#1 in 2007? Who will it be? Other 07 talk.

Crosby=Gretzky

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Dec 7, 2004
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I'd say it could be the best since 2003. 2003 was probably one of the best drafts ever. For top end talent and depth it seems very good. Depth wise alot better than last year and probably top end too.

Agreed. But the draft to watch is 2009, with forward phenoms such as John Tavares, Magnus Paajarvi, Steve Anthony, Devon MacAusland, Matt Duchene, Andrej Kuchin and Travis Randell, and big blueliners in Jared Cowen and Victor Hedman. And they are only a few of the talents in the 09 draft. But it's still a long way to go, anything could happen in three years.
 

J17 Vs Proclamation

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Oct 29, 2004
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Agreed. But the draft to watch is 2009, with forward phenoms such as John Tavares, Magnus Paajarvi, Steve Anthony, Devon MacAusland, Matt Duchene, Andrej Kuchin and Travis Randell, and big blueliners in Jared Cowen and Victor Hedman. And they are only a few of the talents in the 09 draft. But it's still a long way to go, anything could happen in three years.

I don't think that far ahead man. I do get out! ;).

Anyway, 2007 has great top end talent, good depth and its my draft year.
 

agent

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Jul 15, 2006
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The gap narrows

There is such a fine line at this stage it all boils down to who your coach is and who your line mates end up to be. Kinda like winning a lottery. Its in the hands of the Hockey Gods now for about 500 possibilities. :bow: prayer will :help: :)
 

Greg7

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Feb 5, 2004
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From the WHL, some guys to watch for 07 are Hickey, Hamill, Sutter, Gillies, Alzner, Repik, Hamill, Plante, Sonne, Ellerby, Blum, Negrin, Mucha, Bowman, King...

I'm not entirely comfortable ranking all of them, particularly guys like King, Bowman, Gillies and Sutter who I really only get a chance to see a couple of times a year if I'm lucky, but I can say a few things about some of them.

Hickey is definitely my favourite as of now. He really must have scouts salivating with his combination of size, great mobility, incredible poise for a 16 yo, and general all around high quality play that is remarkable for a 16 yo defenseman playing in the WHL (Luke Schenn also falls into that category, but hes a late 89 and not eligible until 08). Shows pretty good offensive potential, and he is already strong and solid defensively. It's hard to predict these things a year in advance, but I am going to (stupidly) try anyway and say he goes first among WHL defensemen.
edit: apparently he is only 5'11, I thought he was 6'3. Well, that takes a little of the luster off. Not sure where I got 6'3 from.

Hamill has great talent and has produced well in defensive Everett, but also remember he is a late 88. Since he came into the league at 15 in the playoffs I've liked Hamill quite a lot, despite his intensely annoying habit of constantly chewing on his mouthguard while he plays. I hear a lot of talk about him being a great skater, and while he is pretty quick, I think he has a lot of leg strength to add, and probably could benefit from a quicker first step. He isn't the biggest guy, so I would like to see him become an elite skater to solidify his first round status. Great puck skills though, and very clever in the offensive zone. Likes to set up down low on the left side and thread passes and one time shots (he is right handed). Effective defensively, too.

Repik is an interesting one. He has some some outstanding attributes that I think are going to carry him to a first round selection. He has good speed and good acceleration, but more importantly he is very shifty and uses hard cuts and change of direction and change of pace extremely effectively. That's something that can really translate well to the NHL. Also has an instinctive ability to be in the right place and a good nose for the net. Good finish with good hands and patience in tight. Not afraid to mix it up at all, either. He had an amazing start to the season this year, but tailed off in the second half, likely largely due to fatigue. I fully expect him to have a huge year this season and find himself selected in mid first round.

Blum is another guy I see a lot of in Vancouver. Like Hickey, he has poise and intelligence beyond his age. Great offensive touch, loves to sneak in from the point, and really matured into a solid offensive defenseman last season and benefitted from playing with Mark Fistric. Not a big guy, nor is he intimidating or overly physical, but he is a mobile and agile skater that can keep guys outside. Definitely does need to get a lot stronger to win some more of those tough battles. If he can convince scouts that his skating, offensive ability, and intelligence are elite, and be smart in his own zone, I think he can overcome his size and be picked in the first round. If he has trouble handling bigger forwards, or doesn't have a big offensive year, he could find himself slipping. Should benefit from the recent drafting mentality of scouts and GMs regarding the new NHL.

