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X-SHARKIE said:I'm basing this on last seasons standings, before the lottery/playoffs.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins: F Sidney Crosby
This hardworking/young franchise should be rewarded with Sidney
2. Chicago Blackhawks: F Gilbert Brule
Blackhawks like the WHL and they need skilled forward. Brule also packs a physical punch. They will target this kid.
3. Washington Capitals: D Jack Johnson
Capitals land a prospect with #1 defenseman potential.
4. Columbus Bluejackets: F Guillaume Latendresse
Powerforward in the making, big upside. Will take the kid with the biggest upside. Goes along with the recent trend of Picard and Pineault...Best one yet though. Could likely trade up, down to target a defenseman, Jack Johnson if they move up.
5. Phoenix Coyotes: F Beniot Pouliot
OHL prospect, Coyotes will love his size, hands, skating, and his huge upside.. A team known for taking highest upside.
6. New York Rangers: F Bobby Ryan
New York loves American players and the land one of the best in Ryan. Bobby brings a big powerforward into the system that can work in the trenches and create alot of offense.
7. Florida Panthers: F Alex Bourret
Keenan will fall in love witht he highly skilled, extremely agressive hardworking leader from Lewiston.
8. Carolina Hurricanes: F Ryan O'Marra
OHL prospect, O'Marra will bring them a possible #1 center with a physical edge and size. Plays a pro game. They like safe picks with leadership qualities and this is as safe as it gets.
9. Anaheim Mighty Ducks: G Carey Price
Best player available. Ducks have no goaltending to speak of IMO behind Bryzgalov. This gives them a cornerstone #1 goaltender to build around, along with Smid, Getzlaf, Perry.
10. Atlanta Thrashers: F Anze Kopitar
Atlanta goes to Europe and grabs an offensive Gem to build around. They will love his size, and scoring ability. Remincent of Danny Heatley.
11. Los Angeles Kings: G Tuukka Rask
Kings need goaltending and they have a good europe scout and won't have trouble identifying Rask. Kings neglected to draft one last year with Schwarz on the table, and IMO they get a better one here.
12. Minnesota Wild: F Marek Zagrapan
Offensive wiz, excellent vision, and a defensive reliable player who has 1st line upside. Special player under the radar, Wild can't resist. Could look defense if Thelens year really scares them. But they need offense in the system beyond Koivu.
13. Buffalo Sabres: D Ryan Parent
Sabres love defenseman who can skate and handle there own end, and look past some stickhandling deficencies. Parent fits the bill perfectly and addaresses a need.
14. Edmonton Oilers: D Marc Staal
Edmonton takes a defenseman in Marc Staal. Staal brings excellent size to grow into, and offensive potential because of his ability to move the puck and is a terrific skater. Also impressive in his own end while not having a mean streak, but shows potential to grow one. Lowe doesn't do what convential wisdom says and takes Staal over the puzzling Kindl.
15. St. Louis Blues: F Jack Skille
Adds an elite player at pick 15 who could be a franchise RW with big scoring upside. Plus he can devolop for awhile.
16. Nashville Predators: F Niklas Bergfors
Nashville loves competive kids and Bergfors is that. He brings another offensive force to the organization. Plays a game that will work in the pros.
17. New York Islanders: D Jakub Kindl
Murray shoots for the Stars and lands a defenseman who had a tough year but has Huge upside. Needs a defenseman here.
18. Montreal Canadians: F Devin Setoguchi
A big strong well balanced kid, with a heck of a shot. Battles inconstancy but Habs can overlook that. I see a good skating Johnathan Cheechoo.
19. Calgary Flames: F Kendall McCardle
Might trade down to grab him but he's a smaller forward who plays a pro game, defensive play is coming along nicely, has a physical edge, plays hard every night. Plays best in big games. Has legit pro offensive upside.
20. Dallas Stars: F Ryan Stoa
Stars get a big kid with huge upside, Stoa has 1st line upside and could turn into a less physical Joe Thornton because of his playmaking and size. Project that has along road of NCAA ahead. Stars can be patient with.
21. Colorado Avalanche: D Matt Lashoff
Came back from injurey plagued season and came on strong. Good upside in this package of size, puck moving, and skating. Physical game is coming along as is balance. Avalanche need a good defenseman prospect.
22. New Jersey Devils: D Brian Lee
Devils are excellent at identifying talent in lower levels of play. US High School being this one. They love big upside, Lee has that in spades along with size, skating, and most of all, poise and smarts. They also value good devolopmental situations. None better then North Dakota wich they have shown trust in the past.
23. Vancouver Canucks: D Risto Korhonen
Big, Physical, offensive game progressing, International success which Vancouver likes, Korhonen plays a very N.A. game and the Canucks might trade down to get him. Has good upside.
24. Philadelphia Flyers: G Jean-Philipe Levasseur
Philly believes in best player available because of trade assets. Plus they don't have a sure thing #1 goaltender in the system. Levasseur was at one point the best Q goaltending prospect in quite awhile. Philly is good at grooming, and being patient with netminders and could find themselves with a premier prospect or excellent trade baite.
25. Ottawa Senators: F Daniel Bertram
Sens get a prospect with big offensive upside. Bertram is one of the best skaters in the draft if not the best. Had some trouble this year but Sens are great at identifying talent with small portions of viewings. A prospect with some risk but huge rewards, and the Sens groom better then anyone arguably.
26. Toronto Maple Leafs: F Andrew Cogliano
Leafs take a player who has plenty of devolopment ahead in Michigan, but has huge offensive upside. Highlight real gamebraker in the making going to a good system in Michigan. Leafs could have a steal
27. Boston Bruins: D Teemu Laakso
After moving Morrison they will use this pick on defense because of the emergence of Boyes and Bergeron, They have an excellent Finland scout who will see the possible next Denis Grebeshkov esque prospect. A little rough around the edges, and lack of size, but Laakso could be a boom prospect.
28. San Jose Sharks: D Luc Bourdon
San Jose needs a defenseman, could go after Korhonen but he could be gone. Bourdon is a complete defenseman who isn't a crease clearer or an offensive defenseman, but he is smart, poised, and solid on his feet. Things that attract the Sharks attention.
29. Tampa Bay Lightning: F Chris Durrand
A playmaking forward who works hard, but ultimate upside is a 2nd liner likely. Lightning need some safe forward prospects in the system bad. They will love his vision and skating. Can overlook size with Heinrich and Polushin in the system already.
30. Detriot Redwings: F Slava Trukhno
Wings get a steal, Trukhno is one of my personal favorites and just watching him makes you see that he could be something special dispite less then mind blowing numbers. Wings won't pass him up. Could fall because of defense and lack of playmaking but shows signs of improvement in both areas. Wings will love his offensive dangle and upside.
X, Wow I really enjoyed reading your post and I agree 100% on #10. Kopitar is the fellow that I want on the Thrashers. I'm left with the impression that he's a project that is a few years away from the NHL, but IMO Atlanta should jump at him. The team needs centers badly, big centers.
I could see Pouilot falling to the Panthers (5: Ryan, 6: Bourret.)
Last year some Ducks fans were sure that their team would't select a d-man, but the managers got Smid to address a need. I think you are right that the team will bloster the rear-end position with Price.
La & Rask? I think that the Kings need centers more than goalies and they still suffer from the Storr trauma. I prefer Zagrapan or Skille.
