Top Center in this years draft list, opinions?

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punchy1

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Nov 11, 2003
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Kiwiville.
The Kings are seriously lacking any bonafide potential top line centers in their system. They had one with potential in Aulin and some, including myself feel that Cammelleri could be one but that he will likely have to play wing for the Kings to fit in with Andys system so we are looking for a true potential first line center.

After Malkin and Schremp, who do you feel in this draft have the potential to become top line centers in the NHL? I understand that some will be longer shots than others and am not looking for the best two way types necessarily though it would be nice if they had some skills in that area.

Just a top five list of this years high end first line potential centers if you have the time. Cheers.
 

leafaholix*

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I think Rostislav Olesz also plays a little centre.

Aside from Evgeny Malkin and Rob Schremp, I don't think there's another notable player with enough skill to be a top line centre. There's also Kyle Chipchura, but I doubt he has enough offensive skills to be a top line player.

Dave Bolland is listed as a centre/right wing... he has a lot of offensive upside. He's also a safer prospect then Schremp, but I honestly don't think either will be top line forwards in the NHL.

Vaclav Meidl is a big guy, 6'5, 200 pounds... playing for Plymouth of the OHL, he was ranked #10 amongst all North American prospects in January.
 

punchy1

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Kiwiville.
I have had Meidl on my list for awhile but the continual talk of his playing only when he wants to is sort of spooky.

The Kings have Dave Steckel and Brian Boyle who are both monsterous in size and who knows what will happen with their skills. I forgot to mention Olesz but even in my wildest dreams can't see him falling enough for us to be able to find a way to get him.

Bolland you say. Interesting. I have him pretty high in my mock draft as well but wonder if he has the speed and skating to be a first line pivot.

What do you think about Soderberg?
 

Blue Bullet

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This draft is fairly weak down the middle. The top 3 centers are Malkin, Olesz and Schremp.

I don't think Bolland will end up a center in the big leagues. I think the guy with the most potential is Hensick. The top European is Soderberg. There are a few Russians and one of Yunkov, Alexandrov, Plyuschev or Ogorodnikov may surprise.

Some real long shots at being 1st line centers to consider from N.A. are McGrath, Zajac, Stastny, Kolarik, Dubinsky and Porter.
 
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punchy1

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Nov 11, 2003
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Kiwiville.
Interesting. He is at the top of my second round picks. So if you were the Kings, would you trade down your 11th pick in an effort to try and get him and another asset or would you use your 11th and try and deal up if he is there in the second. The Kings have no second round pick this year and no fourth as well.

Cheers.
 

leafaholix*

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If the Kings don't take a goalie at #11 they're crazy.

I highly doubt they move the pick, it would be a very bad idea to pass on Marek Schwarz.

Consider this...

1. Washington Capitals - They won't take a goalie (Ovechkin... they have Ouellet)
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - They won't take a goalie (Malkin... they have Fleury)
3. Chicago Blackhawks - Good depth in goal with Leighton, Andersson, and Crawford.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets - They won't take a goalie (Denis & Leclaire).
5. Phoenix Coyotes - Little depth in goal... but LeNeveau is their #1 prospect.
6. NY Rangers - They won't take a goalie (Blackburn, Lundqvist, Labarbera)
7. Florida Panthers - They won't take a goalie (Luongo)
8. Carolina Hurricanes - They may look at goaltending with only Ward and Nastiuk.
9. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - They won't take a goalie (Giguere and Bryzgalov)
10. Atlanta Thrashers - Kari Lehtonen.

There will be plenty of centres available after the first round... but if you don't have a top 5 pick that you can use on Malkin or Olesz, you best take a player that will fix a big problem your organization's had for years... goaltending.

Schwarz is easily a top 10 pick... 7 of the teams ahead of L.A. have good enough goaltending that they don't need Schwarz. The 3 teams that aren't that strong are Carolina, Phoenix, and Chicago. I heard Jim Rutherford (Canes GM) say that Cam Ward was their "franchise goaltender", so that makes me think they won't take a goalie. Chicago has more problems up front then they do in net. And Phoenix has a stellar goalie in David LeNeveau... it's the depth they lack, but that can be acquired later in the draft.
 
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MOOSE55

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Leafaholix said:
If the Kings don't take a goalie at #11 they're crazy.

I highly doubt they move the pick, it would be a very bad idea to pass on Marek Schwarz.

Consider this...

