My Top 60 for 2005

[LaLaLaprise]

I put it together rather quickly so I may have omitted someone noteworthy. Tell me if you disagree with any of the rankings.

Round 1:

Sidney Crosby - C - 5'11 193 - Rimouski - QMJHL
Gilbert Brule - C - 5'10 177 - Vancouver - WHL
Jack Johnson - D - 6'01 201 - US NAT U18
Ryan Parent - D - 6'02 190 - Guelph - OHL
Bobby Ryan - RW - 6'01 223 - Owen Sound - OHL
Benoit Pouliot - LW - 6'03 180 - Sudbury - OHL
Jean-Phillipe Lavasseur - G - 6'01 189 - Rouyn-Noranda - QMJHL
Devin Setoguchi - RW - 6'00 185 - Saskatoon - WHL
Carey Price - G - 6'03 212 - Tri-City - WHL
Guillaume Latendresse - RW - 6'02 218 - Drummondville - QMJHL
Alex Bourret - RW - 5'10 209 - Lewiston - QMJHL
Marc Staal - D - 6'04 196 - Sudbury - OHL
Marek Zagrapan - C - 6'01 198 - Chicoutimi - QMJHL
Niklas Bergfors - LW - 5'11 192 - Sodertalje
Kenndal MCardle - LW - 5'11 201 - Moose Jaw - WHL
Ryan Stoa - C - 6'03 200 - US NAT U18
Tukka Rask - G - 6'01 189 - Ilves
Jack Skille - RW - 6'01 198 - US NAT U18
Anze Kopitar - C - 6'02 202 - Spdertalje
Chris Durand - C - 6'01 192 - Seattle - WHL
Luc Bourdon - D - 6'02 200 - Val D'or - QMJHL
Jakub Kindl - D - 6'03 197 - Kitchener - OHL
Teemu Laakso - D - 6'00 187 - IFK
Ryan O'Marra - C - 6'02 195 - Erie - OHL
Brenden Mikkelson - D - 6'02 177 - Portland - WHL
Matt Lashoff - D - 6'02 205 - Kitchener - OHL
Alexandre Vincent - G - 6'05 205 - Chicoutimi - QMJHL
Richard Lelkes - RW - 6'03 207 - Dukla-Trencin
Patrick Davis - LW - 6'02 194 - Kitchener - OHL
Dan Bertram - RW - 5'11 175 - Boston College - NCAA

Round 2:

Martin Hanzal - C - 6'03 189 - Budejovice
Denis Istomon - RW - 6'02 189 - Chejabinsk
Brian Lee - D - 6'03 202 - Moorhead - USHS
Michael Blunden - D - 6'04 210 - Erie - OHL
Slava Truhkno - C - 6'01 196 - PEI - QMJHL
James Neal - LW - 6'03 183 - Plymouth - OHL
Jean-Phillipe Paquet - D - 6'02 210 - Shawinigan - QMJHL
Jakub Vojta - D - 6'00 187 - Sparta Jr.
Scott Jackson - D - 6'04 206 - Seattle - WHL
Risto Korhonen - D - 6'03 202 - Karpat Jr.
Jeff Frazee - G - 6'00 184 - US NAT U18
Chris Lawrence - C - 6'04 205 - Sault-Ste-Marie - OHL
Dan Ryder - C - 5'10 193 - Peterborough - OHL
Wacey Rabbit - C - 5'10 175 - Saskatoon - OHL
Oskars Bartulis - D - 6'02 188 - Moncton - QMJHL
Pier-Olivier Pelletier - G - 6'01 175 - Drummondville - QMJHL
Cody Bass - C - 6'00 186 - Mississauga - OHL
Radek Smolenak - LW - 6'03 190 - Kingston - OHL
Sasha Grenier-Pokulok - D - 6'05 220 - Cornell - NCAA
Nicholas Drazenovic - C - 6'01 178 - Prince George - WHL
Raymond Macias - D - 6'01 190 - Kamloops - WHL
Ben Bishop - G - 6'05 205 - Texas - NAHL
Tomas Kudelka - D - 6'01 176 - Zlin
Keith Yandle - D - 6'02 203 - Cushing Academy
Evan Brophy - LW - 6'01 195 - Belleville - OHL
Vladimir Karpov - LW - 6'01 185 - Dynamo 2
Simon Bolduc - LW - 6'05 235 - Bathurst - QMJHL
Michael Sauer - D - 6'02 198 - Portland - WHL
Ilja Zubov - C - 6'00 176 - Chejabinsk
Mathieu Aubin - C - 6'02 180 - Lewiston - QMJHL

Click to read more...

 

[Barnaby]

I like it. Has Bertram really fallen that far?

 

[LaLaLaprise]

I like it. Has Bertram really fallen that far?

Thanx. I like Bertram. Was going to put him higher, but 30th isnt bad compared to where some people have him. CSB has him 40th for NA skaters.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

This has nothing to do with 2005 draft but LaLaLaPrise, what do you see in Philippe Dupuis's future. He has great stats for Gatineau this year. When I seen him his speed wasn't all that impressive but he seemed to be good with the puck. Do you see him as a good NHL prospect or just another offensive forward who doesn't take off at the pro level.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

If NJ can get Bertram in the first round I will love it. If NJ gets him in the 2nd round, I will really freak out. This kid has Paul Kariya type speed and acceleration with the offensive game to go with it.

