The draft got off to a very active start with the Kumquats off-loading all their picks leading up to the draft, followed by a blockbuster where the Blondes acquired a new starter and the 3^rd overall pick in a trade that saw Bryan Berard and Chris Osgood move to Royals and boost Royals into a credible playoff team. There were seven instances of a first rounders traded at draft day alone, and the KUM1st (10^th overall) was moved three times on draft day from Kumquats via Blondes and Royals to Stalefish who used the pick to draft Petr Prucha.

Looking at the drafting in retrospect, it was peculiar with several opportunities for finds. Some facts:

• 30% of the drafted players were not part of the 2006 NHL draft
• 13% of the drafted players (or 15 in total) went later than #200 in their NHL draft or were never drafted at all in real life
• The last NHL first rounder to be had in the draft was Matt Corrente at 50.
• The highest drafted NHL player in 2006 that was passed over was Dick Axelsson (Capitals, 62)
• Several NHL 2^nd rounders were still available at pick #100

Several GMs made large reaches very early and the merit of those will be tested in time. As always, I’ve made a team-by-team review based on my own personal views and most of them are likely to be false. I’ve also been asked to rip into GMs more (or be less diplomatic), however take it with a grain of salt – lest I get monthly hate posts of “well, now my prospect X and Y are outperforming your stupid-ass projections”… As many know, I am a bit skeptical of drafting proven second or thirdliners early, so keep this in mind.

Finally – you may notice that the Blondes team-review stands out as being very good – some would suspect I took extra care with my own team, but the reality is that this excellent piece of writing was contributed by Mike. While I aspire to write at the same level, this has me really considering outsourcing more of next year’s review to him!

Let the fun begin!

TEAM-BY-TEAM REVIEW

Momesso Conference

Dowd Division

VORPAL BUNNIES

13.) Jiri Tlusty (Leafs, #13, 2006)

33.) Ivan Vishnevski (Stars, #27, 2006)

49.) Tomas Kana (Blues, #31, 2006)

53.) Carl Sneep (Penguins, #32, 2006)

76.) Kaspars Daugavin (Senators, #91, 2006)

101.) Jeff Zatkoff (Kings, #74, 2006)

Best pick: Jiri Tlusty

Worst pick: Carl Sneep

Overall verdict: B – Solid if unspectacular picks all round

PF went Czech with his first pick for the second year in a row, as budding power forward Jiri Tlusty was picked up with the 13^th overall pick. Tlusty came out of nowhere in the second half of the season, where he started putting up big points in the Czech extraliga, and he crowned the season by being the best Czech player in the WJC Under-20s – despite being one of the youngest players on the team. Tlusty is a budding power forward that blends great speed with size and a physical game and could eventually develop into a player of similar skills set to Jerome Iginla. Jiri Tlusty is slated to play for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL if he doesn’t crack the Leafs pro team, however could well be sent down to juniors, where SSO Greyhounds of the OHL has his rights from the CHL import draft. My bet would be to see him in the AHL this season, with some call-ups towards the end of the season as the Leafs are thin up front

The Bunnies continued picking up high-upside players with talented Russian d-man Ivan Vishnevski – a player frequently compared to Sergei Zubov. Vishnevski is all about offense – he is one of the best skaters in the draft and has an above average skills set across the board in the offensive zone. Where he needs significant work, however, is on defense. At 5’11/175lbs, Vishnevski has big problems containing larger forwards and his positioning is another area that will need work. Like many young Russians, he also exhibits spotty work ethic and is very inconsistent. Vishnevski will spend at least another season in the QMJHL, but figures to develop into a top4 d-man who runs the top PP unit. Great pick in the mid second round and possibly a higher upside player than Tlusty, however there is also a risk that Vishnevski ends up like Kirill Koltsov

Continuing through the list, Peca is more and more reminding me of Anders – picking up Euros left, right and center. PF’s third pick was not an exception to this – another Czech in promising pivot Tomas Kana. From an NHL standpoint, Kana is the type of player every team needs – he can play well in any situation and while he’ll never be a very productive top line player, he’ll be a very useful member of the 2^nd/3^rd lines as well as a main contributor on the PK. Look for Kana to settle into a role similar to Mike Johnson or Jason Blake at best. From a FHL perspective, Kana will obviously be slightly less useful and at 49, arguably, there would’ve been higher upside choices available. Kana will play at least one more season in the top Czech league, before potentially coming over to the U.S. The Blues aren’t exactly stocked right now, so there is reason to believe that Kana will be given every chance to contribute shortly

Finally selecting an American, PF picked up hulking d-man Carl Sneep at 53. Sneep was – somewhat surprisingly – picked up in the early 2^nd round in the NHL draft, after having been projected by most scouts to be a late 3^rd round pick. Sneep have solid fundamentals – he is huge at 6’4/210 lbs, very mobile for his size and has overall good vision. So far, Sneep has only competed at USHL level, where due especially to superior size, he has dominated the opposition. Bound for Boston College this fall, Sneep is looking to prove himself at a higher level. Sneep will likely take 3-4 years at least before making a play for the pro-leagues and it isn’t impossible that he will look to complete his degree. He has the potential to be a primarily defensive top4 d-man, however at this point he is a project. Interesting pick and worth a flier, but should probably have been picked later in the draft

Arguably the most interesting Bunnies pick came at 76, where unheralded Latvian Kaspars Daugavin was selected. The young center has everything including an unpronounceable, exotic name… Daugavins has come over to North America and will suit up for Toronto St. Michael’s Majors in the OHL for the season. Daugavins already plays an American style hockey and goes hard to the net. He is a tireless worker with great vision and playmaking skills and figures to settle in as a second line center that plays well defensively and on the PK, while still producing offensively. Look for Daugavins to be one of the go-to guys on his junior team this season and for him to be making a mark in the NHL in 2009. He is not by any means a sure thing to make the big show, but he does at least have the upside

Goalie Jeff Zatkoff was the final pick of the day for Peca at 101. Zatkoff comes off a stellar performance for the University of Ohio-Miami and was selected the team’s rookie of the year the past season. He is a very athletic goalie with strong reflexes and a quick glove hand, however needs to work on rebound control. He will be looking to claim the starters spot this year in the CCHA. Considering the goaltending pipeline in LA, with Jonathan Bernier and Jonathan Quick clearly ahead of Zatkoff, and with a number of rather young players such as Ryan Munce, Barry Brust and Adam Hauser vying for spots, Zatkoff should be considered a long-shot to make the NHL and it would be very surprising if he elects not to play out his college eligibility, before turning pro for the 2009/10 season. Picking goalies late is never bad, as their development is difficult to forecast, however I wouldn’t bet on Zatkoff being the real deal.

BRAWLERS

7.) Derick Brassard (Jackets, #6, 2006)

27.) Bob Sanguinetti (Rangers, #21, 2006)

47.) Cory Emmerton (Wings, #41, 2006)

69.) Ryan White (Canadiens, #66, 2006)

70.) Alexander Vasyunov (Devils, #58, 2006)

Best pick: Bob Sanguinetti – you cannot teach that vision and skating

Worst pick: Ryan White – nice role player, but likely no impact in 20-team league

Overall verdict: A – Solid performance all-round, with the three first picks very likely to pay significant dividends

Brawlers’ Bryan was quiet on draft day, preferring to keep the picks he went into the draft with over seeking trades, however he certainly made the picks count and got away from the draft with at least two bluechip prospects and a couple of players that should realistically have a good shot at being solid role players as well

Things got off to a fast start with the selection of QMJHL standout and speedster Derick Brassard who has been tearing up the Q with impressive offensive performance. A two points per game average is impressive even in the high scoring Q. Brassard is blessed with great wheels and has a style that can be amply compared to Teemu Selänne or Paul Kariya, though his future niche is likely more as set-up man than finisher. Brassard is a potentially game-breaking talent and the only concern going forward should be his ability to stay healthy (having missed 50 QMJHL games over past two seasons) and continuing to develop his core assets in skating and skills. Brassard also need to get stronger to cope with the bigger competition, however he does play with a physical edge already and is unlikely to be limited to a perimeter role. Brassard is a very solid pick, which should be expected at 7 overall

Next, Brawlers turned to defense with slick skating offensive talent Bob Sanguinetti, whose upside should be along the lines of Sandis Ozolinsh (hopefully sans booze). Sanguinetti’s core assets are great mobility and very good vision/playmaking skills. He is at the very least expected to make the league as a PP specialist, however his defensive play is sound enough to not hurt teams. He has decent but not great size and isn’t overly physical and the defensive zone play – notably shot blocking, crease clearing and one-on-one work is where he needs to take further steps to become a pro. He is likely headed back for another year in the OHL (much the same route as was chosen by Rags management for Marc Staal last year) and will also likely need some time in the AHL before graduating to the Rangers roster. Sanguinetti was thought by many to be the second best d-man in the draft after Eric Johnson and getting him at 27 is an outright steal

Cory Emmerton went into the draft as a highly touted two-way forward prospect and many expected him to go late in the first round, however he had to wait mid-way through the second to be nabbed up. Emmerton has an allround solid game, but several coaches knocked him for lacking the high end offensive skills and for failing to bring a consistent performance at the U18 WJC. He is a pick with very limited downside – the combination of high mobility, defensive awareness and good understanding of the game is likely to at least land Emmerton a job as a third line checker. His offensive upside is debatable; however look for him to be on a mission this year to prove that his 90pts performance wasn’t a fluke. Emmerton could well develop into a Marc Sturm type of player that can contribute at both ends and be very valuable to a team. Again, a very solid pick for a third rounder

Brawlers got some help on defensively adept forwards in the form of Ryan White with the #69 pick.. White was generally expected to go towards the end of the first round in the NHL draft and him being available at #69 is a great catch – however, he is the type of player who’s value doesn’t translate very well to the FHL. White is a defensively very strong center that plays a physical and gritty role, frustrating opposing players. He also has solid offensive skills, however the lack of elite hands and mobility will likely limit his pro upside to being a great 3^rd line center that can fill in on the second line if need be. Similar in style to Mike Richards and Ryan Kesler, White will likely be a mainstay on the penalty kill and could well be a future captain for the Habs. From a CNGHL perspective, the pick is somewhat unspectacular, however there is virtually no downside and that’s a pretty good outcome of a pick around 70. White will likely be back for at least another year in the WHL, however his maturity is high and his game should translate pretty easily to the pro-ranks, so it isn’t conceivable to seem him with a regular shift on Montreal’s fourth line in 2007/08

Bryan closed out the drafting by picking skilled but enigmatic Russian sniper Alex Vasyunov, one of the Devil’s many Russian picks from the 2006 draft. Vasyunov is classic Russian prospect – he boasts top notch shooting arsenal and hands, hasn’t been in the defensive zone more than twice the past year and has erratic work ethic to say the least. He DID show up for the U18 WJC and made a great impression on scouts, however at this point it is safe to say that his absolute upside and downside are far apart. The future will tell whether Vasyunov turns into Sergei Samsonov or Igor Radulov – for now, Vasyunov needs to establish himself on Yaroslavl’s pro-team, as he so far has only played on the farm team

KUMQUATS

98.) Mike Weber (Sabres, #57, 2006)

Overall verdict: C – there isn’t anything in particular wrong with Weber, but having one pick at 98 is simply not worth a better grade

Kumquats made a flurry of trades going into the draft, as Quinton found himself unable to attend, and these trades seriously strengthened the team to the point of contending for the conference in the east with historical powers Epidemic and Zebras looking weaker than in recent memory. That said, Quinton was left with only one pick, which was used on Windsor Spitfire blueliner Mike Weber, who was at times touted as a potential NHL first rounder, but who somewhat surprisingly fell to the mid-second round. Weber is a solid defensive d-man, who has few weaknesses. At 6’2/200 lbs and with plenty of hockey smarts, Weber plays a solid and physical defensive game and plays it simple and error free. He has good overall awareness in both zones and picks his spots to use a somewhat underrated offense. Look for him to develop into a Keith Carney like player at the NHL level

ZEBRAS

17.) Chris Stewart (Avalanche, #18, 2006)

37.) Michel Ouellet (Penguins, #124, 2000)

57.) Ben Maxwell (Canadiens, #49, 2006)

61.) Michael Forney (Thrashers, #80, 2006)

75.) Kevin Dallman (Bruins, undrafted)

84.) Maxim Kondratiev (Leafs, #168, 2001)

105.) Chad Larose (Hurricanes, undrafted)

Best pick: Michel Ouellet – If he remains in a top6 role with the Pens, he’s likely to produce more points than the rest of the picks combined…

Worst pick: Maxim Kondratiev – Max just returned to Russia for the second time due to higher salary over there. At least draft someone interested in playing in North America

Overall verdict: C+ – Ouellet and Maxwell are great picks… but the rest of the draft was really pretty forgettable

