes had a busy day and started off by getting the talented Czech Milan Michalek at #6. Milan does all the fundamentals well – he is a great skater and has superior work ethic at both ends of the rink. He also has good vision and hands, however some scouts question his finishing skills. Sometimes compared to Jere Lehtinen, Milan could develop into the complete package Tough, hard-hitting d-man Dion Phaneuff from WHL Red Deer Rebels was picked up at 8. He is one of the better-known prospects in the draft due to his unforgettable monster hit on MA Pouillot in the top prospects game and has often been compared to Scott Stevens. While this may be a stretch, Phaneuff is a solid pick that will develop into a strong, nasty stay-at home d-man with some offensive upside, possibly like Dan McGillis Next pick at number 10 was Jeff Carter, possibly the fastest skating center in the draft. A solid rather than spectacular pick, Carter has all the basic tools to become a great player. Comparing himself to Joe Thornton and Keith Primeau, Carter plays a solid game defensively and physically, while possessing above-average finishing skills. At #15, Blondes picked another promising d-man in Brent Seabrook. The Canadian WJC18 captain, Seabrook was considered the best defensive prospect from the WHL a year ago, however injuries have hampered his play over the last year. He is big and strong and has one of the hardest slap shots in Major Juniors. Could become a Norris candidate due to his all-round skills set, however inconsistency and injuries may stunt his development. Should become a solid pro however. Danny Fritsche was – at #29 – picked 16 spots earlier than in the NHL entry draft and could be the worst reach of the draft. There are no question marks around the talent of Fritsche, however a shoulder injury that has limited his play for 2 seasons make him a risky proposition. If healthy, Fritsche could become an all-round 2nd line center, but it remains to be seen how his body holds up to his physical play. Vojtech Polak was picked as #32. A strictly offensive player, Polak is a wiz with the puck with superior stick-handling and amazing vision. He is very one-dimensional, though, and his defensive coverage is at this point non-existent. Putting up 16 points in 40 games in the Czech Extraliga as an 18-years old is quite impressive however, which indicates great things to come. Upside is a Kovalev type of player while downside is Hlavac At 50, Blondes used a pick for an overage draftee. Brooks Laich led the Seattle Thunderbirds to the WHL semi-finals this year, with a staggering 41 goals and 94 points in 60 games. Laich is a tireless worker with good mobility and strong physical play. He has decent finishing skills, but his most important asset is willingness to pay the price for scoring. Most of his goals come off rebounds and scrambles around the goal, however he has a good shot Konstantin Pushkarev was picked at 52. The pick reminds very much of Polak, in that Konstantin is a very offensive player. Somewhat underrated, Konstantin put up a fantastic showing in the WJC U18, where he scored 9 goals in 6 games despite being on a rather week Kazakhstan team – this result tied him with Andrei Ochevkin, the likely #1 overall selection in the season 6 draft. He is very mobile and has a lethal wrist shot. He is also not afraid to go to the net, which is a bit unusual for players from the old Soviet Union With 12 pts in 17 games in the top Slovak League, Stefan Ruzicka was still low on the radar screen for most scouts heading into the draft. Fantastic hands and vision indicates significant upside, however average skating and smallish size may stop Ruzicka short of being a solid NHLer. A pick with significant upside, however there is an above-average risk that Ruzicka never makes the big league – the early going has him as the front-runner for this year’s CHL Rookie of the year award, however. Misha Joukov is a young Russian that will play in the Swedish Elite League next season for HV71. He is offensively one of the more exiting prospects in the league, however his defensive play and work ethic leaves significant room for improvement. Like Ruzicka, this is a risky pick with significant upside Josh Gorges went un-drafted but recently signed a free agent contract with Sharks. Had a breakout year in the WHL this year with 54 points in 59 games and helped Kelowna Rockets to capture the WHL and CHL Championships. His offensive ability is absolute top-notch, however the knock on him has long been his smallish size. If he improves his strength, he could be a real sleeper pick The last pick for the Blondes was Russian d-man Denis Ezhov, a defensive stalwart and part of the Russian WJC team. While he won’t ever be known for his offensive skills, Ezhov is a strong defensive presence and will likely develop into a 4th-5th d-man. BUNNIES1
Marc-André Fleury (Penguins, #1 2003) Best pick: Marc-André Fleury What a season this has been for the Bunnies. Capturing the cup and securing the first overall pick is a combination that’s difficult to beat. Shrewd moves by PecaFan. Using the pick on Marc-André Fleury could be considered a no-brainer, however. Much has been said about Fleury – the one thing you need to know is that as far as goalies go, he might be the best bet to turn into the next Patrick Roy. His early performance with the pathetic Pens has been very impressive and he will be a star in the league for years to come. The team’s second first rounder was used on Patrick O’Sullivan, from the Mississauga IceDogs. The reach of the draft, Sullivan has unquestionable offensive skills and is decent in his own zone. Questions around his personal motivation and drive, as well as some cases of off-ice turmoil caused him to drop in the NHL pre-draft rankings, however if he can overcome these obstacles he might become a very good offensive player. German Christian Ehrhoff is an all-round d-man that has already gotten some seasoning in the German league. At the time of writing, he is pushing hard in training camp for one of 2 open spots on the Sharks blue-line for the upcoming season. Ehrhoff is a very mobile rearguard with excellent positioning and poise. Plays an effective defensive game and has displayed some offensive flair in the German league. In the NHL, he will likely be a primarily defensive d-man though, since his offensive skills aren’t good enough to earn him significant PP time. The Bunnies selected another overage draftee with the 60th