12.) Blake Wheeler, RW (Coyotes, #5, 2004)
32.) Kris Chucko, LW (Flames, #24, 2004)
53.) Darin Olver, C (Rangers, #36, 2004)
75.) Ryan Garlock, C/LW (Black Hawks, #45, 2004)
98.) Brandon Prust, C/LW (Flames, #70, 2004)

Best pick: Kris Chucko
Worst pick: Blake Wheeler

Normally, getting the #5 overall pick at #12 would be fantastic and if Gretzky & co are proven right it might still be… however, while Blake Wheeler exhibits great upside it is somewhat of a stretch to draft him this early based on only that. While Dykes were auto-drafting, it appears that they could’ve done better live, for instance by picking Olesz who went 13. Wheeler is a power forward in the making. He is big, very mobile and has been scoring at will, however it is unclear if his production is really due to outstanding hands or more a result of him completely dominating his opponents physically. Wheeler has so far only played in high school and next year needs to prove that he can produce the goods at a higher level of competition. Montoya, Olesz were still on the board at this point, which might make it hard to swallow

Jorge scored another hard working, physical player out of high school in Kris Chucko. Like with Wheeler, the big question mark with Chucko is how good he really can be, considering the relatively weak level of competition he has been playing at. Contrary to Wheeler, however, scouts are quite unanimous about Chucko’s career potential. Most see him as a great 3rd liner or even 2nd liner that plays a solid 2-way game and brings a truckload of energy. Chucko will never be mistaken for a flashy scorer, but could very well be compared with another Flames prospect, Eric Nyström or current Flame Martin Gelinas

Like with Wheeler, Darin Olver was by some considered a big reach at the draft. Olver is a BCHL alumni, where he put up comparable numbers to first rounder Travis Zajac and Olver has also managed to put up a solid 32pts in 41 games in his first season in the CCHA. The problem with Olver, as opposed to Zajac/Chucko is his slight build. At 6’0/165lbs, he is nowhere near the size required to compete in the NHL. He has fantastic hands and great mobility, however it is unclear if he could add the 25-30lbs needed to compete physically in the pro ranks. A high-risk pick with a lot of upside, however presently it looks like Olver projects to be the next Brad Leeb, with a future of tearing up the AHL

Ryan Garlock makes for a nifty 4th round pickup for Dykes. Not a future superstar, Garlocks’ willingness to play in traffic and his terrific skating will make him a can’t-miss pro, however likely more as a 2nd/3rd line energy player in the mold of Dean McAmmond. Garlock shouldn’t be confused with a top-scorer – while he was almost at a 1PPG rate in the OHL, much of it had to do with playing on the wing of junior scorer Martin St.Pierre. Good catch late in the draft

Brandon Prust was eligible for the 2003 draft, but went undrafted after an uneventful season with the London Knights. A year later, he entered the OHL playoffs as the team’s 3rd line C and had a massive playoff, racking up 20pts and a 20 rating in 15 games. Prust was one of the main reasons for Robbie Schremp’s icetime being cut. He showed previously unrecognized talent and his clutch performance contributed to him getting selected by the Flames, who are always looking for character players in draft. For the Dykes, Prust like Chucko has the make-up of a Martin Gelins type player. The offensive upside is not great, but there will be a consistently good performance. Of course, FHL doesn’t reward a high propensity to show up in the playoffs with a better rating, but still. Either way, Prust could turn into a solid 3rd liner, or it may turn-out that last year’s OHL playoffs was his career moment

Overall verdict: C – Auto-drafted and was unfortunate to end up mostly with players that were arguably reaches in the NHL draft

Epidemic

40.) Patrick Eaves, C (Senators, #29, 2003)

Patrick Eaves was “That other guy that was a holdover from 2003”, whose name half the GMs were trying frantically to remember after Bernier went 30th. Bryce, true to form, went for a more developed prospect. Eaves is a great pickup, who despite injury and disciplinary problems made it into the first round in the deep 2003 draft. He has since had a very solid year at Boston College, playing on a line with brother Ben (Pens) and Flyers prospect Tony Voce. Eaves has drawn comparisons to Mike Peca for his strong 2-way play and his all out physical style. He is an excellent pick that will at the very least be a solid 3rd liner, but who has hands good enough to be a top6 forward

Overall verdict: B – Only one pick can never get a higher grade than slightly above average – that said, Bryce made his pick count by nabbing an exciting prospect

Hyacks

7.) John-Michael Liles, D (Avalanche, #159, 2000)
11.) Wojtek Wolski, LW (Avalanche, #21, 2004)
24.) Andrej Meszaros, D (Senators, #23, 2004)
31.) Cory Schneider, G (Canucks, #26, 2004)
62.) James Wisniewski (Black Hawks, #154, 2002)

Best pick: Andrej Meszaros
Worst pick: John-Michael Liles

I’ll go out on a limb here and call JM Liles the worst pick of the draft! There were a lot of GMs eyeing Liles and arguably Ken got a steal due to this, however with the 7th overall pick you simply want an impact player. Liles’ maximum upside is that of Brian Rafalski – while the latter is a nice #3 d-man, Liles will strictly be a PP quarterback with limited ice-time. The downside, however, is that of a marginal NHLer. Liles was clearly the #6 d-man for the Avs last season, with ~16 min/gm ice-time. He didn’t see any SH time during the whole season, however, which is a strong indication of how far his defensive game has to develop before being a solid d-man. Also, considering Hyacks’ lack of goalie pipe-line, Montoya, Schwarz or even Dubnyk would’ve been an excellent choice

Ken got right back with a great #11 pick – Wojtek Wolski’s stock was high going into the draft, however a DUI incident prior to the draft lowered his stock somewhat. Wolski has a very high ceiling and will likely end up being the better of Hyacks 2 first-rounders. Wolski has fantastic mobility and is a consistently hard-working player with above average offensive upside. Scouts have been claiming that his offensive game is developing and should be better, however he managed to pot 70pts in 66 games last season in the OHL, despite being on the average Brampton team. Wolski could end up anywhere between top3 and top6 forward with significant PP time, however he is one of the most exciting offensive prospects in the draft beyond the top 2. Wolski is still a strictly a skills player, however there are signs that he is developing a physical game and filling out his 6’3 frame, he could develop into a power forward down the line

Ken scored a potential home-run with his 3rd pick in the draft. Andrej Meszaros is more mature than many of the other 2004 draftees after having already spent 2 season in the Slovak first league. He is one of the slickest skaters in the draft and has solid skills at both ends of the ice. Blessed with good vision, Andrej is a great passer and will be running the Sens’ PP soon. Defensively, Meszaros still has some ways to go, as he shies away from the rough going and has some issues with positioning. All things considered, Meszaros could be the most complete d-man in the draft

By taking Cory Schneider who was ranked as the 4th best goalie going into the draft, Ken made sure to stock his pool of goalie prospects as well. A solid pick, Schneider is a good prospect, though likely far, far away from NHL duty. Schneider has only played at high school level, and while undeniably talented, it remains to be seen if he can perform at the next level. Schneider’s strength is solid fundamentals, with good positioning and poise. Cory has signed up for Boston College, however will be in the USHL for another year, thus it is unlikely that he’ll be anywhere near an appearance in the NHL in the next 5 years