The Zebras started off very untrue to form by electing to go with budding power forward Chris Stewart, an unconventional choice for a GM who stands out as having one of the softest and most defense minded teams in the CNGHL. The younger brother of Anthony Stewart, Chris has pretty much the same make-up; like his brother, Chris will never score highlight goals and won’t be a perennial all-star, but a hard worker that brings grit and scores garbage goals in droves. Paired up with a solid playmaker, he is the type of player that could contribute 35-40 goals down the line, however he can likely not be counted on to produce a lot on his own. The best case sees Stewart develop into a Glen Murray or John Leclair type of player (50pts without talented playmaker, 80pts with), however the big IF in the equation whether he ultimately sticks on the top 2 lines. Failing that, he may have a long career as a checker. Stewarts main challenges will be in improving consistency and conditioning. Decent but not fantastic pick

Penguins overager Michel Ouellet raised eyebrows in East Vancouver after getting a regular shift with Sid the Wonderkid in Pittsburgh during parts of the past season and Anthony decided to take an opportunistic approach foregoing highly touted draft picks like Semen Varlamov. Ouellet once again finds himself in a top6 role with the Pens and with Crosby and Malkin as the 1-2 punch at center, Ouellet is a virtual lock to produce 60+ points annually. Ouellet will never be confused with 1^st line talent; however, much like a Mike Knuble or Jonathan Cheechoo, he is certainly a good enough player to be very productive with a solid playmaker and for this reason Ouellet is without question the best of Anthony’s pickups in this draft… big thumbs up (yeah, even I am shocked at my thunderous endorsement of picking a 24 y.o. second line talent in the top 40) 

Zebras scouts we’re on a tear at this point in the draft and decided to go with slight speedster Ben Maxwell of the Kootenay Ice with the next pick at 57. Maxwell was a wild card going into the NHL draft, projected anywhere between 20 and 60 in pre-draft rankings and ended up selected by the Habs at 49. He has a very solid offensive skills set and is one of the best skaters in the draft, with very solid playmaking and finishing skills to boot. The knock on him is that he is soft as butter and very reluctantly enters the defensive zone about once every period. Maxwell has the tools and talent to be a first liner and his start to the WHL season hints at potential greatness, however it is likely that he’ll need some seasoning in the AHL before taking the step to the NHL while working on his grit and defensive game. Very good pick at 57, rivaling the Ouellet pick-up as the Zebra’s best

College bound Mike Forney became the next new Zebra with the #61 pick – a considerable reach considering that Forney was picked at #80 overall in the NHL draft and several top40 players were still available. Part of this may be attributed to the relatively small difference between players in this span, part to the fact that Forney arguably was overlooked in the NHL draft. He possesses a pretty compelling skills package in very solid size and strong mobility. He is also versatile and a budding 2-way threat. The main question mark is around overall upside – Forney is above average in all areas but nothing stands out as spectacular and hence, there is a pretty significant likelihood that he is thus bound for a career as a checker. He has also not been tested against better competition than USHS level and will need to prove himself this year as one of the freshmen on a rather stacked University of North Dakota team. I am doubtful that he will crack the team top6 this year and he may even have problems seeing significant ice time and I’d expect him to play out his full college eligibility before turning pro. Long-term, I’d expect Forney to settle in as a 3^rd liner at best. Disappointing upside given the reach – players like Yuri Alexandrov or Bryce Swan had been more compelling alternatives at this point

At 75, Anthony reverted to picking overagers – and Kevin Dallman was the first in a line of… well… players that have proven they won’t be FHL contributors. The skinny on Dallman’s past season: he was waived by the Bruins – a team that finished 3^rd worst in the east and in the bottom 10 in goals against – and subsequently failed to be resigned by the Blues – who finished with the worst overall record and with the 3^rd highest goals against. This year, he’ll be plying his trade with the Kings – a team generally expected to finish bottom 5 – where he has already seen 2 games from the press box and is jeered by the fans. But hey, what’s there not to like about a slow, 5’11 d-man? Wasted pick!

If things weren’t already bad, they took a turn for worse with the #84 pick. Maxim Kondratiev has already been bought out twice by CNGHL teams. Worse yet – at the young age of 23, he has already left NHL teams twice for the Russian league as he has failed to work hard enough to secure a spot. Kondratiev is undeniably talented – however, at the current rate, it is very difficult to see why he’d once again come over to the U.S. as he can clearly earn more money as a top3 guy in Russia than as a #5 with attitude problems in North America. The one thing than can be said for Dallman – he’ll probably play somewhere in some capacity – may not even be true for Kondratiev

Rounding out the Zebra draft is undrafted and unheralded Hurricanes winger Chad Larose, who does have a cup ring… and that’s about it. Larose is a player that would be a perennial AHL all-star, only he is pressed into service as an all-purpose 4^th liner in Carolina . Good for him! Now, I can almost guarantee that Larose will never be a 70OV+ player in FHL terms, and at 5’9/165 lbs and without fantastic mobility, I think the achievement of making a Stanley Cup caliber team is already worth considerable admiration. All in all, this makes three straight picks where I believe the return will never suit up in a single game for the Zebras

DYKES

15.) Jonathan Bernier (Kings, #11, 2006)

35.) David Fischer (Canadiens, #20, 2006)

55.) Igor Makarov (Blackhawks, #33, 2006)

78.) Riley Holzapfel (Thrashers, #43, 2006)

Best pick: David Fischer – could become a top-pairing steal

Worst pick: Riley Holzapfel – quick – someone mention a Thrashers 3^rd rounder that have been remotely close to making the NHL?

Overall verdict: B+ – Auto-picking sometimes works out extremely well and Dykes managed to pick up one of the top goalies in the draft and a couple of dark horses with solid potential

Dykes got on the board at 15 with diminutive but quick goalie Jonathan Bernier. This year was not a great goalie year in the NHL draft, however there were several promising netminders in the first round and Bernier was picked first at 11. Bernier has had a very solid season for Lewistone MAINEiacs, posting a 2.70 GAA which is very low for the high-scoring QMJHL, however the most impressive display of his skills came at the U18 WJC, where he was stellar. Bernier is a butterfly goalie who has very quick reflexes and good agility. He is technically sound, both in terms of positioning and rebound control. The one knock is his small size, which makes him vulnerable especially up high. Bernier has game-stealing ability and has also shown that he plays well under pressure – two traits that may well separate him from other solid goalie prospects down the line. The Kings currently have a solid goaltending situation – while neither Cloutier nor Garon are yet elite goalies, both are good enough to be starters for the time being, so there will be no rush in getting Bernier into the pros. Expect 2 more years in Juniors and at least a year in the AHL, however, Bernier should ultimately be the Kings (and Dykes) goalie of the future

At 35, the Dykes may have gotten their best pick of the draft in two-way defense prospect David Fischer. Anytime you get a prospect picked at 20 in the NHL draft with your 35^th pick you’ve potentially scored well, however what’s the more puzzling in this case is that the reason isn’t because that #20 pick was a low upside player with intangibles that are important to an NHL team but less so in a fantasy league. Fischer has everything you would hope for in a defender – good mobility and size, good vision and understanding of the position, solid positioning and a good shot to boot. The one question mark – is he able to put these pieces together and take them to the next level? The one question mark with Fischer is the level of competition – he was this year’s Mr.Hockey as Minnesota ’s most outstanding high school player and he is now bound for University of Minnesota , where he will play with fellow top prospect Erik Johnson and where he can hopefully prove that his game translates to the next level. Look for Fischer to be in the top4 already in his freshman season!

Jorge already has a highly touted and enigmatic (Bela)Russian in his organization in Andrei Kostitsyn, and Igor Makarov could be said to be a similar player. Makarov was touted as a player that could go in the top half of the 1^st round at the outset of the season and ISS had him ranked 21^st in October. Makarov was also expected to be the player that returned the spotlight to Russia after the disappointing 2005 draft, when the first Russian picked was Vitaly Anikeyenko at #70. However, the early ISS ranking was the high-point of Makarov’s season as he failed to produce for Krylja in the Russian league and ultimately he didn’t make the WJC20 roster, which at the time was considered a major upset. Makarov is similar to many other Russian prospects in that he has a great offensive tool set, however shies away from the physical game and takes too many shifts and games off. He definitely has top line upside, but could also very well be a player that has a solid and well-paid career in the Russian league. It appears he is not coming over to the CHL this year and I think there is a higher than average chance of Makarov remaining in Russia as the financial trade off of a 2-way rookie contract vs. being paid as a Russian 2^nd liner is negative

Riley Holzapfel was selected in the mid-second round by the NHL Thrashers, and as such, getting him at 78 is never bad. That said, there are a lot of question marks around Holzapfel’s ultimate pro-upside – he is a player that definitely fits the “new NHL” mold – he is vary mobile and shifty and has an all-round solid offensive upside, however lacks size and grit. Holzapfel put up very solid, but not remarkable numbers in the WHL for the Moose Jaw Warriors 2^nd line, but had a fantastic playoffs with 16 points in 22 games as Moose Jaw made the WHL finals, and this is what in particular made scouts take notice. Holzapfel was drafted by the Thrashers – a team notorious for having drafted extremely few players that have actually made the NHL outside of a select few, very early first round picks. My prediction says that Holzapfel is another in a long line of Thrashers prospects that unfortunately doesn’t make the big league, but turns into a solid AHLer and ultimately plays a large share of his career in Europe

Sandlak Division

DUCKLINGS

8.) Justin Pogge (Leafs, #90, 2004)

19.) Dustin Boyd (Flames, #98, 2004)

52.) Nikolai Kulemin (Leafs, #44, 2006)

54.) Jarkko Immonen (Leafs, #254, 2002)

86.) Sergei Kostitsyn (Canadiens, #200, 2005)

90.) Vladimir Zharkov (Devils, #77, 2006)

95.) Nigel Dawes (Rangers, #149, 2003)

108.) Patrick Thoresen (Oilers, undrafted)

111.) Denis Kulyash (Predators, #243, 2004)

Best pick: Nigel Dawes – everything screams “solid pro upside” despite size

Worst pick: Nikolai Kulemin – a Russian drafted by the Leafs… now, what’s the statistical likelihood of this pick turning into anything?

Overall verdict: B – Mixed bag with some good highlights

So – anyone who is truly surprised, raise a hand! No hands? No one? Nope, didn’t think so. Seeing Ducklings pick 7 overagers – whereof  4 Europeans – cannot have been a surprise to anyone. The main surprise rather being that Anders missed out on Perttu Lindgren, especially as he had the opportunity to pick Lindgren with the #19 pick

A year ago, the Maple Leafs had just picked highly touted Finnish goalie prospect Tuukka Rask in the draft and, true to form, the Leafs Nation unanimously declared Rask to be the Vezina winner of the future and a perennial all-star. Fast forward one year, and a very good season of Rask’s have led to the Leafs trading him… huh? Well, the reason is the play of Justin Pogge, who a year ago was a forgotten 3^rd round pick from 2004. Pogge has emerged as one of the best goalies in the whole of the CHL and crowned his season with a fantastic U20 WJC performance for Team Canada , where he was a wall. He posted an unbelievable 1.72 GAA / .926 save% for Calgary Hitmen in the WHL the past season over the course of 54 games and has taken tremendous strides towards being a legit starter prospect. Pogge will likely be looked upon to be the starter for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL this upcoming season, with either of Tellqvist/Aubin moved from the Leafs organization. Pogge will likely be looked upon to make an impact at the NHL level from the ‘07/’08 season. An extremely solid pick by Anders, though it came surprisingly early

Another pick that was surprisingly early indeed was picking up promising Flames pivot Dustin Boyd at 19^th overall. Boyd had a bit of a coming out party as he scored 90pts for Moose Jaw Warriors and leading the team to within two games of the WHL title and he is top ranked out of Calgary prospects according to HF… however, the latter distinction should be considered in the light of Flames having one of the worst prospects pipelines in the NHL. Dustin Boyd is a good skater and a player that gives 110% every shift – he is tenacious on the forecheck, however his offensive skills have more to do with good vision than possessing high-end skills. I would be surprised to see Boyd turn into much more than a serviceable 3^rd liner that can fill in on the top line and see a player in the Steven Reinprecht mode at best. Boyd is a nice player, however with only 15 2006 eligible prospects gone at this point, I can’t help but feeling that something more exciting could’ve been had

Ducklings picked Nikolai Kulemin 44^th, and while he was the first 2006 pick the Ducks selected, he was an overager coming into this draft after being passed over last year. Kulemin was a surprisingly early selection in the draft, and the fact he was considered a reach coupled with the Leafs selecting him combines to form a very clear “stay away” message in my mind. Add to this he’s Russian, and you really have a pick where it’s just hard to see the upside. Kulemin is a prototypical checker with some scoring upside, however it looks like he will top out as Branko Radivojevic-type player that can be useful in any situation but will excel in none. He put up reasonable numbers in the Russian league, however this was partly due to seeing some special teams time on the stacked Metallurg Magnitogorsk team. Kulemin may ultimately be a future NHL player – especially considering the Leaf’s legacy of endlessly keeping less talented players like fellow Russian Nik Antropov – however at 52, there were several better choices available