I bit off more than I could chew with all these prospects I was planning on writing a little about. Maybe I'll try to write more a little later.

Overall, though, my early list from the WHL Western Conference for 07 as of now would probably look like this:
Hickey
Hamill
Repik
Ellerby
Mucha
Blum
Negrin
Sexsmith
Bowman
It is important to point out, however, that it gets pretty blurred for me after the top few, and I fully expect this to be subject to drastic, drastic change over the course of the next season. Early rankings are fun, but beyond a couple of really strong feelings (like Hickey), it's very tough to predict this early.
 
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X-SHARKIE

Registered User
I think Teddy (Theo) Ruth will end up being like Jack Skille. USNTDP players who were seen as 2nd round talents, that blossum in their draft and go as high as top 10. I've played against and with him at a Badger Invite camp and against him when he played Midget Hockey in Illinois. He's a beat, and has the ability to be seen as a "complete defenseman" as he's mobile, strong, physical, with some offensive ability and he makes mature decisions.

Why did he switch to Theo? I saw that at the U-17 select festival, caught me off guard.
 

orangeandblack

Registered User
Nov 27, 2004
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I think Teddy (Theo) Ruth will end up being like Jack Skille. USNTDP players who were seen as 2nd round talents, that blossum in their draft and go as high as top 10. I've played against and with him at a Badger Invite camp and against him when he played Midget Hockey in Illinois. He's a beat, and has the ability to be seen as a "complete defenseman" as he's mobile, strong, physical, with some offensive ability and he makes mature decisions.

Why did he switch to Theo? I saw that at the U-17 select festival, caught me off guard.

imo ruth, shattenkirk, lavin, fairchild, cohen and cole could all go in the first depending on their seasons, but im assuming it will only be ruth and shattenkirk, although fairchild is nasty and small, and i hear cohen has made alot of strides.

i would assume his hockey name is theo, and it just stuck. plus it sounds alot cooler then teddy.
 

MALKIN IS GOD !!!!!!*

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Putting pressure on your kid at the age of 7?

Kind of sad but true. I have been playing for a while. So he started early (3 ). Now it is so specialized it is ridiculous. Not that I ever tell him I want him in the NHL or anything like that.

I wish I had another chance. My mom brought me from Russia at 9 and at that age it was already too late + we had no dough so I never got to play alot of stuff as a kid. So when I got to high school I was average and by the time college rolled around I got my but kicked on a daily basis.

So I just hope he does better then me.
 

MALKIN IS GOD !!!!!!*

Guest
yea i wouldnt go overboard, it means nothing, if hes still nasty by 1st year of midgets then id start getting excited. its very rare the best bantams are top junior players let alone mites. my brother was on one of the best mite and squirt teams in the district, and by his last year of midgets (last season) he was the only one playing aaa, and 2 others played jr b. all the rest either quit, or were playing at lower level midgets/high school.

Don't get me wrong. My dreams are small. I am happy to just see him tear it up now. It is fun and gives my kid sum self esteem. I know the chances are like winning the lottery so I am realistic. But even a partial scholarship to college would be a home run in my book.

Thanx for the feed back
 

Hunter Gathers

The Crown
Feb 27, 2002
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dont be surprised if james van reimsdyk from the ntdp goes as high as top 5. i think he'll be a top 10 pick with top 5 potential. i would love to see him get a look for this years wjc team too as an underager.

Van Reimsdyk (pronounced Van REEZE-mick for those who don't know) is a nice kid. I've met him a few times and seen him play a number of times as well. He seems to be a very cordial, nice kid who loves the game.

But he makes Phil Kessel look like a supermodel.
 

Greg7

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Feb 5, 2004
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How has Dwight King looked with Lehtbridge? Man, a year ago at the U-17's he was West's best player after Toews IMO. I loved the power forward upside... or was it just a case of him being more physically mature than his peers?
I only saw King I think 2 times this year, and he didn't stand out. He's still a very big kid, he goes to the net, decent hands with great reach, his skating really needs work, I seem to get the sense that he's a bit lacksadaisical and he probably needs to work harder in all areas of the ice. Tough to get a good read on a guy though with limited ice time in only a couple of viewings. Largely, like you, my impression of his potential as a power forward is still based on his performance at the U17s a couple of years ago. Tough to comment too much on him for me, although I know he is a guy I'm going to keep an eye on this season. Perhaps others can comment?
 

starsman93*

Guest
imo ruth, shattenkirk, lavin, fairchild, cohen and cole could all go in the first depending on their seasons, but im assuming it will only be ruth and shattenkirk, although fairchild is nasty and small, and i hear cohen has made alot of strides.

i would assume his hockey name is theo, and it just stuck. plus it sounds alot cooler then teddy.

he will always be teddy to me, even though he went by both when we were younger. we played together here in dallas from mite b through peewee b(quite a jump from that to USNDT). I had no idea he was this highly regarded. I heard last year that he was there #6-7 defenseman when the season started.

