1st Round Draft of Combined 2001, 02, 03 Drafts, Pretty Cool

[HockeyGuy1011]

OK, what we have here is a rough draft sample of a combination first round of all the past three NHL Entry Drafts (2001, 2002, 2003). I know this isn’t even CLOSE to being great, but it’s a start. Please voice your opinions and your own lists. THANKS!!!

1.) M-A Fleury (03)
2.) Ilya Kovalchuk (01)
3.) Rick Nash (02)
4.) Joni Pitkanen (02)
5.) Kari Lehtonen (02)
6.) Jason Spezza (01)
7.) Nathan Horton (03)
8.) Jay Bouwmeester (02)
9.) Eric Staal (03)
10.) Nikolai Zherdev (03)
11.) Stephen Weiss (01)
12.) Dan Blackburn (01)
13.) Joffrey Lupol (02)
14.) Ales Hemsky (01)
15.) Dion Phaneuf (03)
16.) Thomas Vanek (03)
17.) Pat Bergeron (03)
18.) Braydon Coburn (03)
19.) Pascal Leclaire (01)
20.) Lukas Krajicek (01)
21.) Jeff Carter (03)
22.) Anthony Stewart (03)
23.) Scottie Upshall (02)
24.) Zach Parise (03)
25.) Denis Grebeshkov (02)
26.) Dan Hamhuis (01)
27.) Mike Richards (03)
28.) Jeff Woywitka (01)
29.) Ryan Suter (03)
30.) Derek Roy (03)

Click to read more...

 

[mcarrick16]

you forgot PM Bouchard he should be in the list

 

[Fedz]

I'll just do top 10

1.) Ilya Kovalchuk (01)
2.) Rick Nash (02)
3.) Jason Spezza (01)
4.) Joni Pitkanen (02)
5.) Nikolai Zherdev (03)
6.) Kari Lehtonen (02)
7.) Ales Hemsky (01)
8.) Jay Bouwmeester (02)
9.) Dion Phaneuf (03)
10.) Pat Bergeron (03)

 

[V for Voodoo]

Great Idea, this could be an interesting thread.
If anybody is interested in giving it a go, here are the first round lists.

2003:
1 Pittsburgh Marc-Andre Fleury
2 Carolina Eric Staal
3 Florida Nathan Horton
4 Columbus Nikolai Zherdev
5 Buffalo Thomas Vanek
6 San Jose Milan Michalek
7 Nashville Ryan Suter
8 Atlanta Braydon Coburn
9 Calgary Dion Phaneuf
10 Mtl. Canadiens Andrei Kostitsyn
11 Philadelphia Jeff Carter
12 NY Rangers Hugh Jessiman
13 Los Angeles Dustin Brown
14 Chicago Brent Seabrooke
15 NY Islanders Robert Nilsson
16 San Jose Steve Bernier
17 New Jersey Zach Parise
18 Washington Eric Fehr
19 Anaheim Ryan Getzlaf
20 Minnesota Brent Burns
21 Boston Mark Stuart
22 Edmonton Marc-Antoine Pouliot
23 Vancouver Ryan Kesler
24 Philadelphia Mike Richards
25 Florida Anthony Stewart
26 Los Angeles Brian Boyle
27 Los Angeles Jeff Tambellini
28 Anaheim Corey Perry
29 Ottawa Patrick Eaves
30 St. Louis Shawn Belle


2002:
1 Columbus Rick Nash
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
6 Nashville Scott Upshall
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
9 Florida Petr Taticek
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
12 Washington Steve Eminger
13 Washington Alexander Semin
14 Mtl. Canadiens Christopher Higgins
15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
25 Carolina Cam Ward
26 Dallas Martin Vagner
27 San Jose Mike Morris
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
30 Atlanta Jim Slater


