Winners and losers of the 1st round?

[FLYLine27*]

Winner or not....how the HELL did Cherepanov mangage to fall to us for the 17th pick???? I'll take that risk a million times in a row with the talent he has!

 

[Langway]

Reminds me of Pokoluk going in roughly the same position, a selection which has turned out pretty embarassingly for Washington.

Concussions, and the after effects thereof, certainly haven't helped his development at all. He was limited this year to all of 1 AHL game and 16 ECHL games due to injury. At 21, it's a little early to call him a bust.

 

[Phousse]

HABS blew it BIG TIME!!!

ESPOSITO IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL FRENCH PLAYERS!!!!

Habs are losers!!!

 

[knifer]

Winners include

The Rangers- This might even convince Jagr to stick around a lil longer then he would have. Lets hope he helps Cherepanov the way Lemieux used to help him.

The Blues- Adding Eller and Perron to team that already has a ton of talented young forwards . How good is this team going to look when a couple of Stempniak/Backes/Oshie/Soderberg/Berglund/Barriball mature. There has to be at least 2 stars in that group of younger players. Add that to EJ, Cole , Woywitka, Jackman and Backman in the back and things look bright in St Louis.

The Penguins- Honestly im not a fan of Esposito but i think the Penguins might have just made his career.

The Sharks- Couture and Petrecki, both should look good in Shark colours.

Congrats to the Yotes and letting Gretzky get his boy. I cant wait for the second round.

And to Oilers fan, wow, Plante at 15 was a bad move imo.

 

[Langway]

Then, to add Petrecki later in the round for some mid-round picks, they really came out well.

Two second round picks aren't exactly what you'd consider mid-round but I'd agree that the Sharks were winners. They knew who they wanted, were aggressive and got them.

St. Louis & Montreal, unsurprisingly, did well for themselves as well.

 

[smackdaddy]

I don't understand how the Oilers are considered losers, especially with Gagner. You all say that Plante would be there at 30, who the hell do you think you are stating such bullcrap as that? Are you one of those insiders who knew that he wasn't on the radar?

Anyway, nothing wrong with a big, tough mean Canadian defenseman who stands 6'5" and 225 at 18. Reminds me of the type of defenseman that won the cup this year. With all the big defenseman coming up in the Oiler farm, all I can say is they all look very mean.

Just because you watch highlights on youtube doesn't make you a scout.

 

[Tyrolean]

Winner or not....how the HELL did Cherepanov mangage to fall to us for the 17th pick???? I'll take that risk a million times in a row with the talent he has!

Rangers could be either big winners or biggest losers. In any event they got the money to buy him out if he is a bust which is why a lot of teams passed on him. Also Edmonton is a loser except for Gagne.

 

[PocketNines]

Two second round picks aren't exactly what you'd consider mid-round but I'd agree that the Sharks were winners. They knew who they wanted, were aggressive and got them.

St. Louis & Montreal, unsurprisingly, did well for themselves as well.

The Sharks also gave the Blues a 3d round pick next year. Two 2ds, a 3d, Toskala and Bell turned into Couture and Petrecki. I don't know if they had any surplus picks in 2008 stocked away but if they didn't they'll only have around pick #20 before the 4th round next year.

 

[knifer]

I don't understand how the Oilers are considered losers, especially with Gagner. You all say that Plante would be there at 30, who the hell do you think you are stating such bullcrap as that? Are you one of those insiders who knew that he wasn't on the radar?

Anyway, nothing wrong with a big, tough mean Canadian defenseman who stands 6'5" and 225 at 18. Reminds me of the type of defenseman that won the cup this year. With all the big defenseman coming up in the Oiler farm, all I can say is they all look very mean.

Just because you watch highlights on youtube doesn't make you a scout.

Gagner was a great pick, and theres nothing wrong with big Canadian defensemen, but those are usually the guys you pick up in trades for 3rd rounders for or draft yourself in the 3rd round. I just think if the Oil were going to reach then they should have done it with their later pick and then did. I just believe there were better players at 15 and ya they could have gotten Plante later.

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

The Oil could have really ended up drafting Gagner, Cherepanov, and Esposito. That would have made them clear cut winners but I dunno what they were thinkin.

 

[McXLNC97]

Gagner was a great pick, and theres nothing wrong with big Canadian defensemen, but those are usually the guys you pick up in trades for 3rd rounders for or draft yourself in the 3rd round. I just think if the Oil were going to reach then they should have done it with their later pick and then did. I just believe there were better players at 15 and ya they could have gotten Plante later.

Yeah, i didn't like the Plante pick, but there were a lot of picks all over the board in this draft, starting with Hickey at 4. The Oilers didn't have a 3rd rd pick, so they must have felt in order to get these guys, they'd better take them now. Since this is a considered a weak draft, i'm not sure they are losing much by getting rid of the 36th pick in order to jump from 30 to 21.

As for not taking Cherepanov, Lowe said it was because of the transfer agreement, and that he talked to the league and didn't hear any encouraging words from them, so he was worried about potentially having Cherepanov bolt back to the RSL in the future without an agreement giving them his rights.

 

[icandobetter]

The Sharks also gave the Blues a 3d round pick next year. Two 2ds, a 3d, Toskala and Bell turned into Couture and Petrecki. I don't know if they had any surplus picks in 2008 stocked away but if they didn't they'll only have around pick #20 before the 4th round next year.

oh dont worry about it, we got someone named Doug Wilson

 

[cheechoo train]

The Sharks also gave the Blues a 3d round pick next year. Two 2ds, a 3d, Toskala and Bell turned into Couture and Petrecki. I don't know if they had any surplus picks in 2008 stocked away but if they didn't they'll only have around pick #20 before the 4th round next year.

oh dont worry about it, we got someone named Doug Wilson

exactly. before this year we didn't have a pick before 41, or a pick at 44. we don't have that anymore, but that's not the point...

