Prospect ponderings from the NHL Draft...

[Slats432]

I was doing a Draft Review for a team for the 2004 draft(Which will be done soon.) when a bunch of different things I was thinking about the draft just ran through my head...in Steve Simmons fashion. So...some thoughts about the 2004 NHL entry draft....

So if the Capitals can’t get Alexander Ovechkin out of Russia and their team doesn’t improve much over the course of the season, how does Ovechkin-Crosby sound?…..

IMG, the agents for top prospect Evgeny Malkin had a pre draft reception where prospects received gifts such as sports jerseys from famous stars such as Lance Alworth, Earl Campbell and Moses Malone. With the luck of the draw, Malkin got yet another hint of where he would end up at the draft. A Willie Stargell jersey….

Person most surprised by Blake Wheeler taken number 5 by Phoenix? Blake Wheeler….

Robbie Schremp goes 25th overall to the Edmonton Oilers after using the F-Bomb a few times in the interview process. I am sure it’s the same F-Bomb the Oilers used after “Holy†when they saw he was still around at 25…..

How does 34th CSB North American Peter Tsimikalis go undrafted?…

The Redline Report has coveted Notre Dame goalie David Brown for two full years as a first round prospect. Don’t know what they see that 30 NHL teams didn’t see. He went in the eighth round to Pittsburgh….

Kitchener Rangers forward Evan McGrath was upset after not going in the top three rounds he didn’t go to the RBC Center on Day 2 of the draft and instead stayed at the hotel to work out. After a call from his agent that the Wings took him in the fourth round, he went over to put on the jersey….

The Los Angeles Kings provided one of the few surprises on the second day of the draft, choosing Japanese goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji as the 238th pick in the eighth round. An even bigger surprise is that he isn’t the first Japanese player ever selected...

The International Scouting Service had Andrej Meszaros ranked fourth overall, THN pegged him at 12th. NHL Central Scouting had him as the sixth-ranked European skater. Ottawa selects him 23rd.

Overheard at an NHL draft party “Next year we will have a contest on how many times you hear the word ‘upside’ on draft day.†……

Asset management? Dallas trades down twice and picks 28th, 52nd, 88th, and 91st instead of 20th and 153rd.

Click to read more...

 

[Chief]

The International Scouting Service had Andrej Meszaros ranked fourth overall, THN pegged him at 12th. NHL Central Scouting had him as the sixth-ranked European skater. Ottawa selects him 23rd.

younggunshockey had him at #25

Just havin' fun in bringing it up. Of course it doesn't prove anything. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?

 

[V for Voodoo]

Robbie Schremp goes 25th overall to the Edmonton Oilers after using the F-Bomb a few times in the interview process. I am sure it’s the same F-Bomb the Oilers used after “Holy†when they saw he was still around at 25…..

What's the scoop on this?

 

[db23]

Robbie used the "F" word. Goodness, I hope he doesn't do when he is out on the ice.

...Redline is still waiting for Lars Jonsson to emerge as the "sleeper" star from the 2000 draft.... ....or Andre Kastitsyn to show one good reason why he was drafted in the first 5 rounds last year...

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Robbie used the "F" word. Goodness, I hope he doesn't do when he is out on the ice.

...Redline is still waiting for Lars Jonsson to emerge as the "sleeper" star from the 2000 draft.... ....or Andre Kastitsyn to show one good reason why he was drafted in the first 5 rounds last year...

Still, you don't want to start cursing up a storm if you want to impress people during an interview.

 

[db23]

Still, you don't want to start cursing up a storm if you want to impress people during an interview.

I wouldn't do it, but some teams might find the honesty refreshing.

 

[Special Ed]

I wouldn't do it, but some teams might find the honesty refreshing.

Eh...well at least he could always find a job as VP of the US if his hockey career doesn't work out.

 

[BrooklynCanuck]

When I saw Schremp interviewed he struck me as team cancer waiting to happen. He did not seem like the kind of guy that I would be eager to step to the defense of. He's going to need protection in the NHL (considering his average size) and I just don't see him as the kind of guy that will appreciate it.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

When I saw Schremp interviewed he struck me as team cancer waiting to happen. He did not seem like the kind of guy that I would be eager to step to the defense of. He's going to need protection in the NHL (considering his average size) and I just don't see him as the kind of guy that will appreciate it.

I think you make some fair points, although it also stands to reason Edmonton management will work with Schremp to fine tune some of his rough edges. Frankly, a few beat downs are probably going to be in order. He seems like a guy who wants to makes his mark and prove his naysayers wrong, so he could surprise.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I wouldn't do it, but some teams might find the honesty refreshing.

Schremp is a blue collar American kid. I don't see what's so out of the ordinary about him. He's not an Alberta farm boy, and I think that's hard for some people to take.

 

[Form and Substance]

Schremp is a blue collar American kid. I don't see what's so out of the ordinary about him. He's not an Alberta farm boy, and I think that's hard for some people to take.

I dont know where the hell you're getting at. I would doubt farm boys are linked to any sort of upscale bourgeois neck-tie functions.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I dont know where the hell you're getting at. I would doubt farm boys are linked to any sort of upscale bourgeois neck-tie functions.

No, but as a rule, isn't safe to say Canadian hockey players have a reputation as being polite and soft spoken (see: Joe Sakic)? Schremp is far from fitting that description, and I think in large part it comes from his background.

 

[Douggy]

No, but as a rule, isn't safe to say Canadian hockey players have a reputation as being polite and soft spoken (see: Joe Sakic)? Schremp is far from fitting that description, and I think in large part it comes from his background.

I don't see how his background is different from anyone elses.