2001:
1 Atlanta Ilya Kovalchuk
2 Ottawa Jason Spezza
3 Tampa Bay Alexandr Svitov
4 Florida Stephen Weiss
5 Anaheim Stanislav Chistov
6 Minnesota Mikko Koivu
7 Mtl. Canadiens Mike Komisarek
8 Columbus Pascal Leclaire
9 Chicago Tuomo Ruutu
10 NY Rangers Dan Blackburn
11 Phoenix Fredrik Sjostrom
12 Nashville Dan Hamhuis
13 Edmonton Ales Hemsky
14 Calgary Chuck Kobasew
15 Carolina Igor Knyazev
16 Vancouver R.J. Umberger
17 Toronto Carlo Colaiacovo
18 Los Angeles Jens Karlsson
19 Boston Shaone Morrisonn
20 San Jose Marcel Goc
21 Pittsburgh Colby Armstrong
22 Buffalo Jiri Novotny
23 Ottawa Tim Gleason
24 Florida Lukas Krajicek
25 Mtl. Canadiens Alexander Perezhogin
26 Dallas Jason Bacashihua
27 Philadelphia Jeff Woywitka
28 New Jersey Adrian Foster
29 Chicago Adam Munro
30 Los Angeles Dave Steckel

 

[HockeyGuy1011]

I'll just do top 10

1.) Ilya Kovalchuk (01)
2.) Rick Nash (02)
3.) Jason Spezza (01)
4.) Joni Pitkanen (02)
5.) Nikolai Zherdev (03)
6.) Kari Lehtonen (02)
7.) Ales Hemsky (01)
8.) Jay Bouwmeester (02)
9.) Dion Phaneuf (03)
10.) Pat Bergeron (03)

how is fleury not in there?? also, what about horton instead of hemsky

 

[Cayouche5]

1.Ilya Kovalchuk ( ATL )
2.Rich Nash ( CLB )
3.M-A Fleury ( PIT )
4.Jason Spezza ( OTT )
5.Joni Pitkanen ( PHI )
6.Jay Bouwmeester ( FLO )
7.Eric Staal ( CAR )
8.Nathan Horton ( FLO )
9.Kari Lehtonen ( ATL )
10.Nikolai Zherdev ( CLB )
11.Ales Hemsky ( EDM )
12.Dion Phaneuf ( CGY )
13.Tuomo Ruutu ( CHI )
14.Stanislav Chistov ( ANA )
15.Pierre-Marc Bouchard ( MIN )
16.Milan Michalek ( S-J )
17.Thomas Vanek ( BUF )
18.Joeffrey Lupul ( ANA )
19.Ryan Suter ( NSH )
20.Mike Komisarek ( MTL )
21.Andrei Kastitsyn ( MTL )
22.Braydon Coburn ( ATL )
23.Stephen Weiss ( FLO )
24.Alexander Semin ( WAS )
24.Steve Eminger ( WAS )
25.Scott Upshall ( NSH )
26.Ryan Whitney ( PIT )
27.Jeff Carter ( PHI )
28.Alexandr Svitov ( TAM )
29.Dan Hamhuis ( NSH )
30.Mikko Koivu ( MIN )
31.Dan Blackburn ( NYR )

Winner are with 3 each
ATL ( Lehtonen Kovalchuk and Coburn )
FLO ( Horton Bouwmeester and Weiss )
NSH ( Suter Upshall and Hamhuis )

I Hope i didn't forget anybody

 

[Kev88]

My top 20 would be:

1.) M-A Fleury (03)
2.) Ilya Kovalchuk (01)
3.) Rick Nash (02)
4.) Joni Pitkanen (02)
5.) Kari Lehtonen (02)
6.) Jay Bouwmeester (02)
7.) Jason Spezza (01)
8.) Eric Staal (03)
9.) Nathan Horton (03)
10.) Patrice Bergeron (03)
11.) Nikolai Zherdev (03)
12.) Stephen Weiss (01)
13.) Ales Hemsky (01)
14.) Pascal Leclaire (01)
15.) Joffrey Lupul (02)
16.) Pierre-Marc Bouchard (02)
17.) Dion Phaneuf (03)
18.) Zach Parise (03)
19.) Stanislav Chistov (02)
20.) Ryan Suter (03)

