2005 NHL poor draft picks.

[kmad]

And how is Kopitar risky?

Kopitar was scouted playing in Slovenia. It's hard to judge a player's talent when his playing field is a bunch of players who couldn't make the ECHL to save their lives. Kopitar could simply be an average NHL player dominating in a weak pool; nobody knows for sure if his skills would be transferable to a legitimate league.

 

[nneate]

San Jose trading up to get Setoguchi was surprising, as well as Kopitar falling so much.

I think a poor pick was Washingtons in taking Pokaluk(sp), but time will tell...

 

[Johnny99*]

The PRICE is right

 

[chris39bong]

It's far too early to say there were any poor picks. Some picks may have been accompanied by varying degrees of surprise, but you actually have to wait a few years of development before you can break out the dreaded "p" or "b" words.

As was said, you can say that the Setoguchi pick was surprising (when the trade happened, I was jumping out of my seat with the anticipation that DW was going to get up there and announce Kopitar), if Devin does well, it negates any reason to call the pick poor. Who knows, maybe Los Angeles was particularly high on Setoguchi. The way Kopitar fell, I imagine he was scaring teams off left and right, and perhaps Devin was the Kings' plan A until San Jose snapped him up. The Sharks have the track record of unusual picks, and I'd say many of them turned out well, wouldn't you?

I saw Kopitar play this weekend during the Kings vs. Ducks prospect game. Kopitar looked pretty good. Great vision, nice passes, and above average hockey sense for his age. The one thing i did notice, however, was that he still needs to work on his skating. THAT is why the Sharks had no interest in Kopitar. DW also commented that Kopitar was overhyped entering the draft, and when asked during the "State of the Sharks" why the team didn't draft him, DW pretty much said "look at where he ended up" implying that every team knew he was overhyped by the media and fell right to where he should have. Still a good very good pick by the Kings IMO, entereing the draft NHL scouts knew he wasn't quite the top 10 pick that everyone else was saying he would be.

In regards to Setoguchi. I really wondered why DW traded up to get a guy expected to go in the late teens to early 20's. His recent play has helped quiet some of my concerns being that i'm a Sharks fan, but what really did it for me was a couple other comments Wilson made during the State of the Sharks and also in the Mercury News following the draft. In one quote, DW said he knew that two teams ahead of the Sharks had a strong interest in Setoguchi and one of which really needed a player like him. He implied that Vancouver was one of the teams at the State of the Sharks, at which time many Shark fans speculated the other team was Ottawa (the Sens seem like they could use a player like Setoguchi, and the previous year DW traded up one spot ahead of Ottawa when he found out they were going to take Kaspar). However, in a later interview, the other team was revealed to be the Kings.

Other teams fans can say all the crap they want about the Sharks trading up, but at least 3 teams scouts in the top 12 had a very strong interest in Setoguchi and thats all that matters to me.

That being said, i wouldn't be surprised at all if a guy like Kopitar turns into an average 1st line player while Setoguchi only developes into a good 2nd liner. I think that scenario is very possible. But as a whole i'm still happy with the pick, and feel that Setoguchi is slightly more of a sure thing that definately fits in better with the Sharks style.

 

[cybresabre]

Kopitar was scouted playing in Slovenia. It's hard to judge a player's talent when his playing field is a bunch of players who couldn't make the ECHL to save their lives. Kopitar could simply be an average NHL player dominating in a weak pool; nobody knows for sure if his skills would be transferable to a legitimate league.

Scouts didn't see him play in the Swedish u20s?

 

[Bileur]

If thats the case its time they grab a new scouting staff...

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Vancouver's scouting staff or the Sens scouting staff...hmm, tough choice there.

Burke isn't making the calls anymore. No more Trevor Linden type players.

