#2 pick in the draft

[Dr_Chimera*]

http://www.canoe.ca/Slam040406/nhl_draft-mck.html

Malkin... Olesz... Someone else. Tough choice for the pens

Click to read more...

 

[XX]

I think they will trade down a few spots to the Coyotes Rags or Panthers and still get a good player and some prospects, if not a few more picks.

 

[EroCaps]

I think they will trade down a few spots to the Coyotes Rags or Panthers and still get a good player and some prospects, if not a few more picks.

They'll take Malkin if available, take it to Vegas.

 

[DR. Holiday]

They'll take Malkin if available, take it to Vegas.

Agreed not a tough choice between the two at all. Malkin is the more skilled and the more polished. Guess you need to write about something.

 

[Jacob]

I think they will trade down a few spots to the Coyotes Rags or Panthers and still get a good player and some prospects, if not a few more picks.

It doesn't make sense. Malkin is what the Penguins need. They already have a crapload of prospect depth.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

It doesn't make sense. Malkin is what the Penguins need. They already have a crapload of prospect depth.

I'll agree.

They've got good depth at forward in terms of prospects, but really lack a high profile forward prospect. Going with Malkin, they can't really go wrong.

 

[DaveG]

I really can't see the Pens passing on Malkin unless another high profile prospect and a first were heading back their way in the trade. I seriously don't see that happening, and I'm sure the Pens don't mind that at all. They need an elite power forward type of player, and that's what Malkin brings to the table.

 

[craig1]

They need an elite power forward type of player, and that's what Malkin brings to the table.

Malkin is not a Power Forward.

Power Forward is the most overused analogy in the NHL today, behind "Franchise Player."

Shanahan is a Power Forward. Cam Neely was a Power Forward. Lindros was/is a Power Forward. Kevin Stevens was a power Forward. Bertuzzi is a power Forward.


Malkin is not.

A power forward is not just someone who is big. A power forward plays a rough and tumble in your face game. Someone who can score 35 goals in todays NHL (otherwise you are a 3rd line grinder), while still racking up 150 PIM's.

Malkin does not play soft, but he is not a huge banger. He plays a tough game, but not a Power Forward game. He is a playmaking Center with a great scoring touch, who is difficult to move off the puck due to his size and strength. He is also supposedly polished in the defensive zone............The best analogies to his game so far have been Joe Thornton with better hands and vision...........and yes, Thornton is not a true Power Forward..........Yet.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Malkin... Olesz... Someone else. Tough choice for the pens

Hardly.

Malkin is heads and shoulders above the rest besides Ovechkin.

And the Penguins know it.

 

[Foppa_Rules]

Ovechkin is leagues ahead of Malkin.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

as I said...besides Ovechkin.

Ovechkin is alone on the first tier, Malkin alone on the second, Barker, Olesz, and Schremp on the third, and so on.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Ovechkin is leagues ahead of Malkin.

Leagues? . . . some say that, others say that the gap is less . . . what is your point? . . . we will find out as it plays out over the next few years.

 

[Dr_Chimera*]

Agreed not a tough choice between the two at all. Malkin is the more skilled and the more polished. Guess you need to write about something.

Well, on the bright side, at least it wasn't the usual time-waster article from redline.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I'll agree.

They've got good depth at forward in terms of prospects, but really lack a high profile forward prospect. Going with Malkin, they can't really go wrong.

It depends on how they view guys who might be selected fifth or sixth, but I agree with your overall point.

Take Tukonen for example. He's scoring well early on in the U18 tournament, and maybe management likes him a lot. Maybe they aren't quite sold on Malkin. So they make a trade with Phoenix, get their guy and something additional from Phoenix.

Now that scenerio isn't likely, but there are some options, and it greatly depends on Greg Malone and co's list, and the offers on the table from other teams.

It seems as though Malkin has a good scoring touch and the potential to develop into a top line player. That's something completely missing from the Penguins system, so if that is the case and the Penguins feel that way about him, I can't see them passing Malkin up. Additionally, they are pretty weak at center. They have a couple of guys like Bartschi or Eaves who might really surprise, but no one you can say with confidence is a top line center.

There are some interesting options out there, but I'd be very surprised if Craig Patrick acted on them.

 

[HockeyMan9]

Well, on the bright side, at least it wasn't the usual time-waster article from redline.

"Yeah, the bright side."

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Now that scenerio isn't likely, but there are some options, and it greatly depends on Greg Malone and co's list, and the offers on the table from other teams.

Thanks to Ryan Malone every time I see Malone in a paper I'm thinking "why is Ryan talking about prospects?"

Takes me a second to realize they're talking about Greg.

Wonder how long this will take me to get used to it...I mean I know Greg is our head scout, and has been for a while, but it's just something that I can't help.

 

[Jacob]

Ovechkin is leagues ahead of Malkin.

You need to get off of Ovechkin's jock. This thread isn't even about Ovechkin and yet you're still finding ways to squeeze him into the conversation.

 

[WOTR]

Hardly.

Malkin is heads and shoulders above the rest besides Ovechkin.

And the Penguins know it.

I am just curious why you feel this. I am not testing you, but sincerely interested. How many times have you seen both , Olesz and Malkin play, and what did you see that led you to this conclusion?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I am just curious why you feel this. I am not testing you, but sincerely interested. How many times have you seen both , Olesz and Malkin play, and what did you see that led you to this conclusion?

