ATD10 Draft Summary

[pitseleh]

e) I had these guys ranked 2nd, 5th, and 8th, as far as 2nd line LW, C, and RW in the draft were concerned. To have three top-10 players at that spot on the depth chart is impressive - no other first or second line had that. Forsberg is better than about 9 C1s, Denneny is better than about 20 LW1s, and Selanne is better than about 9 RW1s.

I'd go as far as saying that line is Trail's #1 line. Espo might be the best forward on the team, but Selanne and Denneny are so much better than Cashman and Bauer that it more than makes up for the difference between Espo and Forsberg, IMO.

Anyway, I'll fill this post in with mine later. I'm going to try and pick players/lines that haven't gotten as much attention thus far. Some of the obvious choices that have been mentioned a dozen times so far are implied (Esposito too late, Spezza too early, etc.).

Biggest Steal of the draft

34 - Glenn Hall - I think he went 10-15 picks after where he could go, and that early in the draft makes him a steal, IMO.
45 - Jaromir Jagr - Ditto.
157 - Teemu Selanne/162 - Roy Conacher - Both these guys are top-15 or 20 goal scorers all time and wouldn't look out of place taken 30-40 picks earlier.
177 - Alexander Maltsev - Not sure why he falls so far relative to his other Soviet counterparts.
429 - Bucko McDonald - I think you could make the case he's as good as or better than the similar style defensemen taken between him and Jimmy Watson.
443 - Mathieu Schneider - Getting a poor man's Chris Chelios in the 16th round is a steal (Sorry LL, you know I love you).
456 - Gordie Drillon - Lazy ass who didn't play defense or not, the guy is as talented offensively as players taken 150-200 picks before him. He's one of my least favourite players in the draft, but even I had a hard time passing him up at 422 just based on talent alone.
577 - John 'Pie' McKenzie - The guy brings everything you want in a fourth liner (aggressiveness, hitting, etc.) but was also a second team all-star and has a couple top-10 point finishes. I'd take him before a bunch of the fourth line RWs taken before him.
A bunch of Euros who went late (rounds 23 and 24). I always thought guys like Starshinov, Liapkin, and Kuzkin were being picked late when they were being selected in the 400s and somehow they lasted until the 600s this time around. If I realized they would still be available that late I would have finished my wings/backup goalie/coaching earlier rather than rounding out my centers/defense.

Guys I think went early

68 - Gilbert Perreault - He's a great player, but I wouldn't take him before Frank Boucher, Nels Stewart, Marcel Dionne, or Max Bentley.
118 - Babe Pratt - Maybe I'm just not as much of a fan of the guy, but I couldn't take him before guys like Carl Brewer, Ching Johnson, or Ken Reardon. He put up a couple huge years during the war but other than that his resume isn't very impressive.
154 - Clark Gillies/168 - John Tonelli - I understand why these guys get taken early (glue guys, defense conscience, cornermen, grit, etc.) but I'd have trouble taking them before a similar (in role) player in Bill Barber, let alone a guy like Michel Goulet. I don't see a lot of difference between Woody Dumart/Bun Cook who are taken 50-100 picks later.
581 - Anatoli Tarasov - He shouldn't go before pick 587.

Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft

Trading up to nab Dionne was a really smart move.

Biggest blunder selection of the draft

I'll call myself out on this one. I passed on Jere Lehtinen for Tony Leswick because I thought that defensive LWs were in shorter supply only to have there be a big run on RWs leaving nothing much available at my next pick.

A Player finally getting respect in the draft

Frank Boucher should not last past pick 100 as he has the past two drafts.

Frank Nighbor is finally inching his way up to the top-100 and is no longer taken after Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau.

Paul Thompson is a favourite of mine, good to see him crack the top-250.

A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft

Patrik Elias

A player you've discovered in this draft

I think I've heard of them all, but Marty Walsh was a guy I was only vaguely familiar with.