Anders went with another Euro overager for his next pick, selecting Finnish pivot Jarkko Immonen at 54. Immonen is a creative pivot that notably has great vision and soft hands and who will likely get a long, good look at Ranger’s camp this year. He ended last season impressively with 70pts in 74games for the Wolf Pack in the AHL and had a late cup of tea with the Rangers, not looking out of place. With only Nylander and Cullen as natural centers (except Straka, who will likely play on Jagr’s wing), a place on the 2^nd line C is up for grabs. Immonen likely needs to stick this season, as he is already 24 years old and the window for him to prove he belongs on an NHL scoring line is closing. The main concern with Immonen’s game is his lacking footspeed, somewhat alarming considering the higher paced game. All in all, he could very well see some quality ice time this season; however I wouldn’t expect him to put up much more than 45-50 pts, and further significant upside is questionable, considering his relatively advanced age. Unexciting pick, and arguably too early at 54

Sergei Kostitsyn is another Euro overager, added to Anders considerable pool… Sergei, much like his older brother Andrei, possesses a great offensive skills set, including spectacular finishing skills – both, however, appear to be projects that need significant maturing. Sergei is a much less heralded prospect, but has proven his offensive upside on a stacked London Knights team (OHL) – this season, he will be counted on to carry a lot of the load himself with the departure of Robbie Schremp and Dave Bolland and it will be interesting to see how he handles being the go-to guy. Kostisyn needs to significantly upgrade intensity, defense and physical game to become a force in the NHL – he is at this point to inconsistent and too easy to take out of a game by playing physical. That said, he also has a skills set that few players can match and ultimately, he could turn into a first line player. Good pick at 86 for the sheer upside

Anders kept adding Russians at 90, where future sniper Vladimir Zharkov was added to the mix. The young, slippery Russian is a nice high risk/reward proposition in the 5^th round and could ultimately turn into a very pleasant surprise for the team, as it is very clear he can put the puck in the net. Zharkov can actually be said to be the prototypical Russian prospect – he has all the typical traits in excellent mobility, good finishing skills and superb stickhandling, however he also exhibits many of the traits that ultimately has led to the failure of players like Igor Radulov and Pavel Vorobiev – he is prone to taking shifts or indeed games off, he shies away from the physical game. He is also relatively selfish with the puck and outright refuses to play defense. However, it should be said that the glimpses of brilliance exhibited by Zharkov suggests that he could develop into a Vycheslav Kozlov type player and such upside is definitely enough for this to be a very solid pick late in the draft

Anders waited until well into the fifth round before bringing out his best – the first of solid back-to-back picks is diminutive winger Nigel Dawes, who will likely get a solid look in the Rangers camp this year. Dawes has great hands and mobility and has the skill to be a Theo Fleury-like scoring threat; however as with all players standing 5’8, there will always be concerns around durability and effectiveness at the NHL level. Look for Dawes to need a couple of years  to fully adjust to the NHL before becoming a threat on a nightly basis, but there is no doubt he will be a productive player.

Short of picking any Danes, Anders turn to Norway for arguably the best Norwegian player since Espen Kutsen in Patrick Thoresen, an undrafted player that was signed by the Oilers in the off-season. Thoresen is 23 and has a couple of very productive seasons in the Swedish Elite League behind him. He is versatile and can line up at either forward position and, while being a primarily offensive player, could as well be used on a checking line. Thorsen likely doesn’t have the skills set to be a dominant NHL player, however he has solid vision and good enough hands to be a solid complementary player on one of the top 2 lines, capable of putting up 50-60 pts with solid line mates. It looks somewhat unlikely that Thorsen will make the top6 out of camp, but he should have a good chance sticking with Edmonton and may see quality ice time including power play time later in the season

Anders wrapped up his draft by picking Russian dark horse blueliner Denis Kulyash with the #111 pick. Kulyash was an 8^th rounder in 2004 and has since played a solid role for Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Super League. His main claim to fame so far is a 12 goal performance last season, which had Duckling scouts take notice. Kulyash’s main stand-out skills is a big shot and he has been extremely effective on the PP. Add to this solid size and a bit of a mean streak, and you have the ingredients of a solid blueliner… however, Kulyash’s decision making is a main area of concern; he is prone to pinching at the wrong time, has shown problems handling hard forecheck and is prone to making poor outlet passes which may be a key stumbling block for an NHL career. If he rounds out his game, he may have a future as a second pairing d-man

ROYALS

22.) Ryan Craig (Lightning, #255, 2002)

42.) Brad Richardson (Avalanche, #163, 2003)

65.) Maxime Talbot (Penguins, #234, 2002)

Best pick: Brad Richardson – will be a solid 2-way center seeing a lot of PK time

Worst pick: Maxime Talbot – Couldn’t crack a Pens roster on a full time basis last year, and the additions of Malkin and Staal won’t make it easier…

Overall verdict: B- – Three defensive forwards won’t make or break a team in a 20-team legue

GM Andy Saunders returned to the CNGHL after a one year hiatus and found his veteran roster revamped through a pretty aggressive re-building scheme. Saunders promptly re-focused on the now and significantly strengthened his team by trading his first rounder in separate deals to acquire 81OV d-man Bryan Berard and 76OV pivot Scott Hartnell, both who will help make Royals a play-off team again after finishing in the league basement last season.

Andy decided to go with relatively known commodities throughout the draft, starting off with scrappy Lightning winger Ryan Craig, an all-purpose two way player that can be productive in any situation. Craig is a player type that is very useful to an NHL team, however I’d seriously question his value in the FHL beyond a solid 3^rd line role – Craig is a hard worker that will score plenty of goals based on a strong desire to go to the net and outworking anyone on the ice but to expect more than a consistent 25 goal, 50 pts production would surprise me a lot. Craig is 24 years old and is reaching his upside in terms of production. It is easy to look at his 48 games, 28 points production from last year and project stellar future production, however it should be considered that Craig has already spent 2.5 seasons in the AHL – scoring 75 pts in 170 games – without ever developing into a top line player. With only 16 2006 prospects gone at this point, it may be argued that something slightly more exciting could’ve been had with the #22 pick

The next pick fetched Avalanche pivot Brad Richardson, a 5^th round pick in 2003 that emerged as one of the OHL’s prime scorers after his draft year, being one of the best players on a strong Owen Sound team. Richardson is a responsible two way player in the Brian Rolston mold – he is a strong skater, slightly undersized, with underappreciated hands. He plays with grit, but lacks the size to be a punishing physical threat. Richardson will likely top out as a 2^nd line pivot, who is used on the top PK unit. He is unlikely to score more than 50-55 pts at best, but will nevertheless be valueable to his team. Solid pick

Maxime Talbot rounded out the Royals draft, bringing in another talented, but slightly built player. Talbot scored 300pts in 250 games in the QMJHL, which would suggest he is a strong offensive contributor; however his role at the NHL level will likely be more of the 3^rd line energy type. Talbot is a solid skater and a player of the type that will bring 110% every shift and he is an above average finisher, even though his overall offensive skills set is not good enough to play on a top line. Talbot was a surprise making the Pens last year in an extensive audition; however, this was partly due to the appalling state of the Pens roster last season. He is expected to enter his third season in the AHL this year and with youngsters like Evgeni Malkin , Jordan Staal, Ryan Stone, Erik Christensen and Jonathan Filewich arguably ahead of him on the depth chart, I’d be surprised to see Talbot get extensive NHL ice time. Talbot may eventually be a productive NHL 3^rd or 4^th liner, but I feel better players should’ve been available for this pick

VIOLATORS

16.) Bryan Little (Thrashers, #12, 2006)

56.) Michael Neuvirth (Capitals, #34, 2006)

79.) Jeff Petry (Oilers, #45, 2006)

104.) Codey Burki (Avalanche, #59, 2006)

Best pick: Bryan Little – small guy can do it all

Worst pick: Jeff Perty – honestly, will it be worth the wait?

Overall verdict: B- - Too Little to be really exiting

Ken really got a jackpot, finding Bryan Little available at 16, and was quick to snap up the talented, but diminutive forward. Three inches more, and Little would’ve likely been in contention for a top6 draft position, as his skills set and heart are simply fantastic. Little has been compared to Mike Richards and while both have excellent leadership qualities, Little has a more dynamic and exciting offensive skills set. He is an explosive skater with a big shot who outworks the opposition to boot. Little also elevated his game in the playoffs, which is a very good sign as his ability to produce in physical games had been questioned. Little should be a future first liner that sees ice time in all situations and is a great pickup at 16

Michael Neuvirth remained late into the CNGHL draft, though arguably he was selected very early. Like many Czech goalies before him – notably Cechmanek and Hasek – Neuvirth plays an unorthodox style and has game stealing talent, however like Checko, he is also prone to breakdown when getting out of position and being unable to recover on reflexes alone. Neuvirth enjoyed a solid year in the Czech Juniors last year and has decided to take the step over to North America this season, where he will initially split goaltending duties with fellow rookie Jeremy Smith (eligible 2007). This will be a first step to decide whether he has the tools to be a starting goalie at the NHL level. Neuvirth at this point projects as a potential backup, but there is undeniable potential. OK pick, but the lesson is to never trust picks in the 20-50 range by the Capitals…

Defender Jeff Petry definitely falls under the category “worth waiting for…?” Despite being one of the older players in the 2006 draft with a late ’87 birth date, he will spend another year this season in the USHL before joining college in the 2007/08 season and hence will likely see a season with competition that is far from stellar. It also pushes his projected date for impact at the pro level quite some time forward; assuming Petry plays at least 2 seasons in college and needs one full AHL season to acclimatize, he’s unlikely to be in the NHL before the 2010/11 season. At that point, he will be turning 23. With that out of the way, however, there is a lot to like about Petry’s overall skills set. He is a superior skater and has a generous frame, though he will need to bulk up by around 40lbs… It is hard to project Petry’s upside at this point, but he may eventually round into an allround 2^nd pairing d-man… however, considering the long wait time along with the fact that prospects still in high school are difficult to assess due to lacking competition, I’d say that there were plenty of more attractive choices out there

Violators rounded out the draft by picking up speedster Codey Burki of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Burki’s main claim to fame so far is somewhat surprisingly being selected the MVP of the 2006 top prospects game, notching the game winner. His main asset is strong skating and he has a solid game in both zones. He has gotten off to a hot start offensively this year in the WHL and the main question ability wise is around his offensive upside – Burkis overall play would lend itself very well to a 3^rd line checking role, but it is as of yet unclear whether he can in fact be a scorer at the NHL level. Very solid pick at 104 – there is limited downside and some rankings had Burki as a potential late first rounder prior to the NHL draft

EPIDEMIC

20.) Chris Campoli (Islanders, #227, 2004)

40.) Lee Stempniak (Blues, #148, 2003)

Overall verdict: B- – Autodraft would have fetched the #14 and #23 picks in the NHL draft, one of which should have higher impact than either player

True to form, the reigning Champion – that’s also true to form by the way – went with experience and avoided the young 2006 draft class altogether. At 20, Bryce picked promising Islanders blueliner Chris Campoli, who had a fantastic rookie season on a pretty bad team. Campoli enters the new season third on the Isles depth chart behind Zhitnik and Witt, and should see time on the first PP unit. He will contribute to step into the Epidemic line up immediately as well. Campoli has a solid offensive game and his 34 points in 80 games were in the top5 of rookie d-man scoring, however it should also be noted that he stood out as a team worst -16 on the Isles. Campoli is a player in the JM Liles mold and it remains to be seen whether he can shape up his defensive game enough to establish himself at the NHL level. For now, he looks like a #4 type with PP upside

Lee Stempniak was one of few sunshine stories about last year’s lackluster Blues team, which was really the laughing stock of the league. The underwhelming performance of several vets along with a depleted roster meant several youngsters had a chance to prove themselves at the NHL level and Stempniak was arguably the most impressive. 27 points in 57 games was exceeding all expectations, though he did finish the season with Peoria in the AHL (likely to get playoff experience). Stempniak is a bit of everything – he doesn’t have the skills set to consistently be a scorer but what he lacks in talent he makes up for in leadership and hard work. He is likely to enjoy a solid career in the NHL as a third line checker that could be used on scoring lines in times of injury (hello Dean McAmmond!). Unfortunately, with the off-season signings of Bill Guerin, Doug Weight and Martin Rucinsky, it appears as if it will be tough to Stempniak to again crack the scoring lines this upcoming season. Look for Stempniak to notch around 40pts this year, with not too much career upside beyond this. Solid, but unspectacular pick at 40.

