The Single-A Draft (ROSTER post, picks, everything)

[BubbaBoot]

The Cape Cod Cubs select:

left wing / center Len Lunde

- NHL: 321 games / 39 goals / 83 assists / 122 points /0.38 points per game / 75 PIMs
- AHL First All-Star Team 63/64
- SM-sarja Champion 70/71

A solid second or third line checker with some play making ability. His professional hockey career would last 18 seasons, taking him all over the world, but only 321 times did he participate in a NHL game. Given how hard it was to crack a NHL line up in the days of the Original Six, this was no small feat.

 

[VanIslander]

re-pick needed

 

[VanIslander]

Rocky Mountain Rage selects center Jiri Hrdina, the Sparta club captain who led the Czechoslovakian league in assists in 1984 and who was named Best Forward in that league in 1987. More significantly, he had scored 30 points in 6 world championships, getting five medals to go along with the Olympic Silver he helped his country earn with his 10 points in 7 games in the 1984 Games, the year before he says was his greatest national memory: winning gold in the 1985 world championships. The following year he scored 7 goals, 12 points in the 1986 world championships. Hrdina had played in the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cups, scoring three points in the latter tourney. He was named Top Forward at the 1987 Calgary Cup, a pre-Olympic tune-up 4-team tourney with Canada and the Soviets, Hrdina scoring a hat trick against a USA team featuring the likes of Hull and Nieuwendyk. He then went on to score 7 points in the 1988 Olympics.

In his first full NHL season, at age 31, he put up a respectable 54 points (on a Flames team deep at center: Gilmour, Nieuwendyk, Otto) and was second among NHL rookies in +/- with +19. He didn't play much in Calgary's Cup winning run but later in Pittsburgh, he had a role. In the Pens first championship run Hrdina was the Game 7 hero with two goals, including the winner, against the Devils in the divisional semifinals. He got a kidney injury on that run that prevented him from playing several of the games in the Finals. The following year, when the Pens defended the cup, coach Scotty Bowman played Hrdina every game of the playoffs (behind Lemieux, Francis, Trottier), one of only six Pit forwards to do so due to team injuries.

Hrdina was one of Czechoslovakia's best internationals in his twenties and an NHL depth role player in his early thirties, playing for two championship quality teams deep at the center ice position, Hrdina accepting Bottom-6 minutes and checking duties, and receiving recognition for doing so.

A masterful puckhandler and great skater, Hrdina never produced huge numbers in the NHL. In fact he didn't in the Czech leagues either. He was a solid two way competitor who would serve as a great depth player on two strong NHL teams - the Calgary Flames and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

http://internationalhockeylegends.blogspot.com/2009/06/jiri-hrdina.html

In time, however, he was put in the center and could devote himself to playing forward. He asserted himself as a shooter and grew as a personality, too. In the 1986-87 season with Sparta he made up an excellent attack line with the ambitious right winger xxxxxxx. They were a great success and, thanks to them, a complete line from one team went to play for Czechoslovakia in the World Championship in Vienna.

In Calgary and later in Pittsburgh, he was not among the key figures on the team. He was biding his time as an underrated defensive forward....

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10670

On missing all but two games of the Stanley Cup Final:

In Minnesota, I got hurt and I couldn't play the last game because I was hurt. I got cross-checked from one of the Minnesota players, and I start to pee blood and stuff, so I had some bruised kidneys so I couldn't go.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_714429.html

Other sources:
http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84159.html
http://www.eurohockey.com/player/19650-jiri-hrdina.html

 

[JFA87-66-99]

The Pittsburgh Bankers make 4 selections for now

D Andrej Meszaros
D Dmitri Ukolov
F Stanislav Konopasek
D Michael Thelvin

 

[BubbaBoot]

It's not on the first page instructions but is there an era requirement in this draft too?

 

[BubbaBoot]

The Pittsburgh Bankers make 4 selections for now

D Andrej Meszaros
D Dmitri Ukolov
F Stanislav Konopasek
D Michael Thelvin

Michael Thelvén

 

[JFA87-66-99]

Michael Thelvén

yea my bad, defensemen for the Boston Bruins in the late 80's

 

[VanIslander]

It's not on the first page instructions but is there an era requirement in this draft too?

Nope, because there will be no playoffs (due to time restrictions), so no qualifying for the playoffs. But there will be a regular season ranking (with 1st receiving the President's trophy), followed - I hear from a psychic - a Spanish flu epidemic that will cancel the playoffs a la the 1919 Stanley Cup playoffs never happened.

