2002 draft

[kremlin]

The 2002 NHL entry draft was regarded by many as a weak draft year; many even called it a crap shoot. However, two years after the draft, who would you say are the top 10 selections from the 2002 draft?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2002e.html

And who are the worst players selected in the 1st round.

Click to read more...

 

[musdy]

i would say boyd gordon selected by washington 17th overall

 

[VanCanuck]

Eric Nystrom was in trouble this season with Michigan.

 

[Lowetide]

Jesse Niinimaki was rated 50E is CSB 2002, and hasn't really done anything to justify the massive reach the Oilers made to take him at 15.

 

[Lisa Needs Braces]

This is purely preformance and hype on the players that i've heard


1. Rick Nash
2. Jay Bouwmeester
3. Kari Lehthonen
4. Joni Pitkanen
5. Ryan Whitney
here it changes:
6. Jeffrey Lupul
7.Scotty Upshall
8.Hannu Toivonen
10.Alex Semin
11. Chris Higgins
12. Steve Eminger
13. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
14.Dan Paille
15. Jiri Hurdler
16. Alex Steen
17. Boyd Gordan
18. Trevor Daley
19. Jarret Stoll
20. Cam Ward
21. Anton Babchuck
22. Josh Harding
23.Joakim Lindstrom
24. Matt Stajan
25. Kirill Koltsov
26. Ben Eager
27. Keith Ballard
28. Dave Lenevu
29. Eric Nystrom
30. Petr Taticek

The Last five I have heard virtually nothing about. If I missed anyone please post it. This is my first time doing one of these.

 

[swiftsure1786]

Jesse Niinimaki was rated 50E is CSB 2002, and hasn't really done anything to justify the massive reach the Oilers made to take him at 15.

Higgins has performed very well for the HAbs and will very likely be starting with the HAbs next season, a future captain to many.

 

[Frolov]

This is purely preformance and hype on the players that i've heard


1. Rick Nash
2. Jay Bouwmeester
3. Kari Lehthonen
4. Joni Pitkanen
5. Ryan Whitney
here it changes:
6. Jeffrey Lupul
7.Scotty Upshall
8.Hannu Toivonen
10.Alex Semin
11. Chris Higgins
12. Steve Eminger
13. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
14.Dan Paille
15. Jiri Hurdler
16. Alex Steen
17. Boyd Gordan
18. Trevor Daley
19. Jarret Stoll
20. Cam Ward
21. Anton Babchuck
22. Josh Harding
23.Joakim Lindstrom
24. Matt Stajan
25. Kirill Koltsov
26. Ben Eager
27. Keith Ballard
28. Dave Lenevu
29. Eric Nystrom
30. Petr Taticek

The Last five I have heard virtually nothing about. If I missed anyone please post it. This is my first time doing one of these.

Denis Grebeshkov

 

[Lowetide]

Higgins has performed very well for the HAbs and will very likely be starting with the HAbs next season, a future captain to many.

You poor ******* Hab fans dont know what you're up against when you trade with us.

 

[SabresRule]

Ballard is supposed to be going well, future no.1 defensman. shame we got rid of him.

Paille is the leadership, 2-way guy i think he was picked to be. Seems alright.

 

[kremlin]

This is purely preformance and hype on the players that i've heard


1. Rick Nash
2. Jay Bouwmeester
3. Kari Lehthonen
4. Joni Pitkanen
5. Ryan Whitney
here it changes:
6. Jeffrey Lupul
7.Scotty Upshall
8.Hannu Toivonen
10.Alex Semin
11. Chris Higgins
12. Steve Eminger
13. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
14.Dan Paille
15. Jiri Hurdler
16. Alex Steen
17. Boyd Gordan
18. Trevor Daley
19. Jarret Stoll
20. Cam Ward
21. Anton Babchuck
22. Josh Harding
23.Joakim Lindstrom
24. Matt Stajan
25. Kirill Koltsov
26. Ben Eager
27. Keith Ballard
28. Dave Lenevu
29. Eric Nystrom
30. Petr Taticek

The Last five I have heard virtually nothing about. If I missed anyone please post it. This is my first time doing one of these.

I think Taticek wasn't worth the 9th overall, as he has struggled hard ever since being drafterd. Nystrom doesn't seem to improve his stats at all, don't know about his game. Eager, Lenevue and Ballard still all look good, though Eager might be limited to a checking/agitating role in Philly.

