2002 First round draft pick rankings

SeLaine

Registered User
May 26, 2004
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This is how I would redo round 1:

1. Kari Lehtonen
2. Rick Nash
3. Jay Bouwmeester
4. Joni Pitkanen
5.Cam Ward
6.Ryan Whitney
7.Joffrey Lupul
8.Alex Semin
9.Keith Ballard
10.P.M. Bouchard
11.Chris Higgins
12.Alex Steen
13. Hannu Toivonen
14. Steve Eminger
15. Scottie Upshall
16.Sean Bergenheim
17.Eric Nystrom
18.Dan Paille
19.Denis Grebeshkov
20.Boyd Gordon
21.Jakub Klepis
22.Anton Babchuk
23.Jakub Koreis
24.Ben Eager
25.Mike Morris
26.Jesse Niinimaki
27.Petr Taticek
28.Martin Vagner
 

417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
27,464
Ottawa
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
1 Columbus Rick Nash
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
13 Washington Alexander Semin
25 Carolina Cam Ward
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
14 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
12 Washington Steve Eminger
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
30 Atlanta Jim Slater
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
27 San Jose Mike Morris
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
9 Florida Petr Taticek
26 Dallas Martin Vagner
 

Freaky Habs Fan

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Apr 26, 2003
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This would be my top 10

1. Lehtonen - Will be one of the best goaltender in the NHL...injury prone tho...
2. Nash - Pure goalscorer...not really a power foward, but a good scorer...injury prone too
3. Pitkanen - offers more than Bouwmeester...
4. Bouwmeester - safe defenceman...will not put up as many points as I was thinking...
5. Higgins - for his overall play...might put less points than the others, but could win the selke...
6. Lupul - A good goalscorer can't be a bad thing...
7. Whitney - Will be a good two way defenceman...not flashy, but good...
8. Steen - Kind of another Higgins...
9. Bouchard - Assist man...will not score much, but he'll rack-up the assists...
10.Semin - Jaw dropping goals, but might not be consistent...you know what you get tho...

Not far behind:

Ward - His playoff run isn't enough for me...he may be overrated...
Toivonen - Would like to see him staying healty...
Ballard - He's good, but the other guys are better...

***Note that some players are ahead in their development...that's why Higgins in front of Lupul isn't crazy IMO...
 

Sting

Registered User
Feb 8, 2004
7,902
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5. Higgins - for his overall play...might put less points than the others, but could win the selke...

Ward - His playoff run isn't enough for me...he may be overrated...

Ward is overrated, yet Higgins at 5 is perfectly fine. :biglaugh:
 

WILDTATE10

Registered User
Jul 24, 2005
2,131
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What do you guys think of PM Bouchard...how has he performed this year?? Is he still worthy of that high a draft position??

He lookes amazing. EVery year he takes huge steps forward. I think he has looked like are best player this year and it would not suprise me if he turned into a better player then Gaborik. He is only 22.

No way in hell should he be any lower. If anything he should be higher. Any one who thinks hes droped hasnt seen him play.
 

Redwingsfan

Global Moderator
Jul 15, 2006
20,370
187
Jay Bouwmeester? Bouwmeester is a #1 Dman, and how people rank Higgins, Steen, Ward, Lupul and Whitney over him is beyond me. It is ridiculous how underated he is on here now. I'd take most of the guys listed above over Ward too, one playoff run can sure make a guy overated.

dont worry man. i just put a list together of the top of my head. just to be an *** to the higgins guy. kind of forgot bouwmeester along the way. here is my real top 30.