ICE DOGS

1.) Nicklas Bäckström (Capitals, #4, 2006)

23.) Patrick Berglund (Blues, #25, 2006)

66.) Yuri Alexandrov (Bruins, #37, 2006)

91.) Keith Seabrook (Capitals, #52, 2006)

109.) Simon Danis-Pepin (Blackhawks, #61, 2006)

Best pick: Nicklas Bäckström

Worst pick: Keith Seabrook

Overall verdict: B- – Solid but unspectacular draft – the later picks don’t stand out as being special

Ice Dogs won the draft day lottery and were rewarded with their pick of the consensus 4-5 clearly best players in the draft. Somewhat surprisingly to many, the Dawgs started off with a reach by going for Swede Nicklas Bäckström, selected 4^th overall in the NHL entry draft by the Capitals. The pick in itself was not so much of a surprise, since GM Angus had advertised his intentions quite blatantly. The Blondes, who lost the lottery, also had Bäckström tops of their list but had to “settle” for Erik Johnson… So – why Bäckström? Well, the Ice Dogs saw plenty to like – Bäckström may be the most NHL ready of the 2006 draftees, however he has elected to remain in Sweden for one more season before coming over. Second, Bäckström may also be one of the most complete players in the draft – he has startling offensive skills, but plays well in all zones and is a prospect that could develop into a complete player of Peter Forsberg-caliber, though maybe a little less physical. Third, the prospect of seeing a player of this stature centering Alex Ovechkin (and maybe Alex Semin) in a couple of year also suggests there may be plenty of reason to fear the Dawgs attack shortly. Bäckström is a player of fantastic ability and to put his achievement in the SEL into perspective – he played on what was expected to be one of the worst teams in the SEL last year under a very demanding coach that is the closest to Mike Keenan Sweden has and managed to lead the team in scoring as a 17-years old. That is a sign of things to come. Look for Bäckström to score ~40 pts in the SEL the upcoming season and be on the Capitals top2 lines for the 2007/08 season

Angus again went to Sweden for his second pick of the draft, scoping up center Patrick Berglund of the second tier Västerås team. Berglund is somewhat of a dark horse who entered the season well off of the radar screen of most scouts – indeed, a scouting like ISS had Berglund ranked 79^th in October and it was widely thought that he’d end up a third or fourth round pick, however Berglund has consistently brought a very solid effort, scoring 4 pts in the semi-professional 2^nd tier league while also performing very well on the international stage. Berglund has very solid fundamentals with good size and mobility and solid vision and hockey intelligence. His offensive skills are generally solid, though it is unlikely to see him score more than 60-70 pts at the highest pro level. Like Carl Soderberg, another Swedish prospect that is similar in skills set and make up, Berglund is likely quite some way from playing in the NHL. He will remain with VIK Hockey in the Swedish 2^nd tier this upcoming season and likely end up on the 2^nd or 3^rd line. Next year, I’d expect him to transfer to one of the SEL clubs (as it is very unlikely VIK is promoted) and he’d probably need 1-2 years in the SEL before making the jump to North America . Long-term project with undeniable upside, however arguably a reach as early in the draft as 23

Yuri Alexandrov was widely expected to go late 1^st round in the NHL draft, but somewhat surprisingly fell to the 2^nd round, likely in part due to the uncertainty about the transfer agreement with the Russian hockey federation. Alexandrov was by many considered the best Russian player available in the draft and also captained the WJC18 team. He is very solid offensively as well as defensively, however has a bit a “jack of all trades, master of none” problem – at 6’0/175lbs (being generous) and playing soft, Alexandrov will never be a reliable crease clearer and will struggle containing big opponents. His offense is solid, but he lacks the skills upside of d-men like Ivan Vishnevsky and Bob Sanguinetti. Alexandrov could develop into a solid 2^nd pairing d-man that can be used on both special teams, however I would expect him to top out as an elite player in one of the European leagues since I think he will command more money there for his skills set than what any NHL club will want to pay him for being an unspectacular #4

Keith Seabrook would undoubtedly have been a much later pick in this draft, hadn’t it been for the very successful rookie season of older brother Brent in Chicago . Brent has big size, a big shot, big hits and big leadership. By comparison, ISS failed to at all include him in their top 250 ranking going into the draft and while this was arguably a gross oversight, the fact remains that it is very unlikely that he ever progresses to be more than a bottom-3 rotation player at the NHL level. Seabrook has decent size and plays a physical game. At this point, he has only played at the BCHL level with limited competition and the real indicator of future upside will be playing for the highly regarded University of Denver program this fall. I would expect Seabrook to be in the NHL at the earliest 2010 (if at all) and best case as a useful third pairing player. From a 20-team league perspective, I have a hard time seeing Seabrook being an impact player

The Dawgs ended their draft with huge project Simon Danis-Pepin of the University of Maine . Danis has been a utility player for his Freshman year, dressing for only 7 games and being used in a pure shut-down role. A surprise early selection in the NHL draft, the Hawks were undoubtedly intrigued by the 6’7 frame and the physical ability of Danis. Still, as with most players of this make-up, skating and agility is a big issue and Danis will need significant time to potentially make in into the pro-ranks. It’s hard to see Danis project as anything but a #7 utility defender, though as with big players, the upside is there. I don’t expect Danis to make it at all and think this is a wasted pick, however at 109 the upside justifies taking a chance

Murzyn Conference

Dirk Division

BOMBERS

12.) Michal Frolik (Panthers, #10, 2006)

32.) Trevor Lewis (Kings, #17, 2006)

85.) Dennis Wideman (Sabres, #241, 2002)

Best pick: Michal Frolik – could be a true star!

Worst pick: Dennis Wideman – will certainly be an AHL all-star!

Overall verdict: B+ – Steve  got two guys with high-end upside despite only having three picks, neither of which were very early

Bombers had a good night at the draft table and focused on upside rather than going for safe and boring bets. Steve may be the single GM with the highest risk profile out of this draft, but lacking early picks in a draft that was top heavy, it’s always right to go with upside in a 20-team league. Michal Frolik has the potential to be the steal of the draft in both the NHL draft and the CNGHL version. Touted as a potential top3 pick going into the season, Frolik has played well in the Czech Extraliga, however has come up short in the international competition with the Czech WJC team which has clearly hurt his draft stock. By comparison, Jiri Tlusty performed in the WJC and went as early as Frolik despite being virtually unknown before the draft. Frolik is a special talent with advance vision and stickhandling that is second to none in the draft. He has the ability to be a game breaker and has a relatively complete skills set including decent defensive awareness. The knock on Frolik is his inconsistency – scouts tend to differ whether it is a maturity and desire problem or whether it has more to do with not yet having fully put the complete puzzle in place. Be as it may, the upside is undeniable and until proven otherwise, Frolik projects as a first line talent

Bombers followed up with another speedy forward in King’s prospect Trevor Lewis. Lewis was considered 2^nd round material by most scouting mags going into the draft, however the Kings traded up to secure their man and felt they had gotten a find at 17. With LA’s recent draft record and Dean Lombardi (who oversaw great drafting in San José ) there is some credibility to the claim. Lewis is a speedy pivot that has a game similar to Phil Kessel (though a level below) – the main weapons is high speed and good stickhandling along with good finishing skills. There were some concerns around how much of Lewis’s performance was due to poor competition (USHS, Des Moines ) and how much of his stats were due to playing with #7 pick Kyle Opkoso. Lewis has also already been passed over in the draft once and is a full year older than all other draft eligible prospect. In any event, Lewis skills set should be very useful in the “new” NHL and he could very well develop into a Vyacheslav Kozlov type 2^nd line scoring winger. Lewis was originally expected to attend University of Michigan this fall on a scholarship, but he has recently decided to forego his university studies and has instead opted for signing an entry level contract with the LA Kings as well as a free agent contract with Owen-Sound attack of the OHL – for Steve, this likely primarily means Lewis could have a shot at the NHL after next season, as opposed to going the usually longer college route. Very good value pick at 32 and a bit surprising that Lewis fell this far in the draft

Steve finished up with drafting rookie d-man Dennis Wideman, undoubtedly partly to fill a need as depth for the Bombers woeful blueline. Wideman was a very late pick by Sabres in the 2002 draft and he failed to earn a contract with the Sabres and instead signed as a free agent with the Blues. He proceeded to tear up the AHL with 43 points in the first season and earned a spot on the Blues blueline in the 2005/06 season primarily as a PP quarterback. Now, Wideman has been much talked about amongst Blues fans based on the offensive upside and his 24 points as a rookie in the NHL is no poor feat. What is not considered, however, is that Wideman cannot play D, period. He was a -22 in 79 games with Worcester in his rookie season in the AHL and followed up a -31 in 67 games with the Blues last season. Sure, the team was awful, but that was the second worst Blues player overall and the by far worst d-man. With Eric Brewer, Christian Backman, Barret Jackman and Bryce Salvador back from injury (missed a combined 140 man-games last year) and the recent signing of Jay McKee I think it is safe to assume that Wideman gets a one-way bus ticket to Peoria where he will play with other players of same skills set – like Andy Delmore…

HYACKS

31.) Nigel Williams (Avalanche, #51, 2006)

51.) Niklas Bäckström (Wild, undrafted)

74.) Daniel Rahimi (Canucks, #82, 2006)

100.) Kevin Bieksa (Canucks, #151, 2001)

102.) Kris Russell (Jackets, #67, 2005)

Best pick: Nigel Williams – mammoth blueliner has a lot to like

Worst pick: Nicklas Bäckström – no, this isn’t the center!

Overall verdict: C – A lot of solid and utterly unspectacular defensive d-men…

University bound blueliner Nigel Williams started Hyacks off uncharacteristically late in the draft – and Ken did it with a MAJOR reach compared to the NHL draft. The 17^th overall pick Trevor Lewis still being on the board, this pick may always be second guessed as coming a round too early. That being said, Williams was mentioned as a potential top 10 pick a month before the draft and has a skills package that has a lot to offer – many saw him as the most complete d-man in the draft behind Erik Johnson. Much of the fall in rankings may be attributed to a rather forgettable WJC U18 showing, where he was expected to lead the team but remained pretty invisible. Williams is big and surprisingly mobile. He excels in defensive situations and will at the very least develop into a defensive stalwart of the Jay McKee / Rhett Warrener type. He does have solid instincts and vision though, along with a heavy shot, so it isn’t inconceivable to see him on the PP down the line, though that’ll likely not be his primary role. Williams will star for the University of Wisconsin this fall

Ken went with experienced Swedish goalie Niklas Bäckström at 51. Bäckström is a 28 years old journeyman that has played most of his career in Finland . He has compiled quite impressive stats in his 4 seasons for Kärpät in Finland: 177 games, 28 SOs, 1.99 GAA, .928 save% over 4 seasons and this probably prompted comparisons to Henrik Lundqvist… however, a couple of points to consider; goal tending monsters like Tim Thomas, Scott Langkow, Mika Noronen and Sinuhe Wallinheimo has also put up similar numbers over the past seasons and the average save % amongst the top 6 teams in the league is probably around .925. Also, to add to that, there is a reason that Bäckström was never drafted in the first place. I think that Bäckström should be considered a stop gap solution for Wild – he’ll back up Fernandez this year to give Josh Harding another year as a starter in the AHL. This pick was extremely puzzling, with several early 2^nd rounders on the board, and I wouldn’t expect Bäckström to ever pick up a starting gig in the NHL

At 74, Ken went with Finnish-Iranian rearguard Daniel Rahimi, out of the Swedish 2^nd tier league and juniors… drafting a player out of Sweden that I hadn’t previously even heard of is no mean feat, however it is certainly possible. Rahimi could essentially be said to be  Nigel Williams-light – somewhat smaller, much less heralded and a long way away from playing in North America . Assuming Rahimi doesn’t elect to go the CHL route next year (which is unlikely), I’d expect him to remain in Sweden for at least 3 more years. This year, he’ll attempt to claim a spot in the Swedish 2^nd tier league. Wasn’t impressed with the Nucks picking him at 82, and reaching for him is not an obvious choice for me

Staying with the Canucks theme, Ken picked up Kevin Bieksa with the #100 pick, the first of two picks acquired from the Blondes for Colin White. Bieksa should enjoy a very solid career as a bottom 3 d-man that can be used all-round. He is likely well-known by everyone in the league, so I won’t spend a lot of space describing him. Bieksa is a very solid pickup at 100 – however, there is in my mind not a clear case in moving Colin White to get him…

…and Kris Russell still has a lot to prove before convincing me that the additional 5th rounder is enough to motivate the deal. There is a lot to like about Russell – he has fantastic mobility, great hockey sense and very solid offensive instincts. He also displays plenty of grit and solid defensive positioning… so what’s the problem? Well, a 5’9/160 lbs rearguard will always struggle to be effective in the NHL and players like Freddy Meyer of the Flyers perfectly illustrate this example. Russell has too much talent to not be an interesting pick, and at 102, he probably possesses more upside than any of the other Hyacks picks, however the likelihood of Russell playing in the NHL anytime soon must be considered slim

HAWKS

26.) Leland Irving (Flames, #26, 2006)

43.) Dennis Persson (Sabres, #24, 2006)

46.) Freddy Meyer III (Flyers, undrafted)

50.) Matt Corrente (Devils, #30, 2006)

Best pick: Leland Irving – Future starter extraordinaire

Worst pick: Freddy Meyer III – 5’8 turn-over machine will be trade bait this season

Overall verdict: B+ – A mixed bag – lots of promise, no sure things. Irving could pay great dividends down the line

Hawks were active in GM Adrian Chong’s first CNGHL draft and walked away with 3 (late) NHL 1^st round picks despite not picking at all until #26. The first pick was used on Everett Silvertips’ goalie Leland Irving, somewhat of a reach at this point in the draft with players like Bob Sanguinetti, Claude Giroux and Mark Mitera still on the board. Even so, Hawks were looking for a goalie and it is hard to argue with getting the best available guy at the position and Irving is also a player, who has been steadily climbing the charts all season. Irving posted a very impressive 1.91 GAA in 67 games in the WHL and showed a lot of pro-upside in great puck control and very good reflexes. Irving is a safe bet to make the NHL in some capacity and his upside is very high. A very solid pick for a team with a thin goalie pipe line