What can I say – Ken picked JM Liles twice!!! Seriously, though, there is a lot about James Wisniewski that reminds one about Liles. Undersized at 5’11/200lbs, he is nevertheless a smooth skating d-man with impressive offensive skills. Last years OHL defenseman of the year, Wisniewski is destined for the NHL if he can overcome his 2 key deficiencies – ability to handle the physical play and a need to improve his overall defensive game. As opposed to Liles, however, Wisniewski has shown a willingness to muck it up and that should go along way to ensuring he finds a place on a NHL roster. As much as I believe that Liles was a bad pick at 7 – this is a fantastic pick at 62

Overall verdict: B – Two likely impact players in Meszaros and Wolski and some wildcards. Still, 7 & 11 is picking very early and maybe more could have been done. Schneider and Wisniewski are both somewhat of boom-or-bust, but both have enough upside for this to potentially turn into one of the best drafts this year down the line. Ken only had 2 picks coming into the draft, and considering that the result was impressive as Mike Johnson was the only real commodity he gave up

Ice Dogs

14.) Ladislav Smid, D (Mighty Ducks, #9, 2004)
34.) Jim Vandermeer, D (Black Hawks, undrafted free agent)
47.) Milan Jurcina, D (Bruins, #241, 2001)
58.) David Shantz, G (Panthers, #37, 2004)

Best pick: Ladislav Smid
Worst pick: Jim Vandermeer

Bet you that Angus aka Chris K was pleased when Ladislav Smid fell to him at 14 – it appeared as if the Dogs were looking for a stud D prospect going into the draft, and Smid certainly fit the bill. There was a lot of discussion about who was the 2nd best defensive prospect in the draft after Barker. While Ken’s take was Liles, most of the NHL GMs tended to favour either of Smid or Thelen. Smid has certainly produced the goods, though his performance in international competition has been erratic. Showed an excellent game in the WJC18, but disappointed thoroughly in the WJC20. Smid is big, has excellent mobility and a very hard slapshot. His offensive skills have drawn some comparison to Sandis Ozolinsh, however his defensive game is often underrated, especially his solid positioning. Smid has played a lot in the Czech Extra-liga and appears to be relatively NHL ready compared to many other prospects

Chris continued the defense first trend by selecting tough guy Jim Vandermeer with the #34 pick. A tad high for a player of limited upside, Vandermeer surprised everyone with an extremely solid season last year split between Flyers and Hawks. Vandermeer is your classic #4-#5 guy – tough as nails, not afraid to drop the gloves, very solid in the defensive zone. He has shown some offensive flair last season, but will never be confused with an offensive d-man. Absolute upside is a less talented version of Eric Brewer, however most likely Vandermeer will become a dependable Steve Staios-type of guy

Milan Jurcina was picked #47… or so it was sort of announced by Commish Fountain. The pick was allegedly supposed to have been a young goalie… however after Bryce put his spin of it, helped out by 10 GMs that tried to decipher the odd words Bryce seemed to remember, the Ice Dogs finally settled on this mammoth d-man. Jurcina is a classic sunshine story – a very late pick in 2001, the hulking Slovak has settled in nicely in the US. Standing 6’4/235lbs and not afraid to use his size, Jurcina is a very solid defensive d-man that also has a very hard, if not very accurate shot. Milan can still work on his physical game; however he has the potential to at the very least be a much larger version of Jim Vandermeer

IceDogs ended the draft with a potential steal – early 2nd round draft pick David Shantz was in free fall in the CNGHL draft and landed 21 spots later. Shantz stole the starters job in Mississauga as an OHL rookie and played a throughout solid game. Has fantastic reflexes and good agility and showed poise and nerves in the playoffs, despite his young age. Shantz stock was rising throughout the draft year and would likely have been a solid first round pick if he had received more hype in the early season

Overall verdict: B – Smid is a good pick, and all 4 picks are likely to make it into the NHL. Outside of Smid, however, Shantz is likely the only potential impact player. Shantz might actually turn out to be the best pick of the lot, however since goalies are so hard to project, Smid gets the nod for this recognition. Vandermeer is the only pick that feels like a bit of a reach – while he had a solid season, it still appears that his skating and skills set is too limited for him to be any more than a good depth d-man. Few teams would give him the kind of ice-time he got with the Hawks, and it’s likely that he sees his role cut back the next two years as Hawks prospects like Babchuck, Barker and Seabrook claim spots in the line-up

Irish

18.) Alexandre Picard, LW (Blue Jackets, #8, 2004)
20.) A.J. Thelen, D (Wild, #12, 2004)
22.) Devan Dubnyk, G (Oilers, #14, 2004)
28.) Lukas Kaspar, RW (Sharks, #22,2004)
38.) Mark Fristic, D (Stars, #28, 2004)
42.) Andy Rogers, D (Lightning, #30, 2004)
81.) Nicklas Grossman, D (Stars, #56, 2004)
100.) Andrej Sekera, D (Sabres, #71, 2004)
104.) Scott Lehman, D (Thrashers, #86, 2004)
108.) Shawn Weller, LW (Senators, #77, 2004)

Best pick: Tied between Thelen & Picard
Worst pick: Andy Rogers

Irish may just have pulled off the best auto-pick ever – there is little doubt that the result of the team’s season 6 draft is a success. OK, so the team had 4 picks between 18 and 28 – but getting 6 NHL first-rounders in one draft is impressive. At 18, the Irish picked QMJHL sniper Alexandre Picard, one of those NHL first rounders that inexplicably fell 10 spots. When evaluating Picard, I can’t help thinking of Simon Gagne about 4 years ago. Except for both being French-Canadian and playing in the QMJHL, they are both speedy LWs with a knack for goal-scoring and that work hard in both ends. Picard could likely develop into a similar type player and it would not be far fetched to see him as at least a 30gls, 60pts player. Picard is one of the purest goal-scorers in the draft and he is a real steal at 18

A.J. Thelen was the third d-man selected in the NHL draft, but fell deep and also ended up in Cory’s clutches. Probably the best offensive d-man in the draft outside of Barker, Thelen has excellent mobility and skating strength. His offensive game is overall very good, with a hard and accurate slap shot and accurate passing. He also has the size and physical game to be a dominant force in his own end, however needs further work on his positional game. Thelen is one of few d-men in the draft that has true top2 potential, though he is less of a certain thing to put his game together. At this point, though, Thelen is all promise and a great pickup at 20

Kamloops Blazer’s net-minder Devan Dubnyk was perhaps somewhat surprisingly chosen second amongst goalies in the NHL draft. Dubnyk differs from the other top goalies in the draft in that he only has average reflexes and movement, areas where Schwarz and Montoya shine. Dubnyk’s best asset is his size – at 6’5, he takes away a lot of the net even when he goes down. Coupled with good positional play and solid understanding of the game, Dubnyk appears heading for a Kolzig like career. That is, if he can get past fellow Oilers prospect Jeff Deslauriers to claim the starters job. Very solid pick – Dubnyk has all the fundamentals to at the very least become a dependable backup, however chances are good that he’ll develop into a dependable starter