1. rick nash
2. kari lehtonen
3. joni pitkanen
4. jay bouwmeester
5. alexander semin
6. cam ward
7. ryan whitney
8. joffrey lupul
9. pierre-marc bouchard
10.chris higgins
11.alexander steen
12.hannu toivonen
13.keith ballard
14.steve eminger
15.scottie upshall
16.anton babchuk
17.jim slater
18.sean bergenheim
19.denis grebeshkov
20.jakub klepis
21.jesse niinimaki
22.ben eager
23.boyd gordon
24.eric nystrom
25.daniel paille
26.mike morris
27.petr taticek
28.jakub koreis
29.martin vagner
30.jonas johansson
 

Redwingsfan

Global Moderator
Jul 15, 2006
20,370
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Can't you accept the fact that he feels strongly about Higgins and thinks he should be ranked ahead of the players he mentionned?:dunno:

no because everyone who is not a habs homer has him around 9-12.
 

habsfan44

Registered User
Jul 26, 2006
1,522
386
Rank the following draft picks from the 2002 entry draft. Who's higher on your list? Who's lower? Here's the list:

1 Columbus Rick Nash
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
9 Florida Petr Taticek
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
12 Washington Steve Eminger
13 Washington Alexander Semin
14 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
25 Carolina Cam Ward
26 Dallas Martin Vagner
27 San Jose Mike Morris
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
30 Atlanta Jim Slater
if that draft were done today higgins , steen and ward would go much higher .
 

Redwingsfan

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Jul 15, 2006
20,370
187
Always the same response huh? Ya we see its a hab fan..he's happy with Higgins, but your always just waiting for a Hab fan to write something about their own players so you can jump on it...give it a rest...we all know habs fans overate their players sometimes, big deal...live with it. Don't waste your energy baiting them back..and ya I realize I've responded to a couple of your posts but its because your always jumping on Habs fans..there's a lot of them and your fighting a losing battle...Write something contructive next time instead of typing the obvious sarcastic remarks that everybody is thinking..

someone has to take the battle. i just want one of you to turn off your freakin homer switch for one post and realize that higgins is not top 5 in this draft. no way. i agrre that he is a good player and i like him a lot to. but habs fans are complaining that he is not top 5 when most guys have changed he's ranking from 14 to around 9-12. moving up 2-5 spots that high is very good and it shows that people think highly of him. i just dont understand why they have to point out their own player in every singel one of these threads. it is allowed to give credit to other players to. adn they never ever do. its all about the habs every time and people are getting tired of it. people are probably getting tired of me complaining aswell, but thats fine. im just trying to get some of you to understand that the habs is not the only team with good players.
 

Anksun

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Dec 13, 2002
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someone has to take the battle. i just want one of you to turn off your freakin homer switch for one post and realize that higgins is not top 5 in this draft. no way. i agrre that he is a good player and i like him a lot to. but habs fans are complaining that he is not top 5 when most guys have changed he's ranking from 14 to around 9-12. moving up 2-5 spots that high is very good and it shows that people think highly of him. i just dont understand why they have to point out their own player in every singel one of these threads. it is allowed to give credit to other players to. adn they never ever do. its all about the habs every time and people are getting tired of it. people are probably getting tired of me complaining aswell, but thats fine. im just trying to get some of you to understand that the habs is not the only team with good players.

I would say you are right generally speaking. Problem is, this is not the right thread to claim this imo.

Higgins at 9 right now is safe. Because most people havent see him play this year yet... By the end of the year, he's going to be list at 5-6 on that list.

I was myself expecting him to be a 20 goals scorer, and that was after his late surge last year. He proved me 100% wrong this year.

He's getting a lot of Pk and PP time this year and WILL (i'm NOT saying "could", you can quote me all over the board if you want) score 30+ goals this season. And that's a very very defensive opinion. Which mean you are looking at a player who is in every top-12 list because of two way plays, but he will actually be an offensive force.

By the end of the year, he will be top 8 on that list, surpassing Bouchard and Lupul in most people opinion.

Mind you, it's coming from someone who have taken Lupul in his pool this year and have pass over Higgins a few time too much. :banghead:
 

Redwingsfan

Global Moderator
Jul 15, 2006
20,370
187
I would say you are right generally speaking. Problem is, this is not the right thread to claim this imo.

Higgins at 9 right now is safe. Because most people havent see him play this year yet... By the end of the year, he's going to be list at 5-6 on that list.