 

[canucksfan]

Here's my top 20

1.Nash
2.Kovlachuk
3.Fleury
4.Spezza
5.Bouwmeester
6.Piktanen
7.Staal
8.Horton
9.Phaneuf
10.Zherdev
11.Lehtonen
12.Weiss
13.Hemsky
14.Lupul
15.Chistov
16.Michalek
17.Coburn
18.Upshall
19.Bergeron
20.Bouchard

 

[Cayouche5]

OK, what we have here is a rough draft sample of a combination first round of all the past three NHL Entry Drafts (2001, 2002, 2003). I know this isn’t even CLOSE to being great, but it’s a start. Please voice your opinions and your own lists. THANKS!!!

1.) M-A Fleury (03)
2.) Ilya Kovalchuk (01)
3.) Rick Nash (02)
4.) Joni Pitkanen (02)
5.) Kari Lehtonen (02)
6.) Jason Spezza (01)
7.) Nathan Horton (03)
8.) Jay Bouwmeester (02)
9.) Eric Staal (03)
10.) Nikolai Zherdev (03)
11.) Stephen Weiss (01)
12.) Dan Blackburn (01)
13.) Joffrey Lupol (02)
14.) Ales Hemsky (01)
15.) Dion Phaneuf (03)
16.) Thomas Vanek (03)
17.) Pat Bergeron (03)
18.) Braydon Coburn (03)
19.) Pascal Leclaire (01)
20.) Lukas Krajicek (01)
21.) Jeff Carter (03)
22.) Anthony Stewart (03)
23.) Scottie Upshall (02)
24.) Zach Parise (03)
25.) Denis Grebeshkov (02)
26.) Dan Hamhuis (01)
27.) Mike Richards (03)
28.) Jeff Woywitka (01)
29.) Ryan Suter (03)
30.) Derek Roy (03)

Where is Ruutu ??
And I Agree that Richards play well in CHL and Even had a Great WJC but what did he do to be draft Over Kastitsyn ?

 

[Kev88]

11.Lehtonen

Why didn't you put Lehtonen higher?

 

[topshelf331]

Here's my top 20

1.Nash
2.Kovlachuk
3.Fleury
4.Spezza
5.Bouwmeester
6.Piktanen
7.Staal
8.Horton
9.Phaneuf
10.Zherdev
11.Lehtonen
12.Weiss
13.Hemsky
14.Lupul
15.Chistov
16.Michalek
17.Coburn
18.Upshall
19.Bergeron
20.Bouchard

I like this list. I would put nash before kovalchuk also. Becasue i believe he will bring more tothe table in the future.

 

[canucksfan]

Why didn't you put Lehtonen higher?

I am not that high on Lehtonen. He will be a good goalie but I dont think he will be a franchise goalie.

 

[V for Voodoo]

Here's my list, I've ranked every 1st rounder (1st rounders only, hence no Bergeron, Koltsov etc)