 

[kmad]

A lot of it really comes down to what team has each pick. It's not really too useful to project this until we know the selection order. Still, a more than decent assessment of talent levels.

 

[rt]

What is it about Ryan Parent that makes you rank him so much higher than many other people do? Have you been unimpressed with Nate Hagemo? Where do you see Steve Downie going? I've seen Skille higher than Stoa on many lists, can you compare them for me? Thanks.

Note: I know nothing about prospects. I'm not disagreeing with you. Im just curious.

 

[Lessy]

Overall, I'd say it's a pretty good list. I think Parent is rated too high but I would not be surprised if he made the top ten. I also think Lavasseur is slightly too high. I think Zagrapan should move up and I am still high on Lashoff despite his subpar prospects game performance. Michael Blunden is another player that I like.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

This has nothing to do with 2005 draft but LaLaLaPrise, what do you see in Philippe Dupuis's future. He has great stats for Gatineau this year. When I seen him his speed wasn't all that impressive but he seemed to be good with the puck. Do you see him as a good NHL prospect or just another offensive forward who doesn't take off at the pro level.

Dupuis plays for Rouyn this year. He was traded at the draft. By far the best player on Rouyn. He is a great player and a semi steal for Columbus in round 4.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

What is it about Ryan Parent that makes you rank him so much higher than many other people do? Have you been unimpressed with Nate Hagemo? Where do you see Steve Downie going? I've seen Skille higher than Stoa on many lists, can you compare them for me? Thanks.

Note: I know nothing about prospects. I'm not disagreeing with you. Im just curious.

Parent is big and can skate like the wind. I think this is a weak year for dmen and someone would probably want to take Parent earlier than people think.

 

[FearTheFlyers]

Switch Parent and Zagrapan and I like it.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Switch Parent and Zagrapan and I like it.

Zagrapan is overrated. Still a great player but not top 5 in my opinion.

 

[Fedz]

I like it besides two key points:

1.) Parent won't go *that* high.

2.) Bourret will be drafted before Latendresse.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

No love for Parent?

 

[Hossa]

It's a good list la-la.

The main thing I'd say is that both Kindl and O'Marra should be higher. I'd have both in the 8-14 range. I'd take both over Setoguchi, but I'd take a couple other guys closer to him (like Bourret and McArdle) over Setoguchi as well.

This is a weak draft on defence, as you put it, and for that reason, Kindl will go higher. He's got arguably the best upside of all the d-men around, and he's turning around his slow start. I think he'll be the second d-man taken, if not the first.

 

[Blue Bullet]

Don't know much about Lelkes, other than his stats and that ISS likes him, but other Slovaks that put up similar numbers last year, like Gracik and Tomanek, haven't done that much in the WHL. I would hold off on putting him as a first rounder.

Also Sauer is out for the season so his rankings will drop and I would think he may opt out of the draft.

 

[LHJMQFAN]

Good list Lala but where would you rate Gragnani (PEI), Letang (Val D'Or), Vlasic (Que) and Dorion (Bat)? Thanks

 

[LHJMQFAN]

One more thing LAla...
You really think Bartulis and Bolduc are that much better than Gragnani?

 

[Sag96]

where do you think is Lascek from Chicoutimi and Lavalle from Quebec ????
Thees guys are doing very well this year and hopefully they will be selected first 3 rounds.

 

[Fedz]

where do you think is Lascek from Chicoutimi and Lavalle from Quebec ????
Thees guys are doing very well this year and hopefully they will be selected first 3 rounds.

Lascek's chances are definitely being hurt due to his injury, but both should go in the top 5 though.

 

[Nielson81]

It's a good list la-la.

The main thing I'd say is that both Kindl and O'Marra should be higher. I'd have both in the 8-14 range. I'd take both over Setoguchi, but I'd take a couple other guys closer to him (like Bourret and McArdle) over Setoguchi as well.

This is a weak draft on defence, as you put it, and for that reason, Kindl will go higher. He's got arguably the best upside of all the d-men around, and he's turning around his slow start. I think he'll be the second d-man taken, if not the first.

I like to see someone is high on Kindl after hearing so many things about him for the past two years. It will be interesting to see how he finishes up the season.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Good list Lala but where would you rate Gragnani (PEI), Letang (Val D'Or), Vlasic (Que) and Dorion (Bat)? Thanks

Gragnani - 3rd-4th round
Vlasic - 3rd-4th round
Letang - 6th-7th round
Doirion - 8th-9th round

All are 5'11-6'01 and slim. Not very big dmen.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

One more thing LAla...
You really think Bartulis and Bolduc are that much better than Gragnani?

Bartulis yes. He is really underrated. Good size, good skater, can play all 5 positions, and is smart.

Bolduc is 6'05 235 and is a good skater. He also hits quite well. Do I think he is 2nd round talent wise? Nope. But i can see an NHL team taking him in round 2.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

where do you think is Lascek from Chicoutimi and Lavalle from Quebec ????
Thees guys are doing very well this year and hopefully they will be selected first 3 rounds.

Both are in theri 2nd years for the draft.

It's too hard to say. Earliest is 3rd round though, id say.

 

[CH Wizard]

Great list , Parent is too high though.I'd put Staal instead of him at 4.He was amazing in the OHL prospects game.I think he was the best d out there.BTW Anikeenko stuck's really DROPING !