Cnn/si Mock Draft

[NJDF]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/ne.../03/mock_draft/

Going deep

Impressive draft class should yield help for many teams

By Jon A. Dolezar, SI.com

The Florida Panthers haven't visited the postseason since 2000, but they are clearly the team to beat in the NHL Draft Lottery.

For the second year in a row, Florida won the rights to the first pick. And for the second straight year, the Panthers are likely to deal the top pick in an effort to acquire additional selections.

With a very deep draft class, but no clear-cut No. 1 pick, the odds of Florida keeping the top choice and exercising it in Nashville on June 21 are probably less than 50-50.

If the player who eventually lands with the Panthers has half as much of an impact right away as Jay Bouwmeester did last season, they will be very pleased with their maneuvering. Florida general manager Rick Dudley is hoping to find another sucker, er, trading partner who is interested in the No. 1 pick, but he will be happy to hold onto it if no one falls for his chicanery again.

The terms of last year's trade called for the Panthers to hold an option on swapping first-round positions with the Blue Jackets this year if they wanted to. The assumption, of course, was that Columbus would be a worse team than Florida (true, but shockingly only by one point) and that the Panthers wouldn't hit the jackpot again.

Dudley also dealt the top pick away when he was helming the war room for the Lightning in 1999, so this would be the third time in five years he has traded out of the top spot.

So here is what the first-round draft order looks with the draft still 2 1/2 weeks away, but it certainly won't look exactly this way on June 21.

For one thing, the winner of the Stanley Cup will select 30th, with the losing team remaining in its present position.

Trades surely will have an impact on the selection order, as well. Last year, 10 of the first 30 picks were involved in trades on draft day or the day before. And that was considered a quiet draft on the trade front.

SI.com's 2003 Mock Draft

Pick Team Pos. Player Team Ht. Wt. DOB

1 C Eric Staal Peterborough (OHL) 6'3" 182 10/29/84

With Olli Jokinen, Matt Cullen and Stephen Weiss, the Panthers are deep up the middle for the next half-decade, but Staal projects to be a better all-around player, and eventually could force Jokinen to the wing on the top line.

2 G Marc-Andre Fleury Cape Breton (QMJHL) 6'1" 1/2 172 11/28/84

Less than a month after Patrick Roy ended his career, the next great Quebec netminder officially will begin his. The 'Canes, Penguins and Kings are all interested in Fleury, the star of the 2003 World Junior Championships, but don't expect Carolina to deal down unless Los Angeles is willing to give up all three of its first-round picks and a player off its roster.

3 RW Nikolai Zherdev Central Army (Russia) 6'1" 186 11/5/84

The Penguins would love to trade up to make sure they can get Fleury, but their minor league cupboard is bare, so they don't have a lot to deal. If they can't swing something to grab Fleury, the consolation prize of getting Zherdev at No. 3 isn't so shabby. Until a disappointing showing at the World Juniors, Zherdev was the odds-on favorite to go first overall.

4 D Ryan Suter U.S. U-18 team 6'1" 183 1/21/85

Suter's father, Bob, played on the 1980 U.S. Miracle on Ice team, and uncle Gary totaled 845 points and 1,327 penalty minutes in 1,145 career NHL games. The Jackets would have a great blueline tandem for the future if they added Suter to continually emerging Rostislav Klesla.

5 C Nathan Horton Oshawa (OHL) 6'2" 201 5/29/85

The Sabres have plenty of skill with Maxim Afinogenov, Daniel Briere, Tim Connolly, J.P. Dumont and Ales Kotalik, but they need to add some crash to their flash. With the balance at the top of this draft, Horton could emerge as the best all-around player of the bunch.

6 LW Milan Michalek Budejovice (Czech) 6'2" 205 12/7/84

The Sharks have dealt away a good portion of their once-deep roster and now appear to be wholeheartedly in a rebuilding mode. But with skilled two-way players like Michalek, it shouldn't take long to get back to the postseason. Like Horton, Michalek could end up being the best player among the Super Six who have distinguished themselves from the pack.

7 LW Thomas Vanek Minnesota (WCHA) 6'2" 208 1/19/84

The Golden Gophers won their second straight NCAA title largely because Vanek carried the team on his back during the tournament. He finished his impressive freshman season with 62 points in 45 games, and his draft stock soared as a result of his incredible postseason.