Dennis Persson was snapped up next at 43 – curiously, Persson was picked 2 spots before Irving in the NHL draft but was still available 17 picks later as other GMs went wild with overagers. Persson is a very mobile 2-way blueliner with very solid offensive upside. Similar to fellow Västerås junior Patrick Berglund, Persson had a fantastic U18 WJC with 6-points in 7 games and this open scout’s eyes. Persson was widely believed to be a late second round pick going into the draft, however was somewhat surprisingly picked up late in the first round by the Sabres. He fits the Sabre-speed approach to hockey with good mobility however. Like Berglund, Persson so far has only played in Swedish juniors and will need 2-3 years seasoning in the pro-league before coming over to the NHL. Don’t expect Persson to make any impact in the NHL for a long time

For their 3^rd pick, Hawks went with Flyers journeyman defender Freddy Meyer III, a 5’8 turnover machine who at times played on the Flyers top pairing. Fans claim that he is ideally suited for the new NHL with mobility, offensive awareness and a booming slap shot. Critics point to the fact that he is completely unable to handle aggressive forechecking, that his turn-over frequency is alarmingly high and that he couldn’t clear the front of the net if his life depended on it. Meyer will likely continue to have a niche as a 3^rd pairing d-man that sees some PP time, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he is the odd man out in Philly this year with a healthier blue-line

Adrian closed out his draft on a high note with Saginaw Spirit defender Matt Corrente, an early Devils selection. Corrente is a complete d-man that has a little bit of everything – he is mean and nasty to play against, has a steady defensive game and some offensive ability and the most likely scenario is to see him develop into a top 4, Rhett Warrener-like d-man that can put up 25 points while being very dependable defensively. Corrente is likely some way from making the pro’s and as with most of the Hawks picks doesn’t figure to be in the NHL until at the earliest 2009

TRIFECTA

4.) Jonathan Toews (Blackhawks, #3, 2006)

24.) Michael Grabner (Canucks, #14, 2006)

44.) Semen Varlamov (Capitals, #23, 2006)

63.) Jamie McGinn (Sharks, #36, 2006)

67.) Bryce Swan (Ducks, #38, 2006)

92.) Mathieu Carle (Canadiens, #53, 2006)

Best pick: Jonathan Toews – will be a star

Worst pick:Bryce Swan – limited upside and significant health concerns

Overall verdict: A- – Trifecta got a lot of interesting talent infusion and could very well have 4-5 solid CNGHLers some years down the line

Justin had some tech problems going into the trade and ended up auto-picking (I think) – feel for you bro, was a nice time at the draft and I am completely computer illiterate, so I can relate to having problems with mIRC! On the flip side – whatever Justin was doing, he put together an extremely solid draft, starting off with future top line center Jonathan Toews. A complete package, Toews has good size and mobility to go along with possible the best vision in the draft and very soft hands. Toews may be a less flashy player than fellow draftees Bäckström or Kessel, but there is no doubt that he’ll be a great NHL player even though he will be playing for one of the most mismanaged franchises in the league. Look for Toews to lead the University of North Dakota to the frozen four this season, and then to turn pro at the start of next season

Trifecta next got what Canucks fans hope will be the next league superstar in Austrian Michael Grabner, drafted out of the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL. The legacy of Austria in the NHL is of course limited, and fans hoping to see Tomas Vanek-like talent will likewise likely not be thrilled with what they are getting. Comparisons with Simon Gagne have also been frequent, due to two similar stand-out traits in superior skating and a great shooting arsenal… Grabner will however have a long way to go before making the NHL. Grabner’s vision and hockey intelligence is somewhat questionable – he will likely be less of a player creating his own chances and more of a finisher to a strong set-up man. The fact he has total of 25 assists in 125 games in the WHL going into the season further highlights the fact that he isn’t likely to develop into a playmaker anytime soon. Grabner also struggles with the physical game and has a tendency to disappear from games when played hard. Grabner has a couple of very attractive skills that should make him a solid pro – however, I would expect him to end up on the 2^nd line and PP as I don’t believe he has the top line talent. Nevertheless, an astute pick at 24

There have been rumors that Trifecta are planning to offer Rick DiPietro a 25-year contract with the club, however, pending decision from the league whether to allow this, the club got some long-term insurance by picking up Russian netminder Semen Varlamov at 44. Varlamov went surprisingly early in the NHL draft at 23, considering he flew under most radars going into the draft and considering Russians have fallen in general due to the difficulties around a new transfer agreement, so you know the Caps really wanted this guy… had it been another team, this would’ve been an encouraging sign, however, with the Caps, you simply have no idea… their idea of consistent drafting is taking out a dice and rolling it. Varlamov is a great talent – he has superb reflexes and agility to go along with good size. He’s a very quick butterfly goalie and already has a pretty well-rounded game, but could be more aggressive against shooters. Varlamov played in both the WJC U18 and U20, despite his young age and played extremely well in both tournaments. He has also taken over the starter role for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl – one of the absolute elite clubs in Russia – this season, despite early indications from the coach that goaltending duties would be split with veteran Podomatsky and has started 8 games in a row to date. He sports a solid 5-2-3 record in the early goings. I believe Varlamov won’t be in the NHL for another 3-4 years, but he will be well worth the wait… personally, I’m kicking myself for not picking Varlamov at 39!

After 3 stellar picks from auto-drafting, there was bound to be something less fantastic coming Trifecta’s way and, voilà, along comes Sharks’ youngster Jamie McGinn. I want to start by pointing out that McGinn WILL become a solid pro. I have the utmost confidence in Sharks drafting, but also believe McGinn will be the type of player any team would want to have on their roster… any NHL team that is. McGinn brings leadership, a ton of grit, 110% effort on a nightly basis and versatility to be used anywhere in the lineup, however I just don’t see anything elite in his skills set. This makeup translates poorly to FHL hockey, and for that reason only, I am a little skeptical to this pick-up. Here’s to hoping for a long, solid 3^rd liner career for Jamie – the pick gets pass

The fifth Trifecta pick saw talented QMJHL sniper Bryce Swan enlisted as improved wing depth. Swan is a talented player, who has struggled in the QMJHL due to several freak injuries that have kept him out of the lineup for stretches. Some would suggest that he is very injury prone, however all injuries are unrelated and several have come in odd collisions. Swan has however only played 70 games combined in 2 QMHJL seasons and he has already missed time this season as well with a broken bone in his hand. Part of the reason for the multitude of injuries is Swan’s abrasive style of play – he is a physical forward that loves to crash the net and take the body. Much like McGinn, he will likely not be a scorer at the NHL level, but rather a solid 3^rd/4^th line banger that can put up some timely offense. Pick could’ve been used on something more exciting, as Swan even if he can keep healthy is unlikely to find himself on an NHL scoring line

Rounding out the Trifecta draft is offensive rearguard Mathieu Carle, another pick out of the QMJHL. Carle bears no relation to Matt Carle of the Sharks and is unlikely to develop into a player of similar caliber, although they share some common traits. Carle is a very good skater and was amongst the fastest d-men at the CHL top prospects game skills competition – he also finished very high up in the hardest shot competition, with a slap shot clocked at 93 mph. Carle has very solid offensive instincts and may very well score 80+ pts this season in the Q. He also has solid size. The main question mark is whether he can elevate his defensive game enough to get to the NHL level – like many QMJHL defenders, he is relatively offense focused and this is also the area that may be his ticket to the pros. Carle projects as a 2^nd pairing offensive d-man in the MA Bergeron mould if he continues to develop, however I’d not expect him in the NHL until 2010 at the earliest

JAZZ

11.) Kyle Okposo (Islanders, #7, 2006)

34.) Mark Mitera (Ducks, #19, 2006)

72.) Michael Ratchuk (Flyers, #42, 2006)

83.) Joey Ryan (Kings, #48, 2006)

88.) Milan Lucic (Bruins, #50, 2006)

97.) Blake Geoffrion (Predators, #56, 2006)

Best pick: Joey Ryan – Likely 2^nd pairing d-man at 83

Worst pick: Milan Lucic – Will never have CNGHL impact

Overall verdict: B+ – Quite some upside and, the two late picks aside – players that most likely will be top2 line pros

Patrick selected Mexico over the draft and still came away with two top20 prospects – quite a nice turn out. As with all auto-drafts, however, there were also some less exciting late picks in Lucic and Geoffrion. But things got off to a flying start at 11, where somewhat surprisingly, Kyle Okposo was still available. Okposo has been touted as a sure fire top15 prospect all season and was picked up very early for a player that has so far not played at a higher level than high school. His overall game is very mature for his age and there are a few stand-out qualities in excellent mobility, a great shot and a strong physical game. Okposo has drawn comparisons with Ryan Smyth and Jerome Iginla and is seen as a potential future captain. For now, he will attend University of Minnesota this fall, where he needs to show that he can be equally successful at a higher level than the USHL. Okposo has very little downside as a pick – his physical game and great skating will make him useful in a checking role as well as a scoring role. Great prospect to get at #11

Jazz next scooped up hulking d-man Mark Mitera, a University of Michigan stand out. Mitera has a nice combination of size and mobility and was quoted on NHL.com as modeling his game after fellow Duck Chris Pronger – the comparison is however pretty flattering for Mitera and there is clearly more Jay McKee than Chris Pronger in him. Mitera will at the NHL level likely be a primarily defensive d-man in the mold of McKee, Regehr or Aaron Ward. He will likely be used in primarily a shut-down role and his skills set and size is likely to serve him well in this capacity. The one question mark that has been raised repeatedly with Mitera is his performance under pressure and his prowess for turn-overs – he plays very well when keeping it simple but too often commits turn-overs, especially when under stress. Mitera will likely spend at least another season at University, but figures to be a solid 2^nd pairing shut-down d-man down the line. Ducks arguably picked him very early at 19 – but at 34, I think this is a very good pick

Patrick got another d-man at 72 with Mike Ratchuk, who fell a whopping 30 spots compared to the NHL draft. Ratchuk is the younger brother of  journeyman AHLer Peter Ratchuk, who returned to make another NHL try with the Wild this season, but who will likely return to the Houston Aeros of the AHL. Mike Ratchuk has spent the past two years with the US NTDP and was one of a very deep defensive unit this past season. Undersized but offensively skilled, Ratchuks absolute strength is in fantastic mobility and he reminds a bit of Coyotes’ blueliner Keith Ballard in this respect. Ratchuk doesn’t own the hockey sense of an elite PP quarterback, but mobility, discipline and a consistent great effort will likely be an attractive enough package for him to enjoy a solid pro career. Ratchuk’s main issues are in lacking strength and defensive game – these need to be addressed if he wants to be more than a marginal NHLer. Solid pick at 72

Another intriguing defensive prospect was added to the Jazz roster at 83, where Patrick picked Quebec Remparts d-man Joey Ryan, a bruising defensive stalwart who consistently takes the body and plays an overall mean game. Ryan will never put up great points at the pro-level but can be expected to fill a role similar to Greg Devries or Mattias Norstrom on any team – he is unspectacular but will play against the opponents top line and on the top PK unit on a nightly basis and more often than not be unnoticed while doing so. Very good pick at 83, as there is virtually no downside

So – after 4 solid picks, what to do? Well, screwing it up by selecting players that may have checking line upside seems to be a good idea. Jazz picked Vancouver Giant’s buzzsaw winger Milan Lucic and University of Wisconsin-bound center Blake Geoffrion were selected with the 88^th and 97^th picks respectively. Both players projects as checkers – Lucic as a Tyson Nash-like pest and Geoffrion as a more complete Kris Draper-type checker. Both will likely have limited fantasy value. Of the two, Geoffrion is the one that could feasibly be expected to play more than odd games for the Jazz down the line. The downside of auto-drafting

Kucera Division

STORM

28.) Dustin Penner (Ducks, undrafted)

48.) Chris Summers (Coyotes, #29, 2006)

71.) Pekka Rinne (Predators, #248, 2004)

96.) Ryan Potulny (Flyers, #87, 2003)

110.) Bruno Gervais (Islanders, #182, 2003)

Best pick: The non-pick – moving the 8^th overall for Zubov was a coup

Worst pick: Dustin Penner – more upside expected at 28

Overall verdict: B- – considering only the picks and not Zubov

The already strong Storm franchise got an immediate boost with incoming GM Brad Schmirler, who certainly put his mark on the team early by adding all-star defender Sergei Zubov for the 8^th overall pick as the Ducklings had to address their salary situation. Zubov may be a 1-year solution only due to pending free agency, however to add a #1 d-man as a contender and simultaneously addressing the weakest part of your team you come out on top… of course, the Storm franchise still has a tradition of choking come playoff time, but maybe Zubov’s experience is the difference here.

