Imagine THIS top 8

[Hiishawk]

This top 8 is not impossible, right?
Ovechkin, Malkin, Olesz, Thelen, Tukonen, Schwarz, Radulov, Schremp.

Notice that there are NO CANADIANS in there! This draft is likely to have the fewest Canadians in the top 15 ever.
No trend here though, last year Canada had a great number of early picks.

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[sveiglar]

I'd be surprised if Cam Barker falls out of the top 8, but the draft is dominated at the top by non-Canadians a la 1999 when the top 4 were all European. Like you said though, there isn't a trend, as the top pick in '05 (without naming names) is likely to be a Canadian just as in '03.

 

[electric]

What about Schremp?

 

[sveiglar]

What about Schremp?

American.

 

[Brock]

While unlikely (because of Barker or Ladd or Wolski or possibly O Neill), it is a possibility for sure. Which is interesting. It's just an off year for Canada in terms of top end talent. We do have quite a few guys though who could call in the 15-30 range.

 

[BAuldie]

I'd be surprised if Cam Barker falls out of the top 8, but the draft is dominated at the top by non-Canadians a la 1999 when the top 4 were all European. Like you said though, there isn't a trend, as the top pick in '05 (without naming names) is likely to be a Canadian just as in '03.

And that 1999 draft turned out awesome didn't it heh?

No trend though.. just the way it goes.. must've been a warm winter and less people were doing the hokey pokey.

 

[sveiglar]

And that 1999 draft turned out awesome didn't it heh?

No trend though.. just the way it goes.. must've been a warm winter and less people were doing the hokey pokey.

 

[xander]

it's unlikly. I don't think barker falls past 4, and i think ladd will be called before 8. 6 out of 8 is alot though.

 

[rnyquist]

it's unlikly. I don't think barker falls past 4, and i think ladd will be called before 8. 6 out of 8 is alot though.

barker won't make it out of the bottom 4 and ladd won't make it out of the top 6,

 

[st_roland]

This top 8 is not impossible, right?
Ovechkin, Malkin, Olesz, Thelen, Tukonen, Schwarz, Radulov, Schremp.

Notice that there are NO CANADIANS in there! This draft is likely to have the fewest Canadians in the top 15 ever.
No trend here though, last year Canada had a great number of early picks.

I'd bet my life savings against Barker slipping out of the top 8.

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

Wait until next year and we'll see how many Canadians are in the top 10... Just the way things go... It means nothing.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

This top 8 is not impossible, right?
Ovechkin, Malkin, Olesz, Thelen, Tukonen, Schwarz, Radulov, Schremp.

Notice that there are NO CANADIANS in there! This draft is likely to have the fewest Canadians in the top 15 ever.
No trend here though, last year Canada had a great number of early picks.

I hadn't really noticed and find it interesting. Kudos to you for not falling in the trap of predicting some kind of doomsday for Canadian hockey. As you said, this is not a trend. Just shows that international programs are really catching up.

The talent pool has never been healthier and rich. We've got players coming out of so many countries and it's not unreasonable to imagine that in the next 20 years, a couple of other countries (like Switzerland and Germany) could join the party.

However, I agree with Sveiglar. Barker out of the top 8 seems unlikely (but not impossible) to me.

 

[Jacob]

Wait until next year and we'll see how many Canadians are in the top 10... Just the way things go... It means nothing.

That point was already stated more than once.. No need to get defensive.