pick. Avalanche goalie Phillippe Sauve, is pushing for a spot on the roster this season, but will likely again be the starter for Hershey Bears in case Avs acquire a legitimate starter. Sauve is an all-round solid goalie, whose likely ceiling is as a solid backup. Still, he had a very good season in the minors last year and might shine given the chance. David Backes, the team’s next choice at 84, is strong, aggressive forward with above-average hands and a competitive attitude. Very raw at this point, Backes may well turn into a solid power forward prospect. The overall skills set is good enough to at least make him a valuable checker on any team’s 3rd or 4th line, but his upside might definitely be bigger. A very solid pick at 84. With their last, Bunnies selected Denis Platonov, the team’s third overage draftee. The 21 years old center had somewhat of a breakthrough in the Russian Super League last season with the strong Ak-Bars Kazan squad. Platonov will likely not turn into more than a solid checker, given issues with his skating, however his stock is somewhat on the rise. CAPITALS112 Ken Roche (Rangers, #75 2003) Best pick: That’ll have to be Roche... The Capitals only had one selection in the 2003 draft at 112 (out of 113). The team picked Ranger’s prospect Ken Roche, a smallish center out of San Seastian’s Prep School. Roche put up an impressive 53pts in 29 games, however the combination of not very skilled opposition and limited size (5-11, 185lbs) makes this a long-shot pick indeed. Roche has above average play-making skills and does display some grit, however he will not make a major league impact anytime soon. DUCKLINGS25
Konstantin Glazachev (Predators, #35 2003) Best pick: Konstantin Glazachev The Ducklings departed from normal form, by not picking a single Swedish player in the Season 5 draft. There were several interesting picks by the Danish team however. Starting off with what may be considered a reach, Anders picked Konstantin Glazachev ten spots earlier than he was drafted in the NHL entry draft, however pre-draft rankings had him going mid first round and it was somewhat of a surprise that he fell to #35 in the NHL draft. Glazachev is a sniper with a fantastic shot and a nose for the net. He will take a hit to get the shot of and has a quite aggressive style. Some comparisons may be made to Los Angeles Kings’ top prospect Alexander Frolov, however Glazachev is smaller and doesn’t possess the same speed as Frolov. Could be a very astute pick, if Glazachev realizes his potential With the following three picks, the Ducklings selected overage draftees. At #63, Devils’ Alexander Suglobov was their next player. Suglobov lost the fight for a spot on Devils roster for this season, but has been one of the better players with the River Rats of the AHL. He is a scoring winger with a hard, but not very accurate shot. He has had problems sticking with any team in the Russian Super League, and it is very likely that he will remain in the AHL for the season. The biggest knock on Suglobov is work ethic and willingness to play tough – he may develop into an effective top2 line player, though. Jussi Jokinen is another sleeper prospect that Anders added to the organization. He impressed many at the recent Stars prospect camp and has drawn rave reviews for his play in the Finnish SM Liiga. Jokinen is a very good skater and has a heavy and accurate shot. He is however small for NHL standards and his ability to bulk up and cope with the physical game may be key to his success in North America. His 37pts in 51 games in the top Finnish league are impressive. Patrick Bärtschi, a virtually unknown Swiss prospect, became Ducklings last pick of the draft. 21 goals in 44 games in the Swiss Landesliga brought the attention to Patrick going into the draft. While undeniably talented, goal scoring alone will not make him a future NHLer and he has a long way to go before he can be considered having a legitimate chance to take a roster spot even with the Pens. Ducklings #93 pick was Swede Mika Hannula, who had a breakout year with Malmö IF in the Swedish Elite League last year and made the Swedish world cup team. While scoring in droves in Sweden, Hannula will likely be limited to 3rd/4th line duty in the NHL. Is the typical energy player – a great skater that plays physical and doesn’t mind the rough stuff. He is somewhat small to be an elite checker, but could develop into a player in the similar mold as fellow Swede Marcus Nilson (Panthers). The last pick of the Ducks was collegiate standout Randy Jones, an all-round d-man that was signed as a free agent by the Flyers last summer. He has enough all-round skills to become a stand-out at the AHL level, however it is unclear if he is good enough to make the NHL. Pitkanen, Woywitka, Seidenberg & Vandermeer are all defensive prospects currently ahead of Jones on the Flyers defense prospect depth chart and it is unlikely that Jones gets his major league opportunity in Philly. DYKES11
Andrei Kostitsyn (Canadiens, #10 2003) Best pick: Andrei Kostitsyn Dykes picked up Belorussian sniper Andrei Kostitsyn with the 11th overall pick. Kostitsyn is one of the most gifted offensive players in the draft – he is a terrific skater and has tremendous stick handling at high speed. He also possesses a very hard and accurate shot. The only issue with Kostitsyn is his total refusal to play anything resembling defense – he has at times been described as lazy. He reportedly has also had health issues with epilepsy, however it is unknown whether this has any effect on his development. Kostitsyn is something of a wild card in the draft, but his offensive skills are certainly good enough for him to develop into a superstar – his attitude, however, could also see him developing into a Pavel Brendl type player. Kitchener Ranger’s center Mike Richards was Dykes next pick in the draft. Richards is somewhat of a safe pick – he doesn’t have a fantastic upside like Kostitsyn, but on the other hand he will with a very high certainty become NHL material in one form or the other. Richards is the complete package – above average in most areas and with few weaknesses. Stand-out skills is strong skating, physical play, leadership and consistency. He could very well have been taken earlier in the draft if not for his limited size. Richards may develop into a reliable 2nd liner, but will at the least become a very good checking line C. Matt Smaby is another solid pick for Dykes – a rugged, stay-at-home