1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Rick Nash
3. Jason Spezza
4. Marc-Andre Fleury
5. Joni Pitkanen
6. Jay Bouwmeester
7. Khari Lehtonen
8. Nikolai Zherdev
9. Nathan Horton
10. Eric Staal
11. Ales Hemsky
12. Tuomo Ruutu
13. Stanislav Chistov
14. Dion Phaneuf
15. Tomas Vanek
16. Hannu Toivonen
17. Ryan Suter
18. Zach Parise
19. Joffrey Lupul
20. Stephen Weiss
21. Scott Upshall
22. Lukas Krajicek
23. Carlo Colaiacovo
24. Ryan Whitney
25. Alexander Semin
26. Anton Babchuk
27. Brent Burns
28. Steve Eminger
29. Pierre Marc Bouchard
30. Andre Kostitsyn
31. Alexander Perezhogin
32. Christopher Higgins
33. Dan Blackburn
34. Keith Ballard
35. Braydon Coburn
36. Mike Komisarek
37. Denis Grebeshkov
38. Jeff Carter
39. Milan Michalek
40. Alexander Steen
41. Alexander Svitov
42. Dustin Brown
43. Pascale Leclaire
44. Mikko Koivu
45. Dan Hamhuis
46. Anthony Stewart
47. Fredrik Sjostrom
48. Mike Richards
49. Robert Nilsson
50. Chuck Kobasew
51. Jeff Tambellini
52. Sean Bergenheim
53. Corey Perry
54. Ryan Getzlaf
55. Jeff Woywitka
56. Hugh Jessiman
57. Shaonne Morrison
58. Shawn Belle
59. Eric Fehr
60. Steve Bernier
61. Ryan Kesler
62. Brent Seabrooke
63. Jesse Niinimaki
64. Patrick Eaves
65. Adrian Foster
66. Cam Ward
67. Petr Taticek
68. Mark Stuart
69. RJ Umberger
70. Eric Nystrom
71. Jim Slater
72. Boyd Gordon
73. Tim Gleason
74. Jason Bacashihua
75. Igor Knyazev
76. Marcel Goc
77. Marc-Antoine Pouliot
78. Daniel Paille
79. Martin Vagner
80. Brian Boyle
81. Jonas Johansson
82. Jakub Koreis
83. Jens Karlsson
84. Ben Eager
85. Colby Armstrong
86. Jakub Klepis
87. Jiri Novotny
88. Mike Morris
89. Dave Steckel
90. Adam Munro

These are my personal rankings, clearly I am high on some players (Toivonen), and not very high on others (Pouliot).
I'll accept any and all criticisms or questioning as long as it is constructive.

 

[Kev88]

Here's my list, I've ranked every 1st rounder (1st rounders only, hence no Bergeron, Koltsov etc)

1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Rick Nash
3. Jason Spezza
4. Marc-Andre Fleury
5. Joni Pitkanen
6. Jay Bouwmeester
7. Khari Lehtonen
8. Nikolai Zherdev
9. Nathan Horton
10. Eric Staal
...
80. Brian Boyle
81. Jonas Johansson
82. Jakub Koreis
83. Jens Karlsson
84. Ben Eager
85. Colby Armstrong
86. Jakub Klepis
87. Jiri Novotny
88. Mike Morris
89. Dave Steckel
90. Adam Munro

These are my personal rankings, clearly I am high on some players (Toivonen), and not very high on others (Pouliot).
I'll accept any and all criticisms or questioning as long as it is constructive.

Great list!

 

[jmelm]

Good idea of a post, and not at all an easy task. I'll give it a try:

this is comprised of players drafted ONLY in the 1st round and does not include players drafted later who would now be higher (ie Grigorenko, Welch, etc...)

1) Kovalcuk
2) Fleury
3) Bouwmeester
4) Nash
5) Pitkanen
6) Spezza
7) Lehtonen
8) Staal
9) Horton
10) Phaneuf
11) Suter
12) Zherdev
13) Coburn
14) Hamhuis
15) Carter
16) Hemsky
17) Parise
18) Weiss
19) Getzlaf
20) Vanek
21) Komisarek
22) Whitney
23) Lupul
24) Michalek
25) Burns
26) Colaiacovo
27) Ruutu
28) Ballard
29) Chistov
30) A. Stewart

 

[FacelessButcher]

Um why is everyone putting Patrice Bergeron on their lists? Am I the only person that remembers he was taken in the 2nd round(45th overall) of the 2003 draft.

 

[HockeyGuy1011]

i don't know too much about gusy like bouchard, whitney, upshall, chistov...are they really that good, i havent seen much production out of them
i know how high touted ruutu was, but he hasnt done anything this year

if horton stayed healthy he woulda been high up in the ROY race

goalies also should be high considering that is the heart of your team....there are about 3 key scorers like kovalchuk, nash, horton

pitkanen easily wins on the defense category

 

[HockeyGuy1011]

Um why is everyone putting Patrice Bergeron on their lists? Am I the only person that remembers he was taken in the 2nd round(45th overall) of the 2003 draft.

i initally started the thread using guys from any rounds that year but it has just turned into strictly first rounders

 

[canucksfan]

Um why is everyone putting Patrice Bergeron on their lists? Am I the only person that remembers he was taken in the 2nd round(45th overall) of the 2003 draft.