Lukas Kaspar was somewhat of a wild-card heading into the draft – undoubtedly one of the more offensively gifted players available, he is also very one-dimensional and not very physical, which are two traits that see many prospects fall. Frequently compared to countrymen Sykora and Elias, Kaspar is a pure sniper who has equally strong slap- and wrist-shots. Couple this with very shifty, quick skating and you have an offensive threat. Kaspar also has NHL size will likely mature into a top6 forward down the line. He chose Ottawa 67’s of the OHL for the upcoming season instead of remaining in the Czech Extraleague, which indicates willingness to work to get into the NHL

Mark Fistric was Irish 5th pick, and the 5th NHL first rounder. Fistric is a typical Stars’ pick – he reminds very much of former Star Richard Matvichuk in style and play. Fistric is a great body checker and primarily a defensive player. Not afraid to drop the gloves, Fistric will effectively clear players in front and normally wins battles along the boards. Prone to some mistakes when getting himself out of position to make hits, Fistric still is very likely to develop into a dependable #4/#5 guy in the mold Hal Gill or Murray Baron. It is at this time unclear how high Fistric’s upside is, however he is a very safe pick as far as NHL upside goes. It remains to be seen whether he can develop an offensive game to boost, but he does have a hard slapshot

Irish got another 2004 first-rounder in hulking d-man Andy Rogers. Highly touted by many scouts going into the draft, I still cannot help to think that Rogers went at least a round to early. Rogers is huge and will be tough to play one he fills out his 6’5 frame. He also has terrific mobility for a guy his size and relishes playing a physical game. Like with Fistric, though, it appears that there is limited high end upside with Rogers – his fundamentals more or less guarantee him a place on an NHL team eventually, however it will likely be on the third pairing and on the PK

Irish got on the board again at 81, with their 4th d-man of the draft. Niklas Grossman was somewhat surprisingly the 4th Swede selected in the NHL draft. If it wasn’t for the Irish auto-drafting, you could see something of a theme here, as Grossman is big (6’4) though lanky and has virtually no offensive upside at all. He is dependable in his own zone and will likely be a #5/#6 stay-at-home d-man, though he has considerably less upside than either of Rogers or Fistric

Irish proceeded to select Slovak D-man Andrej Sekera with the #100 pick. If not for the strong showing with the early picks, Sekera would’ve been the teams’ best pick. Frequently compared to Mesaroz, Sekeras skills set is not as flashy but certainly very effective. Sekera is very all-round and is dependable in the defensive zone, while possessing intriguing offensive upside, both as a gifted passer and with his good shot. Sekera could be a future PP quarterback, but also is willing and able on the physical side (despite an average frame) – look for Sekera to settle as a #3/#4 all-round d-man if he can put his talent together. Sekera has also joined the OHL and Owen-Sound Attack for the upcoming season, rather than playing in the Czech Extraliga, where ice-time is scarce with the invasion of NHL players

Scott Lehman was the sixth d-man selected by the Irish. Again, it’s a potential future 2-way player, whose offensive game is what you primarily notice. Lehman is a strong skater and is above-average in most facets of the game, without being overly impressive. His main area of work is adding strength – both to his skating and to his upper body, since he has problems with larger forwards already in juniors. Thrashers apparently had him ranked around 50th overall, which gives some indication of the upside

Finally, Shawn Weller was the Irish last pick at 108. To sum him up in two words: Tyson Nash. Well, he might have better offensive upside, but you get the picture. Weller is a super pest, with a strong physical game who goes into all those areas that some soft Euros won’t go. He will likely never be a premier scorer, but will contribute with garbage goals and forced turnovers. Weller’s upside is hard to judge, since the highest level of play for him so far is the EJHL, however he has been invited to the US WJC18 evaluation camp

Overall verdict: A- – As absurd as it may sound, Cory couldn’t have done a much better job if he’d been there. Picard, Thelen, Kaspar, Dubnyk and Sekera are excellent picks. The picks on Rogers and Grossman arguably could’ve been used better, however walking away from the draft with these players will further strengthen one of the league’s strongest teams

Jazz

15.) Kyle Chipchura, C (Canadiens, #18, 2004)
35.) Johannes Salmonsson, C (Penguins, #31, 2004)

Jazz went into the draft with a lot of picks, but opted to move the late picks for help now, picking up youngster Juraj Kolnik for 4 picks in the 5th round. As things stand, Patrick picked up two highly touted prospects through the first two rounds. Jazz’s first selection was Prince Albert Raiders’ center Kyle Chipchura. Standing 6’3, Chipchura could be a future power forward and he was ranked 4th amongst North American skaters going into the draft. He fell lower than expected, potentially due to injuries and questions about his consistency. Chipchura is a truly dominant player when he is on his game. He has the physical game to intimidate and soft hands – what sets him apart from players like Ladd and Picard is the potential for him to be a complete player like a Bertuzzi or Thornton. On the other hand, it remains to be seen if Chipchura can raise his lower ceiling performance-wise

As opposed to Chipchura, Jazz then went out and drafted a pure skills-player. Swedish pivot Johannes Salmonson will never dominate any game physically, but he can turn most players inside-out with slick stick handling moves. Having seen Salmonson a lot last year in Sweden (when he unfortunately was injured a lot), he is always one of the hardest workers on the ice and has very strong skating. His finishing skills are good, but he needs to play more in traffic to get in better scoring position. Salmonson has all the tools to turn into a good 2nd line scoring C, though he needs to add approximately 30lbs to his quite skinny frame to cope with the more physical game in North America

Overall verdict: B – Chipchura is a risky pick – he could be a great player, but with Picard and Montoya available it could turn out a risky move. All the same, both picks will likely be impact players and Patrick should be satisfied with re-stocking a rather weak C-position for Jazz

KumQuats

16.) Alexander Radulov, RW (Predators, #15, 2004)
56.) Denis Parshin, LW (Avalanche, #72, 2004)
63.) Martins Karsums, RW (Bruins, #64, 2004)
68.) Viktor Alexandrov, RW (Blues, #83, 2004)
74.) Sami Lepisto, D (Capitals, #66, 2004)

Best pick: Alexander Radulov
Worst pick: Denis Parshin

Q kicked off by picking Russian blue-chipper Alexander Radulov in the first round. The young Russian is one of the most out-right talented players in the draft, with extremely high ceiling as far as offensive skills go. Radulov compared favorably to Evgeny Malkin in the WJC18 and could definitely develop into an offensive threat similar to Zherdev. That said, there are enough question marks to Radulov to make him a high-risk proposition. He is a physical non-factor, an outright liability in his own zone and has shown very questionable work ethic and willingness to improve, which saw him demoted to the Russian Junior league last year. He has now left Russia to play with the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL – look for Radulov to easily surpass the 100 point-mark before going onto playing in the pros

Denis Parshin was the next pick in this very Russian draft for the KumQuats. Parshin is a huge question mark to say the least. As talented as anyone, the diminutive Russian stands 5’8/160lbs and doesn’t stand out in skating. He has good vision and hands, but at this point neither seems to have the strength, speed or meanness to be more than a fringe player at NHL level. He is also not so talented, as to be a significant PP producer. It appears unlikely that Parshin will make the NHL at this point. Interestingly, reputed Russian scouts indicated that he’d likely be available in the 7th round. Be as it may, Parshin is a considerable reach at 56, picked 16 spots higher than in the NHL draft, and if he develops into a star, I’ll be the first to call Q a genius

