06 #1 overall question

[orangeandblack]

Kessel is ranked #1 by every scouting service and is a pretty safe bet to go 1st overall. However if the Penguins continue to stink it up, mostly because their defense and goaltending are pretty bad, and get the 1st overall pick again, will they chose kessell. do you think theres an outside chance erik johnson could go #1, or is kessel, like crosby much better then everyone else, and #1 regardless?

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[scoutman1]

if the penguins get 1st I see them picking Kessel or Frolik...Kessel a better fit for Crosby and Malkins playmaking ability though. They have a great young defense comming up so they will not need to pick a d-man IMO.

 

[rigger]

I would hope who ever has a chance at Kessel will take him. If they do not plan on taking him then I think they could garner quite a return on a trade for him and still have a good pick. Say someone with the 5th-10th picks wants him then they could demand a good NHLer and the teams 5th pick for the number one. No one would do that with Crosby because he is unreal. But with Kessel, he is good but people would trade away to get something else if they have needs that need to me met immediately. if I am the oilers I am offering a lot for that number one pick. And we might be in the top 10 pick bracket. Imagine a Kessel - Schremp - Hemsky line. Wow.

 

[AmericanDream]

I say forget about the Penguins, the way us Hawks are looking we want Kessel! The Bulin Wall couldnt stop a beach ball this year if he tried. Washington will be at the bottom by the end of the year, thats my guess. Pitt is too talented and has spent too much money to finish last. I think it would be awesome to see crosby and kessel together on the same team, but by years end there will be other stinkers worse off then Pitt.

Washington, Columbus, and hell evn Chicago/St Louis are looking like the worst teams right now and all would draft kessel #1. Pitt will come around, too much talent to just suck the way they have so far. Gonchar needs to be beat with a sack of nickels to remind him how much money he is making to do nothing so far.

I dont know what else Ryan Whitney has to do in the AHL right now to get called up, what is he leading the league in scoring for the love of God? That kid is a stud and looking at all the hacks besides Orpik and Melichar on the Penns blueline, what are they waiting for. Give Lyle Odelein away for a bag of pucks.

 

[usiel]

With the lottery for the 5 bottom teams its really a crapshoot and who gets the #1 anyways. Top 3-5 prospects look very good though so far...though it is early.

 

[Birko19]

I dont know if Kessel is a safe bet, it's still early and a lot can happen in a whole year, but whoever is the top pick you take him no matter what.

If the Pens get first overall and Kessel is rated the highest they should still take him and trade him (If not needed) for a good return to fill up the holes, you always draft the best players, not your needs.

 

[Epsilon]

The Penguins should be looking to grab Michael Frolik at somewhere in the top 3 overall. He'd be scary good playing on the wing with either Crosby or Malkin.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

The Penguins won't be a lottery team. We may not be contenders, but this team has too much talent to be this bad for 82 games.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

The Penguins won't be a lottery team. We may not be contenders, but this team has too much talent to be this bad for 82 games.

That's what they said about the Rangers for a long time.

 

[Form and Substance]

That's what they said about the Rangers for a long time.

But the Rangers haven't had a top 5 pick in the last 5 years so it's unlikely the Pens will suck that bad.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

But the Rangers haven't had a top 5 pick in the last 5 years so it's unlikely the Pens will suck that bad.

Still finished pretty far down. Had the #6 pick a few years ago.

 

[King'sPawn]

I truly hope there's some more randomness to the lottery instead of guaranteeing at worst a #2 spot for the worst team.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Still finished pretty far down. Had the #6 pick a few years ago.

Still not a lottery team.

 

[hawksfan50]

1. Kessel is in the lead now--but Toews is opening a lot of eyes and Frolik also could be there if he has a better WJC than Kessel this year....and if PITT should win the lotto from a bottom 5 position,with Malkin coming I do not know that they would go forward again --they could trade down a few spots to take the best D-man ..

2. Even if Chicago finishes bottom 5 --looking like a solid bet to do so now--we all know the Hawks always get shafted in the lotto--so they won't get the #1...they may still luck out though --the Hawks need centres--Kessel can play all 3 forward positions,so i'm not sure that centre is his best position;Frolik is a winger,leaving Toews and Staal as the 2 best pure natural centres in the draft--I'm hoping the Hawks get one of these 2...

 

[AmericanDream]

I am hiding the fact that I am a Hawks fan now!!! Once Khabi was signed I thought we had a chance, but somebody needs to snipper Spacek, that guy is beyond horrible. Why would we give him almost as much money as Berard was asking, but not keep Berard?? I dont get it, Berard easily is a stud on the point for powerplays. Draft Kessel and make that kid the mayor of Chicago, see ya Mayor Daley!