d-man with top4 potential, Smaby will never put up a lot of points. Smaby will at the least develop into a marginal d-man, thanks to good mobility and giant size (6’4”/210 lbs already) and hitting is one of his main strengths. With the 75th pick, Jorge went out and again got a mobile big d-man. John Doherty matches Smaby in both mobility and size, but may have the better offensive upside of the two. While big, Doherty still needs to develop his physical game more, however, but if both Doherty and Smaby develop, Dykes will have a punishing blue-line in 3 years Continuing with the theme “BIG – GOOD” in the best of Bobby Clarke-ish tradition, Jorge finished off the draft by picking Oilers’ Jean-Francois Jacques, yet another 6’4” giant. An intimidating LW that skates well and hits even better, there is hope for Jacques to develop into a 2nd line power forward. Like Richards, this is a very safe pick as Jacques is likely to arrive in the big leagues in some form – there is always room for big players that can skate and hit. EPIDEMIC18
Mark Stuart (Bruins, #21 2003) Best pick: Mark Stuart Epidemic, together with Hyacks, drafted by minimizing the risk factor (and possibly also the return factor) – 2 out of 4 players were overage draftees that are well known commodities. The draft started out with Bruins first round pick Mark Stuart, however. One of the strongest and toughest competitors of this year’s draft, Stuart is an excellent body checker. He is already a very mature player that will likely arrive in the NHL earlier than most of the other players in the draft. He has displayed decent offensive skills at college, but will likely develop into more of a stay-at-home rearguard at the NHL level. Stuart is an excellent pick at 18. Next up is the eternally promising Marty Reasoner, who has frustrated fans in St.Louis and Edmonton for years. While filling a hole at C for Epidemics this season, Reasoner is a pick with absolutely no upside and there were arguably much better options available at 57. As things stand, Reasoner is a reasonable 4th line player, but nothing more. Ales Pisa is another overage prospect that was selected at #58. After his trade to Rags at the end of last season, the situation started to slide for the young Czech, who as a result will play in Europe this upcoming season. Pisa impressed defensively as the #6 d-man for Oilers last season, however his high-ceiling would be as a stay-at-home #5 d-man long-term. Again a pick with very limited upside, and it is unsure whether Pisa will return to North America again. Marc-André Bernier was the last player selected by Epidemic. The best description of Bernier would be a power forward, however Bernier’s skills are likely not enough to make him a stand-out player in the pros. He is a strong physical player and decent skater, however, and should be a quite safe pick to make the pros. At this point, he looks like a future 3rd liner that needs to work on overall defensive play and offensive decision-making. HYACKS17
Igor Radulov (Blackhawks, #74 2000) Best pick: Igor Radulov Hyacks used one of the more interesting draft strategies, by totally avoiding this year’s draft class despite it being labeled the deepest in ages. Ken also took fliers on prospects that are far from safe bets, but some of the picks could certainly pay off. Black Hawks’ Russian sniper Igor Radulov was selected with the 17th pick. While he went surprisingly early, Radulov might be a great pick up, as his 5 goals in 7 games at the end of last season attests to. Radulov is a terrific skater and stick handler and possesses typical sniper skills. Like former Black Hawk Sergei Berezin, he tends to hog the puck a lot at times. Radulov may very well develop into a premier scorer. Ken is seeing Kovalchuk… well, maybe not Ilya, but anyways potential star qualities in this guy At 37, Hyacks surprised everyone by picking Finnish overage prospect Eero Somervuori. Not even on the radar screen of the European teams in the CNGHL, Hyack’s scouts evidently found something special in the young Finn. 93 points in 112 games over the past two seasons makes a great case as far as his finishing abilities go, however at 5’9” and 185lbs, it is far from sure he will ever make an impact in the CNGHL. He may become the next Eric Boguniecki, however it appears more likely that his upside is that of a premier AHL scorer. Brent Krahn was the next surprise. Krahn is a #9 overall pick from Flames, that was cut from one of the CNGHL teams last season. While undeniably talented, major injuries have threatened his development. Brent has played on average 40 games per season throughout his WHL career and he has dropped low on the Flames depth chart. Decisions this off-season indicate that Flames don’t see him as their goalie of the future, however, despite his comeback this season with Seattle Thunderbirds, where he posted a 1.79 GAA in 28 games. Krahn is an absolutely huge goalie with good agility and great positioning, which allows him to cover a lot of the net. This pick may turn out to be a real steal – however, Hyacks already cut Krahn once and it isn’t impossible that they will cut him again. Hyack’s continued by picking enigmatic Czech winger Miroslav Zalesak. The Sharks prospect has all the tools to become a premier scorer, but has yet to put together the skills. There are also concerns around his drive and work ethic. Nevertheless, his late call-up last season and the departure of several Sharks vets in the off-season definitely indicate a possibility of Zalesak making the big league already this season. Zalesak needs to stick on a scoring line to be effective and might long-term develop into a solid 2nd liner. At this point, however, he will more likely remain a solid minor leaguer. At 81, Hyacks picked a real wild card in undrafted forward Jesse Schultz. Schultz was bumped around the WHL for 4 years before ending up in Kelowna, where he led last years WHL Champions in regular season and playoff scoring and was voted WHL playoff MVP. Schultz is a scorer, but also has a good defensive game to boot. He may very well be an excellent signing, however he needs to repeat his success in the AHL this year to prove he is for real. To quote Ken, he “had to make a homer pick” to get a Nuck prospect onto his team – and hey, no one would’ve foreseen Jason King’s development a year ago Kamil Piros was picked at 108. Called-up by the Thrashers at the end of last season, Piros provided a scoring boost the team needed. A sniper that doesn’t shy away from physical play, Piros may be the scoring line C that Atlanta has been missing. Has been tried together with Heatly in the pre-season this year and might very well be a pleasant surprise this season. Excellent pick-up at 108, if he can stick with the Thrashers. The last pick for Hyacks was used on Swedish D-man Pierre Hedin. The Leaf’s d-man has finally arrived in North America, however based on training camp performance he is deep down on the Leafs depth chart behind prospects like Max Kondratiev and Carlo Colaiacovo. Hedin is likely destined for St .Johns for the season. A strong offensive contributor, there are questions around Hedin’s physical game that may prevent him from making a mark in the league. Personally, I believe him to be about as good as Hans Jonsson, who returned to Sweden after failing to get a new contract from Pens. ICE DOGS64