I have our stat sheet from our Squirt A year and he was a +83 in 53 games lol.
 

X-SHARKIE

Registered User
he will always be teddy to me, even though he went by both when we were younger. we played together here in dallas from mite b through peewee b(quite a jump from that to USNDT). I had no idea he was this highly regarded. I heard last year that he was there #6-7 defenseman when the season started.

I have our stat sheet from our Squirt A year and he was a +83 in 53 games lol.

Did Teddy ever play out East? Last I saw him was the summer of 05 and he had an Mass/Eastern accent. Or maybe it's just a heavy Chicago accent from playing in Illinois for a few years...he said he's traveled alot.
 

starsman93*

Guest
Did Teddy ever play out East? Last I saw him was the summer of 05 and he had an Mass/Eastern accent. Or maybe it's just a heavy Chicago accent from playing in Illinois for a few years...he said he's traveled alot.

after here in Dallas, he lived in Florida. I think near Tampa. Then to Illinios. Then to the USNDT. He only moved away from here 4-5 years ago, and on the few occasions I've seen him since then, he didn't have a thick accent at least not that i noticed.
 

cagney

cdojdmccjajgejncjaba
Jun 17, 2002
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he will always be teddy to me, even though he went by both when we were younger. we played together here in dallas from mite b through peewee b(quite a jump from that to USNDT). I had no idea he was this highly regarded. I heard last year that he was there #6-7 defenseman when the season started.

I have our stat sheet from our Squirt A year and he was a +83 in 53 games lol.

I remember making that comment about his standing on the NTDP last year. It's clear I was quite wrong. I don't know if he has the upside that's being hinted at here but he seems like he could be a top three round pick as of now. He actually sounds quite a bit like Brian Strait from last years NTDP U18 team.

This years U18 team really seems to be getting a lot more hype than I thought they would. There seem to be a bunch of players who are quite a bit more highly regarded than I thought they would. I've seen at least half a dozen guys touted as potential first rounders.
 

orangeandblack

Registered User
Nov 27, 2004
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philadelphia
I remember making that comment about his standing on the NTDP last year. It's clear I was quite wrong. I don't know if he has the upside that's being hinted at here but he seems like he could be a top three round pick as of now. He actually sounds quite a bit like Brian Strait from last years NTDP U18 team.

This years U18 team really seems to be getting a lot more hype than I thought they would. There seem to be a bunch of players who are quite a bit more highly regarded than I thought they would. I've seen at least half a dozen guys touted as potential first rounders.

top to bottom it may turn out to be the best ever. they dont have a top end forward or defenseman like kessel and jj, but they are better as a whole.

ruth, shattenkirk and cohen have legit shots at the 1st, and fairchild and lavin shouldnt fall past the 2nd or early third. then look at some of the forwards, with jimmy hayes, hoeffel and van reimsdyk, theres 3 big kids that have high end potential, and wilson, albert and ryan hayes are very good too. if kane is back for half the year its make the group even better.
 

MN_Gopher

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May 2, 2002
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I think if Hoefful made a great choice by going u18. His upside is top 15. Like Fourney. But with his style playing MNHS, he might have scared some away.

With McDonagh and White allready talked about as high as firsts. MNHS should be well represented again.

Faichild, White, Hoefful, and O'Brien. The gophers should be well represented too.
 

Chuck Schwartz

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Dec 11, 2004
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I think if Hoefful made a great choice by going u18. His upside is top 15. Like Fourney. But with his style playing MNHS, he might have scared some away.

With McDonagh and White allready talked about as high as firsts. MNHS should be well represented again.

Faichild, White, Hoefful, and O'Brien. The gophers should be well represented too.

Do they have spell check in Minnesota?

Forney*
Fairchild*
Hoeffel*
 

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