Yes he was my mistake.

 

[CRAZY_FAN]

Top ten

1.Ilya Kovalchuk
2.Rich Nash
3.M-A Fleury
4.Joni Pitkanen
5.Jason Spezza
6.Jay Bouwmeester
7.Eric Staal
8.Nathan Horton
9.Kari Lehtonen
10.Nikolai Zherdev

 

[kevinbelt]

I like this list. I would put nash before kovalchuk also. Becasue i believe he will bring more tothe table in the future.

i disagree. kovalchuk is a more complete player. nash is pretty one-dimensional. all he really does is score goals (a good skill to have, to be sure). his goals-to-assists ratio is like 5:1, and his backchecking (or lack thereof) was one of gerrard gallant's first talking points when he took over as coach. spuddy specifically singled nash's defense out in his first interview - "just b/c he's scoring goals, he still needs to get back and work on d." nash is also a horrible skater and an average stickhandler.

nash's style is also more team-oriented. kovalchuk creates opportunities. nash, for the most part, needs guys to drive the puck from the point and to dig the puck out of the corners b/c most of his goals are redirections and rebounds.

i'd rank both of them before fleury, though. fleury hasn't really impressed me very much. he's got a lot of potential, but right now, it's just that - potential. he's a long term investment that's not even close to being cashed in. kovalchuk and nash will both be dominant players for at least another decade, but they're also getting it done now.

1. kovalchuk.
2. nash.
3. fleury.

 

[Mephisto]

1. Kovalchuk
2. Nash
3. Fleury
4. Pitkanen
5. Bouwmeester
6. Zherdev
7. Staal
8. Spezza
9. Horton
10. Hemsky
11. Lupul
12. Lehtonen
13. Carter
14. Bouchard
15. Weiss

The only reason I rated Lehtonen so low and Fleury so high is because one hasn't played NHL yet so we can't really judge him vs NHL-caliber shots...

 

[Fedz]

how is fleury not in there?? also, what about horton instead of hemsky

I really like Horton, a lot, but I see a ton of upside with hemsky. Fleury does not impress me at all. I see him stuggling a lot soon, and becoming a weak unconfident goalie.

I'll give the top 30 a go then.

1.Nash
2.Kovlachuk
3.Spezza
4.Bouwmeester
5.Fleury
6.Pitkanen
7.Phaneuf
8.Horton
9.Staal
10.Zherdev
11.Lehtonen
12.Weiss
13.Hemsky
14.Chistov
15.Michalek
16.Lupul
17.Coburn
18.Upshall
19.Bouchard
20.Toivenen
21.Suter
22.Kobasew
23.Hamhuis
24.Carter
25.Ruutu
26.Eminger
27.Komisarek
28.Burns
29.Kesler
30.Stuart

 

[Spitfire11]

1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Rick Nash
3. Joni Pitkanen
4. Jason Spezza
5. Eric Staal
6. Jay Bouwmeester
7. Marc-Andre Fleury
8. Zach Parise
9. Dion Phaneuf
10. Kari Lehtonen
11. Nathan Horton
12. Nikolai Zherdev
13. Tuomo Ruutu
14. Stanislav Chistov
15. Ryan Suter
16. Ales Hemsky
17. Patrice Bergeron
18. Tomas Vanek
19. Fredrik Sjostrom
20. Stephen Weiss

 

[Team_Spirit]

my top 15
1) Kovalcuk
2) Fleury
3) Bouwmeester
4) Nash
5) Spezza
6) Pitkanen
7) Lehtonen
8) Staal
9) Zherdev
10) Phaneuf
11) Suter
12) Horton
13) Coburn
14) Weiss
15) Ruutu