 

[Moskau]

When I saw Schremp interviewed he struck me as team cancer waiting to happen. He did not seem like the kind of guy that I would be eager to step to the defense of. He's going to need protection in the NHL (considering his average size) and I just don't see him as the kind of guy that will appreciate it.

You mean sort of how players like Brad May are constantly having to stick up for Matt Cooke because he's too gutless to fight the teammate of the guy he just cheapshotted?

 

[degroat*]

I don't see how his background is different from anyone elses.

The following post was made on another board by a poster who happens to post here (I'll let him reveal himself if he wishes to):

Ok, I dont know where to start but here goes:

first a little preface:

I worked to 10:00 pm thursday night. I had to get up at 3am friday to be back to work on friday so i could leave earlier for the draft. I got off at 2pm and me and my gf left for the draft at 3pm. Without stops it is about a 12.5 hour drive. We got there at about 4am our time 5 theirs. We felt it would be worthwhile to try and check in a little early and get a little nap and shower. We stayed at the Ramada about 1 mile from the RBC center. Here is where the story begins.

Day 1

The clerk told us she wasnt supposed to let us have the room until 3pm. But she would see if there were any rooms available like we wanted early. She said there was 1 available but it was by the "rowdy bunch". We said " "Oh we dont care we can handle it". We just wanted a nap and a shower. She asked why we were in Raleigh. We said for the NHL draft. She eye balled me and said "youre not going to be playing ball in the hallway are you?". I jokingly said- no I forgot it. She said that the rowdys were playing ball in the hall way and had been hitting guests in the head with it. We pulled around back where our room was and saw the rowdy bunch for the first time. Tailgating and they had several RV's. Our initial thought was it was some local types cooking breakfast in the parking lot. In the hotel the rowdys had trashed the hallways, threw up in the elevator and hallways. And the hotel had gathered 3 trashbags of a blend of beer cans and liquor bottles. So anyways we went up and got our nap and shower , then went to the draft. Saw that schremp was still available, hoped we would pick him. Totally forgot that schwarz was still out there, because I left my guide in the car because of rain. And i was really just keeping track of the fwd's selected in my head seeing who could dlip to us. I never even considered that schwarz could slip to us , i thought he would be long gone by then. So then on the way back tot he ramada we followed a couple of NY plated cars into the parking lot and around back again. The first thing that we had noticed was that the rowdys were back at it. But then I looked over and saw Schremp #44 painted on the back of a van. Then I looked on the front of the RV. There was one of those burned wood placques that said "The Schremps" on it. By then I was thinking no-way , how cool is this. Just then we saw schremp go into the hotel. We got out of the car , and a few of his relatives and i guess teammates started waving us over because they saw the blues jerseys hanging in our car. They started yelling " the bluuuuues?-the bluuuuuues?" -"Edmonton Oilers over here". So we started talking to them all. They had some thick NY accents. I had my hat from the draft last year on , so they thought initially we were with a prospect that had been drafted by the blues. WE explained how we were just fans. They asked if I knew who Schremp was an I said " Of course , I was suprised he went as late as he did ( I was just being nice, I knew it had to do with the Icedogs story). They avoided that whole conversation, and i didnt pry.
I then said " I was hoping the blues would take him when he came around ". They said "Well the blues came and talked to us, but......" "I said we really need that skilled fwd like him, but we also needed that goalie." At that point we said we needed to go and get something to eat. By that point we really started to notice the arrogance/attitude that all of thes people had. When we got in the elevator, my GF said boy im glad we didnt select anyone from that family. So she was starting ot pick up on the same thing i was. They were really nice but htey came across as sorta unstable. When then went to damons and played trivia against other teams fans, which turned out to be pretty fun. When we got back the party had gone full blown. We had to get to sleep because the 2nd day of the draft started at 9am and we had to pack and everything beforehand. I can sleep through a party, not big deal. And believe me it was tempting to go out here and join. But the last thing i needed was to be hung over for the 13+ hour drive home. At about midnight the schremps lost it. Everybody was yelling at everybody. Parents, kids , everybody was losing it. There were schremps laying in the hallway. Rob came out and was yelling at his GF(Im assuming or at least his draft GF). It was frank you, frank this, frank that, ya Ill franking call you, I got you frankin number, its 7 frankin, 8 frankin, 9 frankin( all the way throught the Phone number). It was an absolute blast watching thes people. And I think i would party like there is no tomorrow if i had a relative drafted in the 1st also, but these people were nutz. Every older guy in the family looked and acted like the crazy baseball dads yelling at the peewee games. They were still wrestling , running, and yelling in the hallway at 3 am. I slept through it, but I heard about it the next day from my GF.

Day 2

As we are leaving the hallways smelled like puke and carpet powder again. Which is understandable, all teenage parties with your parents ends in everyone passing out :lol . When we pulled out of the parking lot rob schremp was running around the parking lot with nothing but his pants on.

At the draft we noticed schremp come in with his GF, and sit across the rink from us. He had basically night club clothes on and they actually started making out in the crowd at the draft . To me that is just a little unprofessional with your new team sitting right ther in front of you. He then all of a sudden runs down the steps (with his shirt buttoned only half way up) , jumps the boards on the side and walks over to the edmonton oilers table and start talking to them. They looked pissed. They had security come over and escort him back into the stands. And he was acting like he didnt want to go. Well anyways he stayed for pretty much the whole 2nd day.

Basically that is the whole story, sorry if it is drawn out a little long, i was just typing as i remembered it. And what I have typed really doesnt give justice to the unstability and attitude of what we witnessed. I can understand the heavy partying, but obliviousness of this family to understand the reputation they already have, its like they didnt read the stories on their relatives reported attitude problems. I really feel like the oilers are gonna have their hands full with this guy.


edit: and i didnt give any credence to those stories until i met them.