Which defensemen will be drafted in the top 15?

Vman

Registered User
Mar 10, 2003
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hfboards.com
Which defensemen will be drafted or most likely be drafted in the top 15 and which teams will draft them?

Any particular teams in the top 15 who are short on defence prospects and are definately looking to draft a defensemen?


1. St. Louis Blues
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Washington Capitals
5. Boston Bruins
6. Columbus Blue Jackets
7. New York Islanders
8. Phoenix Coyotes
9. Minnesota Wild
10. Florida Panthers
11. Los Angeles Kings
12. Atlanta Thrashers
13. Toronto Maple Leafs
14. Vancouver Canucks
15. Tampa Bay Lightning


Just to list a few names:

Right D
1. Erik Johnson
2. Bobby Sanguinetti
3. Ben Shutron
4. Carl Sneep
5. David Fischer

Left D
1. Nigel Williams
2. Ty Wishart
3. Mark Mitera
4. Brian Strait
5. Yuri Alexandrov
 

Hedberg

MLD Glue Guy
Jan 9, 2005
16,399
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BC, Canada
Erik Johnson, Bobby Sagiunetti, and Nigel Williams are probably the only three who will go in the top 15 (Wishart probably has an outside chance)
 

haelwho

Registered User
Mar 8, 2006
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0
Boston
I wouldn't be entirely surprised if Johnson is the only one to be honest.

BPA will most likely be forwards if the teams are going with that mentality.
 

Transported Upstater

Guest
Outside of Johnson, the only defenseman I see as very likely going in the top 15 is Bobby Sanguinetti.

Williams is a possibility.

Wishart, I think the only way he goes that high is if a team "falls in love" with him.
 

Puckhead

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Jun 13, 2004
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TransportedUpstater said:
Outside of Johnson, the only defenseman I see as very likely going in the top 15 is Bobby Sanguinetti.

Williams is a possibility.

Wishart, I think the only way he goes that high is if a team "falls in love" with him.

Johnson is a given, but I really think Sanguinetti and Williams will be taken in the top 15. Even though most teams may be shying away from picking the big guys based solely on size, I think Williams is very agile and an incredible skater for his size. Sure he has to better his game, but I really believe there is enough there to warrant a top 15 pick.
 

Transported Upstater

Guest
Puckhead said:
Johnson is a given, but I really think Sanguinetti and Williams will be taken in the top 15. Even though most teams may be shying away from picking the big guys based solely on size, I think Williams is very agile and an incredible skater for his size. Sure he has to better his game, but I really believe there is enough there to warrant a top 15 pick.


I think Williams is a wild card: He's the type of guy that you may see drafted way before his play warrants (size, skating, and because he's a defenseman).
 

Hunter74

Registered User
Sep 21, 2004
1,045
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Well since there seems to be so few quality defensemen in this draft and alot more forwards available woudl affect the defensemens value?

Maybe by skill you will only see 3 defensemen drafted in the top 15 but what happens if more than 3 teams want defensemen and dont want to risk losing the best available defensemen left and take the next best Dman despite the other forwards available??

Last years draft defensemen for a moment were being picked up like nuts and some were picked higher than alot of people would of thought they would of gone. I think this was b/c some GM's felt that the defensemen they wanted wouldn't be available the next time they drafted.

So if your a team who's looking for a Dman would you pass up the opportunity to draft one that you need despite maybe a better player available at a position your organization is deep at? I guess thats the age old question draft by need or best available.
 

Lessy

Registered User
Jul 21, 2004
5,506
11
Sudbury
Johnson is a lock, Sanguinetti I would say is about 85% to go in the top 15 in my mind, Williams/Wishart have an outside chance, and I can even see Shutron getting in there. There also may be a player that someone takes that was totally off the radar that gets in there (see Pokuluk, Wheeler)
 

mazmin

Wig like a mink skin, soft like Twinkie dough
May 15, 2004
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GoBoltz56 said:
Tampa could possibly nab Vishnevskiy at 15

^ Him, Alexandrov and Fischer are the wildcards IMO.

Williams, Sanguinetti and Johnson obviously have the best odds.
 

Puckhead

Registered User
Jun 13, 2004
703
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Behind you!!!
DeuceUNO said:
Johnson is a lock

I think Wishart will go to FLA at 10

Otherwise Sanguinetti and possibly Vishnevsky.

Williams does have top 10 upside tho.

I don't really disagree wtih you, but there are players taken every year who make you scratch your head. It has little to do with whether or not you feel the guy has top 10 upside, but rather what the team choosing feels. Blake Wheeler has no business being taken top 5, but it happened, and seeing as this years crop sees a fairly big drop off after the top 6 maybe 8 picks, I expect we will see a lot of off the board type picks.
 

J17 Vs Proclamation

Registered User
Oct 29, 2004
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Puckhead said:
I don't really disagree wtih you, but there are players taken every year who make you scratch your head. It has little to do with whether or not you feel the guy has top 10 upside, but rather what the team choosing feels. Blake Wheeler has no business being taken top 5, but it happened, and seeing as this years crop sees a fairly big drop off after the top 6 maybe 8 picks, I expect we will see a lot of off the board type picks.

True, but to be honest i don't see a Wheeler happening this year (With the D that is). Forward crop is actually quite strong. EJ is lock. Sanguinetti is also very likely to go top 15. Wishart has a chance. Williams also does, i really like him. However, varying opinion on him right now so im not sure whether he will be a riser or a faller.
 

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