 

[Habs4ever]

fROM MY THINKING

everything is crapshoot after crosby, even latendresse is performing like top 5 pick, habs at the time were looking foolish but none of the prospects are sure bet other then crosby, and only hard work will separate loser and winners.
lets just wait and see who steps up following draft to putup better performance following year, i'm hoping price turns heads as he has been criticized quiet often don't know why though.

 

[Hedberg]

Kopitar was scouted playing in Slovenia.

Kopitar played in Swedish Juniors.

 

[LetsGoIslanders]

As an Isles fan, I was not impressed with the Islanders pick of Shea Guthrie (St. George's-USHS) in the third round. Yeah, he did have good numbers playing prep hockey in Newport, RI., but his numbers weren't outstanding for a high school player and he's playing at Clarkson this year--not exactly an NCAA powerhouse. Of course, I've never seen the kid play, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable with a guy from juniors or the European elite leagues than a kid who put up "good" numbers in high school hockey.

 

[Maithz]

Montreal - Carey Price - 5th - they probably could have got him a couple more spots down.

Carey Price is a nice pick , from what Ive seen of him , he looks like the next Martin Brodeur , he should be the starter for Team Canada this year , he has played 30 min with the Habs last game , 9 shots 9 saves , made 2 unbelievable saves .

Carey Price is really underrated IMO

 

[PecaFan]

When we made the Bure for Jovo, trade, Bure was by far considered the better player.

Of course, because Bure is a superstar, one of the measly *two* we've drafted in *35 years*. Neely is the other one of course. And even then, Bure wasn't a drafting coup, he was an administrative coup, as Larionov tipped us off that he was eligible, and no one else in the league knew, otherwise he would have been long gone. It wasn't that our scouts saw hockey talent that no one else did. So really, our drafting total is one superstar in 35 years.

No other team even comes close to that ineptitude. Hell, even the most recent expansion teams have pretty much matched that record in just a few drafts.

 

[Brad*]

If thats the case its time they grab a new scouting staff...

I would delete that. Not a very well thought out comment at all.

 

[Brad*]

from what Ive seen of him , he looks like the next Martin Brodeur

You wish. Let's see him land an NHL job before we start comparing him to the best goaltender of this generation.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Of course, because Bure is a superstar, one of the measly *two* we've drafted in *35 years*. Neely is the other one of course. And even then, Bure wasn't a drafting coup, he was an administrative coup, as Larionov tipped us off that he was eligible, and no one else in the league knew, otherwise he would have been long gone. It wasn't that our scouts saw hockey talent that no one else did. So really, our drafting total is one superstar in 35 years.

No other team even comes close to that ineptitude. Hell, even the most recent expansion teams have pretty much matched that record in just a few drafts.

Personally, I think that has more to do with inept coaching/player development than drafting. Ever notice that the young players the Canucks trade away almost always tend to pan out? Mike Peca, Dave Scatchard, Adrian Aucoin, Jassen Cullimore, Jay McKee, Scott Walker, Tyson Nash, Cam Neely...all have had varying degrees of success since leaving Vancouver where they played, at best, unspectacularly.

How can we make good prospects into good NHLers when we've had three halfway decent coaches in the 35-year history of this franchise? It's no coincidence that the likes of Bure were hitting their stride (along with Trevor Linden) when Pat Quinn was in charge; just as it's no coincidence that right now we probably have the best Canuck-drafted defenceman in franchise history playing along with the likes of Cooke, Kesler, the Sedins, and Allen (and Naslund, who though we didn't draft, we basically developed).

That is to say nothing of the revolving door of gomers we leave our farm system in the hands of. Stan Smyl is incompetent as a head coach, we've known this since 1995. Yet it wasn't until 2003 and Randy Carlyle that we put some intelligence behind the bench of Manitoba which led to three guys - Kesler, King, and Bieksa (and also Koltsov before he bolted) - suddenly being talked of as roster players who could step in now, with even guys like Brandon Nolan creating buzz. When has *that* ever happened for Vancouver?