Brad made his first pick at 28, somewhat surprisingly taking a fly on Ducks’ winger Dustin Penner, a mammoth 6’5 winger who surprised many by putting up stellar rookie numbers with first the AHL Ducks and then repeating the success at the NHL level. Indeed, some message boards have gone as far as proclaiming Penner a potential Calder candidate in 2006/07 as he is still eligible. And Penners 84 points in 57 AHL games (along with a +41 rating) certainly makes a case. There are, however, some considerations to keep in mind when evaluating Penner’s performance. First of all, Penner is 25 years old this upcoming season and should be expected to put up better numbers than a 19 yo rookie and secondly, he has a big help in his size, as his strength is already at a level where most rookies would be in their 3^rd pro season (or never, if they’re 5’10). Simply put, while Penner had a fantastic year, it is hard to see him continuing to develop along the same trajectory and I would rather expect him to top out as a Tomas Holmström or Mike Knuble-type player who is productive offensively, doing all the dirty work and never taking a shift off. Penner may have some offensive upside paired with a gifted playmaker, especially due to his willingness to crash the net, but ultimately it would surprise me if he gets more than at best 2^nd line ice time (and most likely he is used on the 3^rd line while being on both special teams). I would expect Penner to be a 45-50pts player in his prime and while that is nice, it’s not great in a 20-team league. OK pick, but there were certainly players with more upside available at 28

At 48, Chris Summers became the only 2006 draftee Brad selected during the whole draft. He is very much a wild card, as his upside is very unclear. Summers is originally a 2-way defenseman, however due to lack of forwards, he was extensively used in tournaments as a forward by the US U18 NDTP, most of the time centering one of the checking lines. Summers is a very strong skater, who excels defensively and has a very gritty game. He has some offensive skills, however likely not enough to be used as a forward on a scoring line and it would be surprising to see him converted to forward full-time. Summers is committed to the University of Michigan for the fall and has plenty of time to settle into one position. It is very possible that he could mature into a top4 d-man along the way

Finnish goalie Pekka Rinne was selected next, as the 71^st overall selection. Rinne is one of the least known in a long line of young Finnish goaltending prospects – he was originally selected in the 7^th round of the 2004 draft as he had shown some promise in the Finnish junior league, however the 2004/05 season gave little reason for anyone to expect anything of Rinne – he failed to make the WJC roster and only saw limited action in 10 games as backup for Kärpät. Nashville brought him over to Milwaukee in an effort to get him playing time – a somewhat unusual route for a European goaltending prospect to go, especially since most NHL franchises have too few farm team spots for specifically goalies – and Rinne responded well. He was arguably the biggest positive surprise as a rookie in the AHL and helped the Admirals make the Calder cup finals, as well as earn himself a spot on the Allstar team. With Chris Mason currently entrenched as backup in Nashville , however, it appears Rinne is headed for another year in the minors. Rinne has a huge frame at 6’5/210 lbs and has very fast reflexes and good agility, especially considering his size. He also plays a very aggressive game and challenges shooters. His weaknesses are mainly in positioning and consistency – he is prone to have bad games and he is not yet very tested under pressure, although the playoff experience from the Calder Cup will serve him well. Rinne will very likely be a solid NHL backup shortly, and could potentially be a future starter. Excellent pick at 71, however unfortunately, Rinne has proceeded to dislocate his shoulder and will be out of action until Christmas, likely pushing the time line for making NHL impact out until late 2008. Also, the fact that the Preds’ re-signed Chris Mason to a pretty rich contract for a backup suggests that they are very happy with their current goaltending tandem

Ryan Potulny is set to begin his pro-career this upcoming season after leaving University of Minnesota early. Potulny has made a name for himself in the WCHA as a scorer and there are certainly hopes for him to make it as a top 6 forward for Philadelphia , however the main issue is speed – Potulny is very lacking in mobility and it remains to be seen if he can overcome this to become a productive NHL player. He will likely be playing a top6 role for the Philadelphia Phantoms this upcoming season, and has an outside chance of making the Flyers roster out of camp due to injuries to Keith Primeau and Sami Kapanen amongst others. Potulny is very versatile and can line up at either forward position. Most likely projection of potential NHL career is as a third liner, however my bet is (unfortunately as a Flyer fan) that – like his brother Grant – Ryan is destined for a career as an AHL top liner with marginal NHL impact

Bruno Gervais was the final Storm pick – Gervais is a late pick that has never been expected to be a big time player at any level, however who has managed to overcome expectations continuously. Could’ve been on the Isles roster already two years ago when he had a great training camp but injuries have hindered him from taking the last step. He filled in very well towards the end of the season for the Isles this past season, seeing very significant ice-time and responding with a very solid +/- in primarily a shut-down role. With the off-season additions of Zhitnik and Witt, the Isles blueline is better this time around but the one year older Gervais should be a safe bet to make the third pairing and possibly also the PK. The somewhat reduced role and the presence of a mentor such as Witt will likely impact Gervais development positively and he projects to be an allround #4/#5 d-man in the future. Neither particularly big, nor very physical, Gervais can do a little of everything however appears very dedicated and coachable and will likely be a solid pro. Excellent pick at 110

BLONDES

2.) Erik Johnson (Blues, #1, 2006)

3.) Jordan Staal (Penguins, #2, 2006)

6.) Peter Mueller (Coyotes, #8, 2006)

14.) Riku Helenius (Lightning, #15, 2006)

25.) Ty Wishart (Sharks, #16, 2006)

29.) Claude Giroux (Flyers, #22, 2006)

36.) Cody Fransson (Predators, #79, 2005)

39.) Stanislav Lascek (Lightning, #133, 2005)

60.) Thomas Greiss (Sharks, #94, 2004)

73.) Artem Anisimov (Rangers, #54, 2006)

82.) Brad Marchand (Bruins, #71, 2006)

103.) Marc-Andre Gragnani (Sabres, #87, 2005)

106.) Kyle Quincey (Wings, #132, 2003)

Best pick:Claude Giroux (I mean after duh…Erik Johnson)

Worst pick:Artem Anisimov

Overall verdict:A – Really a nicely balanced draft…there is no way anyone can argue with landing the top two picks overall and in addition there is a nice, well rounded collection of sure things and high risk ventures. A nice balance of forwards vs. d-men vs. goaltenders as well

The Blondes entered draft day in an extremely strong position, and after swinging a couple of key trades found themselves looking stronger yet by the time the first player was picked. Following the 2004 draft, Andreas had found himself reflecting on his good fortune at having landing the top two draft picks and also surmised it unlikely it was to happen again – lo and behold, via shrewd trading and the itch the Ice Dogs had for Nicklas Backstrom, lightning struck twice two years later. That said Erik Johnson was a no-brainer for the Blondes first pick of the draft. As the most complete player of the draft he has been compared to Chris Pronger in that many see him as the type of player you can build a team around. He has an excellent shot, is an exceptional passer and is almost impossible to beat 1 on 1. Johnson was a player that saw his stock rise constantly and consistently throughout the season to the point where he was #1 on every GM’s lips come draft day. With Dion Phaneuf already in the fold the addition of Johnson gives the Blondes two young twin towers on D that will surely be the envy of the CNGHL

How to follow up this choice was the question hanging in the air (well really only for about a two seconds), some (me) thinking Andreas might be seduced by the pure dark upside of Phil Kessel, however the cooler head prevailed and Jordan Staal was the next player on tap for the Blondes. Staal, although he has similar stats to his older brother Eric at the same age, seems to have more of a two-way sensibility and could be compared to Rod Brind’amour. Though some scouts see similarities between Jordan ’s and Eric’s games, the upside for Eric may well be higher. Many observers say that Jordan has the tools to become the best of his four brothers and if not that, then at least the size and strength. What he shares with all of his brothers is an understanding of the game that can’t be taught and a great family work ethic that bodes for continuous improvement. As enticing as a talent like Kessel might have been, this was another clear cut choice for the Blondes

Andreas was shopping around the 6^th overall pick, and while he did have some nibbles, he didn’t have any solid bites to reel in. That said his choice of Peter Mueller will likely bear some fruit of the solid first-liner variety. Mueller played in the WHL…which shouldn’t be something to note in and of itself except for this year, as, when the rest of the CHL adapted the NHL’s “no clutch and grab” rules, the WHL continued to be more an exhibition of water skiing and less one of hockey. That said Mueller’s 58 points in 52 games does not seem all that impressive, but considering the circumstances much more than adequate. Like Staal, Mueller could be considered a two way forward with a solid defensive game. Anecdote: When the U.S. world Junior team was holding a one goal lead over the Czechs, the coach tells the story that Mueller was one of the key players on the shortened bench expected to hold the lead. Tough stuff for a 17 year old. Though the Everett Silvertips lost to the Vancouver Giants last year, it is likely that with Mueller again as captain that we will see them contending for the Memorial Cup this year

The best goaltenders as of late appear to be Finnish, just as they were Quebecois ten years ago.Riku Helenius therefore comes from the premier country and currently the premier team, Ilves, of said country, so he oughta be good right? Well for starters he helped carry his team to the gold medal game in the World U18 championships and possesses the demeanor of a young Mikka Kipprosoff. According to scouts he has a great glove hand and knows how to use his stick…um…to play the puck with. Also, he plays the angles exceptionally well, challenges the shooter and has great lateral movement. Arguably the best goaltender in the draft (one could also make valid claims for Bernier and Varlamov), Andreas made a calculated move to trade up to the position to draft Helenius. As with all goaltenders, only time will tell if it was the right choice. In my personal opinion, I see the trend of drafting goalies early as risky. I maintain that there are far more first round goaltender busts than successes and the pick might be better spent elsewhere and possibly a pair of late round goaltenders invested in instead

In his photos he looks something like Saturday Night Live’s Jimmy Fallon, but I won’t hold it against him. Ty Wishart is what one would call a big defenseman, 6’5”, 210 lb, and as the Hockey News described him. “As dependable as a Maytag washing machine.” There is nothing fancy here, just a guy with great size, who competes hard, is hard to beat one on one (again courtesy of the Hockey News.) Some have compared him to Eric Brewer, but many disagree saying that his skating is not quite up to snuff. The Sharks, infamous for their reaches selected Wishart at #16, ISS was not quite so enamored with him, ranked him at 36. Andreas picked him at 25, which is probably about right. Given the choice at the same position I probably would have opted for a defenseman with a little more mobility like David Fischer, but that is only this scribe’s opinion  

I really like the Blonde’s pick of Claude Giroux at 29 in that I think that it served not only to allow Andreas to be  able to express his love of Bobby Clarke’s rapidly shifting Philadelphia philosophy, but also in that Giroux may truly be the model for the new NHL. With the successes of smaller players like Marc Savard and Daniel Briere last season, the NHL would appear to be ripe for the smaller player. Agility, mobility and vision are Giroux’s greatest strengths. He displays a willingness to go into traffic and maintain defensive responsibility. As the scouts say, “It’s his ability to play the game at top speed and his playmaking ability that leaves us with the impression that he can be a big time player.” Giroux has proven he can play, putting up 39G 64A 103P at Gatineau of the QMJHL. It will be interesting to see how he performs at the next level. A great pick in my opinion

With their seventh pick the Blondes picked another big defenseman--This time an overager. Cody Franson At 6’4, 210…while not quite Vladimir Mihalik-like, Franson is a big boy. Currently playing for the Vancouver Giants and drafted in 2005 by Nashville he was the third highest scoring D-man in the WHL with 15G -40A -55 P. with his combination of great size and a clear knowledge of what to do with the puck when its on your stick, Franson looks like he has a clear pathway towards quarterbacking the Pred’s powerplay whenever Zidlicky or Timonen get tired of the job. Another astute pick by the Blondes

At a certain point I knew there would have to be a pick by Andreas that I wasn’t crazy about and here it is: Stanislav Lascek. I really don’t so much hate the pick itself as where it was picked, I feel that rather than at 39 it could have been ten or fifteen picks later…but then the Blondes next pick was at 60, so there’s the rub. If it were me I might have opted for a Thomas Kana, a Chris Summers or even reached way out there for a Ben Maxwell…but yes, that’s just me. The knock on Lascek is the same thing that the new NHL is all about: skating. This flaw is what knocked him down to #133 in 2005. By all accounts Lascek’s skating has improved and history has shown that poor skaters can thrive in the NHL (God, look at Dave Andreychuk) plus Lascek’s “Q” numbers can’t be ignored…135 points in 64 games is impressive by any stretch of the imagination so I really can’t fault the pick and with 88 assists, the guy can clearly generate offense…If the pick were at #55 or something higher I’d be jumping up and down

The San Jose Sharks goaltending pool is an interesting soup. I distinctly remember the Ducklings selecting Dmitri Patzold last year and thinking “Yep, that’ll go far.” I really don’t know if Thomas Griess is an integral element of the same soup out of which Kiprosoff escaped and Nabakov and Toskala are still stewing, but when it comes to the Sharks goaltending I just find myself stirring and stirring…and wondering. Hey… whatabout Nolan Schaffer remember him? He was good too. Here’s what little I know about Griess, He’s 6’2, 192 lbs, which makes him a larger goaltender, and he is German…(for some reason the Sharks are very fond of the Germans.) He played for the Cologne Sharks (weird they share the same team name) of the German Elite League last season with a 2.46 GAA .926 pct I get the distinct feeling that he is a very accomplished and good goaltender but from my perch in the Bay Area I don’t see the eyeballs deep San Jose situation as being terribly conducive for the younger goalie breaking in, thus I will have to give a neutral rating on this pick