I can not speak for him of course, but can tell you how I came to similar conculsions . . . Likely the same way we all have . . .from reading a bunch of scouts opinions which I have been keeping up with ever since it became clear that the Pens would be in the running for a top player . . . ie, since last year . . . :lol . . .

Consensus was Ovechkin . . .drop . . .Malkin . . .big drop . . . everyonelse

The only variation with scouts that I have seen is a growing thought in the last six month that Malkin has closed the gap so that the drop, though there, is not as big between Ovechkin and Malkin, and a bit of discussion that one or two have made the leap so the big drop between Malkin and them is now only a drop . . . but no where have I read that Malkin has overtaken Ovechkin, nor have I read that anyone has overtaken Malkin at number two . . . from what I have read, current consensus seems to be:

Ovechkin . . . slight drop . . . Malkin . . . slight drop . . . one or perhaps two below
. . . big big drop

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I can not speak for him of course, but can tell you how I came to similar conculsions . . . Likely the same way we all have . . .from reading a bunch of scouts opinions which I have been keeping up with ever since it became clear that the Pens would be in the running for a top player . . . ie, since last year . . . :lol . . .

Consensus was Ovechkin . . .drop . . .Malkin . . .big drop . . . everyonelse

The only variation with scouts that I have seen is a growing thought in the last six month that Malkin has closed the gap so that the drop, though there, is not as big between Ovechkin and Malkin, and a bit of discussion that one or two have made the leap so the big drop between Malkin and them is now only a drop . . . but no where have I read that Malkin has overtaken Ovechkin, nor have I read that anyone has overtaken Malkin at number two . . . from what I have read, current consensus seems to be:

Ovechkin . . . slight drop . . . Malkin . . . slight drop . . . one or perhaps two below
. . . big big drop

a few scouts may have said that, but the overwhelming majority of the hockey world considers ovechkin to be the best prospect to come along in a while. your very own craig patrick considers ovechkin to be "head and shoulders" above every one else in the draft. malkin may turn into a star, but to say it's only a slight drop from ovechkin to malkin is ludicrous.

i've only seen clips of both so i'm just going by what i read, but the consensus i'm seeing is : ovechkin...big drop...malkin...slight drop...olesz, barker, schremp, ladd, tukonen.

not getting ovechkin may be a good thing for pittsburgh. maybe it will get rid of this city's perception that you need the best player in the league to be a good team. the late 90s penguins that limped into the playoffs every year on jagr's back only to lose in the first or second round is not my idea of building a contender. we're finally doing it right and pitt fans should just be happy we're getting a great player, and not worry so much that we're not getting ovechkin.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

a few scouts may have said that, but the overwhelming majority of the hockey world considers ovechkin to be the best prospect to come along in a while. your very own craig patrick considers ovechkin to be "head and shoulders" above every one else in the draft. malkin may turn into a star, but to say it's only a slight drop from ovechkin to malkin is ludicrous.

i've only seen clips of both so i'm just going by what i read, but the consensus i'm seeing is : ovechkin...big drop...malkin...slight drop...olesz, barker, schremp, ladd, tukonen.

I've never seen any of the players, My remarks are just impressions of what I have read, and that is no knock on Ovechkin, just that from what I have been reading Malkin has been coming on . . . as has Olesz . . . and that the gap at the beginning of the year has closed from a huge gap to a much closer one, most of that based on preformance imporvement as well as potential of Malkin (who is still growing) where Ovechkin is already there. Actually the quotes from scouts surprised me, pleasantly, as mentioning Malkin anywhere near the same breath as 'the best to come along in twenty years' means something. The quotes have been posted here often, I have yet to see ones where anyone has said that Ovechkin remains as hugely ahead as he was a year ago. That includes CP who seemed downright suicidal in remarks when it seemed that we would emerge from last place (and that was all about Malkin, not Ovechkin . . .true, he would rather have had Ovechkin as we all would, but he wanted to at least have Malkin). And CP said that two were head and shoulders above the rest, and we assured ourselves of getting one of them.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

No doubt the Penguins would have loved to play Lemieux and Ovechkin together; General Manager Craig Patrick called Ovechkin "head and shoulders" above anyone else in the draft. But there is no assurance that the team that drafts Ovechkin will be able to sign him quickly or cheaply.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/4709069.html

craig patrick said, after we locked up last place : "there's two great players in this draft, and we're going to get one of them."

what has malkin been doing to close the gap? he's been injured for two months. i'm not saying you're wrong, but i don't see it.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/4709069.html

craig patrick said, after we locked up last place : "there's two great players in this draft, and we're going to get one of them."

what has malkin been doing to close the gap? he's been injured for two months. i'm not saying you're wrong, but i don't see it.

Just as I said above, a reading of the various quotes we all have seen. I am an attorney by trade, so am used to having two very different views of the same fact patterns . . . which is nothing to be too alarmed about, the fun thing is that we will get an answer as to the reality of the two players within a few years. To be honest in a league where the scoring title is won with (not looking this up right now but I am close in the following) 94 points (only 41 goals) there will be no Mario-like numbers, so if both live up to their hype we are talking maybe a few goals and assists separating them anyways.