Most underrated player taken

Vyacheslav Starshinov

Favourite line of the draft

I'll do this by role:

1st: John Leclair - Cyclone Taylor - Vaclav Nedomansky
2nd: Cy Denneny - Peter Forsberg - Teemu Selanne
3rd: Dean Prentice - Don McKenney - Ron Ellis
4th: Don Marcotte - Derek Sanderson - Ed Westfall

Best assembled line of the draft

Michel Goulet - Bobby Clarke (C) - Jarome Iginla
Cy Denneny - Peter Forsberg - Teemu Selanne
Bert Olmstead - Mario Lemieux (C) - Cam Neely
Joe Malone - Hooley Smith (C) - Dave Taylor
Frank Nighbor (A) - Newsy Lalonde (C) - Yvon Cournoyer

Favourite pairing of defensemen

How can you not love Lidstrom-Gadsby? Easily the best pairing in the draft as far as I'm concerned.

Most puzzling pairing of defensemen

McCrimmon-Ramage - They're going to be really tough to score against, but neither of them is going to do a particularly good job of getting the puck to the forwards.

Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals

Montreal Canadiens. HO and I always seem to have some epic battles.

 

[Sturminator]

Biggest Steal of the draft Peter Bondra at #375 - I find the criticisms of Bondra to be mostly unfair, and his abilities as a pure goalscorer pretty badly underrated. There are wingers taken as early as the 6th round who I don't consider better players than Peter Bondra. Not saying he should be a 6th round pick, but he at least belongs in the top-300.

Biggest Reach of the draft Frantisek Pospisil at #158 - I consider myself fairly well informed about European players, and although I think Pospisil was arguably underrated before ATD#10, I don't understand taking him this early. Sell me on this guy, Nalyd, because right now I'm seeing a second pairing defenseman, not a top pairing guy.

Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft Rick Vaive #364 - somewhat low-end for a 2nd liner, but serviceable, and just exactly what the Winnipeg 2nd line needed at that point.

Biggest blunder selection of the draft Punch Imlach #436 - nothing wrong with the value of Imlach here, but I think he's a terrible choice for this team. Dionne and Martinec may never come out of his doghouse, and Punch would almost certainly dislike the selfish Alexandrov and Lafleur the hedonist. There is really a lot to like about these Thistles, but I think there is going to be serious internal tension with Imlach at the helm.

A Player finally getting respect in the draft I am loathe to sell my own team here, but I honestly believe that Don McKenney was due for the biggest correction in this thing. He rose 90 spots from ATD#9 in this draft, and could probably go another 90 higher.

A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft Sergei Zubov - I think he's been overrated in the past by those who forget that he was a lot like Gonchar early in his career, and didn't really pull it together in his own end until he came to Dallas.

A player you've discovered in this draft Bernie Morris

Most underrated player taken Vyacheslov Starshinov

Most overrated player taken I hate to say this, but Charlie Gardiner. Although Chuck was a great goalie, he doesn't belong in the same plateau as Benedict, Brimsek and Bower. Should probably go a round later, and one round is quite a lot at that point in the draft.

Favourite line of the draft A couple of third lines: Walker - MacKay - Bailey and Thompson - Federko - Mullen. I think both of these would be pretty good 2nd lines.

Best assembled line of the draft A line that hasn't gotten enough love: Goulet - Clarke - Iginla

Worst assembled line of the draft Although I am impressed by the rest of the team, Kamensky - Fedorov - Leach is a mess of a 1st line.

Favourite pairing of defensemen Coffey - Mantha. Excellent fit, excellent value.

Most puzzling pairing of defensemen Coulter - Smith. Not that it's a bad pairing (it's easily the best third pairing in the draft), but I can't understand why two totally defensive players are paired together, and why Art Coulter at the very least isn't given top-4 icetime. This looks more like a 1st unit PK pairing.

Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals The Montreal Maroons, because the Maroons and Spiders are arguably the two most contrasting teams in the draft.

Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals Also the Maroons. The teams have so little common ground, I think the voting would be a free-for-all.

A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft The Bernie Morris thing. Interesting player.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Biggest Reach of the draft Frantisek Pospisil at #158 - I consider myself fairly well informed about European players, and although I think Pospisil was arguably underrated before ATD#10, I don't understand taking him this early. Sell me on this guy, Nalyd, because right now I'm seeing a second pairing defenseman, not a top pairing guy.

I'll have you know, I've spent the last hour trying to read google translated pages, and yet, very little information is out there, so, I'll do my best.