Next up, the veggies picked Latvian sniper Martins Karsums. Another diminutive sniper, Karsums stands 5’10, but with a very stocky build. Karsums is a fierce competitor that always works hardest on the ice. Though smallish, he plays very physical and at high speed. Martins also possesses good finishing skills and above-average vision. His size and skills may not be enough for him to develop into a first line scorer, however he is very likely a future 2nd liner that contributes on the special teams. There is very limited downside to this pick, as his strong physical game will also make him a welcome addition on any checking line, should his finishing skills not develop to potential. A fair comparison to Karsums is Kings’ prospect Petr Kanko, who like Karsums is a smallish sparkplug player with above average finishing skills

The trend with smallish Russians was continued with Viktor Alexandrov, a 5’11 RW from Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Viktor has played solid offense in the Russian Super League, but has mysteriously been lacking from all national teams throughout the last three season, despite having more experience from Russian pro competition than many of his age group. This has prompted rumors that Alexandrov is really older than indicated, which would also indicate that his room to develop further is more limited. Be as it may, Alexandrov has put up decent numbers in the RSL and relies heavily on his good foot speed and soft hands. He is equally a set-up man and a finisher and could very well develop into a Vyacheslav Kozlov type of player with some seasoning. Alexandrov has also bulked up significantly the last season, adding about 25lbs of weight (to 180lbs) which is encouraging. He is by no means a soft player, but still lacks strength to back a physical game. He is a reach compared to the NHL draft, but went late in parts due to being under scouted as he appeared in no international competition

Sami Lepisto was Q’s last pick – the young Finnish rearguard was nabbed by the rebuilding Capitals team for which he has an excellent chance of playing within 3 years. Lepisto went undrafted in 2003, but was a stand-out as the best Finnish d-man in the WJC20, which propelled him up the rankings as he re-entered the draft in 2004. Lepisto’s main strength is his offensive game – he has a very hard point-shot and is very confident running the PP. He is by no means a bad defensive player, but his main area of development is in the defensive game. He also needs to fill out his lanky frame quite considerably, but could well develop into a #3/#4 two-way d-man down the line

Overall verdict: B – Q went for a high risk strategy and consistently picked players with a very high ceiling… however, many of them are classic boom-or-bust propositions. Parshin and Alexandrov were also considerable reaches compared to the NHL draft. Even so, in a 20-team league it doesn’t pay off to draft sure-fire 3rd liners and this draft could definitely yield 2 or 3 impact players with a bit of luck

Lakers

21.) Drew Stafford, RW (Sabres, #13, 2004)
45.) Johan Fransson, D (Stars, #34, 2004)
51.) Logan Stephenson, D (Coyotes, #35, 2004)
60.) Jordan Smith, D (Mighty Ducks, #39, 2004)
78.) Dane Byers, LW (Rangers, #48, 2004)
102.) Kyle Klubertanz, D (Mighty Ducks, #74, 2004)

Best Pick: Drew Stafford
Worst Pick: Dane Byers

The Lakers were still the Royals at the time of draft and resigned to the randomness of auto-picking. Even so, there were certainly some positive signs on draft day, despite the team not picking until the start of the 2nd round. Lakers began by picking all-round winger Drew Stafford, who was picked at 13 by Buffalo in the NHL draft. Stafford is in many ways a typical Sabres pick – he’ll never be confused with a star talent, but he does everything well and brings his A-game every night. Stafford is big, and his skating is one of his core strengths. He plays a very smart game at both ends of the ice and is a tireless worker on both fore- and back-check. He isn’t immediately noticed for his skills, however possesses above average hands and vision and could conceivably be a great 2nd liner that plays in all game situations. An ample comparison could be that of Sharks’ Marco Sturm, however bigger and grittier. Stafford enters his second year at U. of North Dakota this season and could remain for another 3, however he is reasonably pro-ready at this point and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see him turn pro for the 2005/06 season

Swedish D-man Johan Fransson was the next new Laker. Forecasted to be a first-rounder, Fransson slipped some on draft day. Johan is primarily seen as an offensive force – he is very mobile, has a good point shot and a very strong transition game. The knock is his limitations in size and a perceived weakness in his own zone. The fact, however, is that too much of this is based on his small stature. Fransson plays much bigger than his size, and while he needs to add significant bulk to become effective at clearing the crease, he still exhibits a developing physical game. Also, he did lead Luleå of the Swedish Elite League in /- as a rookie last season, which does give some indication that his defensive game is better than advertised. He certainly doesn’t show any weakness in that respect on the ice, with exception of a few occasional mental errors that are to be expected from a rookie. Fransson has an above average chance of becoming a top4 d-man in the NHL, with a game resembling fellow Swedes Tärnström and Hävelid (though likely not as massive offensive upside as the former)

With Logan Stephenson, what you see is what you get! Logan – who by no means is a flashy player - has managed 17 pts in 130 WHL games, despite spending quite some time on the PP – this says a bit about the (lack of) offensive upside. With that out of the way, what remains? Well, Stephenson is one of the best hitters in the whole draft class – he is like a freight train that moves everything in his way. He can be downright mean, but most of the time is clean. Stephenson’s upside is that of a #4 primarily defensive d-man, in the mould of Murray Baron – he will be solid and only spectacular with his hitting, but he likely won’t be an impact player

Jordan Smith was ranked 51st amongst North American skaters going into the draft, thus arguably he was a reach in the NHL draft that carried over into the Lakers’ auto-picking. He is however a very solid pick in his own right. Smith has much the same skills-set as Stephenson, though one of his best assets is his great skating. This, a tough as nails physical game, and decent offensive skills make him a very safe bet to one day become a successful pro. Various publications have compared Smith to players like Adam Foote and Bryan Marchment – while these are lofty comparisons, they are valid in that Smith is the type of player that teams always have room for and fill important roles. While he arguably has more value in the NHL than the FHL with the intangibles he brings, Smith is still a good pickup at 60.

Dane Byers is the prototypical “auto-picking gone wrong” pick. He also happens to be a Rangers draft pick, which might be more than a coincidence. Be as it may, Byers can in so many words be described as a somewhat bigger Jamal Myers, but better at fighting. He is clearly better than most enforcers at actually playing the game, but doesn’t have enough upside in any one area to merit more than consideration for a 3rd line role in the future. He has above average mobility and thrives with the physical game, but will never, ever be an impact player at the pro-level. This is a clear waste of a 2nd round pick (in the case of Rags)

The final Lakers pick is Kyle Klubertanz, who if nothing else has the coolest name in the draft going for him (Tanz = Dance in German)… Klubertanz is a bit of an unknown entity at this point – out of the USHL, he has yet to face strong competition but he will go to the University of Wisconsin this fall. Klubertanz is a puckmoving d-man, whose offensive skills is what stand out. He plays a somewhat chippy game, but is likely to small to be a major physical presence in the pros. Look for Klubertanz to become an allround, lower-end rotation d-man at best.