 

[PocketNines]

Heh. That would be hilarious if he could somehow keep paying it forward ad infinitum.

I loved the trade we made with you guys - worked out beautifully for us. They'd have taken Eller at 9 anyway and now will get a very solid guy at 44 and Jarmo will have his 5th pick and counting in the first three rounds next year. Love it, love it, love it.

Also the Guerin trade. That guy is a total playoff dog and it got us David Perron and Jay Barriball who will both be in our top 10 prospects in a pool that will probably be at worst 3d after the next rankings.

You guys seem happy, we're ecstatic. Win-win.

 

[codycanuck24]

Winners - New York , San Jose , Coyotes got lucky with Turris dropping to number 3
Loser - Edmonton

 

[friction]

I'm just going to defend Edmonton a little bit.

They passed on two players who ended up slipping meteorically anyway...there's obviously a reason and congrats to Pittsburgh and NYR for having the balls to do it.

Lowe got the three players they wanted, they had identified them and went out and got them. He had all three in his top 13, and I'm sure other teams' draft boards looked similarily odd. Teams' draft boards are MUCH different than any scouting agency (SEE: HICKEY)...

Oilers identified and got their three players, we'll see in two years if they are losers.

 

[Kuzmenkshow]

St. Louis, Pittsburgh, NYR the winners

Los Angeles the losers

 

[Legionnaire]

I love what San Jose did. Got a guy with great upside in Couture and a replacement for McClaren in the future in Petreki.

Like Montreal's picks. Had their guys and got em. McDounagh is going to be a stud.

Rangers How can you not like getting a top five talent at 17? Whatever issues he may have, that's huge value at that spot.

Blues work their magic again getting the sleeper in Eller and then moving up to make sure they got their other guy in Cole.

Calgary. I don't know if it was luck or what, but they were able to move down and still get a guy that could turn out to be one of the best players in the draft.

BUT THE REAL BIG WINNER IN THIS YEARS DRAFT...

Is the USNDP and the USHL. Shows what a good job they've been doing in turning USA hockey into a force to be reckoned with.

 

[BigT2002]

Minny once again disappoints me with the choices their office keeps making. A 3 spot move cost them the 42 pick and they have yet to relieve themselves of their other 7 figure netminder that needs to go away before the beginning of the season.

 

[sticknrink]

Vancouver lost huge. Backlund would've been great on the Canucks...but no, the Flames just HAD to take him :

I think overall, though, the ultimate losers of the draft will be the Thrashers, who won't end up with ANY NHL players from it, and added another 4th line scrub in Thoreburn.

Meh, Backlund really didn't show that much growth lately and that knee injury is somewhat scary. Especially with how Van's last few firsts have had very tough injuries (Allen, Bourdon) -- I like the White pick.

 

[sticknrink]

Winner is STL imo.

Eller will be the steal of this draft. He's the next Zetterberg.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

its funny all you people are on the pens bandwagon and saying how espo was a steal, he maybe, but the pens have no d, and most likey will be knocked out of the first round of the playoffs next year because they have no d, this draft had alot of young D talent, and they didnt get it

You really don't know anything about our prospects. The Pens best prospects not in the NHL are all Dmen. Letang had an awesome year and is predicted to make the Pens this year. Goligosky is another great prospect the Pens are in the middle of trying to sign. Sneep was are 2nd round pick last year and is progressing nicely, and we have Whitney on the Pens that just finished his 2nd year on the team and was in the top 10 in scoring for dmen. That is a good young group and we still have Gonchar for 3 more years and Orpik and Eaton also. The Pens will also sign a good UFA this year. The Pens real weakness as far as prospects is goal scoring wingers.

 

[bayrider]

Esposito is a perimeter player, scared of contact, with poor vision and hockey sense, selfish but an incredible skater with decent hands. What's all the fanfare about? Everyone's talking about Espo as if he's only #2 to Crosby. He'll do good given his linemates, but he'll only be as good as his linemates. He won't make them better. If he was anywhere else, like in Montreal, he'd be nowhere near as effective. Pittsburgh is the right team for him, just don't expect him to put them over the top. A steal? I think not. Let's not forget his numbers dropped in his 2nd season and was 5th in scoring on his team.

 

[cheesed-off*]

I'm just going to defend Edmonton a little bit.

They passed on two players who ended up slipping meteorically anyway...there's obviously a reason and congrats to Pittsburgh and NYR for having the balls to do it.

Lowe got the three players they wanted, they had identified them and went out and got them. He had all three in his top 13, and I'm sure other teams' draft boards looked similarily odd. Teams' draft boards are MUCH different than any scouting agency (SEE: HICKEY)...

Oilers identified and got their three players, we'll see in two years if they are losers.

I agree. I'm amazed at how much everyone here claims to know. They can't possibly have spent as much time reviewing all the players as a paid scout. Add in the fact that no one here, no one, participated in any interviews. The Oilers are big believers in bloodlines, and it seems a whole bunch of other factors that should be considered.

 

[Randall Graves*]

San Jose is a big winner, they go from no firsts to getting Couture and Petrecki AND they find someone dumb enough to take Mark Bell.