Where would Nathan Smith be with someone to bring him along since day 1? Think he might have had a shot at the #4 center spot with the big club? Who knows?

 

[ArtG]

Carey Price is a nice pick , from what Ive seen of him , he looks like the next Martin Brodeur , he should be the starter for Team Canada this year , he has played 30 min with the Habs last game , 9 shots 9 saves , made 2 unbelievable saves .

Carey Price is really underrated IMO

From what I've seen of him, you're overrating him by quite a bit.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

From what I've seen of him, you're overrating him by quite a bit.

Seriously.

Martin Broudeur? Are you kidding me?

 

[Archijerej]

we do'nt need gilbert brule, too small , and kopitar was too riske
price was very at the game today , i'm so happy , i think he will be the bes goalie of the chl this years !

Saying that we don't need Brule is an absurd. If he turns out to be a #1/star center then we sure do need him and it doesn't matter if he's small or not (in fact he plays much more gritty game then many "big" players). Habs took Price because after Poulliot was taken, he was next on their list, plain and simple. If Carey develops into starting goalie then good for us, but it's possible that we'll be looking very stupid at the end of the day. I agree that it's way to early to say that he was a bad pick 'though.

 

[Blane Youngblood]

Montreal - Carey Price - 5th - they probably could have got him a couple more spots down.



we do'nt need gilbert brule, too small , and kopitar was too riske
price was very at the game today , i'm so happy , i think he will be the bes goalie of the chl this years !

Wow, feeling a little prospect envy? No need to put down another prospect to make yourself feel better about yours.

I've seen Price live a few times, I think he was the 2nd best goalie in the Dub (behind Glass) and that he's an excellent prospect (8.5C) because of his athleticism (which is better then Glass'). I also saw Brule a lot and I think he's a great prospect (9D). I would be glad if my team drafted either of these prospects. I haven't actually seen Kopitar live ever, but from the game I saw on TV he looked like he could develop into something really special.

 

[The HW]

I'd much rather have Bourdon's overall game than Lee's offensive game.

Bourdon was also expected to be picked in the 10-14 range so I don't know what you're exactly talking about, and there was a reason that Bourdon was an all tournament defender in the U18's.

I'm a little late to this conversation, but just a general thing: Ottawa has no qualms about drafting a "one dimensional" offensive prospect. You can teach defence. It's the offensive game that very few players can learn.

If Lee's in a good system and in a few years the Sens organization is still grooming prospects the way they have been, I'm very happy to have him.

 

[Maithz]

Seriously.

Martin Broudeur? Are you kidding me?

his style looks like Brodeur , not his game , he is a good puckhandler and his position remind me Brodeur ...

 

[ChemiseBleuHonnete]

I've seen Price playing and practicing against NHLers and he was incredible. I think that he's now our #1 prospect. Everything is there, the size, the speed, the technique, puckhandling, etc... unbeleivable.

 

[Drake1588]

As mentioned, the Capitals picked Viktor Dovgan with their last pick, in the seventh round. The league ruled the pick ineligible, because Central Scouting had determined that his age/birthdate rendered him eligible only for the 2006 draft, not 2005.

The Capitals presented their case, namely birth certificate documents and such from Russia, showing that Central Scouting's data was incorrect and that Dovgan was, in fact, eligible to be selected in 2005.

Just this past Friday, the league ruled in favor of Washington, and the pick stands. He's not a world beater, by any stretch, but the gamble with a typically pretty worthless seventh rounder seems to have been a good one. Here's a link:

http://washingtoncaps.com/news/index.cfm?cont_id=292150

 

[caldercup0]

Strange.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Kopitar was scouted playing in Slovenia. It's hard to judge a player's talent when his playing field is a bunch of players who couldn't make the ECHL to save their lives. Kopitar could simply be an average NHL player dominating in a weak pool; nobody knows for sure if his skills would be transferable to a legitimate league.

Kopitar spent last season dominating the Swedish junior league.