To assemble the best team possible one ought to look at all eras (it'll help in the regular season rankings and simply is wise). In fact, modern NHLers is a very poor value at this point relative to other options.

 

[seventieslord]

Bill Hicke was taken by DaveG in the AAA draft.

 

[seventieslord]

Liles was due, he's the best post-expansion PP performer available. He'd be in the conversation for the best in the AA too, his numbers are basically identical to Berard's.

I know, and I still wasn't all that interested. He's still a fairly low GP, low TOI player. I couldn't justify taking him.

I know, I know, this is a recording.

There's an even worse player still out there. I say my prayers to the ATD gods nightly that no one gets any bright ideas on this guy.

Denis Herron, G

Herron may not have the best record in the world but he usually played for bad teams and his playing for those teams skewed his record.

Best goalie left, IMO.

The Cape Cod Cubs select:

center Vladimir Yurzinov

Team USSR international games: 54 / goals: 23
USSR/Russian Elite League games: 472 / goals: 231
Soviet League First Team All-Star: 1963
USSR (Russia) Hall of Fame: 1963
IIHF Hall of Fame: 2002
GOLD 1963 World Championships
GOLD 1969 World Championships
BRONZE 1961 World Championships

Yurzinov had a career of a solid technically savvy elite center. After 15 seasons with the Dynamo Moscow, he managed to set up his team's all time scoring record, to win gold medals with the Team USSR at the world championships and established a reputation of one of the best Russian forwards of the 1960s.

3rd, 4th, 10th in his best seasons in the soviet league, in case you're wondering. 18 points in 12 international games. 12 of them came in the 1963 worlds. Tied for 1st in that tournament with four other players.

 

[seventieslord]

I'll just grab Alf Smith, Coach and, luckily, Tom Cook, C.

Smith won everywhere he went and had an excellent all-around record spanning decades.

Cook was pretty much a standout among available pre-expansion centers. The post-expansion field is really weak, nothing in the WHA, international centers are underwhelming... anyway, yeah. Cook's best 6 seasons by VsX add up to 313, which not even a post-expansion available player can touch. If I didn't just realize Cook was out there... I shudder at what I'd have been left with for a scoring center. What? I still need to take another one? Oh ****.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Brandon Dubinsky C/LW

Career
- 53% on the faceoff dot
- 4 40+ Point Seasons
- 640 Hits in 456 NHL Games
- 258 Points in 456 Games
- 13 Points in 10 WC Games
- NHL YoungStars Roster 07/08
- World Championship Best Face-Off Percentage 09/10
- World Championship Top 3 Player on Team 09/10

Is defensively responsible and a capable two-way forward. Scores big goals and does whatever his team needs to win. Has leadership qualities and decent size. Can play center and wing.

http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?4407

Dubinsky, who led the team in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54) during the regular season, hadn't scored since April 4. So the 24-year-old couldn't have picked a better time to come out of his scoring slump.

"Dubi is a very important guy for us," head coach John Tortorella said. "Not just to score a goal, but he did a lot of dirty stuff, too. He made a lot of big plays defensively and also forechecking. Hopefully that will continue."

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/news/story?id=6378315

As we start to make the case for Dubi to fill the vacancy, it certainly sounds like he wants to be the captain. In my opinion, a captain should be willing to play anyone, anywhere and never whine and moan about playing time, the coaching staff’s decisions or even the pre-game meal selections. His comments to BlueJackets.com this week illustrate this perfectly:

"My objective is to get myself prepared to be the best player I can be at the start of the season. I don’t care if it’s Marian Gaborik or if it’s anybody else; whoever the coaches see me best fit to play with is who I’ll play with. You have to let your play speak for itself as far as how much ice time you gather, and who you’re going to play with." (Dubinsky is being quoted)

http://thehockeywriters.com/brandon-dubinsky-next-blue-jackets-captain/

Coach XXX praised Dubinsky’s commitment to his style of play, and on not trying to change his approach to fit in with Jagr:

”Brandon plays his game. He’s a big, strong kid who is only going to get bigger and stronger. And he’s unflappable when it comes to the movement of the puck, where it has to go.”