Overall verdict: B- - not great by any stretch, but then the picks were neither early nor plentiful. Stafford is a great pickup and both Fransson and Smith should be solid NHLers. None of the players picked are projected to be top-line players, however

Los Muertos

44.) Chris Bourque, D (Capitals, #33, 2004)
64.) Grant Lewis, D (Thrashers, #40, 2004)
67.) Michael Funk, D (Sabres, #43, 2004)
84.) Alex Goligoski D (Penguins, #61, 2004)

Best pick: Grant Lewis
Worst pick: Alex Goligoski

LosMuertos auto-drafted – this landed them Chris Bourque with their first pick. When – ever – is a 5’7/160lbs d-man a good choice for the team? Umm…ehhh…well…? I think that, in essence is the issue with Bourque. He has fantastic bloodlines and ability to spare, but the main question mark if he can overcome his size deficit. There are several examples of d-men doing that, like Rafalski and Bergeron, but they are not THAT small. So what about Bourque? Well, like his old man, he is well-rounded without any significant weaknesses. He has the same drive to win and plays very physical game. I would love for him to clean up in the NHL, but my money is on Chris being a hall-of-fame AHLer

In an all-defense draft, the Mexicans proceeded to select Dartmouth College’s Grant Lewis, who had a somewhat surprising freshman season. He was one of their dominant players on defense as freshman and shot up the rankings to an early 2nd round selection despite being off the radar at the beginning of the season. Lewis is big and a very good skater. He is primarily an offensive d-man, though he shows signs of maturing into a solid two-way player. He has very good outlet passes and plays a smart positional game. If his current development trajectory continues, you could see him in the pro-ranks within 3 years. A real steal at 64!

The next d-man selected by LosMuertos was Michael Funk, a prospect were the package very far from equals the sum of the parts. There is a lot to like with Funk – he stands 6’4 and could turn into a massive player. His skating is top notch and he displays a good understanding of the game in both zones. The problem so far is in the execution. Funk does not display a willingness to use his wide body and has been prone to mental errors, especially when being put under pressure. Some scouts see him as a “poor man’s” version of Portland team mate Braydon Coburn, however with significant development need. Funk has the upside to definitely become a top4 d-man, however it remains to be seen if he can improve on his consistency

The last d-man into the desert is Alex Goligoski, who potentially has the most ridiculous name of the draft. Goligoski is at this point a lot of promise, but of which not much is proven. He will go to University of Minnesota this fall, a school that has a highly regarded Hockey program. This and the raw skills set Goligoski possesses are two encouraging factors. He plays style wise a lot like fellow (ex-) Gopher Keith Ballard, though his ceiling is not that high. Golisgoski’s main strength is the offensive game, he is a very adept PP quarterback and has good on-ice vision. His main areas of improvement is strength and mobility – at 5’11 and slight build, he won’t outmuscle opposing players. Add to this the fact that his footspeed is only average, and you have two key obstacles that Alex needs to overcome to thrive in the pros. There is plenty of upside, but likely Goligoski will be in the lower d-rotation of a team and will see some time on the PP

Overall verdict: C – Another team auto-drafted and ended up with a less than impressive result. Granted, the team’s fist pick was in round 3 and Lewis is a great pickup, but all other picks have significant question marks as to their ability to make it to the pros. At 44, prospects like Voloshenko, Söderberg and Sindel were still on the board

Psychos

27.) Travis Zajac, C (Devils, #20, 2004)
39.) Justin Peters, G (Hurricanes, #38, 2004)
70.) Roman Tesliuk, D (Oilers, #44, 2004)
77.) Blake Comeau, RW (Islanders, #47, 2004)
82.) Geoff Paukovich, LW (Oilers, #57, 2004)

Best Pick: Travis Zajac
Worst Pick: Blake Comeau

Psychos are known for picking a lot of overaged players, however this time around Dylan stuck to the 2004 draft. Dylan moved the 11th and 24th picks to Hyacks in two separate deals, but still ended up with a potential steal in the second round with Travis Zajac, the young C selected in the first round by the Debbies. Zajac tore up JR A in scoring last year and will attend University of North Dakota this fall, where he will likely play 2nd line C behind fellow Devil Zach Parise. The two prospects share many of the same traits. Zajac is a real offensive threat, with especially impressive skating and stick-handling. He also displays good finishing skills and a desire to win, which makes him stand-out compared to players like for instance Robbie Schremp. Zajac is an absolute steal at 27

Psychos continued their draft by dipping into the goaltending pool. Tornoto St. Michaels’s Justin Peters was selected with the 39th pick, despite several interesting prospects being left of the board. Most notably, Dylan chose Peters over David Shantz, who was widely considered a more highly touted G prospect going into the draft. Peters is a very solid prospect in his own right, though. He is tall and takes away a lot of the net for shooters. Primarily a positional goalie, Peters doesn’t possess top end reflexes but makes up for it with a solid technical game. Two areas of issue have been conditioning and rebound control – at 6’/205lbs he is not in the best shape and this has been noted as a concern by agents. As far as rebounds go, Peters has been prone to let big rebounds get away, most notably in some deciding moments in last years OHL playoffs. On the bright side, Peters shows very good consistency for such a young prospect and his size and positional game combine for very solid fundamentals

At 70, Psychos got a potential steal in d-man Roman Tesliuk. Touted by many as a potential surprise first rounder, Tesliuk fell to the middle of the 2nd round in the NHL draft. He is one of the best pure skaters in the draft, both forward and backwards, and has the potential to develop into a very solid 2-way d-man. Most scouts see high offensive potential in him, yet he has so far put up rather disappointing offensive numbers in the WHL. Still, he has all the tools to become a strong contributor on special teams and a top4 d-man.

Blake Comeau ended up the 4th player going to Spuzzum, and he is a real headscratcher. The positives is that he is a player with limited upside, since his work ethic and willingness to mix things up will likely guarantee him a spot on a pro-team. The question, however, is where his upside lies. Comeau does possess a good shot and displays a willingness to go to the net, however his numbers so far in juniors have been rather disappointing and he doesn’t seem to have the elite skills set that second-rounders normally have. At this point, absolute upside for Comeau would be to become a Ruslan Fedotenko type versatile 20 gls, 45 pts player, however most likely he will be a 4th line grinder that isn’t afraid to mix it up and that can eat up playing time on other lines in cases of injury without being a liability

The final pick of Dylan’s was hulking centre Geoff Paukovich, a player that so far has only played for the US NDP team and will begin a collegiate career this fall. Paukovich will likely never be a scoring line player, though he does possess promising offensive skills, but is likely more of a 3rd line 2-way player that could contribute on both special teams. He has a solid all-round skills set, including good size and above average skating. He plays an effective game and has decent hands, though appears to lack top-end skills in any one area. Paukovich is likened to many players, amongst them Keith Primeau, and it is quite likely that he will go on to have a pro-career, albeit likely not as an impact player

Overall verdict: B – mixed bag… Zajac and Tesliuk are great picks whereas Paukovich and especially Comeau are so-so. Peters falls in between, though he could definitely become an impact player. Bottom line, though, is that getting Zajac when your first pick is at 27 is a pretty good result