8 D Braydon Coburn Portland (WHL) 6'5" 205 2/27/85

Coburn has been compared favorably to Chris Pronger, which should get Thrashers fans' hearts racing with hope. While Pasi Nurminen and Byron Dafoe will keep the crease warm for another year, Coburn and Kari Lehtonen should begin their long-term tenure in Atlanta together in 2004-05.

9 D Dion Phaneuf Red Deer (WHL) 6'2" 205 4/10/85

Many scouts belive Phaneuf is a better defensive blueliner than either Suter or Coburn, but both are likely to be chosen before Phaneuf based on their more versatile two-way style. Phaneuf has a little bit of Scott Stevens in him -- and some Bryan Marchment nastiness, too -- though Phaneuf's shot from the point may be even better than that of the Devils' captain.

10 C Zach Parise North Dakota (WCHA) 5'11" 186 7/28/84

Though Vanek stole the headlines with his impressive run at the end of the year, Parise was the best freshman for the first half of the season. The son of 14-year NHLer J.P. Parise has incredible hockey sense and great skills with the puck. He has answered questions about his size and looks to be a top-notch scoring prospect with first-line potential.

11 RW Dustin Brown Guelph (OHL) 6'0" 195 11/4/84

On a deep team like the Flyers, Brown might not project to be more than a third-line winger, but he has the talent to be a superb character forward. Brown mixes it up enough that he could emerge as a favorite if he reaches the NHL while Ken Hitchcock and Bobby Clarke are still running the organization.

12 C Patrick O'Sullivan Mississauga (OHL) 5'11" 190 2/1/85

O'Sullivan is the mystery man of the first round. On talent alone, he might be alongside the premier sextet at the top of the round. But character issues have some teams concerned after he was sent home for a month by his junior team to resolve off-ice issues.

13 RW Andrei Kastsitsyn Central Army (Russia) 6'0" 189 2/3/85

Kastsitsyn made his debut in the top Russian league this season and didn't look out of place. He was the dominant player on Belarus' overmatched squad at the World Juniors, but his stock may slip because some teams are worried about the fact he suffers from epilepsy. Without the medical concerns, he may have been a top-10 pick.

14 LW Konstantin Glazachev Yaroslavl Jr. (Russia) 6'0" 186 2/18/85

Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith must have some Russian blood in his lineage with how often he drafts selects Russian players with his first-round pick. Glazachev lacks the fifth gear that most Russian stars have, but his willingness play physically in the offensive zone gives him a different offensive dimension than a player like Zherdev.

15 C Marc-Antoine Pouliot Rimouski (QJMHL) 6'1" 188 5/22/85

Like most players who come out of the Q, Pouliot can skate and play with the puck. Unlike most from what is regarded as a soft league, he can also mix it up. Pouliot would do well in the Islanders organization, where defense is valued as much as offense, and his game would likely advance quickly since he could watch and learn from Michael Peca.

16 RW Anthony Stewart Kingston (OHL) 6'1" 239 1/5/85

Stewart bulked up late in his junior career and his skating suffered as a result. His size makes him tough to knock off the puck, which is something the smallish Bruins lack outside of Mike Knuble and Glen Murray.

17 RW Hugh Jessiman Dartmouth (ECAC) 6'4" 200 3/28/84

Jessiman came onto scouts' radar screens with a surprising freshman season at Dartmouth, where he put up 47 points in 34 games. His skating ability and hands are impressive for a player of his size, and he could eventually pair up with Brad Isbister to give the Oilers a massive winger tandem on one of their top two lines.

18 LW Jeff Tambellini Michigan (CCHA) 5'11" 186 4/13/84

Tambellini is the son of Canucks VP of player personnel Steve Tambellini, and his game already features NHL savvy. His style is reminiscent of another undersized, but speedy former Michigan Wolverine, John Madden. Tambellini was impressive in the second half of the season, helping to lead Michigan to its third straight Frozen Four appearance.