World Championship Stats:
I feel that long term WC stats are a good indicator of NHL level production. If we take Pospisil's prime as 1970-77 (He played after, but stats are unavailable.) then he has 6 goals, 32 assists for 38 points in 70 games, with 22 pims. Which, over 82 games is roughly: 82-7-37-44-26. Not mind blowing numbers, but, for a guy known as a defence first defenceman, they are very good numbers.

Czechoslovakian Golden Stick (MVP) Voting: (Side note, translations are funny, Jiri Holik comes up George Fleury.)
Aside from his two MVPs ('71 and '72), where he had Jan Suchy in 2nd (After 2 straight wins) Nedomansky in 3rd and Holecek in 5th and Vladimir Dzurilla in 3rd, Nedomansky 4th and Holecek 5th.

He also has: (Undrafted players omitted)
5th in 1970, behind Suchy (Winner) Nedomansky and Dzurilla
3rd in 1973, behind Martinec (Winner) and Jiri Holik
5th in 1975, behind Martinec (Winner), Holecek, Holik, and Milan Novy
5th in 1976, behind Martinec (Winner), Holecek, Novy and Ivan Hlinka
3rd in 1977, behind Novy (Winner) and Hlinka
6th in 1978, behind Hlinka (Winner), Holecek, Jiri Bubla, and Novy

Now, if we take this and score it like so; 1 point for 6th place, 6 for 1st, Pospisil compares to his peers as such:
Vladimir Martinec: 34
Milan Novy: 33*
Frantisek Pospisil: 27
Jiri Holecek: 22
Jiri Holik: 18
Jan Suchy: 17**
Ivan Hlinka: 17
Vaclav Nedomansky: 13***

*Milan Novy scored 17 of those points competing only against an aging Martinec. He's somewhat on the cusp of being a peer.
**Jan Suchy was 25 when the award began.
***Vaclav Nedomansky left Czechoslovakia at age 30, prior to age 25 there was no MVP award.

Take this for what it's worth, but, it demonstrates Pospisil's combined career and peak value. Shows that he was among his nations elite for a decade. Shows that at his best he was the best in a nation that rivalled Canada and Russia. And that besides Suchy's very short peak, Pospisil was clearly the best Czechoslovakian defenceman for the golden age of Czechoslovakian hockey.

Unfortunately, I can't get a lot of information. From what I gather about how he played, it's exactly the type of player I want. Solid skater, good size (Approx 6'0 185) knows when to take the body, but relies primarily on hockey smarts and positional defence. Can contribute offensively, primarily as a playmaker. For what it's worth, he sounds a heck of a lot like Jimmy Thomson, who went a few spots earlier. Smart player, great leader, was able to have success taking a big role, but did so with a team first attitude rather than standing out as an individual.

In conclusion: Czechoslovakian hockey in the 70's produced all-star calibre hockey players. We know this due to their clashes with Canada and USSR (And by proxy USSR vs Canada) they were the #3 country, but they were clearly competitive. Pospisil was the very best defenceman Czechoslovakia had to offer during this era. All-star voting demonstrates this. Therefore, since we know the best of Czechoslovakia could play along side the best of the NHL and we know Pospisil is the very best Czecholsovakia had to offer. It stands to reason that at the very least he would have been a regular all-star and 2nd team all-star contender and concidering his peak of 2 WC best d-men and 2 Cs MVPs we can assume that in his very best years he'd potentially be a 1st team all-star/Norris contender. Taking a conservative interpretation of 3 2nd team all-stars and 6 all-star game appearances, and given his style of play, he is compareable to the players he was drafted around such as: Larry Murphy, Jimmy Thomson, Alex Ragulin, Hap Day, Sylvio Mantha, Allen Stanley and Bill White. Also not stylistically comparable, but value comparable to: Rob Blake, Doug Wilson, Red Horner and Pat Stapleton.

 

[Sturminator]

I'll have you know, I've spent the last hour trying to read google translated pages, and yet, very little information is out there, so, I'll do my best.

Heh. That French hockey archives site I used for a lot of my Soviet League research is a tough nut to crack, n'est ce pas? I'm lucky that my French is still passable enough that I generally don't need to babelfish everything to get the jist of what is being said.