Savages

3.) Cam Barker, D (Black Hawks, #3, 2004)
23.) Petteri Nokelainen, C (Islanders, #16, 2004)
66.) Bryan Bickell, LW (Black Hawks, #41, 2004)
86.) Mark Tobin, LW (Lightning, #65, 2004)
89.) Nick Johnson, RW (Penguins, #67, 2004)

Best Pick: Cam Barker
Worst Pick: Mark Tobin

Savages started of by nabbing Cam Barker, a player that could with time develop into a franchise player. Barker is often compared to Jay Bouwmeester, due to having both played for the Medicine Hat Tigers and exhibiting much the same style of game. While that is a lofty comparison, Barker certainly has the potential to become a top2 d-man. Like JBo, Barker’s primary strengths lie in skating, vision and the offensive game. He is big and plays a sound positional game, however he is hesitant to use his size and prefers to stick poke his opponents rather than taking the body. Barker was the best player available at #3 and was the right choice

Petteri Nokelainen saw his stock rise for most of the year, after a strong showing at the WJC18. It has been debated how whether Tukonens high pre-draft ranking (potential top5) was due to the support from Nokelainen/Korpikoski, or whether Tukonen made his lines mates look better than they are. Be as it may, Nokelainen is one of the safest picks of this years top30, however also has less upside than most of his peers. Nokelainen is somewhere between solid 2nd line C and 3rd line C in potential. He plays a style that reminds of countryman Jere Lehtinen, but more physical and with less finishing skills. Nokelainen could definitely be a strong 2-way presence, however will be unlikely to ever break the 50 pts barrier in the NHL

Hawk’s prospect Bryan Bickell was next at 66. Bickell has frequently been compared to current Hawk Mark Bell as far as style of game goes. He is a rugged winger that takes the body and doesn’t mind dropping the gloves, however he also possesses above average offensive instincts. He has yet to put his skills together on a consistent basis, however has the potential to become an impact player. Questions abound about his desire and work ethic, as he has notably been floating a lot in games, which shows up on the score sheet in the form of extreme streakiness

Mark Tobin is a hardworking player who has value on the fore check and along the boards due to his willingness to fight for the puck and his deceptive speed. He has average hands and vision, though, and is unlikely to contribute significantly at the pro-level. There is likely a better than average risk he doesn’t make the NHL and if, only in a marginal capacity

Finally, Nick Johnson is a scoring winger out of Canadian Junior A Hockey. Last year’s Player of the Year, Johnson is enrolling at Dartmouth College this fall to try his game at the next level. Johnson has good hands and vision, however only average size and skating which may hold him back as competition hardens. He could develop into a 2nd line scorer long-term, however he is so far a project rather than a prospect

Overall verdict: B – one homerun pick in Barker and a solid pick in Nokelainen. Not a flashy draft, but definitely some good prospects to build on

Seals

4.) Andrew Ladd, LW (Hurricanes, #4, 2004)
10.) Ryan Malone, LW (Penguins, #115, 1999)
49.) Carl Soderberg, C (Blues, #49, 2004)
54.) Jakub Sindel, C (Black Hawks, #54, 2004)
59.) Victor Oreskovich, RW (Avalanche, #55, 2004)
72.) Raymond Sawada, RW (Stars, #52, 2004)
73.) Mikhail Yunkov, C (Capitals, #62, 2004)
97.) Alexander Edler, D (Canucks, #91, 2004)

Best pick: Carl Söderberg
Worst pick: Victor Oreskovich

Seals were picking often and early in the Season 6 draft, and the team kicked things off by picking up Calgary Hitmen’s budding power forward Andrew Ladd. Ladd is arguably one of the safest picks in the top10 and should easily make the transition to the pro-game for the Canes once the NHL opens up again. There are no critical weaknesses to Ladd’s game, however there is some concern that he might not possess elite upside. Ladd is a great skater and excels at the physical game. He plays a responsible two-way game and has above average hands and finishing skills. A fair comparison of his potential might be Ryan Smyth – it’s unlikely that Ladd will become more than a 70 pts performer at the pro-level, however he will likely be an all-round player that will perform consistently and is used on the top2 lines in all game situations

At 10, Seals were on the board again with Ryan Malone, who in many ways is very similar to Ladd. Blessed with size, grit and great mobility, Malone is a hard worker with good hands that plays both ends equally well and always works hardest on the ice. Malone likely has lower offensive upside than Ladd, but could very well be a 60pts player that provides a good scoring presence from the 2nd line wing. With Malone and Ladd, Seals have 2 great future wingers to build their team on. It sure helps that Malone adds some much needed help immediately as well. Ladd is a good pick in his own right, however it should be noted that players like Olesz, Schwarz and Montoya were still on the board at this time, but the team evidently chose to get more immediate help

Seals had to wait another round before they selected Carl Söderberg, a player they had been rumoured to pick for a long time. Söderberg got his breakthrough last season in the Swedish Elite League and is expected to get more responsibility this season, as his Malmö Redhawks is one of only two teams in the SEL that have declined to acquire any NHL players for their rosters (well, except for fellow Seal Brett McLean). Unfortunately, Söderberg has so far been relatively anonymous through 8 rounds of play. Söderberg is a big 2-way C that has put up very impressive numbers at the junior level, however who hasn’t produced a lot at Pro-level, mainly due to lack of ice-time. He has good finishing skills and physical game, however his playmaking and skating needs to be upgraded for him to take the next step. He likely hasn’t got the top end skills to be a premier scoring pivot in the NHL, but should excel in a role as second line C

Speedy Czech Jakub Sindel was the California Seals’ 4th pick of the draft. Sindel arguably has the highest pure offensive upside of all Seal’s picks, however also suffers from being a very one-dimensional player. On the downside, he has a non-existent physical game and significantly needs to improve his defensive game. On the upside, he is a very slick skater that uses speed to his advantage and has extremely soft hands with great stickhandling and finishing skills. There were rumours that Sindel would join the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings for this season, however he elected to remain in the Czech Republic. His contract ends at the end of this season, so look for him to be in North America by the start of 2005, vying for an NHL spot

In Victor Oreskovich, Seals picked their fifth straight forward in the draft. Oreskovich had a somewhat disappointing year in the USHL – going into the league as a highly touted prospect, the expectations were that he’d be scoring more. Oreskovich is an appealing package – like many of the other Seal’s picks he combines size, mobility and finishing skills in a neat package. Contrary to his peers, though, Oreskovich still needs to prove his skills at a higher level of competition, which he’ll get an opportunity to do as he will replace the departed Rob Globke on Notre Dame’s roster. He could become a well-rounded 2nd or 3rd line winger, however still has a very long way to go before making the pros

Raymond Sawada is another in a string of hard-working, swift-skating forwards that may clutter Seal’s roster some years from now. A very safe pick, Sawada excels on the forecheck and along the boards and has decent finishing skills. Sawada has drawn comparisons to Canuck Trevor Linden, though likely has less scoring upside. He does share the same leadership skills and work ethic, though, and is the type of team-player any team could use. Long-term projection is likely as 3rd liner, though with limited down-side

Seals then proceeded to pick a higher upside player in young Russian pivot Mikhail Yunkov, a promising playmaker. Blessed with great on-ice vision and good hands, Yunkov has all the tools to be a great set-up man, but needs to significantly bulk up to have a shot at the pro level. Yunkov has decent finishing skills as well, however prefers to pass the puck. He has good mobility, but has showed tendencies to avoid playing in traffic. His physical game is immature, and due to his slim build he tends to be pushed around. Upside should be 2nd line C, though there is an above average chance that Yunkov won’t take his game across the pond

Finally, Seals picked a defender with their last pick – Canuck Alexander Edler rounds out their selections. Edler has transferred to Swedish elite team Modo during the summer, though will likely see very limited ice time due to the influx of NHL players, and it is likely that he’ll be lent to one of the area’s Tier2 teams (Sundsvall most likely). Edler is big and extremely mobile. Like many Europeans, he is not an all-out physical player, but is adept at playing the body and big enough to be effective in clearing the crease. He has an under-rated offensive game and could develop into a 2nd pairing two-way defender down the line. While he does need a lot of seasoning, the basics are very attractive.