19 C Ryan Getzlaf Calgary (WHL) 6'2 1/2" 195 5/10/85

The Ducks have proven that character guys can take you a long way. And Getzlaf would be a perfect addition to their organization's depth chart. With top prospects Joffrey Lupul, Chris Kunitz and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau vying for first- and second-line duties, two-way players like Getzlaf are just as valuable to a team's penalty-killing unit and checking lines.

20 LW Robert Nilsson Leksand (Sweden) 5'11" 183 1/10/85

The Wild have plenty of offensive talent in their system, but if the son of former Flames great Kent Nilsson is still around when they pick, he would be hard to pass up. Nilsson put up 21 points in 41 games in the Swedish Elite League this season playing mostly as a 17-year-old, breaking Markus Naslund's mark of 19 set in 1990-91.

21 C Ryan Kesler Ohio State (CCHA) 6'1 1/2" 195 8/31/84

Kesler had a so-so season with the Buckeyes, but he was a pleasant surprise playing for the U.S. at the World Juniors. The Sharks are fond of solid two-way players, and Kesler would be a worthy successor to Mike Ricci as San Jose's top pest.

22 D Brent Seabrook Lethbridge (WHL) 6'2 1/2" 220 4/20/85

The Devils never have lacked physical blueliners, and Seabrook could be an impressive two-way player with another year or two of seasoning. Much like Barret Jackman emerged while playing with Al MacInnis this season, Seabrook would benefit greatly from playing alongside Scott Stevens before the end of his great career.

23 C Jeff Carter Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 6'3" 182 1/1/85

Carter reminds some scouts of a skinnier version of former Greyhound Joe Thornton, but he needs to fill out his body and get more physical to live up to that lofty comparison. Carter is nimble on his feet and impressive handling the puck, but he needs to add a bit of toughness to his overall games.

24 C Dan Fritsche Sarnia (OHL) 6'1" 198 7/13/85

The Flyers have incredible depth at center, but Jeremy Roenick and Keith Primeau are both 31 or older, so their replacements need to be selected soon. Fritsche would make a nice addition to Philadelphia's second line some day, thanks to his good puck-carrying skills and natural instincts.

25 D Richard Stehlik Sherbrooke (QJHML) 6'4" 245 7/22/84

Wow, seems kind of weird to see the Lightning drafting this late, huh? That's what a division title will get you. Tampa Bay almost certainly will select a defenseman, given that its trade deadline moves included desperate swaps for Marc Bergevin and Janne Laukkanen in an attempt to add depth on the blueline.

26 G Jim Howard Maine (Hockey East) 6'0' 218 3/26/84

With three first-round picks, the Kings are candidates to try to trade up and get Fleury. But it might make more sense for them to stay put and add three players who are likely to contribute in the future. Howard went 14-6 with a 2.45 GAA and a .916 save percentage as a freshman at Maine, and is the clear No. 2 netminder behind Fleury.

27 D Shawn Belle Tri-City (WHL) 6'1' 220 1/3/85

The Blues are big fans of big, rugged defensemen, so Belle would fit in well in St. Louis. He is a great skater, but his cannon of a slap shot from the point may be his most NHL-ready attribute. The Blues have good depth in the blueline down through their system, but Belle's offensive awareness and puck-carrying ability should land him in the NHL within three years.

28 D Mark Stuart Colorado College (WCHA) 6'1" 209 4/27/84

The Kings hold this pick after dealing Mathieu Schneider to the Red Wings at the deadline, and odds are they will opt for a blueliner to add to their deep defensive corps in the minors. Stuart is a fitness freak whose game is close to NHL-ready, but he is unspectacular and probably doesn't project to be more than a No. 4 defensemen.

29 RW Eric Fehr Brandon (WHL) 6'3' 187 9/7/85

The Stars are loaded with right wingers, but most of their top forward prospects play on the left side. Fehr is a gritty, but skinny winger who could be an excellent defensive asset once his frame fills out. He may not ever be a 20-goal scorer in the NHL, but he could have a long, steady career on the third line of a good team like Dallas.

30 RW Steve Bernier Moncton (QMJHL) 6'2 1/2' 233 3/31/85

Unless he can play the left side, Steve Bernier might not be too excited about getting chosen by the Sens. With Daniel Alfredsson, Marian Hossa and Martin Havlat already on the right wing, Ottawa has other needs to address. But Bernier's 101 points in 71 games could be too good to pass up late in the first round.