Yeah, Pospisil's Golden Stick results are impressive. Keep us up to date if you find anything more on this mysterious George Fleury fellow.

 

[Hedberg]

Biggest Steal of the draft: Marcel Dionne at 100

Biggest Reach of the draft: Ron Wilson as Head Coach

Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Hakan Loob at 670

Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Jason Spezza

A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Vladislav Tretiak

A player you've discovered in this draft: Russell Bowie

Favourite line of the draft:
Sutter - Sutter - Sutter is awesome

Best assembled line of the draft:
Any of the re-united real life former lines.
EagleBelfour getting two of them is impressive.

Worst assembled line of the draft:
Roberts-Lecavalier-Oatman

Favourite pairing of defensemen:
Bill Gadsby - Nicklas Lidstrom

 

[BM67]

Worst assembled line of the draft:
Roberts-Lecavalier-Oatman

What's up with the multiple nominations for this line?

A 6'4" center that has shown willingness to throw hits, use his power down low, drop the gloves on occasion, and led the NHL in goals.

An early era power forward who set the PCHA single season record for goals, and was runner-up for three scoring titles, twice by a single point margin.

A rugged captain of 5 teams, that led the PCHA in both assists and PIM.

What is wrong with this line? Too much scoring for a 4th line?

Top-10 finishes (Top-5 pre 26-27)
Gordon Roberts
Goals: (NHA) 2nd, 3rd, (PCHA) 1st, 2nd, 3rd; Assists: (NHA) 2nd, 3rd, Points: (NHA) 2nd, 2nd, (PCHA) 2nd, 3rd, 5th
Vincent Lecavalier
Goals: (NHL) 1st, 9th; Points: (NHL) 3rd, 6th
Eddie Oatman
Goals: (OPHL) 4th, (PCHA) 3rd, 4th, 5th; Assists: (PCHA) 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 5th; Points: (OPHL) 4th, (PCHA) 3rd, 4th, 4th, 4th

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Biggest Steal of the draft: Gaye Stewart
Biggest Reach of the draft: I've always respected GMs for being willing to make sure they get their guy rather than caving to pressure to submit to convention.
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Bob Bauer
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Alex Ovechkin
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: Frantisek Tikal
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Adam Foote
A player you've discovered in this draft: Rusty Crawford (This is the one category where I see nothing wrong with listing your own picks.)
Favourite line of the draft: Bucyk-Sakic-Maltsev & Dumart-Carboneau-Linden
Best assembled line of the draft: Goulet-Clarke-Iginla & Cashman-Esposito-Bauer
Favourite pairing of defensemen: Quackenbush-Hitchman & Siebert-Johnson
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Pilote-Salming. Normally I don't like doing the negative parts of the summary, but, it seems fine here because it is an amazing collection of talent. I just think both are guys that are best when they can cut loose, but, together one is going to have to cover for the other and they can't both cut loose.
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Detroit Falcons. I'll get you this time EB! I'll get you this time...
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Detroit Falcons. Couldn't stand to lose to EB again...
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: To me, the story of the draft is how efficient and effective we are. Only one major blunder and it was resolved with deft skill (Spezza/Damphousse/Riseborough) and the draft went very quickly and smoothly.

 

[Leaf Lander]

listen somone said hull modano kurri was the worst line lmao

great players are great for a reason Hull had almost 900 career assists and 960 career goals between the wha and the nhl Modano has 755 career assist and 530 career goals while kurri has 600+ goals and just under 800 assists. This line is a power house.

Hull is a generational talent and there are very few imo Morenz Shore Richard Beliveau Howe Sawchuck Hull Orr Esposito LaFleur Bossy Stastny Grezky Messier Bourque Yzerman Lemieux Roy Hull Sakic Jagr Lindros Brodeur Lidstrom Crosby Ovechkin Malikin

 

[VanIslander]

listen somone said hull modano kurri was the worst line lmao

great players are great for a reason Hull had almost 900 career assists and 960 career goals between the wha and the nhl Modano has 755 career assist and 530 career goals while kurri has 600+ goals and just under 800 assists. This line is a power house.