Shea Weber (Predators, #49
2003) Best pick: Shea Weber The re-building Ice Dogs only had 2 picks in this year’s draft and the first one was late in the 3rd round. The team traded away the first overall pick, ubergoalie MA Fleury, for Brad Stuart shortly before the draft, and while that trade could be questioned, Chris has Lehtonen in his organization and Stuart has played a key role in getting the Dawgs back to respectability this season… well, the Tkachuk guy seems to have something to do with it as well… Stay-at-home d-man Shea Weber from WHL Champions Kelowna Rockets was the first selection, and this figure to be a safe, if unexciting pick. Weber is a punishing d-man with solid positioning and hitting skills, but little else. His limited skating speed might prevent him from making the NHL, but he will likely turn into a solid pro. Upside ceiling would be a #5 d-man in the Luke Richardson-mold. At 107, the Dawgs picked pivot Clarke MacArthur, another WHLer from Medicine Hat. As with all smallish players, the main concern with MacArthur is his small frame. He impressed in his rookie season by potting more than a point per game, though, and has very good vision and finishing skills. As opposed to Weber, this is a pick with significant upside, however MacArthur will likely need quite some seasoning in Juniors and Minors before he is ready for the NHL IRISH7
Ryan Suter (Predators, #7 2003) Best pick: Ryan Suter Despite finishing very high in the standings, Irish had 3 picks in the first 21 and had a generally interesting draft. At 7, Irish picked the first d-man of the draft in Predator’s Ryan Suter. A nephew of NHL Gary Suter, Ryan is the complete package and was by many viewed as the best d-man in the draft – he is equally strong at both ends of the rink and is a future QB on the power-play. He plays physical, but doesn’t have the size to dominate the game physically, which is the only drawback in his game Irish next picked Dustin Brown, who somewhat surprisingly fell to #14. Brown is an excellent skater, who plays with a physical edge and consistently goes to the net to score. Good finishing skills round out this compelling package. While not very big, Brown is a very strong player and due to his mobility he is very tough to protect the puck from on the fore check. Brown is a very mature player, who will likely make an impact in the NHL sooner than many of his fellow 2003 draftees. At 21, Irish got a character player in Eric Fehr. A big winger, Fehr is still surprisingly mobile and was one of the absolute best skaters at the top prospects game. Fehr is a very solid 2-way player and displays a very mature game already. He needs to work somewhat on consistency, however, and needs to use his body more. Overall, Fehr has the potential to turn into a 2-way 2nd liner of the Bobby Holik type, however more grit is needed Irish got a potential steal with Brian Boyle at 34. An absolute giant at 6’7”/222lbs, Boyle is a project more than a prospect. Playing at high school, Boyle dominated the game at will in parts due to his physique and put up 63 points in 31 games. While very talented, it is unclear how Boyle will fare with better opposition, however if he put things together he may become a force to reckon with. He plays surprisingly soft for his size, though. Branislav Fabry was the next selection, a highly skilled Slovakian winger. Fabry has decent size, is a good skater and has made his pro-league debut at the age of 18. While being somewhat of a wild pick, at #89 he might be a sleeper. Pens LW Daniel Carcillo was the last player selected by Irish. Carcillo’s strengths are very storng work ethic, great mobility and overall gritty play. While he has put up big numbers in Juniors for Sarnia, he appears destined to turn pro as a defensive checker. His vision and hands are good enough for him to have some scoring upside as well, though, so he might turn into a nice 2-way player. JAZZ4
Nikolai Zherdev (Blue Jackets, #4 2003) Best pick: Nikolai Zherdev The rebuilding Jazz opted to use their 4th overall pick on a speedy winger to go with youngster Simon Gagné. Russian Nikolai Zherdev was selected 4th overall, after having been consensus #1 overall pick just 6 months before by critics. Ranked as the top European skater in the draft, Nikolai is similar in style to countryman Ilya Kovalchuk – he has superior mobility, stickhandling and vision and possesses a very hard and accurate shot. At 6’2/185lbs, he also has the size to become a dominant force. The only knock on Zherdev so far has been a tendency to overhandle the puck and an unwillingness to play defense – two common issues for young Russian talents. In either case, Nikolai figures to become an impact player at the pro level, though it remains to be seen whether he can have the same impact as Kovalchuk. Zherdev had a great season in the Russian super league last year, scoring 24pts over the course of the season, however has had a quite rocky start to this season compiling only 4 points in 19 games while getting limited ice-time. It may be time for Jazz to bring him over to North America for next season, if the situation doesn’t improve. Jazz used the 47th pick on Panthers prospect Kamil Kreps, a centreman that in some ways could be described as a “Zherdev-lite”. More of a playmaker than a sniper, Kreps has superb offensive skills and very good mobility. Like Zherdev, he needs to work on his defensive game and on being more physical, however the pair figures to play a big role in Jazz’s future. Like Zherdev, Kreps has also struggled at the beginning of the year, scoring at