http://thehockeywriters.com/brandon-dubinsky-from-blueshirt-to-blue-jacket/

He went on to finish the season with 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points and 79 PIM. In ten playoff games, a first-round defeat of the Devils followed by a second-round loss to the Penguins, Dubinsky netted four goals and four assists. Dubinsky was awarded the Rangers’ Steven McDonald Extra Effort award, as voted by the fans, and the Rangers’ Rookie of the Year, as voted by his teammates. Dubinsky also garnered consideration for the Calder Trophy, where he finished tenth in voting.

http://thehockeywriters.com/brandon-dubinsky-from-blueshirt-to-blue-jacket/

While he never really sparked offensively, Dubinsky did play a solid, hard-checking, defensively-responsible game.

http://thehockeywriters.com/brandon-dubinsky-from-blueshirt-to-blue-jacket/

Frank St. Marseille, RW

- Stanley Cup Finalist (1968, 1969, 1970)
- 45 pts in 62 playoff games as a St. Louis Blue; this record stood for over a decade until bernie Federko topped him; he is still 6th all-time
- Five 50+ point seasons

Link to seventieslord's old bio

 

[BubbaBoot]

The Cape Cod Cubs select hard hitting defenseman Josef Horesovsky

1x Olympic Silver Medal 67/68
1x Olympic Bronze Medal 71/72
1x World Championships Gold Medal 71/72
1x World Championships Silver Medal 70/71
3x World Championships Bronze Medal 72/73, 68/69, 69/70
1x World Championships Best Defenseman 67/68
Scored 23 goals in 152 games for Czechoslovakia.
IIHF WC All Stars '68

One of the strongest defensemen in Czechoslovakian hockey. Was a physical player, a hard-hitter with a wickedly strong shot on goal.
Czech League Gold '70, '71. Scored 83 goals in 514 games.

 

[BubbaBoot]

3rd, 4th, 10th in his best seasons in the soviet league, in case you're wondering. 18 points in 12 international games. 12 of them came in the 1963 worlds. Tied for 1st in that tournament with four other players.

I've managed to pick Yurzinov as both a player and a coach.

 

[tony d]

I dont know when ill get to pick. Power is gone all over newfoundlans and because its gone so is my draft list which is on my computer. Im hopingpower will be back soon but noone knows. Will pick as soon as power comes back

 

[seventieslord]

The Cape Cod Cubs select hard hitting defenseman Josef Horesovsky

And after reading seventies post last night I'm going to defer my original pick and go with center Mark Johnson ....there aren't a whole lot of NHLers with over 200 career goals scored left around, nevermind a center who can also play on both special teams.

Johnson went late in the AAA.

I'm usually pretty critical of him as a selection. He'd have looked excellent right now though.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

I know, and I still wasn't all that interested. He's still a fairly low GP, low TOI player. I couldn't justify taking him.

I know, I know, this is a recording.

There's an even worse player still out there. I say my prayers to the ATD gods nightly that no one gets any bright ideas on this guy.

If there was an assassination period in the AA it'd really drive home how many bad PP defensemen there are on our units. I think being one of, if not the best at it, as a defenseman really has a value by now even if the rest of your resume isn't anything great.

 

[seventieslord]

If there was an assassination period in the AA it'd really drive home how many bad PP defensemen there are on our units. I think being one of, if not the best at it, as a defenseman really has a value by now even if the rest of your resume isn't anything great.

I know, but remember with the elite players gone, PP scoring among the remaining players is almost directly proportional to opportunity anyway.

So if Liles has twice as many points than another guy because he had twice as much opportunity, how much more credit do we give him? Some, I agree, but not twice as much or even close.

 

[chaosrevolver]

I'm out of the hospital, and will make my picks soon.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I'm out of the hospital, and will make my picks soon.

Hope everything is okay.

 

[chaosrevolver]

With my six picks that have to be made, I will select:

LW - Errol Thompson

A speedy left-winger with a blazing shot, Errol Thompson played nearly 600 NHL games in the 1970s and '80s. He was a good-natured competitor whose skill allowed him to hit the 20-goal mark six times in his career.
Born in Summerside, P.E.I., Thompson excelled with the Halifax Canadians of the NSJHL. He was taken 22nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 1970 Amateur Draft after a solid year of senior hockey with the Charlottetown Royals. Thompson spent the majority of his first two pro seasons with the CHL's Tulsa Oilers.