GO DEVILS!!!

[SueNJ97]

Do the Devils ever take the 'expected' player?

[sundstrom]

i'd actually be surprised if the take a defenseman in a draft with such offensive stars.

the prospects the devils do have are (as usual) bent towards defensemen. but the forward stock is low. with the likes of berglund, bicek, slugobov, philman not apparently being our offensive saviors.

maybe lou deals t-vo and the 22nd to florida for #1?!

[Triumph]

Tverdovsky for the #19th pick and Travis Green was the deal made at the 99 draft. Since then, Tverdovsky's value has dropped.

I, too, would be surprised. I think this mock draft was posted about 2 weeks ago, and it still doesn't make any sense.. Lou rarely takes a junior player with a 1st round pick either.

[Belizarius]

I have another Mock Draft, and i like their choice :

http://www.forecaster.ca/thestar/hockey/ex...03-NHLMockDraft

NHL Draft coverage

2003 Mock Draft

Posted on Thursday, June 12, 2003 at 8:51pm

THE DRAFT WINDS BLOW: It's time to take a look at how things are shaping up for each of the 30 first-round selections in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Several scouting directors may be torn between two or more players in this very deep crop. The L.A. Kings own three picks in Round 1, thanks to prior trades with both Colorado and Detroit, while the Flyers and Sharks will choose twice in the opening round. The Avs, Wings, Coyotes and Maple Leafs could be shut out of the first round--barring a trade. The pick originally held by the Cup champion Devils (now owned by St. Louis) has moved down from the 27nd to the 30th position.

1. Florida Panthers: Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Cape Breton (QMJHL)

The Panthers are in the top spot of the draft order for the second year in a row, and will once again deal the pick. Fleury is the hot commodity of this year's class, since he has franchise goaltender written all over him. The Cats already own one of those (Roberto Luongo), so Florida GM Rick Dudley will continue to receive plenty of offers. There's an outside chance the Panthers will opt for OHL power forward Nathan Horton, but look for a team--Boston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are possible candidates--to move up to the top spot to nab Fleury. However, it may not happen if teams call Dudley's bluff.

2. Carolina Hurricanes: Eric Staal, C, Peterborough (OHL)

The 'Canes will be happy with either Fleury or Staal, but love the idea of the latter eventually succeeding captain Ron Francis at center. The fact Carolina selected goaltender Cam Ward in Round 1 last June will ultimately lead them away from Fleury this time around.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins: Milan Michalek, LW, Budejovice (Czech Republic)

The Pens need immediate help, so Michalek's all-around ability will be difficult to pass up. Pittsburgh has had plenty of success with first-round Czechs in the past (Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka), so they should have confidence in Michalek--who could make the team right away.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Nathan Horton, C, Oshawa (OHL)

The Jackets have gone to the CHL for all three first-round picks in their history--twice out of the OHL. The pattern should continue this year, as GM/coach Doug MacLean loves Horton's size up the middle. Columbus will hope the big pivot can claim a roster spot in 2003-04.

5. Buffalo Sabres: Thomas Vanek, LW/RW, U. of Minnesota (WCHA)

The Sabres covet Horton, and may try to swing a deal with the Jackets in order to get their man. Failing that, the fallback plan is freshman sensation Vanek, whose stock rose dramatically following the 2003 Frozen Four. Buffalo GM Darcy Regier badly needs a good draft this year.

6. San Jose Sharks: Nikolai Zherdev, LW/RW, CSKA Moscow (Russia)

Sharks GM Doug Wilson's first draft pick will be something the organization sorely lacks: A home-run hitter. Zherdev has as much skill as any player available in the draft, but is somewhat raw. A potential No. 1 overall pick earlier this year, Zherdev is a natural talent for a team that lacks it.

7. Nashville Predators: Zach Parise, C, U. of North Dakota (WCHA)

Preds GM David Poile is notorious for drafting CHL talent in Round 1. That will change this year, as he attempts to add more skill to the organization. Parise would immediately become the franchise's second-best center in terms of skill level (behind No. 1 pivot David Legwand).