I was myself expecting him to be a 20 goals scorer, and that was after his late surge last year. He proved me 100% wrong this year.

He's getting a lot of Pk and PP time this year and WILL (i'm NOT saying "could", you can quote me all over the board if you want) score 30+ goals this season. And that's a very very defensive opinion. Which mean you are looking at a player who is in every top-12 list because of two way plays, but he will actually be an offensive force.

By the end of the year, he will be top 8 on that list, surpassing Bouchard and Lupul in most people opinion.

Mind you, it's coming from someone who have taken Lupul in his pool this year and have pass over Higgins a few time too much. :banghead:

i never say he cant pass them. he has a very good chanse if he keeps up he's good play. but he hasn't passed them yet. this is supposed be a list of a current ranking not the ranking in one year. if he continues to play good and play better then lupul and bouchard i will have no problems moving him up a few more spots. i hope you see my point here.:)
 

Miller Time

Registered User
Sep 16, 2004
22,838
15,038
1 Carolina Cam Ward
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
3 Columbus Rick Nash
4 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
6 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
8 Buffalo Keith Ballard
9 Washington Alexander Semin
10 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
11 Toronto Alexander Steen
12 Nashville Scottie Upshall
13 Boston Hannu Toivonen
14 Washington Steve Eminger

don't really know enough about the rest to rank them... give it a few more seasons and I think that lethonen will be #1
 

J17 Vs Proclamation

Registered User
Oct 29, 2004
8,025
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Reading.
1 Carolina Cam Ward
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
3 Columbus Rick Nash
4 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
6 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
8 Buffalo Keith Ballard
9 Washington Alexander Semin
10 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
11 Toronto Alexander Steen
12 Nashville Scottie Upshall
13 Boston Hannu Toivonen
14 Washington Steve Eminger

don't really know enough about the rest to rank them... give it a few more seasons and I think that lethonen will be #1

Ward over Lehtonen, Nash, Bouwmeester, Semin, Pitkanen? Hahah that makes me laugh.
 

Thundermare

Registered User
Aug 21, 2004
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1 Columbus Rick Nash
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
14 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
25 Carolina Cam Ward
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen

13 Washington Alexander Semin
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
12 Washington Steve Eminger
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
30 Atlanta Jim Slater

9 Florida Petr Taticek
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis

15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
27 San Jose Mike Morris
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
26 Dallas Martin Vagner
 

jay-P

Registered User
Dec 21, 2005
297
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Finland
1. Rick Nash
2. Kari Lehtonen
3. Jay Bouwmeester
4. Joni Pitkänen
5. Ryan Whitney
6. Cam Ward
7. Pierre-Marc Bouchard
8. Alexander Semin
9. Chris Higgins
10. Joffrey Lupul
11. Keith Ballard
12. Alexander Steen

13. Hannu Toivonen
14. Scottie Upshall
15. Jim Slater
16. Steve Eminger
17. Anton Babchuk

Players who are still looking to establish themselves:

18. Jakub Klepis
19. Boyd Gordon
20. Sean Bergenheim
21. Denis Grebeshkov
22. Daniel Paille
23. Eric Nystrom
24. Ben Eager

25. Mike Morris (Hasn't played in the pro level yet, hence the gap)

Busts:

26. Petr Taticek
27. Jonas Johansson
28. Jakub Koreis
29. Jesse Niinimäki
30. Martin Vagner
 

417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
27,464
Ottawa
someone has to take the battle. i just want one of you to turn off your freakin homer switch for one post and realize that higgins is not top 5 in this draft. no way. i agrre that he is a good player and i like him a lot to. but habs fans are complaining that he is not top 5 when most guys have changed he's ranking from 14 to around 9-12. moving up 2-5 spots that high is very good and it shows that people think highly of him. i just dont understand why they have to point out their own player in every singel one of these threads. it is allowed to give credit to other players to. adn they never ever do. its all about the habs every time and people are getting tired of it. people are probably getting tired of me complaining aswell, but thats fine. im just trying to get some of you to understand that the habs is not the only team with good players.