about half the rate he did last year for Brampton in the OHL. Smallish d-man and overage draftee Marc-André Bergeron was taken at 59. While standing at a mere 5’9 tall, Bergeron plays much bigger and has a Theoren Fleury-like approach to playing hockey. Bergeron is a very gifted playmaker and will likely earn his keep primarily as a power-play quarterback. While he is sound defensively and plays with a physical edge, his smallish stature will obviously never make him a strong crease-clearer and he will have a tough time with big opponents. He has however seen a lot of action early in the season and has scored at a .5 ppg clip, so this is a very nice pickup by Jazz indeed Flames’ prospect Jamie Tardif went #82, and was by comparison a surprising reach. A safe but not very exciting pick, Tardif figures to become a role player on a 3rd or 4th line that plays hard every night and brings a fast, physical game. While being a reliable scorer in juniors, it remains to be seen how much of an offensive threat Jamie will be at the pro-level. Overage center Sean Avery was next – this undersized pest has claimed a 3rd line c spot with the Kings, in equal parts due to several injuries and due to his work ethic. A player that will never put up big numbers, but nevertheless a great asset to have on the checking line. With a 20-team league, Avery’s talent should be bordering on career minor leaguer-status, though Corey Locke was the final Jazz pick in the draft, and he might turn into a real sleeper pick. Locke has put up huge numbers in juniors and was elected OHL and CHL MVP for 2002-03 however fell deep into the draft mainly due to his lacking size. Future success at the pro level will require him to elevate his physical game and bulk up, however he certainly has the tools to become a successful pro KUMQUATS2
Eric Staal (Hurricanes, #2 2003) Best pick: Eric Staal Kumquats picked arguably the best forward available in the draft when they selected Eric Staal with the 2nd overall pick. Staal is a player that can do it all. Often compared to fellow Hurricane Ron Francis, Staal might not become a flashy superstar but promises to be a top-line C that is used in all game situations. A playmaker rather than a scorer, Staal as already provided an offensive boost to the anemic Carolina offense and promises to be a regular CNGHL contributor already next season Anthony Stewart might be one of the strongest players in the draft and is very imposing at 6’3/230lbs. The prototypical power forward, Stewart is very raw but has a good shot and good mobility for his size. While he is often compared to Todd Bertuzzi, his upside are likely not as high. Still, a 2nd line version of Bertuzzi would make most teams salivate as well At 43, Igor Mirnov was a great pick-up, considering what talent was left on the board. Mirnov has excellent upside due to blazing speed, good stickhandling at high speed and a nose for the net. Upside might see him develop into a Mogilny type of player, however there is also a risk of him becoming a less appetizing Sergei Berezin clone. With a little bit of luck, however, this might be the best pick of the draft for Kumquats, considering that Staal was somewhat of a no-brainer The last Jazz pick of the draft was Hawks’ d-man Michal Barinka, Standing at 6’4, 210lbs, Barinka is a big, physical stay-at-home d-man that has the ability to dominate the boards and crease. He has surprisingly good mobility for his size, and like many European d-men has solid outlet passing skills. While his offensive upside is limited, Barinka could very well develop into a top4 defensive d-man in the Mattias Norström mould LOS MUERTOS3
Nathan Horton (Panthers, #3 2003) Best pick: Nathan Horton Los Muertos kicked things off by selecting Nathan Horton with their 3rd overall pick. The young center is billed as the next Joe Thornton, and while his stock dropped somewhat going into the draft he could be considered the most complete package available. Blessed with great size and skating, Horton possesses good leadership skills. Needless to say, he is also a fantastic scorer and will be an attraction for Mexican fans for a long, long time With their 2nd round pick, Muertos took another solid prospect in Calgary Hitmen’s Ryan Getzlaf. Like Horton, Getzlaf is a big center that plays a physical game while possessing good all-round skills. While Getzlaf is considerably less talented offensively than Horton, he has very strong two-way skills and will be a solid contributor on the penalty kill as well as the power play. Doug must be thrilled with the character and skills he added to his roster so far into the draft With the 3rd pick of the night, Rangers enforcer Matthew Barnaby was selected. There seemed to be a need to offset the character guys selected so far with a head case, and Barnaby was the most obvious option available. While he has had a fairly good year on a poor Rags team, Barnaby figures to be nothing more than a 4th line winger in the CNGHL At 90, Nathan Paetsch was the next future Los Muerto, however after the draft it appeared that Paetsch was already property of Psychos – how this draft scandal was resolved is unknown at the time, but Commish Bryce Fountain might be able to shed more light on the situation. In any event, Paetsch is a primarily offensive d-man, who plays rather soft and whose defense is questionable. Could develop into a Andy Delmore type of player, but is by no means a lock to make it to the NHL Jonathon Filewich rounds out the Muertos’ selections. This physical winger has decent all-round skills and plays hard every night. Has put up impressive numbers in Juniors, however is probably slated for a checking role in the pro game. Main assets are strong physical game, good size and mobility MONKEYS12