1. Washington Capitals - They won't take a goalie (Ovechkin... they have Ouellet)
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - They won't take a goalie (Malkin... they have Fleury)
3. Chicago Blackhawks - Good depth in goal with Leighton, Andersson, and Crawford.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets - They won't take a goalie (Denis & Leclaire).
5. Phoenix Coyotes - Little depth in goal... but LeNeveau is their #1 prospect.
6. NY Rangers - They won't take a goalie (Blackburn, Lundqvist, Labarbera)
7. Florida Panthers - They won't take a goalie (Luongo)
8. Carolina Hurricanes - They may look at goaltending with only Ward and Nastiuk.
9. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - They won't take a goalie (Giguere and Bryzgalov)
10. Atlanta Thrashers - Kari Lehtonen.

There will be plenty of centres available after the first round... but if you don't have a top 5 pick that you can use on Malkin or Olesz, you best take a player that will fix a big problem your organization's had for years... goaltending.

Schwarz is easily a top 10 pick... 7 of the teams ahead of L.A. have good enough goaltending that they don't need Schwarz. The 3 teams that aren't that strong are Carolina, Phoenix, and Chicago. I heard Jim Rutherford (Canes GM) say that Cam Ward was their "franchise goaltender", so that makes me think they won't take a goalie. Chicago has more problems up front then they do in net. And Phoenix has a stellar goalie in David LeNeveau... it's the depth they lack, but that can be acquired later in the draft.

Nice point....The kings have dabbled with enough big centers (Stekel,Boyle) with first round picks......time to attempt to fix the spotty goaltending that has been with the Kings for years. There's likely to be 2 quality goalies (Schwarz,Montoya) left at 11 and the centers left aren't gonna be drafted to the later rounds. And no centers drafted will be of any help to the kings next year anyways. They will have like 11million or somethings without Allison and Deadmarsh's contracts......the will get help at center via free agent
 

punchy1

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Nov 11, 2003
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Kiwiville.
Right but I am not asking rather or not the Kings should take a goalie, I believe that it is possible that they should.

I am asking in case they actually do as rumoured go out and make a deal for one of the solid young and touted goalies out there wether they are prospects like Daigneult (just an example) or Miller (who it seems is falling out of favor after being benched during his AHL playoffs recently) or an established young back up who is ready to make the jump like Garon or one of the others that are likely to be available.

The Kings have several options and the most likely is that they will draft Schwarz if he is available since he plays for one of the Kings owners European teams so they have all the information they could want on him or that they will take Montoya, a player that is right out of the Dave Taylor handbook of what he likes about prospects, but, it isn't the only option and that is why I am asking about which centers would be best for their needs.

The fact that they have dabbled and don't have a top drawer center prospect at this point is the very reason to consider taking one, not a reason to stop trying. If they can pick up a guy like Garon or his type and then deal a pick to move up to take an Olesz Malkin or even Tukonen then they should, or at least that is what I were thinking.


Graham is a dandy it is true. I have to wonder if he will develope into a first liner but he sure is a good one.
 

leafaholix*

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Bruce Graham is all size... but from the bit I've seen of him, he was mobility problems.

Something like Dave Andreychuk... not quite though.
 

West

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punchy1 said:
The Kings are seriously lacking any bonafide potential top line centers in their system.

Get a time machine go back to last years draft and pick Zach Parise instead of Dustin Brown.:)

Failing that Carl Soderberg is probably your best bet this year outside the top ten and wouldn't be a reach IMO.
 

LaLaLaprise

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Feb 28, 2002
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West said:
Get a time machine go back to last years draft and pick Zach Parise instead of Dustin Brown.:)

Failing that Carl Soderberg is probably your best bet this year outside the top ten and wouldn't be a reach IMO.

And while youre at it, pick someone instead of Boyle as well.
 

punchy1

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Nov 11, 2003
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Kiwiville.
I don't know. Boyle had a fine season all things considered and while a long shot, if he pans out could redefine his position. Long shot, but not out of the question.

Still, I would rather have had us trade his pick along with the 12th to move up higher and have tried to get one of the top 5 last year or the best center available that I could have moved up to. Last year there were a number of centers all the way through. Time will tell if we did the right thing but at this point, its crickets and dirt where our elite centers sit.
 

penkil2

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Dec 5, 2003
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punchy1 said:
The Kings are seriously lacking any bonafide potential top line centers in their system. They had one with potential in Aulin and some, including myself feel that Cammelleri could be one but that he will likely have to play wing for the Kings to fit in with Andys system so we are looking for a true potential first line center.

After Malkin and Schremp, who do you feel in this draft have the potential to become top line centers in the NHL? I understand that some will be longer shots than others and am not looking for the best two way types necessarily though it would be nice if they had some skills in that area.

Just a top five list of this years high end first line potential centers if you have the time. Cheers.

I think Adam Pineault is still in the list of top prospects. He is a definite 1st line center in the years ahead.
 
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