The speedy winger scored 13 goals for the weak Maple Leafs in 1972-73. He was a part time player the next season but began to realize his potential with 25 goals in 1974-75. The next season, Thompson scored 43 goals while forming an explosive line with Darryl Siitler and Lanny McDonald. The trio became well known throughout North America after Sittler set an NHL record with ten points in one game on February 7, 1976.

After breaking his arm in 1976-77, Thompson missed one third of the season but still managed 21 goals. The next year he saw less ice time under Roger Neilson and was sent to the Detroit Red Wings for grinder Dan Maloney. Thompson hit the 20-goal mark for Detroit in 1978-79 and notched 34 goals the next season. He split the 1980-81 season between the Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins before retiring.

D - Aaron Miller

677 Games Played
19:57 TOI Per Game
21:27 TOI Per Playoff Game (80 GP)

In January 1991, the young rearguard was sent to the Quebec Nordiques as part of the package for veteran Joe Cirella. Miller spent the majority of his first three pro seasons learning the ropes with the AHL's Cornwall Aces. He looked solid in 56 games as a rookie with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996-97 and helped the team reach the Western Conference final.

Miller's solid play helped Colorado stay among the NHL's elite and maintain its stellar goals against record. In March 2001, the Los Angeles Kings insisted that he be included in the deal that sent all-star Rob Blake to the Avalanche. A rugged stay-at-home defenceman by nature, Miller has been hampered by injuries since his arrival with the Kings. However, in 2004 the former UVM star defenseman helped the United States capture the bronze medal at the World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic.

In the 2006-07 season, Miller made a healthy return to the Kings line-up and appeared in all 82 games of the club's regular season. In the summer of 2007, Miller's stint would come to an end after the Vancouver Canucks signed him as a free agent.

Aside from his World Championship appearance in 2004, Miller returned to the Worlds in 2005 and has gone on to represent his homeland at the World Junior Championships (1991), the Winter Olympics (2002) and the World Cup of Hockey (2004).

Miller and Housley drew high praise from (Herb) Brooks...Brooks added Miller "grows on you." "He's not going to blow you out of your seat, but he has very, very good mobility. He skates very well and he's smart."

Miller, 35, is in his sixth season in Los Angeles and 13th in the NHL, having previously played for Colorado/Quebec. While with the Kings, he has won several awards, including being named the club’s Unsung Hero (as voted by the Kings players) and Outstanding Defenseman and Best Defensive Player.

Aaron Miller, 33, Los Angeles Kings: A dependable stay-at-home defender and great team guy.

D - Dan McGillis

634 GP
20:11 TOI Per Game

Dan McGillis kind of flew under the radar for a long time, but he had a pretty good career. Available icetime numbers show him to be a #3 defenseman for most of his career, usually on pretty good teams like the Flyers. McGillis led the league in hits one season, and when he got PP time, he proved his worth in the offensive zone by finishing in the top-15 among defensemen in points twice. He had good size – 6’3â€, 220 lbs – and liked to use it. He was even 14th in Norris voting in 2001. In many ways he was a poor man’s Robert Svehla – just as physical, a little bigger, but not as good or consistent offensively.

D/RW - Lou Nanne

Regina selects D/RW Lou Nanne. Nanne was probably taken too early in the past but now I think he’s fallen even beyond where he should. Nanne was perhaps hockey’s last true switch hitter, who went from forward to D on a pretty regular basis.

Nanne was primarily a defenseman but for the 1972 and 1973 seasons was considered a winger. In the seasons that he was primarily a defenseman, Nanne averaged about 19.32 minutes a game. As a forward, he averaged 42 points a season. Because neither season was entirely black or white, there is bound to be some overlap there.

Nanne was said to have “made shot blocking an artâ€. I like Nanne as a spare because, primarily, he can fill in on the wing if need be, but also because of his shot blocking. Reason? I have Garth Boesch, one of hockey’s all-time great shot blocking specialists. Boesch’s flaw is that he had a short career. In an all-time context, that may manifest itself in the form of injuries or inconsistency. Nanne will always be there to step in, in case of that.

started career as a defenseman but moved to RW last year and flourished there... captained US Olympic hockey team in 1968... effective checker and was first moved up because of his ability in that department... but he turned into a pretty good scorer too... very popular player with fans... versatile... was voted club's top blueliner two years ago... one of North Stars' most popular players... also plays some RW... good team man adept at killing penalties of motivating sluggish PP...

C - Gavin Kirk

Gavin Kirk, C.