8. Atlanta Thrashers: Braydon Coburn, D, Portland (WHL)

The Thrashers are one of the NHL's up-and-coming franchises, but are still without a true No. 1 defenseman. Enter Coburn. The mammoth rearguard should receive every opportunity to crack the Atlanta lineup, and add to the organization's stable of impressive young talent.

9. Calgary Flames: Dion Phaneuf, D, Red Deer (WHL)

New GM Darryl Sutter, who also doubles as head coach, will try to put a stamp on the Flames franchise by opting for native Albertan Phaneuf, who played for fellow Sutter brother Brent at Red Deer. He's a hard-nosed, physical blueliner that any Sutter brother would love to have.

10. Montreal Canadiens: Hugh Jessiman, LW/RW, Dartmouth (ECAC)

The Canadiens are almost certain to draft a winger with size with this pick, and the choices are Jessiman, Anthony Stewart, Dustin Brown and Steve Bernier. Outgoing Habs GM Andre Savard has had a lot of success drafting NCAA talent in Round 1, so look for the trend to continue.

11. Philadelphia Flyers: Dustin Brown, RW, Guelph (OHL)

The Flyers need future players up front, so Brown is a logical choice at No. 11. They'll gladly give him more development time in the junior ranks, with the hope that he can eventually become another Simon Gagne or Justin Williams in the City of Brotherly Love.

12. New York Rangers: Ryan Suter, D, U.S. National Under-18 Team

The Blueshirts have tried to find Brian Leetch's eventual successor in the past (Bryan Berard, Mike Mottau), but Suter represents a perfect heir apparent. With New York's blueline aging rapidly, Suter may not need a lot of development time. He's Gary Suter's nephew.

13. Los Angeles Kings: Anthony Stewart, RW, Kingston (OHL)

With three picks in Round 1, the Kings may decide to make a huge splash up to the top spot. Failing that, they'll look for long-range prospects. Stewart is a budding power forward that is somewhat raw and will need more development time in the junior ranks; a perfect fit for L.A.

14. Chicago Blackhawks: Richard Stehlik, D, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

Despite the selection of Anton Babchuk in the first round last year, the 'Hawks need loads of long-term help along the blueline. Therefore, big Slovak Stehlik is an intriguing selection at No. 14. Stehlik is arguably far more advanced than Babchuk, and could crack the lineup more quickly.

15. New York Islanders: Andrei Kastsitsyn, RW/LW, CSKA Moscow (Russia)

Nobody likes to gamble as much as Isles GM Mike Milbury, and Kastsitsyn--who suffers from an epileptic condition--most certainly qualifies. The Belarusian winger has big-time skills, something currently lacking on Long Island. He figures to be a boom-or-bust selection.

16. Boston Bruins: Ryan Getzlaf, C, Calgary (WHL)

The Bruins organization is paper thin up the middle, beyond the NHL trio of Joe Thornton, Brian Rolston and Jozef Stumpel. As a result, Getzlaf is a nice fit. In fact, a great training camp could land him in the NHL at age 18--at least to begin 2003-04. He's just a solid pick at No. 16.

17. Edmonton Oilers: Brent Seabrook, D, Lethbridge (WHL)

Oilers GM Kevin Lowe has been criticized for not drafting Western Canadian talent early in past drafts, so with Seabrook he kills two birds with one stone: Adding badly-needed size and defensive depth, as well as a player that has toiled in Alberta the past two seasons.

18. Washington Capitals: Marc-Antoine Pouliot, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)

The Caps are at a crossroads--again. With the likelihood of a reduced payroll in the coming years, Washington needs to do a better job of drafting and developing their own. In fact, Pouliot could be the organization's top center prospect the moment his name is announced.

19. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Jeff Carter, C, Sault Ste-Marie (OHL)

Ducks GM Bryan Murray loves drafting CHL talent, and usually prefers players with size and character. Carter fits the bill on all fronts, though he'll need plenty of development time before embarking on an NHL career. The 2003 Stanley Cup runners-up have time to wait for him.

20. Minnesota Wild: Robert Nilsson, RW/C, Leksands IF (Sweden)

The Wild aren't afraid of waiting a little longer for their prospects to develop. Nilsson would give the organization a long-term forward prospect similar to 2001 top pick Mikko Koivu. The son of former NHLer Kent Nilsson has an aggressive quality that escaped his more talented dad.