 

[VanCanuck]

This is purely preformance and hype on the players that i've heard


1. Rick Nash
2. Jay Bouwmeester
3. Kari Lehthonen
4. Joni Pitkanen
5. Ryan Whitney
here it changes:
6. Jeffrey Lupul
7.Scotty Upshall
8.Hannu Toivonen
10.Alex Semin
11. Chris Higgins
12. Steve Eminger
13. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
14.Dan Paille
15. Jiri Hurdler
16. Alex Steen
17. Boyd Gordan
18. Trevor Daley
19. Jarret Stoll
20. Cam Ward
21. Anton Babchuck
22. Josh Harding
23.Joakim Lindstrom
24. Matt Stajan
25. Kirill Koltsov
26. Ben Eager
27. Keith Ballard
28. Dave Lenevu
29. Eric Nystrom
30. Petr Taticek

The Last five I have heard virtually nothing about. If I missed anyone please post it. This is my first time doing one of these.

Matt Stajan is at least a top ten candidate!

 

[Epsilon]

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Rick Nash
3. Joni Pitkanen
4. Jay Bouwmeester
5. Ryan Whitney
6. Steve Eminger
7. Alexander Semin
8. Hannu Toivonen
9. Denis Grebeshkov
10. Alexander Steen

The top 4 are all pretty close and interchangable. This might end up being the strongest all-around top 4 in years, possibly ever.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Minnesota, personally, didn't have a bad draft even though it didn't look like it. They have a lot of top 20, top 50 players coming out of the draft.

1. Pierre- Marc Bouchard (Yes it was idiotic to get this guy out of the Q but he flat out dominated the league, had little to nothing left to learn. Hasn't played extremely well given what he has in Minnesota and was moved to left wing. But started picking it up when they moved to a youth movement in Minnesota. Should be a good 2nd line LW/C)

2. Josh Harding (Numbers are deciptive and has played extremely well in the WHL, should be interesting to see how good he turns out to be)

3A. Mike Erickson (Has been tearing up the uh, USHL I believe but I don't know how good this guy is simply because of the scouting reports and him being in Iowa of all places. Hope he does good. Has good size for a winger, should be in the AHL)

3B Barry Brust (Could be a solid backup or a fringe starter, will take years to be a good player in the NHL if he ever makes it but played well for Minnesota in the Traverse Hockey Tournament and played well this year on a good team if that means anything).

5. Armands Berzins (Mystery guy, almost made it out of camp in 02-03, good size for a center but is going the hard way of making it in the NHL. I believe Minnesota likes the guy. Didn't put up great numbers in the ECHL, which makes me worried but will be a project.)

6. Matt Foy (Injuries plagued him this season but should end up a good 2nd line winger or even a 3rd line winger, but plays well with Bouchard. This is a huge steal for Minnesota.)

7. Nicklas Eckerblom (Uh...moving on)

8. Christoph Brander (Major overager, what more do you want???)

9A. Mikhail Tyulyapkin (Fun name, no potential but is one of what, 3? 4? defenseman in the Wild system...Hey Tyulyap! Stay in Russia please!)

9B. Mika Hannula (My favorite pick and a Richard Park type! Played well with Wallin and should be a spunky 3rd line/4th line energy player! YAY! Plagued with injuries like Foy this year in the AHL.)

So Minnesota didn't have a bad draft:

Potential Top-6 Players/Number 1 Goalie: 3
Pierre- Marc Bouchard
Matt Foy
Josh Harding

Good picks/Unknown Potential:
Armands Berzins
Mika Hannula
Barry Brust
Mike Erickson

Up in the Air/Could be Busts:
Niklas Eckerblom
Mikhail Tyulyapkin
Christoph Brandner

The good thing for the Wild, Eckerblom, Tyulyapkin, and Brandner all came in the later rounds.

I give this draft a B+ for the Wild

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Nystrom at #10 was a terrible, terrible pick by Craig Button.

 

[HuskyFlames]

Nystrom at #10 was a terrible, terrible pick by Craig Button.