Overall verdict: B . Seals definitely helped themselves to a lot of good prospects, but the striking thing after 8 picks – including 2 in the top10 – is that there isn’t one player that has superstar potential in the mix. Ladd, Malone, Söderberg and Sindel are likely all pro picks; however it is unclear if anyone of them are likely to be a 75pts player at that level. Considering that there’s only 20 teams in the league, more upside could’ve been desirable.

Stalefish

19.) Boris Valabik, D (Thrashers, #10, 2004)
36.) Enver Lisin, RW (Coyotes, #50, 2004)
110.) Tomas Mojzis, D (Canucks, #246, 2001)

Best pick: Enver Lisin
Worst pick: Boris Valabik

Stalefish started off with picking hulking blue-liner Boris Valabik. Chris was surprised he was still there – and, considering he went 9 spots earlier in the NHL draft, with some merit. Most publications have compared Valabik to Zdeno Chara, on account of both being enormous and Slovak. While that comparison could have anyone salivating over Valabik, I still think that had he been Canadian there’d been more than one person likening him to Chris McAllister. The truth most likely is somewhere in between, however it’d appear at this point that Valabik could very well end up a defensive stalwart in the Paul Laus mould. Slow, nasty and defensively sound. I think at any rate that Chara is a stretch as comparison – if nothing else, it would appear that Valabik has a long way to go to match the offensive output of his countryman. I believe that both Meszaros and Thelen would’ve made better choices at this point in the draft, however considering Stalefish’s prospect depth, a high risk/reward prospect like Valabik may be worth taking… and just think of Valabik and Chara on the blueline in that cute temporary gold-fish logo

Chris continued by nabbing speedball Enver Lisin, who may well turn out to be his best pick of the draft when all is said and done. Lisin is all wheels and hands. A poor mans’ Pavel Bure, he almost has the same explosiveness, though maybe not quite as good finishing skills. On the other hand, he also appears less one-dimensional and floating… Lisin could very well turn into a 35 goals-scorer at the NHL level and will likely be a game-breaking type of player. He would’ve gone much earlier in an ordinary draft, however Russians generally fell due to the uncertainty of the upcoming agreement between the NHL and the IIHF. Lisin still needs to prove he can score in the Russian Super League, however for now, he is a very high upside pick and definitely Stalefish’s best pick of the draft

Tomas Mojzis is a guy that only Canucks fans know of so far, and he is definitely a homer pick at 110, however there is quite some upside to him. Mojzis could very well develop into a lower-half rotation d-man with above average offensive skills. His key strengths lie in outlet passing and a strong positional game. Like many Czech defenders, he will never be considered a strong physical presence, however he is reasonably effective at tying up his man. The key areas of concern for Mojzis is his consistency and decision making, two areas that will need considerable improvement for him to claim a regular spot on an NHL roster. His performance in the 2004 training camp was however very promising

Overall verdict: B - Well, the Monkey’s got three players that could all very well be solid, however only Lisin appears to have really high upside.

Vorpal Bunnies

6.) Lauri Tukonen, RW (Kings, #11, 2004)
26.) Lauri Korpikoski, LW (Rangers, #19, 2004)
46.) Roman Voloshenko, LW (Wild, #42, 2004)
69.) Kirill Lyamin, D (Senators, #58, 2004)
85.) Adam Berti, LW (Black Hawks, #68, 2004)
92.) Zdenek Bahensky, RW (Rangers, #73, 2004)

Best pick: Lauri Tukonen
Worst pick: Adam Berti

Lauri Tukonen was one of the bigger reaches early in the draft, and for good reason. Touted by many scouts as a top 5 pick, Tukonen was seen as the most promising power-forward type prospect in the draft. He impressed early in the WJC18, where the Finnish line of Tukonen-Korpikoski-Nokkelainen drew a lot of attention. The early selection of his fellow countrymen also highlights the impression they gave on the scouts. Tukonen has great mobility and grit, much like fellow Finn Olli Jokinen. He goes to the net hard and has great vision and offensive positioning. While he is more of a finisher than a set-up man, Tukonen has generally good offensive skills. He is also above average on the defensive game as a true north-south winger. Reminds a lot of fellow Kings prospect Dustin Brown. Tukonen should be a safe bet to develop into an elite 2nd line winger or a good 1st liner with time

Possessed with Lauris, PF went on to select Tukonen’s linesman Lauri Korpikoski at 26. Impressed with the chemistry these two had, Peca undoubtedly hope they can rekindle the magic in the CNGHL. Korpiskosi is a hard-nosed winger with similar skills set to that of Tukonen. He has so far shown somewhat less impressive offensive instinct, but for that has a more aggressive style and a more mature defensive game. His high-end ceiling is sometimes questioned, butfor now Korpikoski seems destined for 2nd line duty in the future

For pure offensive upside, Roman Voloshenko is a good choice. His shooting skills are absolutely top notch and he will pay the price to score goals, as he relishes the rough stuff – contrary to most fellow Russians. There are however also issues to his game, most notably skating. Roman is not fast by any means and especially lacks first step explosiveness. He is also not very strong on his skates, which tends to create turnovers. He reminds a lot of a less talented version of former 4th overall pick Pavel Brendl – a fantastic arsenal of shots that will get past any goaltender, but a questionable ability to get himself into scoring position. As opposed to Brendl, however, Voloshenko appears to have a good work ethic and be committed to improve. With improved skating, Voloshenko could have 2nd line potential

Kirill Lyamin is one of PF’s best picks of the draft. Primarily a defensive d-man, Lyamin is big, strong and fiercely competitive. He hits like a freight train but rarely is caught out of position. His game is similar to that of fellow Russian and Sens prospect Anton Volchenkov in many respects, though Lyamin is bigger. He has good mobility and an under-rated offensive game – while he won’t ever be a big scoring threat, he does have a decent first pass and a hard and accurate slap shot that could well see him land on the 2nd PP unit in the future. Lyamin is very likely a future top4 d-man and fell in the draft primarily due to the current issues regarding a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Super League

A power forward that plays soft – this would be the one-liner on Adam Berti. Not the flashiest of players, Berti is big, mobile and could be an all-round physical presence if his heart was in it. As things stand, his best opportunity for making the big leagues is probably as a versatile 2nd/3rd liner that plays hard and chips in with timely goals, but he is bent on being a finesse player. His skills set, however, appear too limited for this to work out. It remains to be seen how he develops in the OHL this season, but Berti will need to continue working on using the body