Kirk never played in the NHL but was a very good WHA player for 422 games, scoring a decent 359 points. Although his offense is decent, he is being drafted for his other skills. In a poll of WHA correspondents in 1974, Kirk was voted the league's 3rd best defensive forward (behind Mark Howe and Rejean Houle, tied with Val Fonteyne), 3rd best penalty killer (behind Gordie Howe) and 5th best on faceoffs.

Outside of Wayne Carleton, Kirk is probably the most valuable asset the Toros own... could develop into a superstar... so very typical of the players Buck Houle thought would lead this franchise to glory - hard-working center who knows how to win... good at winning faceoffs... faceoff whiz... said to be as handy, if not handier, than Houston's Larry Lund at winning faceoffs... has never missed a regular season game... excels in the faceoff circle...sound player... a hard worker... one of the better faceoff men who has ever played in the league...

Having run some numbers on a variety of WHA stars who also played a good number of NHL games, the fair "exchange rate" for offense is about 0.70. Imagine Kirk was a very good defensive forward who could put up about 251 points in 421 NHL games.

C - Travis Green

970 NHL Games, 455 Points
3 20+ Goal Seasons
1 70+ Point Season
2 60+ Point Seasons
5 40+ Point Seasons

Green went on to play nearly six full seasons with the Islanders as they suffered through several rebuilding years in the late 90s. Still, he was one of the team's most versatile performers while topping the 20-goal mark twice. In February, 1998 he was traded to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and registered 16 points in the last 22 games of the season. Green was used in a variety of situations in 1998-99 and helped the Ducks reach the playoffs. Following the season he was sent to the Phoenix Coyotes for offensive blueliner Oleg Tverdosky. Green matched his career high with 25 goals in 1999-00 but his play sagged the next season along with his team's fortunes.

 

[chaosrevolver]

Hope everything is okay.

It's fine. Just had a bad reaction to something I ate.

Would have picked last night but I was just exhausted.

 

[BubbaBoot]

Johnson went late in the AAA.

I'm usually pretty critical of him as a selection. He'd have looked excellent right now though.

Damn, I mustve done at least a half dozen searches.....how did I miss him?

 

[Rob Scuderi]

I know, but remember with the elite players gone, PP scoring among the remaining players is almost directly proportional to opportunity anyway.

So if Liles has twice as many points than another guy because he had twice as much opportunity, how much more credit do we give him? Some, I agree, but not twice as much or even close.

Thing is we have numbers that directly show how much opportunity they had. Liles has the second highest usage of the 10 best AA defensemen, but it's not it's not remotely close to twice as much usage as the other elite PP guys.

I don't feel like doing the work, but wouldn't a 6 best seasons look make the usage closer too considering Liles's short career?

Top 10 drafted AA defensemen according to adjusted PP points, Liles would slot in second.

|GP|Career $PPP|$PPP/S|Usage|+/- League average
Bryan Berard|619|167|22|65%|-9%
J-M Liles|621|163|21|63%|-3%
Filip Kuba|836|154|15|50%|-11%
Jeff Norton|799|147|14|52%|-5%
Mike McEwen|716|141|16|50%|+0%
Joni Pitkanen|535|116|17|61%|-5%
Rick Lanz|569|114|16|53%|-9%
Shawn Chambers|625|99|12|41%|-16%
Willie Huber|655|94|11|51%|-18%
Todd Gill|1007|90|7|25%|-2%
Joe Cirella|828|71|7|29%|-22%

 

[BubbaBoot]

Johnson went late in the AAA.

I'm usually pretty critical of him as a selection. He'd have looked excellent right now though.

All right, repicking for defenseman Tommy Albelin

- NHL Stanley Cup Champion 94/95, 02/03
- Elitserien Champion 82/83
- Elitserien SM-silver Medal 84/85
- World Championship Gold Medal 86/87
- World Championship Silver Medal 85/86, 96/97
- Canada Cup Bronze 86/87
- World Cup Bronze 95/96
- Sweden World All-Star Team: 1986-87 (Stockholm Djugrarden), 1996-97 (Calgary)
- New Jersey Delano Award (Unsung Hero): 94/95

NHL 952 games / 44 goals / 211 assists / 255 points / +52 / 417 PIMs / 16 PP goals / 3 SH goals
SEL 149 games / 30 goals / 30 assists / 60 points / 120 PIMs
WCs 48 games / 6 goals / 10 assists / 16 points / 44 PIMs