21. San Jose Sharks: Dan Fritsche, C, Sarnia (OHL)

In an attempt to change organizational philosophy, new GM Wilson will stray from San Jose's tendency to draft defensemen in the first round. While Zherdev at No. 6 represents a high-risk/high-reward selection, Fritsche is a safe pick and nice complement at No. 21.

22. New Jersey Devils: Jeff Tambellini, LW, U. of Michigan (CCHA)

The Devils do a great job of scouting the NCAA ranks, so Tambellini fits into their drafting profile to the letter. He's definitely a long-range pick, since very few Devils ever bypass the AHL and graduate straight to the big league. Tambellini will play at least two more years at Michigan.

23. Vancouver Canucks: Steve Bernier, RW, Moncton (QMJHL)

There will be pressure to select Tambellini--son of Canucks VP of Player Personnel Steve Tambellini--with this pick, but if unavailable the organization will opt for one of the premier power forward prospects in this year's draft. Bernier has a chance to thrive in the Vancouver system.

24. Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Kesler, C/LW, Ohio State (CCHA)

GM Clarke will continue to stockpile young forwards for the future, acquiring the versatile Kesler. The latter came on with a vengeance this past year, and may be a major sleeper at No. 23. He's a long-term prospect that won't see Pennsylvania for at least one more year--maybe two.

25. Tampa Bay Lightning: Mark Stuart, D, Colorado College (WCHA)

The Bolts need defensemen throughout the organization so, even though Stuart won't help their situation in 2003-04, he's the logical pick at No. 24. He may only need one more season of NCAA hockey, before embarking on a pro career. He could rise up the Lightning depth chart quickly.

26. Los Angeles Kings: Ryan Munce, G, Sarnia (OHL)

Assuming L.A. is unsuccessful in moving up to nab Fleury with the No. 1 pick, the club will certainly pick a goaltender with one of their two late first-round selections. They'll opt for Munce over Jim Howard because of the former's incredible World under-18 performance recently.

27. Los Angeles Kings: Corey Locke, C, Ottawa (OHL)

When a team has three first-round picks, it usually rolls the dice with the last one. That's what Locke represents. Rated a third-rounder by Central Scouting, Locke led the CHL in scoring and is arguably the best offensive producer available this year. However, is he strong enough?

28. Dallas Stars: Loui Eriksson, C, Vastra Frolunda jr. (Sweden)

The Stars have both a deep-pocketed owner and deep big-league roster, so they can afford to take a gamble late in Round 1. Eriksson fits the philosophy GM Doug Armstrong is trying to implement throughout the Stars organization--speedy, creative offensively and very gritty.

29. Ottawa Senators: Eric Fehr, RW, Brandon (WHL)

The Sens want big forwards that can complement their skill players down the road, so Fehr is a perfect fit. He's a budding power forward, but will need to bulk up considerably in order to progress to the next level. He's at least two years away from helping Ottawa.

30. St. Louis Blues: Konstantin Glazachev, LW, Yaroslavl jr. (Russia)

Because of tampering charges when coveting Devils captain Scott Stevens--a former Blue--in 1994, St. Louis was forced to swap picks with the eventual Stanley Cup champions. As a result, they'll try to hit a grand slam with talented, but high-risk Russian winger Glazachev

[NJayDevil]

We do not need another LW. Give me a big center or a very good RW.

[Triumph]

But the key there is long-term, and with a likely CBA change of the UFA age, it is highly unlikely that Friesen, Brylin, and Elias will be in a Devils sweater in 2006. (I know I argued the opposite before, but I forgot about the CBA).

I really dislike it when Lou takes college players. Does he have a successful player that he drafted out of college? Rolston, Morrison, and Guerin never lived up to potential in New Jersey. Pandolfo is okay, and Gionta is as well, but neither are likely to be Top 6 forwards. As for defensemen, usually the college guys are the first to be dealt from NJ.. Commodore, Mitchell, etc.

I'm hoping Lou goes with a European pick myself, or a junior pick, despite the risk involved. College players are also risky because they can opt to go to junior and wriggle out of their draft team obligations.