:clap: good for you, who made you HF's defender of all things Habs related?

It's almost as though you lerk the boards searching for any post Hab related, just to say that, that person's opinion is biased.

I could say something very credible like, Chris Higgins is one of the league's top two way players and future Selke trophy winner and you'll call me a homer.

Look, it's widely known here at HF that alot of Habs fans (and this is due to the amount of posters we have registered here) are over zealous in their evaluation of their players, get over it. You can find posters of every team who are over zealous if you choose to focus on that, as it seems you're doing with Habs fans.

Instead of focusing on the over zealous posters, why don't you read the posts from the more reasonable one's, cause I swear to you that some of this boards very best posters on this site are Habs fans.

You're on a very courageous crusade, and I applaud you're effort in trying to expose all Habs fans as clueless, but seriously, get over it.
 

EagleBelfour

Registered User
Jun 7, 2005
7,467
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1 Columbus Rick Nash
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
25 Carolina Cam Ward
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
13 Washington Alexander Semin
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
14 Montreal Chris Higgins
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
12 Washington Steve Eminger
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
30 Atlanta Jim Slater
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
27 San Jose Mike Morris
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
9 Florida Petr Taticek
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
26 Dallas Martin Vagner

*What's the word on Grebeshkov? Will he ever come back to North America?
 

King'sPawn

Enjoy the chaos
Jul 1, 2003
21,811
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Ward over Lehtonen, Nash, Bouwmeester, Semin, Pitkanen? Hahah that makes me laugh.

I was going to say that I'd pick a Stanley Cup winning goalie over any of these other guys. The only thing laughable is that there's only one person who agrees with me.
 

terreur

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
3,757
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Montreal
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
1 Columbus Rick Nash
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
14 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
25 Carolina Cam Ward
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
13 Washington Alexander Semin
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
12 Washington Steve Eminger
21 Chicago Anton Babchuk
30 Atlanta Jim Slater
9 Florida Petr Taticek
10 Calgary Eric Nystrom
18 Los Angeles Denis Grebeshkov
23 Phoenix Ben Eager
20 Buffalo Daniel Paille
22 NY Islanders Sean Bergenheim
17 Washington Boyd Gordon
16 Ottawa Jakub Klepis
15 Edmonton Jesse Niinimaki
19 Phoenix Jakub Koreis
27 San Jose Mike Morris
28 Colorado Jonas Johansson
26 Dallas Martin Vagner
 

Newfie Bruin

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Apr 30, 2003
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1 Columbus Rick Nash
2 Atlanta Kari Lehtonen
3 Florida Jay Bouwmeester
4 Philadelphia Joni Pitkanen
25 Carolina Cam Ward
29 Boston Hannu Toivonen
13 Washington Alexander Semin
5 Pittsburgh Ryan Whitney
7 Anaheim Joffrey Lupul
8 Minnesota Pierre-Marc Bouchard
14 Mtl. Canadiens Chris Higgins
11 Buffalo Keith Ballard
24 Toronto Alexander Steen
6 Nashville Scottie Upshall
12 Washington Steve Eminger
 

Freaky Habs Fan

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Apr 26, 2003
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i never say he cant pass them. he has a very good chanse if he keeps up he's good play. but he hasn't passed them yet. this is supposed be a list of a current ranking not the ranking in one year. if he continues to play good and play better then lupul and bouchard i will have no problems moving him up a few more spots. i hope you see my point here.:)

Really?

Rank the following draft picks from the 2002 entry draft. Who's higher on your list? Who's lower? Here's the list:

Higgins is higher on most list...where's the problem? He's one of the best habs foward, if not the best so far...why can't he be rated higher than some of the players of the 2002 draft? The thing is that Higgins will most likely bring more on the table than players like Lupul and Bouchard...that's what, IMO, give an edge to Higgins...

As for Ward overrated and Higgins at 5 is overrated, well it's only my opinion...Ward is a good goaltender, but right now, he didn't proved that he's a top 15 goaltenter in the NHL. The regular season is important too...
 

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