 

[Transported Upstater]

I am hiding the fact that I am a Hawks fan now!!! Once Khabi was signed I thought we had a chance, but somebody needs to snipper Spacek, that guy is beyond horrible. Why would we give him almost as much money as Berard was asking, but not keep Berard?? I dont get it, Berard easily is a stud on the point for powerplays. Draft Kessel and make that kid the mayor of Chicago, see ya Mayor Daley!

Don't hide being a fan...

I'm a Bengals fan. I've had to put up with as bad as you can get, and I keep coming back...finally they are a respectable team...

 

[McDonald19]

St. Louis will probably end up with the #1 pick...maybe Chicago, Washington or Columbus.

Pittsburgh won't be one of the 5 worst teams when the season is over.

St. Louis needs a full rebuild and Kessel would be nice to build around.

 

[VOB]

1. Kessel is in the lead now--but Toews is opening a lot of eyes ...

Nice point! In fact, I was told that Kessel really struggled tonight in St Cloud, while Toews is looking better and better and has a goal tonight against Denver.

Point to remember is that Toews is just a 17 year old this year in the NCAA.

Kessel needs to start stepping it up if he wants to solidify his current number one position or he will most surely lose it.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Nice point! In fact, I was told that Kessel really struggled tonight in St Cloud, while Toews is looking better and better and has a goal tonight against Denver.

Point to remember is that Toews is just a 17 year old this year in the NCAA.

Kessel needs to start stepping it up if he wants to solidify his current number one position or he will most surely lose it.

I think Kessell just needs to settle in. He's kind of a freewheeling player, and although UMinn is an offensive team, they are not out of control. Once he gets used to it, I think he'll be fine.

 

[VOB]

I think Kessell just needs to settle in. He's kind of a freewheeling player, and although UMinn is an offensive team, they are not out of control. Once he gets used to it, I think he'll be fine.

Yes he more will be fine but he needs to really get a bearing on his defensive responsibilites as well as better handle the play in traffic.

Yes it has only been five games, but I think much more was expected of him and he now has some serious competition from this Toews kid who has many in NoDak land stating gleefully, "Kessel who?"

 

[Transported Upstater]

Yes he more will be fine but he needs to really get a bearing on his defensive responsibilites as well as better handle the play in traffic.

Yes it has only been five games, but I think much more was expected of him and he now has some serious competition from this Toews kid who has many in NoDak land stating gleefully, "Kessel who?"

Yeah, Kessel is brutal defensively. I think he's used to not having to play much defense, as many youth hockey prodigies are...

I know that wouldn't hold water in ND...You don't play defense for the Sioux, you don't get ice time...

 

[MN_Gopher]

The whole gopher team is off to a rough start. Our 2 leading and returning scorers are gone. Irmen out with a broken hand. And Hirsch seeking a medical hardship redshirt. Both point a game guys. Now Hagemo is out until december with shoulder problems. That kills chemistry right off the bat. Yeah i want more from Kessel too. But i am not jumping ships until i see about 20 games. Then i will start slotting in who should be where.

Kessel is not putting up points but most nights he is leading the team in shots. Had five tonight. So he is getting his chances. Some fine tunning and those shots and his passes will be converted to goals really soon.

I always thought from the get go Kessel should be a wing. He is a pure goal scorer. He is very good on face offs but thats were his center abilites seem to end.

 

[Transported Upstater]

The whole gopher team is off to a rough start. Our 2 leading and returning scorers are gone. Irmen out with a broken hand. And Hirsch seeking a medical hardship redshirt. Both point a game guys. Now Hagemo is out until december with shoulder problems. That kills chemistry right off the bat. Yeah i want more from Kessel too. But i am not jumping ships until i see about 20 games. Then i will start slotting in who should be where.

Kessel is not putting up points but most nights he is leading the team in shots. Had five tonight. So he is getting his chances. Some fine tunning and those shots and his passes will be converted to goals really soon.

I always thought from the get go Kessel should be a wing. He is a pure goal scorer. He is very good on face offs but thats were his center abilites seem to end.

Thank god a Gopher fan agrees with me!!!!! Kessell is 100% cut out for the wing IMO.

I'm glad I wasn't baseless on this one...Who does UMinn have at center now? Do they have the personnel for a switch?

 

[MN_Gopher]

Guyer, Potulny and Kauffman are centers. After that its Kessel then to an even lesser extent its Stoa and Bostrom. With the last two having not yet played center. They are the emergency centers.

 

[sbtatter]

2 other #1 candidates

Mueller from Everett?
Don't rule out Ryan White from the Hitmen. Huge heart, big body, tough as nails and starting to roll offensively. He's a Joe Thornton in the making. If you don't believe me, just watch him. He won't put up the gaudy points for a year or two, but he's going to be a keeper.