In an uncharacteristically risky play the Blondes rolled on Artem Anisimov, a Russian. This was a great choice for pure upside, but given the state of affairs between Russian Hockey and the NHL it could very well be a wasted pick – but it is #73, so perhaps worth the risk. Of the Russians available, Anisimov is arguably the most talented. He is a strong skater, sees the ice well, can play in both offensive and defensive situations and has a hard, accurate shot. Anisimov’s coming out party was the 2006 IIHF U18 tournament. He wowed many of scouts who projected him as a sure fire first round pick and showed that he has all the tools to be a dominant power center in the mould of Pavel Datsyuk. It is because of Anisimov’s fall to #54 that Andreas should be concerned as it reflects not only the deteriorating state of affairs between  the Russian Hockey association and the NHL, but also that teams in the Russian Super League are willing to pony up NHL sized salaries to their top players. A very risky time to be investing in Russian players indeed

I’m as surprised as anyone that the Blondes drafted the same player twice, but who can blame them for buying into the “New NHL” hype? Brad Marchand is very much in the same mould as Claude Giroux except even a little bit smaller. Think Martin St. Louis. Marchand was part of a great Moncton Wildcats team that made the finals of the Memorial Cup and along the way accrued a following for him and his take-no-prisoners style. As scouts describe him; “Exceptional puck control, agility and passes on the tape. Thinks the game well and has solid positioning in the defensive zone. He has an intense passion for the game and competes every shift. His size is a concern but his heart is a bonus.” 68GP 29G 37A 66P 83PIM. I think that the cards are stacked against Marchand, but at 82 it is a fair risk to take

Reaching into the overage pool again, the Blondes plucked out Marc-Andre Gragiani out of the muck. Andreas was uniquely able to zero in onto what I would describe as your “every-defenseman.” I mean …this is his exact write-up from “Hockey’s Future”  (Man, I just wish I could write this good…): “Gragnani is not a particularly mean or strong defenseman, but he does a number of things very well. He is extremely smart both defensively and with the puck. His passing skills are good, and he knows when to pinch and when to retreat. In the defensive zone he knows when to protect the net and when to pursue the puck in the corners. Gragnani’s heart, however, may be his most appealing asset. He gives it 100 percent every shift and never takes a night off, and is willing to sacrifice his body for the good of the team.”

Well, shucks…I had him pencilled on my list, with that stellar write up why didn’t I grab him dammit!!! OK…here is something you can’t ignore. For PEI last year, one of the weakest teams in the league Gragnani was 62GP-16G-55A-71P. Lame bios aside, clearly another solid pick for the Blondes

With the last pick out of thirteen you’d think you’d go for a bit of a crap-shoot. Why not shoot for the moon? Live a little man!….Apparently not the Blondes style. They selected a bonafide player who will likely have real impact next season for the Detroit Red Wings. Kyle Quincy, if all goes according to plan should find a solid role as at least a part-time  a #5 or #6 D-man next year after impressing in Grand Rapids. In a sense it confirms the current wisdom that one can never go wrong betting on the drafting of Detroit … Quincy is not a hulking defenseman at 6’1”, 200lb but the powers that be believe he can do the job which seems to be to prove that the Detroit scouts were right once again

SEALS

9.) James Sheppard (Wild, #9, 2006)

21.) Perttu Lindgren (Stars, #75, 2005)

38.) Ondrej Fiala (Wild, #40, 2006)

41.) Jhonas Enroth (Sabres, #46, 2006)

58.) Patrick McNeill (Capitals, #118, 2005)

59.) Jamie McBain (Hurricanes, #63, 2006)

64.) Robin Figren (Islanders, #70, 2006)

77.) Jesse Joensuu (Islanders, #60, 2006)

81.) Theo Peckham (Oilers, #75, 2006)

87.) Jonas Ahnelöv (Coyotes, #88, 2006)

89.) David Kveton (Rangers, #104, 2006)

94.) Oskar Osala (Capitals, #97, 2006)

99.) Martin Latal (Coyotes, #131, 2006)

107.) Joe Palmer (Blackhwaks, #96, 2006)

112.) Jan-Mikael Juutilainen (Blackhawks, #156, 2006)

Best pick: Perttu Lindgren – next Saku Koivu?

Worst pick: Jonas Ahnelov – next Cale Hulse?

Overall verdict: B- – I only see 6 potential NHLers, and most of them have significant question marks… and relying on scouts from Rags/Caps/Yotes/Isles for 7 out of 15 picks is generally not advisable, given their track records at drafting outside the first round

The Seals picked often as usual and with significant emphasis on European talent. As per usual, GM Leduc also made several reaches favoring upside over safe bets. It is too early to say whether the strategy will be successful, but there are certainly a lot of players that have the potential to make some noise some years down the line.

Seals were on the board at 9, hoping for Mueller or Brassard to fall, however were pleasantly surprised to find James Sheppard available. Frequently compared to Joe Thornton, Sheppard has a big frame and advanced physical game, outstanding vision and soft hands. He is more of a playmaker than finisher, however is above average in both roles. Sheppard was mentioned as a top5 candidate going into the season and has showed some real upside throughout the season, however hasn’t managed to put forward a consistent enough performance to be mentioned as an absolute elite pick. He has also had his mobility questioned and unfortunately he disappeared in the playoffs when the pressure was on. Sheppard should still develop into a solid pro, however it remains to be seen whether he is a 1^st or 2^nd line talent. Solid, if unsurprising pick.

At 21, Leduc was another of the many GMs that made a play for an overager – no doubt inspired by Ducklings, Stalefish and Epidemic going for more proven players. Mike picked Perttu Lindgren, rookie of the year in Finland after posting magnificent numbers in his first professional season. Lindgren’s performance in the FM Liiga is fully comparable with that of Nicklas Bäckström and Anze Kopitar in the Swedish SEL, prompting inevitable questions of whether Lindgren can become an NHL star. Mike has been raving about this guy for a couple of months, so the pick was certainly no surprise. Lindgren has been compared to players like Peter Forsberg and it is clear that he has great hands and vision, however it should be pointed out that he is neither big nor especially quick on his skates. Lindgren has a style that is somewhere between Saku Koivu and Henrik Zetterberg. He should become a solid NHL 2^nd liner but could have additional upside. He was signed to an entry level contract by Dallas this off-season, but returned to Finland after failing to crack a deep Stars roster. The early going in Finland has been nothing short of disappointing for him, but I would expect him to rebound. Very solid pick considering the prospects available in the 15-20 range of the draft, especially as Lindgren had been eligible for the 2006 draft if he had been 2 months older

At 38, the Seals made a slight reach on paper to select Ondrej Fiala, foregoing players like Semen Varlamov and Dennis Persson. Fiala has been plying his trade with Everett Silvertips in the WHL, posting rookie numbers of 35 pts in 51 games while battling injuries all season. Fiala has great mobility and puck skills, however the jury is still out on his offensive upside – he has neither great vision and hockey sense, nor fantastic finishing skills. While he has been relatively young in all leagues he has participated in, he’s never put up eye-popping numbers and 20 points in 40 games in the Czech Junior league as a 16-year old isn’t exactly fantastic. Fiala didn’t manage to make the scoring lines on the Czech WJC18 team – despite being one of the older players on the team – and I would be surprised if he is one of the go-to guys on the WJC20 team this year. Fiala played all year on Peter Mueller’s wing in Everett and his production should be considered in light of this. I would expect Fiala to return to Everett this year and he needs to put up point-per-game numbers in order to prove that he has the offensive upside, in addition to play 65+ games to prove his durability

Seals went with goaltending for the #41 pick, reaching to secure Swede Jhonas Enroth, who came into the season as a dark horse to be picked in the draft, but who secured a solid pre-draft ranking with a great WJC U18 in Sweden. Enroth is expected to see time in the Swedish 2^nd tier this season with Södertälje SK , where he will have the opportunity of seeing his first pro-action (albeit at a level which is below ECHL). Enroth is a rather smallish butterfly goalie with good positioning and agility. His main weaknesses are high shots and an average glove hand; considering his small size, he leaves quite a lot of net to shoot at when going down. Enroth will likely remain in Sweden another 3-4 years. Look for him to get some time in the Swedish Elite League at the earliest next season. Enroth is the best Swedish goaltending prospect in a long time and could well be NHL starter material; however it is very difficult to forecast at this time

True to form, Mike continued his habit of selecting high risk/reward holdovers from previous drafts, next selecting Caps defender Patrick McNeill, who was somewhat surprisingly returned to the OHL Saginaw Spirit for a 4^th season after failing to stick at the Caps camp. McNeill is an offense first defender; he has a great slap shot, is strong at the point on the PP and has very solid outlet passing. His decision making about when to pinch is however an area for concern, as is his very average mobility and lack of strength. McNeill can definitely develop into a top4 rearguard, but I would be concerned with the fact he didn’t make the Caps – after all, the Caps blueline (including Pothier, Heward, Muir most nights) doesn’t exactly stand out as very solid, and with fellow youngsters Eminger, Morrisonn, Green, Pokoluk, Schultz and Finley on the pipeline, it is a bit difficult to see just where McNeill fits into the Caps plans. Suspect pick, but the upside is certainly there.

With the second of back to back picks, Seals went with US NTDP rearguard Jamie McBain, a really solid pick of a player that has constantly improved throughout the season and played his best hockey in the most important tournaments. McBain is a jack of all trades and a master of none; however he is really above average across the board with a slight question mark for skating. He plays a very solid and simple defensive game, with considerable grit, and has very good vision and a heavy slapper to use on the PP. The Hurricanes have been good at drafting d-men and I believe McBain will be another in a long line of solid picks – look for him to settle as a #4 d-man that’s used on both special teams.

Swedish winger Robin Figren made it 4 reaches in a row for the Seals, and the pick seemed based on raving Isles fans more than anything else. Granted, if you’re an Isles fan, anything is an improvement over what you have and consequently it doesn’t take a lot to make them happy. Jokes aside, Figren is a strong skater, who will go up and down his wing and create offense as needed. He has a strong arsenal of shots and will go to the net to score. Figren can undoubtedly be productive on the right line, however he can never be expected to be a player that creates offense on his own; his vision and creativity is too limited for this. I would expect Figren to settle into a Ryan Kessler like role on a thirdline and don’t expect him to become an offensive force. Figren will be playing for the Calgary Hitmen this season, where Mike can undoubtedly support him with some playmaking advice

This year’s Jesse Niinimäki-award go to Jesse Joensuu – like Niinimäki he is huge, was projected as a top10 pick, ended up as a complete no show during the whole draft season and has gone from future superstar status to bubble player. Niinimäki, of course, have had a couple of seasons since further proving his bust potential, but there is still time for Joensuu to put things together. Another difference is that while Niinimäki was still picked in the first round by the unfortunate Oilers, scouts actually took notice and Joensuu fell to #60. This puts reasonable expectations on his future development and saw him still available when Mike picked at 77. That Mike would in fact pick him was somewhat of a foregone conclusion – it’s in the Seals makeup to take a chance on an enigmatic talent that COULD be special and it’s very hard to argue with this approach as late in the draft as the 2^nd half of the 4^th round. Fast forwarding to the start of the season, Joensuu is slowly starting to prove Mike right – he has been productive on the Ässet Pori squad and look to triple his numbers from last season, while quickly moving up the depth chart. He still has issues with mobility and puck control, however this is not unusual for 6’4 youngsters… his vision and shooting however have been great and he has significantly upped his energy level and consistency since last season. Joensuu looks like he could very well be a hidden gem, although he is still very rough around the edges. Great pick!

Contrary to form, Mike then went with a player without significant upside… or did I miss something? Theo Peckham is a big, slow and very bruising d-man that will likely end up filling a role similar to current Oiler Matt Greene – toughness and crease clearing and not too much else. Like Greene, he is also pretty prone to be beaten wide and has clear problems covering against speedy forwards. Peckham will likely see increased ice time this year in Owen Sound but barring play in front of the net on the PP (which isn’t out of the question with his size and nastiness) I would expect him to put up very modest offensive totals and challenge last year’s 236 PIM. A player that I would expect won’t ever crack the Seals roster, even if it doesn’t improve at all. Disappointing pick up!