Zach Parise (Devils, #17 2003) Best pick: Zach Parise Zach Parise was one of the biggest reaches in the first 2 rounds of the draft, compared to the NHL entry draft. Still, with the offensive upside Parise shows, it appears that Monkeys got good value for their pick. Parise has fantastic offensive skills, both as a playmaker and finisher. His size was the one factor that dropped him down the NHL draft, however he makes up for it in being more physical than many bigger players. Has gotten off to a somewhat slow start on the Fighting Sioux team, however it appears that Parise has made North Dakota front runners for the Frozen Four Championship Monkeys then went to the QMJHL for their next pick. Marc-Antoine Pouliot is somewhat unfairly known as the guy Dion Phaneuf leveled with this year’s toughest open ice hit in the Top Prospect’s game, however Pouliot is a very interesting prospect in his own right. A very gifted playmaker, Pouliots one main weakness is his skating, which will have to improve for him to take the step to the pro-level, however if he can overcome this obstacle he could become a great 2nd line center much like Brad Richards At 28, Monkeys were up for a 2nd pick in a row and selected Pens’ forward Ryan Stone. A rather unexciting pick, Stone has a well-rounded game and a physical style that draws comparisons to players like Shane Corson or Claude Lemieux, however his offensive upside appears low considering he went at 28, where several players with a higher ceiling were still available PSYCHOS16
Robert Nilsson (Islanders, #15 2003) Best pick: Brandon Bochenski Psychos started the draft by trading down from 15 to 16 and picked young Swedish prospect Robert Nilsson, son of former Oiler Kent “Magic” Nilsson. Much like his father, Robert is an increadibly gifted stickhandler and playmaker, however Robert also thrives on the physical game and isn’t afraid of going into the corners or crash the net. Had a breakthrough season in the Swedish Elitserien last year, as he broke all rookie scoring records as one of the youngest rookies ever. This year he has really struggled and is nowhere near duplicating the numbers from last year. Overall, Nilsson could very well develop into a top-line winger, however size is an issue. Overage Thrashers’ prospect Tommi Santala was the next player to don the Psychos sweater at the draft. Finished 3rd in scoring in the Finnish SM-Liiga before getting drafted, playing with Zebra’s prospect Antti Miettinen. Santala is a well-rounded player, that plays a smart 2-way game. While he has put up big numbers in Finland, both his skating and his offensive skills are likely to limit his offensive output in the NHL. He figures to become a solid 3rd line C in Atlanta down the line, but he has struggled somewhat at the start of the season. Evgeny Tunik was the next Psychos pick, with an extreme pick compared to the NHL draft. Reaching 20 picks, Dylan selected the Russian ahead of a couple of NHL 1st round picks. While Tunik has solid fundamentals, he still hasn’t gotten a chance to play in the Russian Super League and though he put up respectable numbers in the Super League, it was against comparably limited opposition. Tunik has a very good shot and good size and could eventually develop into a 2nd or 3rd line winger that is used on the PK. Next, Psychos took a fly on overage draftee Matt Foy. An intriguing pick with a lot of upside, this Wild prospect seemed to be on a downward spiral leaving college and hooking up with Ottawa 67’s in the OHL. He was however teamed up with playmaker Corey Locke and the duo went on to dominate the league by scoring a combined 270+ pts. Foy has a high upper ceiling and could develop into a premier power forward, however for now he projects as a 2nd line version of Bertuzzi, rather than a star. Overall, Foy has great size, plays very physical and has solid scoring skills. It remains to be seen how much of his promise is fulfilled, but as far as picks go this is one of Psychos most interesting picks. John Pohl, another overage draftee, was Dylan’s next choice at 38. A former Frozen Four all-star, Pohl is one of many collegiate stand-outs that have had some problems adjusting to the pro-game. Despite a slow start, Pohl finished amongst the top scorers of the IceCats in the AHL, however, and he was expected to make the Blues’ starting lineup this year. After losing the battle for an open position in camp, he once again has struggled at the start of this season. Overall, Pohl is expected to develop into a 3rd line center that might receive some PP time, but his skating appears to limited for him to develop further. At 42, Psychos picked their first d-man in Kevin Klein. Klein was recently traded from Toronto St. Mike’s to Guelph Storm in the OHL and has so far led Storm’s defense. A primarily defensive d-man, Klein doesn’t stand out in any particular area but has a very appealing package of skills. Not the most physical player, Klein is a primarily defensive player with solid positioning as primary skill. He owns an underrated offensive game, however, and makes good first passes out of the own zone. Will likely develop into a solid 3rd-4th defender at the pro level. Defender Danny Richmond was the next defender selected at 45. The offensive Hurricane prospect slipped 15 spots compared to the NHL draft and could turn out to be a steal. The 3rd collegiate player selected by Psychos, Richmond has certainly displayed offensive skills for scouts to think of a young Paul Coffey or Sandis Ozolinsh, however like these players Danny’s defense is… well… lacking. Richmond could be a very good addition to any blueline, however unless his defensive game is seriously upgraded we could have another Andy Delmore in the league Brandon Bochenski is the 4th collegiate player added to the Psychos, and this is potentially the best of Dylans picks. Bochenski is a solid offensive player that forms a formidable duo with Zach Parise on North Dakota Fighting Sioux’s first line. One of the top candidates for last year’s Hobey Baker Award, Bochenski’s stock has continuously risen since he was drafted in 2001 and he could very well develop into a 2nd line scoring winger for PsychosLost in the Marc-André Fleury hype, Jim Howard was considered the 2nd best goalie available going into the 2003 draft and he certainly has the upside to become an NHL starter, if not a star. Shows good reflexes and puck-control but needs work on positioning and consistency. Howard is a raw prospect with a lot of promise and could be a very good pickup at 71. Howard is currently playing for the University of Maine. The 79th pick was used on Russian d-man Dmitri Kosmachev, a Jackets prospect. A defensive d-man with no offensive upside, Kosmachev can be relied on to take care of things in his own end. Like many big Russian d-men, he isn’t especially physical but plays a solid positional and transition game. Lack of footspeed and physical game might limit his impact in the NHL, but with some luck he could develop into a Marcus Ragnarsson-type of player. Nothing fancy, but should become a 5th/6th d-man at the least. Patrick Sharp was – at 99 – the 6th player with college background drafted by the Psychos… you’ve gotta figure Dylan is holding literature seminars in the dressing room between periods. Sharps biggest assets are skating and work ethic. He has impressed this season with the Phantoms in the AHL and has had some short stints with the Flyers already. Not blessed with special offensive skills, Sharp will likely round into a nice 3rd line C. The Psychos 12th pick of the draft was Swedish d-man Mattias Karlsson. Primarily an offensive d-man, Karlsson has the skills-set to become a top4 d-man down the line, except that his skating is somewhat questionable. Is still waiting to break into the Swedish Elite League but should become a solid contributor at this level within a couple of years. Is far away from the NHL and is by no means a safe bet to make it. ROYALS36
