Best draft in recent years

[Jeff Goldblum]

I wouldn't discard 1998 too quickly. There's still time for a few players. The three rookie of the year candidates last year were all out of 1998 and never made any "top 50" list: Ryder, Hunter and Raycroft.

There are players who are basically just beginning their careers from that draft, like Christian Backman. And the goalies are just about to come out of the draft, as is pretty usual for this position. Sauve, Niitymaki could be decent.

(although 2001 will turn out better for goalies, I think)

Yeah, even 1998 still has some guys who are just beginning to put up numbers. The Pens have two off the top of my head. People had Kraft written off, but he's back now after a 40 pt. season. Scuderi is just coming through now after many solid seasons in college and the AHL.

 

[SmokeyClause]

I think that Glazachev would have been MUCH better served by coming and playing in the QMJHL like Radulov and Shishkanov did. Neither of those two were putting up big numbers in Russia, but Shishkanov scored 43 goals in his season in Hull and Radulov has 30 points in 24 games for Quebec. Not only that, the path to the NHL is that much easier when a player comes to North America early. Glazachev may be hurting his chances by not coming over.

Yeah, it's hard to read Russian's with regards to NHL success. If Zherdev had stayed over, there's no telling where he'd be with regards to numbers. Instead, he comes over here and gain confidence and then some. Upon his return to Russia, he has quadrupled his numbers through 20 or so games. What a difference 1 year and a trip to America makes.

I'm not saying it would happen to Glazachev, but I'd rather see him fail in North America before I give up on him.

 

[Patty Ice]

I think that Glazachev would have been MUCH better served by coming and playing in the QMJHL like Radulov and Shishkanov did. Neither of those two were putting up big numbers in Russia, but Shishkanov scored 43 goals in his season in Hull and Radulov has 30 points in 24 games for Quebec. Not only that, the path to the NHL is that much easier when a player comes to North America early. Glazachev may be hurting his chances by not coming over.

His "diving" rep also hurt his stock. Well, I don't want to say that for sure but after watching Schremp fall to 25 because of his attitude, its a possibility.

 

[Lard_Lad]

98, followed by 2003. Good depth through the first round in 1998, and some excellent late bloomers like Ryder.

99's easily the worst. Five years later, and there's maybe two legitimate first-line forwards (Havlat and Comrie) out of the entire draft.

 

[Ponik]

1998: Lecavalier, Luongo, Richards, Tanguay, etc.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

1998: Lecavalier, Luongo, Richards, Tanguay, etc.

Luongo was #4 in 1997.

 

[Enoch]

His "diving" rep also hurt his stock. Well, I don't want to say that for sure but after watching Schremp fall to 25 because of his attitude, its a possibility.

It probably did. Glazachev has the talent, but he is having a hard time putting up the points in the Russian league. In an interview, he said he didn't want to come over until he was NHL ready, and he was also quite upset about falling so low in the draft.....One has to wonder if he will ever get a chance to step immeadiately into the Preds lineup. We have a deep group of prospects and our winger depth keeps improving as the years pass....