[sundstrom]

College.

U of M.

Madden

[Risky]

Not to hijack, but I thought the reports on Pihlman made him sound like a great offensive hope?

[Triumph]

sundstrom, the Devils did not draft John Madden.

[sundstrom]

fair enough. but he was a college, u of m product. i'm 2/3 right

[Risky]

1/3

[Tretyak 20]

That first draft preview doesn't make any sense to me. I highly doubt Lou will select a D with Hale, Martin, DeMarchi and Kadeykin already in the system. I also don't like the idea of the Devils drafting a college player who likely won't play a game for them until 2006 - maybe I'm just impatient.

The Devils lack offense now, and Nieuy won't be around much longer. I'd like to see Lou take Glazachev if he's still available, but I think he'll be long gone by #22. I also wouldn't mind seeing Lou trade up and take a better offensive guy. The Devils need to try to draft power forwards or snipers.

I live in North Alabama, so hopefully I'll get to be in Nashville personally to see the draft. I'm really hoping it'll be memorable as a Devils fan.

Tri - are you saying you think the UFA age will go down?

[puck]

Maybe we trade T-vo and move up if thi sdraft is as good as has been said.

[Triumph]

Tverdovsky and our 1st could move us up into the top 5, but that's not a Lou kind of move.. Lou doesn't want a superstar potential kind of player, doesn't want to pay one 900K before he plays an NHL game, doesn't want to deal with an idiot agent who wants to have his player get more ice time after 10 games in the NHL..

Tretiak, if the owners want a salary cap, they're going to have to pay for it with lower UFA ages. There's no way the Players Association will let players stay RFA for 13 years and forced into accepting lower salaries because the salary cap demands it..

[brylin18]

that could work against them. if the UFA pool is larger, players will be the ones competing to be signed, instead of owners competing to sign players. it wouldn't make that much of a difference for "superstar" players, but the rank and file players wouldn't be getting the inflated salaries they're getting now.

[Triumph]

But the rank and file players would get nothing under a salary cap, and many of them could just be released UFA anyway. Remember last summer when many here wanted Pandolfo gone because he was signed for 750,000? That scenario could play out with lower-level players like goons and 7th defensemen a lot more often than it does now.. the team would sign someone for the minors and waive goodbye to someone who wanted a 10% raise.

The O'Donnell's of the world would no longer get 2.6 million/year salaries, but that's not going to continue anyway. All of the owners see the evils of profligate signings on their revenue sheets.. and in 2004-05 they're going to try to do something about it.. if the players are smart, they'll demand the same CBA as now..

[Tretyak 20]

Tri - I see what you mean, but I don't think there's any way the owners allow the UFA age to drop. If they did, the small market teams like Calgary, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Edmonton etc. would lose any ability to compete. Just imagine if Calgary had to worry about matching Ranger-sized offers on Iginla or Drury this year or next - with no compensation if they lost the players.

As things are the small market teams are furious about losing their best players at age 31. Lowering the UFA age would literally turn the small market teams into a farm system for the big market teams.

I also don't think the owners will get a player salary cap. Instead I think it will probably be the other way around. A team salary cap which allows the star players to (theoretically) still make huge salaries, and a higher UFA age which gives the owners more control over their rosters and keeps the small market teams alive. I guess this discussion just illustrates further why there will be a long lock-out.

Back to the draft... I agree trading into the top five doesn't sound like a Lou move, even if it's possible. I wouldn't rule out trading into the #6 through #15 range, though. I think Berglund could be dealt in a package and bring a fair return. And who knows? if Lou really plays his cards right we might be able to get a replica Alexandre Daigle jersey (size small) from Pittsburgh for Danton, a future consideration and cash!

[LetsGoDevils]

Lou really plays his cards right we might be able to get a replica Alexandre Daigle jersey (size small) from Pittsburgh for Danton, a future consideration and cash!

He'd likely settle for a hotdog, some fries and a small drink. That's about what Danton's worth.

[MantaRay]

I agree with the Tambellini pick. I think our core D is set for the next few seasons. I think with Kenny likely to retire: Hale is ready and so is Giroux. Paul Martin is another year away.

Is he the son of Steve Tambellini?