HockeyGuy1011 said:
if you could have either crosby or ovechkin on your team, who would you rather have? some people will immediately say crosby, but think about it...crosby seems better but who would YOU rather have on a team?
also, where do you think each will go? we might have to think ahead for crosby but it might be easy to determine ovechkin now. id say either pittsburgh, colobus, washington, or florida for ovechkin
i dont really know about crosby, but maybe chicago, anaheim, or washington
THERE IS A CHANCE THAT ONE BOTTOM 4 FINISHER THIS SEASON (2003/04) COULD END UP WITH BOTH OF THEM ......ie. 2 lotto wins in the 2004 and 2005 drafts ....assuming the NHL is out the ENTIRE 2004/05 season over the CBA issue,the 2005 draft IF still held in June 2005 will revert to placings of 2003/04 + a new lotto in the 2005 draft...
IF there is no draft in 2005 and the NHL is out a 2nd ENTIRE season in 2005/06 but the CBA is signed before the normal June draft time--then
A COMBINED 2005+2006 draft will be held in June 2006 --reverting toplacing of 2003/04 + a new lotto (so in this case one of the bottom 4 finishers of 2003/04 still could win CROSBY in the lotto --unless they would rather have the consensus 2006 top overall candidate had that been a separate draft ranking --in which case the non-lotto winner of lowest finish would take CROSBY) ......ALTERNATIVELY --if only a partial season is played in 2004/05 --obviously there will be a new crop of BOTTOM 4 finishers for the lotto of the 2005 draft.....OTHER ALTERNATIVE = a new CBA eliminates the draft altogether = a FREE MARKET --but subject to CAP ROOM for all signings --IN THIS SCENARIO --the 2004 draft could be the last one OR also the 2005
and 2006 drafts are possibly the last ones depending on WHEN the new CBA is signed and WHETHER they still held drafts prior to sugning the new CBA......
In summary--there is A CHANCE that a bottom 4 finisher from this season (2003/04) MIGHT get lucky enough to win 2 straight lotteries
and thus get BOTH OVECHKIN and CROSBY........there is also a chance CROSBY could be subject to a market free for all --SUBJECT TO CAP ROOM if the new CBA gets rid of the draft.....
All the above assumes that the team or teams getting the chance to select OVECHKIN or CROSBY do not TRADE DOWN for players+ picks ...
All the above also assumes that no BOTTOM 4 FINISHER of 2003/04
folds the franchise before the 2004,2005 (or possibly 2005+2006 combo draft) should the drafts all be held...ie. should PIT be a bottom 4 this season ---then the NHL not play in 2004/05 ---can MARIO hold on if 2005/06 is still up in the air in terms of no new CBA in place? THUS should say PIT drop out of the NHL and if it was a bottom 4 this season--then the 5th lowest finisher would take its place as one of 4 lottery picks to possibly move up to grab the #1 overall --and so on...
FINALLY--there is also the possibility the new CBA will keep the draft but CHOP off several franchises (ie...30 teams down to 24?) ....IF in this scenario--some of the chopees are bottom 4 this season they would be replaced with the next lower finisher still in the NHL in the lottey scenario of 4 with a chance for the #1 overall...who might be a chopee? PIT (Mario has money/attendance problems) WASH (Leonsis has lost $100,000 so far on the CAPS --will he hold through to a new CBA?) Columbus =NO ..attendance is good/great market for hockey...CHI (attendance is bad--but WIRTZ owns building with no money owing --might sell if new CBA not to his liking--but as an original six,this franchise stays) ... you can suggest some other chopees but maybe they won't be a bootom 4-6 this season...
All I know is this ---CHI has a good chance at a bottom 4 finish as it looks right now--but if DAze and Zhamnov and some others return frominjury perhaps they will rise enough not to be in this privileged group of bottom 4 by season's end---of course with the curse that plagues Mr. wirtz' franchise,even a bvottom 4 finish will not guarantee getting
either one of OVECHKIN or CROSBY to Chicago--rather probably some lucky team gets both--yes I can see it now ---"your Columbus Blue Jackets are pleased as punch to announce......."(and they already have NASH --not to mention they got FRITSCHE with the pick CHI gave them for ODELEIN) ...oh the slings and arrows that cursed fate can throw at you to dash your hopes and uplift your enemies!