Mike continued with picking a third Swede – no doubt impressed by the excellent Swedish GMing on display in the C – and went with physical stay-at-home d-man Jonas Ahnelöv of Frölunda Indians, a solid defensive d-man that brings plenty of grit, good size and good mobility to the table. Ahnelov is in some aspects similar to current Devils rookie Johnny Oduya, though he has less vision and offense. I was actually somewhat surprised that Ahnelov went in the top100 of the NHL draft, and the fact it happened to be the hapless Coyotes picking him does nothing to strengthen my belief in Ahnelov as a future NHLer. To make things worse, he is playing for a team in free fall where he has had a tough time getting any significant ice time and where it is increasingly likely that a vet will be brought in to take his spot in the lineup as the season progresses. Looking forward, I’d be surprised to see Ahnelov have upside past a bottom pairing, defensive role and it is rare that Europeans make the trip over for minimum salary with limited upside, as they can frequently make similar money in Germany or Switzerland with less effort. Another not so great pickup as I just don’t see any upside

David Kveton signalled a return to true form as the Seals once again picked a high risk/reward forward out of Europe – a signature mark player. Kveton is a quick, shifty player that can bring spectators out of their seats, however who doesn’t set skate in the defensive zone unless interfered into it. Kveton was scheduled to play for Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL this season and got off to a solid start with 5 assists in 5 games, before packing his bags and returning to Vsetin of the Czech top league. Kveton has potential of the Richard Zednik variety, however needs to bulk up and learn the defensive game as he doesn’t have the top end skills to allow him to be completely one-dimensional. He will likely remain in the Czech Republic for another 2-3 seasons, unless he makes another go at a CHL spot next year. Intriguing pick that some pre-draft rankings had in the early second round and well worth a pick at 89, though likelihood should be considered relatively low

Oskar Osala is a European winger that DOES actually play in the CHL and he has developed into a go-to-guy for the OHL Ice Dogs. Osala shares many traits with fellow Finn Jesse Joensuu – he is big, mobile and physical and has soft hands. Unfortunately, they also share one real problem area in consistency. Contrary to Joensuu, Osala was never highly touted coming into the draft, however could surprise. Osala may develop into an allround 2^nd liner – however, I have a pretty hard time seeing any higher potential. When he is on his game, he is one of the 30 top offensive players in the OHL, however many nights he is completely invisible. Will likely be a player dependant on solid playmaking to put up significant pro numbers and therefore I would expect it’s more likely that he sees time as a checker at the NHL level, or goes back to Europe to play. Solid, but not spectacular pick, and with guys like Cody Burki on the board, I’d say there were better options out there

At 99, Seals selected David Kvet… sorry, Martin Latal… weird with another Czech just like him, must be a fetish of some kind… Seals actually managed to select 10 Euros in this draft, possibly a CNGHL record, and Latal was #9… for an evaluation of Latal – check Kveton, with the exception that Latal has decided to stay in the QMJHL, where he stars for PEI Rockets. Latal and Kveton are actually ex team mates for Vsetin and play a very similar game with the main difference that Latal is smaller and less physical than Kveton. While there is a lot of dazzling talent in Latal – especially speed and stickhandling – I’d be tempted to suggest that he’ll be a Czech Extraliga all-star for many, many years… and with Coyotes shitty drafting track record and inability to develop talent, nothing suggests that it would be otherwise…

Goalie Joe Palmer looks like a crap shoot pick at 107 – he is a goalie of the type that could end up an NHL starter 6 years down the line but could as well never even reach the AHL level… picking a goalie late is never bad as goalies take longer to develop and it simply is hard to judge their upside as examples like Ryan Miller, Antero Niittymäki, Ray Emery and Justin Pogge highlights, however so far it is certainly hard to suggest that Palmer would have similar success. Palmer is blessed with great reflexes and is a very strong puckhandler, however he is lacking in positioning and playing the angles. He needs significant coaching to take the next steps but does have the raw potential to be a starter down the line. He will attend Ohio State University this fall and will very likely play out his college eligibility, especially considering that the Black Hawks will likely turn to Corey Crawford for any immediate goaltending needs over the next couple of years

Finally, Seals finished up the draft with a real dark horse in Finnish centre Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, who flew under the radar for most of the season but burst on to the international scene with a pin-up performance at the U18 WJC. In fact, the performance was good enough for ISS to bump his pre-draft rankings from 152 to 19 in their last instalment before the draft, however none of the NHL teams really bought into the hype, leaving Juutilainen on the board in the 5^th round. Juutilainen’s skills set is similar to that of Wings prospect Valtteri Filppula – he is an understated player that is quietly effective on the offense with above average offensive skills; however, Juutilainen doesn’t really have any clear stand-out skill. He could well develop into a solid 2^nd liner long-term, however he will likely not be effective as a checker due to lacking size, mobility and grit, so he is a boom-or-bust prospect in this regard. Juutilainen is committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha starting in 2007/08 and he will remain in Finland this season. This also suggests that he won’t get a sniff of NHL hockey the next 4 seasons. Good late pick-up as I believe Juutilainen should’ve gone much earlier in the NHL draft, however I don’t expect him to be a significant NHL -level performer

STALEFISH

10.) Petr Prucha (Rangers, #240, 2002)

18.) Kyle Wellwood (Leafs, #134, 2001)

30.) Paul Ranger (Lightning, #183, 2002)

Best pick: Kyle Wellwood – has point per game upside!

Worst pick: Petr Prucha – not for the pick itself, but for giving up Hartnell

Overall verdict: A- – All picks are solid pros  with interesting upside

Chris started out with very active maneuvering to secure an early pick in the draft, homing in on Petr Prucha. There were discussions around the #6 pick, but ultimately Chris went hard for the #10 pick when it was clear Prucha was still available. The price? Giving up gritty and talented winger Scott Hartnell and this is to me the real puzzler in the deal… Hartnell and Prucha is the same age. Prucha is a 47 points player (in 68 games) while Hartnell is a 48 points player (in 82 games)… HOWEVER – Hartnell is a physical force, a good skater, a player who is solid in his own zone and who creates most of the offense on his line – indeed, he has put up the 48 points in the company of “big name” players like Yannic Perrault and Martin Erat. By comparison, Prucha’s points have come playing wingman to Straka and Jagr and half of his points have come on the PP. In fact, the 5’10/165 lbs Prucha is easily dominated and not particularly fast and it is hard to see how he can be very effective at even strength without supremely talented line mates that creates space for him. In fact, the last 19 games of the season Prucha was taken off of Jagr’s line. The result was 3 goals and 1 assist in 15 games and ending the season as a healthy scratch 4 times. Prucha scored half his goals during a 15 game hot-streak mid-way through the season. I think picking Prucha early has merit – after all, a proven 30 (35 pro-rated) goals player is a rare find; however giving up Hartnell to get him makes less sense to me.

Stalefish were on board again for the #18 pick and a player in similar mold was picked in diminutive Leafs center Kyle Wellwood. The Windsor , Ont. Junior standout was once most famous for being traded for Jason Spezza in junior hockey. At the time, both of them were dominating the league and had similar traits – supreme vision and great hands – and similar weaknesses – most notably skating. Spezza ended up a top pick and Wellwood turned into a 5^th rounder whose future appeared dim. However, Wellwood has continued to deliver at every level and has stood out on an otherwise unremarkable Leafs team the past season as a very passionate and creative player. Wellwood’s skating and size mayt limit him from becoming a star in the league, however he has notably developed a slipperiness and shiftiness that coupled with his vision allows him to make plays at high speed and he has proven that he is a legitimate bet to be a very good second line winger with a lot of PP time. His rookie season showcased his talent with 45 points in 81 games and – if getting a chance to play wingman to Sundin – it isn’t too far fetched to see him as a 65-75 points player in his prime. Very solid pick and a bit surprising that he would fall this far in the draft, considering the quality available in the 15-20 range of the draft

Paul Ranger was the final pick from Chris and again it is a solid pick, albeit unspectacular. Ranger is a stay-at-home d-man that keeps it simple, but also has a pretty solid outlet game. He has solid size and plays a disciplined game – he isn’t overly physical but will get the job done. Ranger could be considered a “light” version of current Stalefish blueliner Scott Hannan and does have some upside. The off-season loss of Pavel Kubina sees Ranger as a likely #3 on the depth chart (after Boyle/Kuba) and barring any camp surprises, he may well see ice time on both special teams which may be enough to get him an audition with the Stalefish’s pro roster in the coming couple of seasons. From a CNGHL perspective, he’s likely to top out as a #4/#5 defensive d-man, which could provide for an attractive mix of high DF/ST and low salary

BULLMAX

5.) Phil Kessel (Bruins, #5, 2006)

45.) Nick Foligno (Senators, #28, 2006)

62.) Francois Bouchard (Capitals, #35, 2006)

68.) Andreas Nodl (Flyers, #39, 2006)

80.) Shawn Matthias (Wings, #47, 2006)

93.) Denis Bodrov (Flyers, #55, 2006)

Best pick: Shawn Matthias – since Kessel was a given!

Worst pick: Denis Bodrov – Much good he’ll do over in Russia …

Overall verdict: B – Mixed bag, with nice finds in Foligno, Nodl and Matthias – however, only Kessel stands out as a clear difference maker in a 20-team league

Well… Bullmax ended up with the draft day wild-card at 5. Phil Kessel is undeniably talented and Bruins and Bullmax fans alike could well look back at this day in a couple of years and loving the fact that four teams actually passed Kessel up – however, Kessel is arguably also the top5 pick with the highest bust potential. The facts: Kessel may be the best skater in the draft, he is a very deft stickhandler and he is lethal one on one. He also has above average finishing skills and many see him as a future Maxim Afinogenov – however, with the distinct difference that Kessel has a wicked wrister while Afinogenov relies on stickhandling the puck into the goal. However, the reason for Kessel going from a shoe-in to be the first overall pick to falling to #5 is a combination of traits that haven’t exactly endeared him to scouts. Kessel’s maturity has been questioned, and his combination of arrogance and outspokenness as witnessed publicly suggest he will make Sidney Crosby look like a born captain. Furthermore, Kessel has failed to step up his play in important games. He performed well against lesser teams in the WJC but was a complete no-show against the tough Canadian D. He also failed to make an impact in the elimination games for University of Minnesota –the Golden Gophers were stacked this season and still exited early from competition. It is also notable that Kessel has struggled mightily against physical defenders. I am torn between seeing the next Alexandre Daigle and believing that Kessel is a legit Calder candidate – however, I think Kessel has some way to go before making it as a star in the NHL. I think, however, that the pick was a no-brainer at #5 – the only other player with similar upside still available in the draft was Michal Frolik, who has as big question marks around him

The Bullmax had to wait two full rounds before being on the board again and this time went with Sens prospect Nick Foligno, a true blue collar player that wears his emotions on the sleeve. Foligno can do a bit of everything; he is a fierce competitor that plays hard and who produces at both ends of the ice. Doesn’t own the high-end offensive skills set for a 1^st line role, however is a safe bet to develop into at least a 2^nd/3^rd line presence that can play both special teams – a cross between Kyle Calder and Darcy Tucker is probably a good comparison – less physical than the latter, but owning the quickness and skills of the former. He has had issues with poor discipline that will hopefully be corrected with maturity and age. Arguably picked early in the NHL draft, Foligno should nevertheless be considered a find at 45 and has limited downside

For their second pick in a row, Bullmax went with bloodlines. Nick Foligno’s father Mike played for a long time in the NHL and their third pick Francois Bouchard is the younger brother of Wild youngster Pierre-Marc. Like his brother, Francois is a great skater and stickhandler with an impressive offensive skills set and his 102pts in 69 games for Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL indicates pro-scroing upside. Francois is also bigger than his brother at 6’/180lbs – so why was he picked 35^th overall in a weaker draft while PM went 8^th? Well, the major difference is that while PM actively initiates contact, Francois tends to play a perimeter game and is consistently shut out when facing very physical opposition – this has been very evident especially in playoff games, where he has tended to disappear completely. Bouchard has the tools to be a top6 forward in the NHL, however unless he significantly builds strength and improves his willingness to play in traffic, he seems destined for a path similar to many high-scoring QMJHL-grads – as a AHL or ECHL MVP. Bouchard has enough upside to be interesting at 62, however I think Capitals screwed themselves using the 35^th overall pick on him

Kevin continued with picking up Austrian USHL sensation Andreas Nodl, a speedster that have scored at a goal a game clip in the high school league. Nodl is committed to St.Cloud’s for the upcoming season and will likely need 3 years in college and another in the minors before having a sniff at NHL Hockey. Nodl was picked surprisingly early in the NHL draft, undoubtedly in part due to his strong skating, however it is questionable whether he possesses either the high-end offensive skills to be a consistent scorer or the defensive commitment to become a quality checker… however, given his mobility, he could potentially excel in either role. For now, consider Nodl a project that could pay dividends down the line

Kevin again went with speed with his fourth pick, selecting tough center Shawn Matthias 80^th overall in a pick that I feel is very good – should’ve thought about it myself! Matthias has been a bit of a wild card throughout the years, but entered the draft as one of the players that was really shooting up the rankings – ISS had him ranked #157 going into the year and at #27 at the draft. At 6’3/215lbs and a solid skater, Matthias can throw trainwreck hits, excels on the forecheck and is one of the defensively most mature and advanced players in the draft. He is underrated as a scorer – while he definitely hasn’t posted big numbers, he still has a solid understanding of the game, gets himself in position and is willing to scrap to score goals. Matthias could very well round into a Darren McCarty or Kirk Maltby type of player – at best, he could put up 50 pts per season, while playing solid defense. The fact that he also has the “Red Wings” rubber stamp of approval also suggests there may well be good things to come. All you could want from a #80 pick!

Kevin closed the draft by Denis Bodrov, a Flyers second round selection in the 2006 draft. Bodrov is an overager that was passed over in the 2005 draft and since has put up an unremarkable season in Russia and put forth a decent effort in the U20 WJC. The early selection in the draft was puzzling to say the least, and Bodrov is an unfortunate auto-draft selection for Kevin since, quite frankly, I just don’t see any way Bodrov will contribute at the NHL level any time in the future. Consider this – he is averaged sized, has a decent but unremarkable skills set and no offensive upside… being Russian, there simply is no way I see him coming over for the possibility of playing a fringe role for less money that what he’ll earn in Russia