NHL Draft Preview

So Grace has been bugging me for the last few days about my promised Draft post, and as much as I was veering away from doing it, what sort of friend would I be if I didn’t listen to the protestations of a fellow blogger.  So here it is . . .

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a little frustrated with the draft this year because the Penguins currently have to wait until the end of the 4th round before their first pick, and it’s unlikely that I’m going to be wowed by that prospect.  There is always the chance that we’ll trade for a pick, but who knows.  I want to discuss a few players who interest me in this draft, all for varying reasons, and not all of who are ‘top contenders’.  So what follows is Eddie’s “Players To Watch Out For”:

Steve Stamkos: Stamkos will, barring some strange catastrophe, be the number 1 pick this year.  He stands head and shoulders above the rest of the forwards in the draft, and will definitely start next season in the NHL.  He has incredible speed, an amazing vision for the game, and certainly knows how to find the back of the net. (Eddie’s projection: #1 pick to Tampa Bay Lightning)

Alex Pietrangelo: The next 4 spots in the draft will likely be taken by defensemen, unless a team is desperate for a forward.  Pietrangelo won’t be taken number 2, but I think he will end up being the standout defenseman in the top 5 this draft.  While not the most physical defenseman, he plays his position like few others of his age.  He also has the maturity of someone 10-years his elder, something that is key to young players in this position trying to break through to the NHL. And he’s a right-handed shot, for some reason a rarity these days on the blue-line (Eddie’s projection: #3 pick to Atlanta Thrashers)

Nikita Filatov: The top European prospect in the draft, and seen as a gamble for the 2nd top forward in the draft after Stamkos.  Why a ‘gamble’?  Well, all Russian prospects are now gambles, as there is nothing forcing a European to play for the team that drafts them – they could play in Europe for their entire careers, and waste a potentially great draft pick.  Filatov has expressed his desire to play in North America, no matter what league he is in, so the gamble seems less of a risk.  Theoretically, he could be selected anywhere from #2-10 in the draft. (Eddie’s projection: #5 pick to New York Islanders)

Kyle Beach: Beach is the really fascinating pick in the draft – undeniably gifted playmaker and goal-scorer, but has a reputation of being a loose cannon both on and off the ice – definitely a risky selection by any team, but I have a feeling that he might still be selected in the top 10. (Eddie’s projection: #8 pick to Phoenix Coyotes)

Colby Robak:  So now it starts to get difficult.  I’m picking Colby solely because I’m predicting him to be taken by the Blackhawks, a team I’ll hopefully get to see a lot of next season – a solid, smooth-skating D-man, who just needs to improve his physical game.  NHL next season?  Probably not more than a few games, but will certainly benefit from a year of experience in the minors. (Eddie’s projection: #11 pick to Chicago Blackhawks)

Jared Staal: Projected to be picked somewhere late in the 2nd round, I think Jared will be picked much higher.  The 4th brother of the NHL Staal dynasty, Jared is criticized for lacking a certain drive and physicality.  As these were claims laid against his older brothers, it wouldn’t surprise me if he proves the league wrong with some degree of vigour. (Eddie’s Projection: #28 pick to Los Angeles Kings)

Kirill Petrov: Another Russian, but one who may fall on the opposite side fo the fence to Filatov.  Again, no doubt about his offensive talent, but will he ever come to North America?  He certainly hasn’t vocalized that desire in the way Filatov has, and although he is ranked as the #2 European skater in the draft, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him slip down to the end of the 1st round or early the 2nd round. (Eddie’s Projection: #30 pick to Detroit Red Wings)

David Toews: Brother of Chicago Blackhawk, Jonathan Toews, David is projected to be taken in the 3rd round, although when it comes to brothers of superstars, teams usually want to jump on them a little quicker, just in case the hockey genes are there.  David is a fast skater, good stick-handler, and also has a good shot.  Would kinda be fun to see him selected by the Blackhawks, so the two brothers could play together one day. (Eddie’s Projection: Ah, what the heck, #72 pick to Chicago Blackhawks)

So, that’s a look at a few players – I’d like to say who I’m predicting that the Pens will pick, but by the end of the 4th round it really could be anyone, heck it could even be me!  The draft begins with the first round tonight, it’s live on Versus at 7pm ET, so if you have nothing better to do early on a Friday evening, then watch to see the excitement!  OK, there’s usually not too much excitement unless you’re a hockey nut, but there is often a flurry of trade activity, so we could still see some big moves, even from the Pens.  The 2nd round onwards is live on the NHL Network, Saturday from 9:30am onwards.

~ by eddie on June 20, 2008.