The last Bunny this year is young Czech Zdenek Bahensky. The NHL lock-out saw 8 NHL regulars join Bahensky’s Czech team Litvinov, which forced Bahensky to move to the WHL, where he has had an excellent start to the season with Saskatoon Blades. Bahensky is a skills-forward, who lives primarily off his great skating and agility. He has good overall offensive skills and vision and is the type of player that would need to be on a scoring line to be effective. It is too early to say whether his skills level is high enough to be a NHL scorer, however he could well round out into a good 2nd liner if he can bulk up and improve his defensive game

Overall verdict: A- - solid draft for Peca, with some gems in Tukonen and Lyamin. Korpikoski is also a great pick, with very limited downside. It looks like the Vorpal Bunnies will stay at the top of the league in the future as well

Zebras

13.) Rostislav Olesz, C (Panthers, #7, 2004)
30.) Steve Bernier, RW (Sharks, #16, 2003)
33.) Cam Ward, G (Hurricanes, #25, 2002)
41.) Dave Bolland, C (Black Hawks, #32, 2004)
52.) Konstantin Zakharov, RW (Blues, #101, 2003)
76.) Dan Ellis, G (Stars, #60, 2000)
83.) Kyle Wharton, D (Blue Jackets, #59, 2004)
96.) Matt Jones, D (Coyotes, #80, 2002)
99.) Ben Eaves, C (Penguins, #131, 2001)

Best pick: Cam Ward
Worst pick: Ben Eaves

Anthony kicked off a really strong draft performance by nabbing Czech pivot Rostislav Olesz at 13. The young Czech inexplicably fell 6 spots compared to his NHL draft position and he could turn out to be the best pick in the first round. 3 months before the draft he was touted as a top3 pick and was considered on par with Russian Evgeni Malkin, who later went 2nd overall. Olesz is the total package – he has frequently been compared to both fellow Czech prospect Milan Michalek and to rugged pivot Bobby Holik in terms of style. Olesz game is built on strong mobility and physical presence. He plays both ends of the rink equally well and is likely ideally used as a 2nd line C with significant PP time in the future. He is a good playmaker and an above average finisher, though the only question mark is how good his offensive upside really is. Olesz continues to ply his trade in the Czech Extraliga, however expect to see him land in Miami within 2 years

A hold-over from last years draft, budding power forward Steve Bernier was the Zebras next mark. Bernier was highly touted going into the 2003 draft, however has been struggling over the last season to find consistency and to score. The draft pick the Sharks used to pick Bernier was part of the Owen Nolan deal, and it is safe to say that San José used it to get a replacement for the rugged winger. It is hard to project Bernier as a first line talent given the lack of production he has seen recently, however he could well develop into a solid 2nd line presence. Apart from consistency, the main area Bernier needs to upgrade is skating, as he lacks an explosive first step as well as top line speed required to be a dangerous presence in the NHL

Cam Ward is another hold-over, and might just be this draft’s best pick overall at 33. Ward is a solid butterfly goalie that has very good reflexes and agility. His main weakness is rebound control, though he usually deflects rebounds wide rather than straight out. Ward was crowned WHL MVP as well as CHL & WHL goaltender of the year and will play this year with Lowell in the AHL. He would have been a safe bet to make the Hurricanes out of camp if there had been a season. Wards upside is that of a top10 NHL goalie, though as with all goalies, he’ll likely need at least 2-3 seasons before he is pushing for a starters job

Dave Bolland is remarkable in that he managed to almost make it into the NHL 1st round, despite weighting in at a mere 170 lbs. This in some way is a true testament to his skills level, as he doesn’t appear to be the type of guy that is likely to bulk up a lot. Bolland does play larger than his physical size, though, but there is still a large question mark as to his future ability to compete and stay healthy. Past his size then? Well, Bolland might be one of the smartest players in the CHL. He has excellent on-ice vision and great positioning in both zones, which helps him get into scoring position. He has above-average skills in all areas, without really standing out anywhere. If he can bulk up, he’ll likely make a good 2nd liner, however chances are that he’ll end up as one of the premier scorers in the minors

Another high-risk, high-reward pick was Blues’ winger Konstantin Zakharov. Highly touted by many sources – HF see him as a future 1st line talent, though the Blues site on HF just may be the most biased scouting site there is. Zakharov is all offense – he has fantastic hands and an arsenal of shots to try on the unsuspecting goalie. He has a high ceiling, but for all the upside, his main accomplishment so far is potting 33 goals and 50 points in 60 games in the QMJHL, something that doesn’t exactly ensure that he is a future impact player. He’s been a healthy scratch for much of the early going in the AHL, however this season will give better indication of his future potential. For now, he’s a solid 2nd line prospect

Zebras again dipped in the overager pool and nabbed Stars’ goalie prospect Dan Ellis early in the 4th round. Ellis spent much of the season with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL after bigger name prospects Mike Smith and Jason Bacashihua got to share duties for the Utah Grizzlies. Neither Smith nor “Cash” delivered, however, and the season ended with Bacashihua traded to St. Louis and Ellis getting his first taste of the NHL. Ellis has shown very good fundamentals, including great reflexes. He is also mentally very tough and has gotten plenty of playoff experience with the Steelheads this season. He is poised for NHL backup duty within a season or so and will eventually compete for a starters job, though its unclear whether his rebound control and stickhandling are good enough to propel him into a full-time starters job

The first defender picked by the Zebras is Kyle Wharton, at 83. Wharton is an all-round solid d-man that excels in the defensive aspects of the game. Scouts would like to see him play more physical, but he is very effective at steering opposing forwards into the corners without relying on big hits. Wharton plays a smart game and is very good positionally and in transition. He has great mobility and appears very competitive. His offensive game is immature and somewhat underrated – his ability to develop in this area will likely decide whether he is a top4 or bottom4 d-man. He reminds of a somewhat larger version of Karlis Skrastins in ability

Fighting Sioux d-man Matt Jones was the second-last Zebras pick – Anthony again went with a overage college d-man. Jones was originally selected by the Coyotes, but failed to really turn up on anyone’s radar screen until last year, when he posted career highs in almost every category. Jones is a very mobile d-man that will burn you at both ends. His offensive game has really taken off and he will be effective as a PP quarterback. Not overly big, Jones is still very stocky and stronger than he appears. He is very effective in his own zone and is fearless when it comes to blocking shots and clearing the crease. Jones is likely a future top 4 d-man used in all game situations

Finally, Zebras picked Boston College’s captain Ben Eaves. The less known older brother of first round pick Patrick Eaves, Ben is a fearless competitor in the Mike Peca mould, only significantly smaller. He will suit up with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL this season, where he’ll likely patrol the 3rd line. Eaves has solid skills, but isn’t very likely to be an impact player at the NHL level considering he stands 5’8/170lbs

Overall verdict: A – spectacular! Virtually every pick was good considering time of draft. Every pick (with the possible exception of Eaves) was made to count. Olesz and Ward have the potential to develop into star players, whereas Bernier, Bolland and Jones with high probability will be solid NHLers. Then there is the wildcard Zakharov. Enough said, this was good stuff