Hull is a generational talent and there are very few imo Morenz Shore Richard Beliveau Howe Sawchuck Hull Orr Esposito LaFleur Bossy Stastny Grezky Bourque Lemieux Roy Hukk Sakic Jagr Lindros Brodeur Crosby Ovechkin Malikin

perhaps the concern is chemistry, hard to imagine the playing styles together, just like Hull abd Mikita were both stars but didn't click together,... OF COURSE individually all three are stars, but a great line doesn't necessarily mean an all-star line, in fact, all-star teams are pretty and all but in fact they tend to be seen as incomplete, missing role players, a championship team can beat a team of all-stars nine times out of ten.... maybe the concern is that Hull-Modano-Kurri just doesn't look like a line that works: Hull wants the puck, gets frustrated at Modano and Kurri cycling the puck, and when opposing centres key on Modano does Kurri and Hull seem oriented to pass much together, or each trying to get it done themselves, is Kurri to spend more time backchecking than he's used to and covering for Hull's rushes, and is he gonna be the guy to go into the corners,... looks like a line to score on transition, up high, in the slot, but less so down low, though I don't think it's the worst line because I personally imagine Hull's physicality to draw opposing dmen, opening up ice in the middle away from the boards for perimeter passing...

anyways, the distinction between an all-star throw anybody together line and a working line built either for balance or a specific style of play might be at play

at the very least LL, specify HOW you see the line working! why do you think they are good together! it's not obvious to at least one other

 

[seventieslord]

listen somone said hull modano kurri was the worst line lmao

great players are great for a reason Hull had almost 900 career assists and 960 career goals between the wha and the nhl Modano has 755 career assist and 530 career goals while kurri has 600+ goals and just under 800 assists. This line is a power house.

Hull is a generational talent and there are very few imo Morenz Shore Richard Beliveau Howe Sawchuck Hull Orr Esposito LaFleur Bossy Stastny Grezky Messier Bourque Yzerman Lemieux Roy Hull Sakic Jagr Lindros Brodeur Lidstrom Crosby Ovechkin Malikin

As I said, this was based on the configuration of the line, not necessarily who was on the line. And there you go spouting career totals without any sort of context to them.

My rankings said that Hull was the top LW1 in the draft. Kurri was also the 9th best RW. That is a great start. All you had to do was get yourself a great setup man. And you went and got Modano. Modano is the worst C1 in the draft, and he's a long way behind the centers that I have ranked 26th and 27th, too. So for one thing, it is a colossal waste - you have a center who's just nowhere near as good as your wingers.

But more importantly, you have possibly the best goal-scorer ever, who 7 times led the NHL and was in the top-6 for 13 straight years, and a guy who led the NHL once and was top-5 four times. These are also not huge multi-deimensional offense generators like Lemieux, Jagr, or Gretzky. Hull was never better than 5th in assists and Kurri was never better than 9th. And I don't mean to disparage Hull and Kurri, because they were both great players who I am sure made their share of plays, but if we did an HOH top-100 playmakers list, neither would make it. For this configuration to be effective, you need someone to get them the puck. Modano, who was once 4th in assists and was never top-10 besides that, is not that guy. Heck, Kurri and Hull are more established playmakers than Modano even is, whether you go by assist totals or how frequently they ranked among the league leaders! Modano has more top-10 finishes in goals than in assists and ranks higher on your precious career goals list than he does on the career assists list, so he's not even primarily a playmaker. What's his place here?

 

[God Bless Canada]

I would have loved to have seen what someone like a Larionov, or an Oates, or a Joe Primeau would have done on LL's top line. I think strong playmakers of that ilk, that style of play, would have fit that line better than a Modano, who's better suited to second line duty. Modano's a good playmaker, a very good two-way player and a really good goal scoring centre, but I don't think he's the fit that the Leafs needed for Hull and Kurri.

 

[seventieslord]

I would have loved to have seen what someone like a Larionov, or an Oates, or a Joe Primeau would have done on LL's top line. I think strong playmakers of that ilk, that style of play, would have fit that line better than a Modano, who's better suited to second line duty. Modano's a good playmaker, a very good two-way player and a really good goal scoring centre, but I don't think he's the fit that the Leafs needed for Hull and Kurri.

I agree that those are all much better options. However, they weren't available when LL picked Modano. If we could go back to the 230th pick, and you're LL, who are your top-3 choices?