Corey Perry (Ducks, #28 2003) Best pick: Patrice Bergeron The aging Royals had a very solid draft, despite not getting on the board until late in the 2nd round. At 36, their first pick was Duck’s first-rounder Corey Perry, a fast winger from the OHL. Perry has put up very impressive numbers in juniors, but has been criticized for being streaky and lacking desire. He is a deceptively good skater, with strong playmaking skills and a good wrist shot. At the quarter mark, he leads the OHL in scoring and while junior scoring isn’t always an accurate indicator of things to come, Perry could very well be the real deal once he bulks up a bit Habs prospect Cory Urqhardt was next at 49. Another young scorer, Urquhardt sits 3rd in scoring in the QMJHL at the quarter mark. Like Perry, he is a big kid with solid skating skills, but contrary to Perry he plays more of a physical game. Quite raw, Urqhardt has the potential to round into an all-round 3rd line energy player that sees time on the PP. Patrice Bergeron was Royal’s 54th pick, and 5 months removed from the draft this looks like the biggest steal so far! Bergeron has been considered to be 2nd line material since the draft, but his impressive showing in the first 3 months of the season serves notice that his ceiling might indeed be higher. An all-round player, Patrice is very mature and professional for his young age, which has contributed to his early success. He has remarkable work ethic and consistency to go with a solid skills-set and he is certainly one of the front-runners for the NHL Calder Trophy, along with Fleury, Staal, Pitkanen and King Defenseman Matthew Carle was somewhat of a wild card when picked in the 2nd round of the NHL draft – he wasn’t scouted by any of the scouting bureaus, yet Sharks traded up to pick him. The one outstanding thing about his game is skating – he has been compared with Paul Coffey which gives you the general idea. To go with this, he has a solid 2-way game. He isn’t ideal size for a d-man and has yet to compete at a higher level than USHL, but Carle could be a diamond in the rough. With all the other solid picks, Royal’s took a fly here and it could pay off. Center Maxim LaPierre, another Habs prospect, was the last player selected by Andy. A Habs 2nd rounder, LaPierre has struggled for ice-time in the early goings in the QMJHL and currently plays on the 3rd line. He is a solid 2-way player and hard worker, however his offensive skills appear too limited to consider him future 2nd line material. He has solid skating skills and good size, which will likely mean a long career as an above average checker. SEALS13
Hugh Jessiman (Rangers, #12 2003) Best pick: Hugh Jessiman The draft turned out to be the last hurrah for old GM Terrence, before Indonesia lost their only CNGHL Team. Back in California, GM Michael Leduc was left to pick up the remains. After being bullied around a lot as a kid, the new GM has a fear of tall people, which resulted in promptly ridding his team of anyone over 6’5… unfortunately this included first round pick Jessiman. Hugh Jessiman was the first player selected by the Seals @13. With a player nicknamed ‘Huge Specimen’, you know what you are getting, and in old Bobby Clarke-ish fashion I just have to say “BIG – GOOOD”. Jessiman is a project rather than a prospect. He is also a Rangers prospect, which further hurts his chances of ever getting a shot. However, think about the upside – Todd Bertuzzi only 3 inch taller and 40 lbs heavier. Try moving him out of the crease… Jessiman has phenomenal size and reach, very impressive skating for a man his size and scored at will in high school. Never tested at higher levels, the one question is if he can continue to dominate against stronger and faster opposition. If he does, look out. Sharks’ winger Joshua Hennessy was the 2nd prospect going to California. An intriguing prospect, Hennessy sports afterburner speed and decent hands but he has a tendency of getting knocked around and needs to bulk up severely before making the big league. Still, Hennessy figures to be a part of an interesting future Sharks team. Strong physical forward Colin McDonald was selected at 68. His physical play and work ethic, combined with good skating will ensure McDonald of making the NHL in some capacity. Constantly skating and hitting, McDonald will go to the net to score garbage goals and is very effective in cycling down low in the offensive zone. He does lack the finishing skills and vision to become a top-line player however, but more than enough make up for this with his border-line dirty play… a larger version of Darcy Tucker!? The next pick of the draft for Seals was Isles’ winger Jeremy Colliton. Like McDonald before him, Colliton is also a tireless skater with very good two-way skills. While Colliton doesn’t have the imposing frame that McDonald has, he has better hands and vision and could develop into a 2nd line player. Colliton is one of the best defensive forwards in the WHL and there is a bit of current Islander Jason Blake in him The last pick for the Seals was Red Deer Rebel’s center Colin Fraser. A real pest for opposing players, Fraser is a great skater and tireless worker. Has put up good numbers so far this season in the WHL, however is scoring goals primarily through hard work. He is responsible in both ends of the ice and plays a mature physical game. Projection is a solid 3rd line player, possibly with extensive PK time TITANS5