Why? Has Nystrom played in the NHL yet? Until I have seen him play in the NHL he should NOT be cut down. After all, Sutter himself has said Nystrom's game is suited MUCH MORE for the NHL than College. And Sutter has done very well this year at pickups and knowing what is good and what is bad for the team, etc. If Sutter says the kid can do well in the NHL, I trust in him. Like I said, he hasn't played in the NHL should he shouldn't have ANY label of a bad pick for now.

 

[tom_servo]

Why? Has Nystrom played in the NHL yet? Until I have seen him play in the NHL he should NOT be cut down. After all, Sutter himself has said Nystrom's game is suited MUCH MORE for the NHL than College. And Sutter has done very well this year at pickups and knowing what is good and what is bad for the team, etc. If Sutter says the kid can do well in the NHL, I trust in him. Like I said, he hasn't played in the NHL should he shouldn't have ANY label of a bad pick for now.

What kind of sense does that make? What if he never makes it to the NHL?

 

[HuskyFlames]

What kind of sense does that make? What if he never makes it to the NHL?

And has he even played in the NHL? How can he even be judged without even any NHL experience. The guy hasn't even tried to make the team because he hasn't been to any camps since he is in college. Like I said, Sutter has faith in Nystrom and Sutter has done very well with the Flames and I trust what he says about players. I am still not sure how peopel can comment on players abilities and how they will do in the NHL when they haven't even tried out for the NHL team. Talk about not even giving the kid a chance.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Why? Has Nystrom played in the NHL yet? Until I have seen him play in the NHL he should NOT be cut down. After all, Sutter himself has said Nystrom's game is suited MUCH MORE for the NHL than College. And Sutter has done very well this year at pickups and knowing what is good and what is bad for the team, etc. If Sutter says the kid can do well in the NHL, I trust in him. Like I said, he hasn't played in the NHL should he shouldn't have ANY label of a bad pick for now.

I meant in relation to some of the talent that was still available. Sure, Nystrom would make a good 3rd liner, but you cant deny that Button could have made a better pick there.

 

[PSUhockey34]

Hope it turns out be a good draft, the caps have 5 first rounders from it

eminger
semin
gordon
klepis
johansson

Gordon might've been a reach at 17th but I think he's turned out to be a great pick

 

[Freaky Habs Fan]

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Rick Nash
3. Joni Pitkanen
4. Jay Bouwmeester
5. Ryan Whitney
6. Steve Eminger
7. Alexander Semin
8. Hannu Toivonen
9. Denis Grebeshkov
10. Alexander Steen

The top 4 are all pretty close and interchangable. This might end up being the strongest all-around top 4 in years, possibly ever.

I don't see Steve Eminger in the top 10 at all. You could put Higgins(he had the best PPG average in the AHL for a rookie) and Math Stajan(did well in the NHL) instead of Eminger. He wasen't pretty good in the NHL and wasen't better in the AHL...

 

[gkrangers]

The Rangers trading their 1st rounder for Bure didn't bother me too much after this draft. Wasn't exactly much available...

 

[HuskyFlames]

I meant in relation to some of the talent that was still available. Sure, Nystrom would make a good 3rd liner, but you cant deny that Button could have made a better pick there.

How can you compare Nystrom NHL talent or what he may bring to the NHL when the guys below him on that list are also basically non-existant in the NHL as well. How many guys below Nystrom on that list have made a great impact on their team or are known in the NHL? Maybe 1 or 2 guys has played NHL but not much more than that. Like I said, you can't compare Nystrom as he hasn't played in the NHL nor you can't compare him to 90% of the other guys as they haven't done anything either.

 

[KingPurpleDinosaur]

kings did fairly well on this draft.

their best prospect, grebeshkov was taken in the 18th
we acquired anshakov (who i wish we never traded away) and got Straka from that we have a potential top 6er in Kanko, a potential top 4
we have a potential top 4 d-man in Rome
and a forward starting to come out with Hogeboom.
Heck we even have a pretty fast scoring small forward with Conner James

In fact, thsi is one of the better drafts I can remember from the Kings. I guess we came out lucky

 

[nomorekids]

upshall has been nothing short of incredible in the AHL, though he's had some problems with his knee. before he got hurt,he was scoring at some ridiculous clip, something like 1.8 gpg. he came back in time for the playoffs, and had a hat trick in the second game for the Admirals. he should be given a long, LONG look by the preds next year.

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Eric Nystrom was in trouble this season with Michigan.

What kind of trouble? That's the first I've heard...