 

[Murphy]

listen somone said hull modano kurri was the worst line lmao

I would hate to be a goalie facing this line. There will be pucks coming at you from everywhere and they'd be shot hard and with deadly accuracy.

I think they all compliment each other with their speed and Modano's passing is being under-rated here. Doesn't matter where he dishes off too, if there is an inch of space available the puck is going there.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I have no problem with Hull and Modano together. I think Hull is one of the only wingers who it's ok to have a sub-par center with. I just don't see how a set play player like Kurri is going to excel with run and gun linemates. I just don't see Kurri's talent being optimized.

 

[pitseleh]

Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Pilote-Salming. Normally I don't like doing the negative parts of the summary, but, it seems fine here because it is an amazing collection of talent. I just think both are guys that are best when they can cut loose, but, together one is going to have to cover for the other and they can't both cut loose.

Salming was pretty good offensively, but I drafted him for his defense. He only has 4 top-5 scoring finishes amongst defensemen (2,2,3,4) which for a first pairing player expected to bring offense isn't really all that strong. As far as my defense goes I'd go as far as to say that I think Stapleton is better offensively than Salming.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I agree that those are all much better options. However, they weren't available when LL picked Modano. If we could go back to the 230th pick, and you're LL, who are your top-3 choices?

LL got Hull, Broda and Kurri in the first three rounds, and then he got defensive star Dave Keon in the fourth. (I won't question that pick). But he could have had one of the three players I mentioned earlier - or Ron Francis - in the fifth round when he picked Pratt, a player not endeared to everyone in this draft.

As for who was available at 230 (when LL picked Modano) the three options that stand out are Federko, Thornton and Crosby. (Who were gone by the time LL made his next pick). Now, all things being equal, I would definitely pick Modano ahead of Jumbo or Sid the Kid, for the reasons I outlined earlier. But I think Joe and Sid would have fit this first line more. And I think a dynamic playmaker like Federko - top 10 in assists seven times, in an era of outstanding playmakers; well over a point per game in both the regular season and the playoffs - would have been an outstanding playmaking compliment for Hull and Kurri.

 

[Murphy]

I have no problem with Hull and Modano together. I think Hull is one of the only wingers who it's ok to have a sub-par center with. I just don't see how a set play player like Kurri is going to excel with run and gun linemates. I just don't see Kurri's talent being optimized.

What is a set play player Nalyd?

I see this line as the Hull - Nilsson - Hedberg trio on steroids.

 

[seventieslord]

LL got Hull, Broda and Kurri in the first three rounds, and then he got defensive star Dave Keon in the fourth. (I won't question that pick). But he could have had one of the three players I mentioned earlier - or Ron Francis - in the fifth round when he picked Pratt, a player not endeared to everyone in this draft.

As for who was available at 230 (when LL picked Modano) the three options that stand out are Federko, Thornton and Crosby. (Who were gone by the time LL made his next pick). Now, all things being equal, I would definitely pick Modano ahead of Jumbo or Sid the Kid, for the reasons I outlined earlier. But I think Joe and Sid would have fit this first line more. And I think a dynamic playmaker like Federko - top 10 in assists seven times, in an era of outstanding playmakers; well over a point per game in both the regular season and the playoffs - would have been an outstanding playmaking compliment for Hull and Kurri.

Fully agree. Federko still would have been the 28th best C1 in the draft, but this line would have received high marks from me for its configuration.

 

[Diving Pokecheck*]

As I said, this was based on the configuration of the line, not necessarily who was on the line. And there you go spouting career totals without any sort of context to them.

My rankings said that Hull was the top LW1 in the draft. Kurri was also the 9th best RW. That is a great start. All you had to do was get yourself a great setup man. And you went and got Modano. Modano is the worst C1 in the draft, and he's a long way behind the centers that I have ranked 26th and 27th, too. So for one thing, it is a colossal waste - you have a center who's just nowhere near as good as your wingers.