Thomas Vanek (Sabres, #5 2003) Best pick: Thomas Vanek Titans selected Austrian Thomas Vanek with the #5 pick. Vanek is the complete package, and could have been the 1st overall choice if it wasn’t for his average skating. A true 2-way player, Vanek also has fantastic finishing skills and has been able to dominate the game physically at every level he has played. Vanek is a shoe-in for 1st line duty, and the only question is when he will arrive in the NHL. Big d-man Braydon Coburn was the Titan’s 2nd selection in the top10 – Coburn is a huge d-man that plays a nasty defensive game. He has fantastic mobility for a big player and will definitely develop into a top4 d-man based on his skills in his own zone alone. He also possesses intriguing offensive upside, with a very hard slapshot and crisp outlet passes, however it remains to be seen if he can realize this potential at both the junior and the pro level. If he manages to put all the pieces together, Coburn could be a first pairing 2way defenseman Swede Loui Eriksson, taken 46th overall, has been a nice surprise in the Swedish Elitserien so far. A good skater that plays physical, Eriksson is a complete player that could round into a 2way 2nd liner. Except for skating, none of his skills are really exceptional, but he lacks areas of real weakness as well. Titans opted for another Stars prospect with their 73rd pick, settling on hard nosed winger Brandon Crombeen. A good skater, Crombeen is likely to develop into a solid 3rd line banger, who plays physical and frustrates the opposition along the boards. Will put up decent numbers due to a willingness to go to the net and score garbage goals, however neither hands nor vision are good enough for Crombeen to develop into a big scoring threat At 113, Titans selected Tyler Redenbach with the last pick of the draft. Redenbach is a playmaking winger, who was recommended to Coyotes by team captain Shane Doan. At this point, Redenbach is a somewhat one-dimensional offensive player that needs significant work on his defensive game, however he does have potential to develop into a 2nd or 3rd line player. ZEBRAS19
Ryan Kesler (Canucks, #23 2003) Best pick: Petr Vrana Zebras went with a mixture of overage picks and had a quite exciting day. The only thing really missing was that one high-ceiling pick – while Zebras drafted a lot of intriguing players, non have the potential to turn into a real superstar. Then again, with the highest pick at 19, most of the candidates were gone. Anthony started off by getting this year’s Nucks first rounder, Ryan Kesler. A pesky pest, Ryan has all the fundamentals of a solid pro – good skating, physical play, winner mentality and sound defense. He doesn’t possess top-end offensive skills, however, and might have been a reach this early in the draft. Upside is developing into a Mike Ricci type of player (at the height of his career), but it’s a very safe pick since Kessler at the least should develop into a very good checker. Next was Jeff Tambellini, a somewhat undersized winger from University of Michigan. Tambellini is a sniper, with a very powerful and accurate shot. He displays shifty skating and a solid physical game despite his lacking size. He goes to the net and has very good on-ice vision, which often has him in the right position to score. Overall, Tambellini might be a better pick than Kesler, but both are likely to develop into contributors for Zebras. Devils’ Petr Vrana was the next selection – again, it was an undersized forward and a real wild card. Vrana is small – in fact, 5’10 and 175lbs is borderline on too small, but his skating speed, stick handling, vision and creativity makes up for it. Vrana might be the most talented player of all Zebra’s pick, and he is definitely the one pick with star potential, however the downside is that there are no guarantees that Vrana will overcome the size disadvantage, especially not on a team that relies on a physical, defensive system. At 44, Zebras picked Lightning d-man Mike Egener, a strong crease-clearing defenseman. Egener is a safe bet to at least become a 5th or 6th d-man thanks to outstanding work ethic and strong physical play, however he is very much a one-dimensional defensive d-man with no offensive upside whatsoever. Best case development would be Robyn Regehr. Zebras found overage draftee Colin Hemmingway with the 70th overall pick. Once considered the Blues’ best prospect, this perennial Hobey Baker candidate failed to deliver on high expectations last season for the University of New Hampshire. After Darren Haydar left the team, Colin was expected to carry it but he faltered. Nevertheless, Hemingways brings a lot of promise as a sniper, with strong skating and a very good shot. Might turn out to be a real steal At 83, Zebras picked tough Thrashers d-man Andy Sutton, another overage draftee. A very unspectacular pick, but one that will provide the club with added depth immediately. Sutton is a strong defensive contributor, but tends to take bad penalties and can be undisciplined at times. Hardly more than a #5-#6 d-man in the CNGHL Richard Stehlik, picked at 88, is an absolutely HUGE d-man. 6’4”, 240 lbs and with good skating to go with the size, which makes him tough to move around. Is an intimidating hitter, that has surprisingly good offensive skills. Could well develop into a good 2way defender The 94th pick was used to select Russian center Ivan Khomoutov. Ivan is a tough center who likes to crash the net and who scores a lot of garbage goals. While not possessing a fantastic skills set, Ivan likely will turn into a solid pro center. He might primarily get a checking role, however, as his technical skills and skating may not suffice to claim a spot on a scoring line Overage draftee Dominic Moore was selected next at 98. Harvard captain, who has dazzled with good skating and scoring skills. Like many other collegiate stand-outs, Moore will have to overcome a size disadvantage to make it in the pros, however Dominic has the added obstacle of getting through the Rangers farm system, which has proven to be a tough task for rookie over the last 5 years. Moore could very well become a good 2 way winger in the mold of Mike York, but for now, he needs to show his stuff in Hartford. The last Zebra pick of the draft was used on Russian Center Ivan Nepriayev. A slick skater, Ivan is very skinny and lanky and needs to significantly fill out his frame to make the NHL. While having the skills set to develop into a 2nd line C, his determination and ability to fulfill his promise is questionable. Had a very tough year last year, where he was demoted to the 4th line on his Russian Super League club, and so far this season he hasn’t impressed.
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