But more importantly, you have possibly the best goal-scorer ever, who 7 times led the NHL and was in the top-6 for 13 straight years, and a guy who led the NHL once and was top-5 four times. These are also not huge multi-deimensional offense generators like Lemieux, Jagr, or Gretzky. Hull was never better than 5th in assists and Kurri was never better than 9th. And I don't mean to disparage Hull and Kurri, because they were both great players who I am sure made their share of plays, but if we did an HOH top-100 playmakers list, neither would make it. For this configuration to be effective, you need someone to get them the puck. Modano, who was once 4th in assists and was never top-10 besides that, is not that guy. Heck, Kurri and Hull are more established playmakers than Modano even is, whether you go by assist totals or how frequently they ranked among the league leaders! Modano has more top-10 finishes in goals than in assists and ranks higher on your precious career goals list than he does on the career assists list, so he's not even primarily a playmaker. What's his place here?

I don't want to be disputatious, but when Gretzky was out for the Kings, Jarri Kurri played solidly as Luc Robitaille's center/set-up man.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Salming was pretty good offensively, but I drafted him for his defense. He only has 4 top-5 scoring finishes amongst defensemen (2,2,3,4) which for a first pairing player expected to bring offense isn't really all that strong. As far as my defense goes I'd go as far as to say that I think Stapleton is better offensively than Salming.

Good answer.

What is a set play player Nalyd?

Probably not the best term. But, a player who works better when the play is set up in the offensive zone, rather than on the rush.

 

[seventieslord]

I don't want to be disputatious, but when Gretzky was out for the Kings, Jarri Kurri played solidly as Luc Robitaille's center/set-up man.

Good point. To that I'd say, that was for a short time, in a real-life context, not in an ATD context where every game is an all-star game.

 

[MXD]

Fully agree. Federko still would have been the 28th best C1 in the draft, but this line would have received high marks from me for its configuration.

I disagree here. Maybe it would have been a better configuration, but four things about that :

- Federko as a 1st C would be the biggest reach of this draft.
- LL's defense needs help.
- Hull doesn't need a magnificient playmaker. Just a guy able to pass the puck.
- Playoffs.

For the record, I wouldn't pick Federko before Bobby Smith. Federko is a better playmaker than Smith, but that's really it. It's easier to setup a line with Federko than Smith, but otherwise, I would take Smith. Anytime.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I disagree here. Maybe it would have been a better configuration, but four things about that :

- Federko as a 1st C would be the biggest reach of this draft.
- LL's defense needs help.
- Hull doesn't need a magnificient playmaker. Just a guy able to pass the puck.
- Playoffs.

For the record, I wouldn't pick Federko before Bobby Smith. Federko is a better playmaker than Smith, but that's really it. It's easier to setup a line with Federko than Smith, but otherwise, I would take Smith. Anytime.

I think Modano as a No. 1 centre is more of a reach than Federko. Modano might have more upside, but in terms of production, in terms of accomplishments from a strictly offensive perspective, especially playmaking, Federko did more than Modano. And I think Federko's the better fit.

Also, Federko's playoff record is very impressive. I believe he was the top scorer in the 86 playoffs, and he was well over a point-per-game for his career. How much of that is related to playing in the Bore-Us Norris his peak years is up for debate, but the guy was a dynamite playmaker.

I do think that Hull-Modano-Kurri is a good line. It's just there were better fits than Modano.

 

[pappyline]

What is a set play player Nalyd?

I see this line as the Hull - Nilsson - Hedberg trio on steroids.

Good description of this line.

IMO Modano would do fine as the centre on this line. In the NHL Hull scored goals no matter who was his centre including some guys that will never be picked in this draft. However, in the NHL. he was most successful with Big centres who could get him the puck when he was at full speed. Modana fits the bill. Even better would be Sundin. Now Hull/Sundin/Kurri would be one helluva lins. Who would you key on. They would beat you both with finese & physical power. I would recommend the following:

Hull-Sundin-Kurri
Roberts-Keon-Molgilny
Morrow-Modano-Ezinlki
Davidson-Oliver-Nevin

LL really picked a nice group of forwards. Altho, they are a little hard to fit togeher. I think Keon on a 3rd line is a bit of a waste.

 

[VanIslander]

i really like pappyline's suggested change of moving Modano to the third line and bumping Sundin and Keon up; i'd also suggest switching Mogilny and Kurri:

Hull-Sundin-Mogilny
Roberts-Keon-Kurri
Morrow-Modano-Ezinlki