2005 DRAFT:DEPTH & TALENT ?

[chuckie]

Just wondering what peoples opinion's are on this years draft. After seeing the mid term rankings, this draft seems to be all over the place. Is this draft weak? After crosby it seems to really drop off , and there is no clear cut number 2. The european skaters don't look as strong this year as well, plus the north american skaters aren't exactly screaming franchise or star players other than crosby. To me I don't see too much depth this year........any thoughts....

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[J17 Vs Proclamation]

Just wondering what peoples opinion's are on this years draft. After seeing the mid term rankings, this draft seems to be all over the place. Is this draft weak? After crosby it seems to really drop off , and there is no clear cut number 2. The european skaters don't look as strong this year as well, plus the north american skaters aren't exactly screaming franchise or star players other than crosby. To me I don't see too much depth this year........any thoughts....

The draft is pretty strong. There is no concensus #2 because there a several potential guys who could take that spot. Really only 2003 was stronger in recent years and this draft has higher end talent. Sure it aient strong for europeans but that does happen. Last year it was a weak draft for north america.
What do you mean it is all over the place?

There are franchise/star players outside Crosby. Brule and Johnson both have it and several other guys do to. This draft is very good.

 

[hfboardsuser]

I've heard a lot of things thrown around- best draft of the new millenium, best draft since '90, etc. It's going to be hard for a lot of us to objective about this, both because of the hype surrounding a lot of guys now and the success enjoyed by the class of '03. In particular, while most of us are above the stage where we say things like "OMG Everyone on the WJC Team Canada is headed for the Hall!!11!!1", it's definitely hard to argue against the 2003 picks that were on that team going pro (Perry, Stewart, Richards, Getzlaf, Carter, Phaneuf, Coburn, Seabrooke, Bergeron, Colliton, Fraser, Beauchemin, Belles, Dawes, MacArthur, Dixon). As of right now, it looks like this draft will not beat 2003.

But that could change- while I've not seen most of them play, it seems like there are only one or two question marks amongst the forwards slated for the first round. Crosby, Brule, Ryan, Pouliot, Bourret, Zagrapan, Durand, Cogliano, Bertram, O'Marra, Bergfors, Stoa, Skille and Setoguchi haven't been victim to the murmurs we hear about draft picks (Schremp, O'Sullivan). On the flipside, the defensive depth isn't great. After Johnson, there's a mix bag- Lee, Kindl, Syvert, Staal, Laakso, Lashoff, Bourdon. The bluechip goalies are good, but in short supply- Vincent, Rask, Price, Lavasseur.

 

[Erack82]

My instincts tell me that this will not be a very strong draft year, besides the phenom Crosby and a few other very good prospects, I think in terms of depth, I really don't see this being a very good draft. Time will tell though.

 

[Epsilon]

Besides Crosby, the 2006 draft looks way better than this one in terms of top end talent.

 

[Hiishawk]

Besides Crosby, the 2006 draft looks way better than this one in terms of top end talent.

It always does. Last year at this time people were saying, "Wait until 2005 when Crosby, Brule and Latendresse are coming out!".
One good thing about this year's crop so far is that no one has really had a big drop-off so far (OK maybe Ryan Mior- and Kindl/Latendresse are on the bubble). The lack of top-end Russian talent is a disappointment but let's wait until a few more int'l tournaments have passed.

On the plus side, several new names have edged their way into the upper echelons (Pouliot, Bourret, Stoa, Skille, McArdle). In short, there is a nice top end AND it's quite deep. There are about 50 players who could match last year's top 30.

I'd say it's in the top 25% of draft classes. So was 2003. 2006 depth is still uncertain despite the Kessel-Frolik-Joensuu trio.

 

[Form and Substance]

The first 2 rounds are pretty solid to me, the NA class of this year is unbelievable, the european class is pretty weak save for the Finns who always produce a couple of blue-chippers every year.

 

[pei fan]

It always does. Last year at this time people were saying, "Wait until 2005 when Crosby, Brule and Latendresse are coming out!".
One good thing about this year's crop so far is that no one has really had a big drop-off so far (OK maybe Ryan Mior- and Kindl/Latendresse are on the bubble). The lack of top-end Russian talent is a disappointment but let's wait until a few more int'l tournaments have passed.

On the plus side, several new names have edged their way into the upper echelons (Pouliot, Bourret, Stoa, Skille, McArdle). In short, there is a nice top end AND it's quite deep. There are about 50 players who could match last year's top 30.

I'd say it's in the top 25% of draft classes. So was 2003. 2006 depth is still uncertain despite the Kessel-Frolik-Joensuu trio.

Add Bobby Ryan to that list.Also at the start of the year Zagrapan was not on
any top 30 lists.

 

[pei fan]

I wonder if maybe there is so much attention on N.A. players that some Europeans
are being overlooked.Sergei Shirokov was nowhere on the radar and then he pulls
off a pretty good performance at world juniors.

 

[Anthony Mauro]

Add Bobby Ryan to that list.Also at the start of the year Zagrapan was not on
any top 30 lists.

IDK about others, but Zagrapan was on mine after he had a great U-18 as a 16 year old last year.

 

[markov`]

It always does. Last year at this time people were saying, "Wait until 2005 when Crosby, Brule and Latendresse are coming out!".
One good thing about this year's crop so far is that no one has really had a big drop-off so far (OK maybe Ryan Mior- and Kindl/Latendresse are on the bubble). The lack of top-end Russian talent is a disappointment but let's wait until a few more int'l tournaments have passed.

On the plus side, several new names have edged their way into the upper echelons (Pouliot, Bourret, Stoa, Skille, McArdle). In short, there is a nice top end AND it's quite deep. There are about 50 players who could match last year's top 30.

I'd say it's in the top 25% of draft classes. So was 2003. 2006 depth is still uncertain despite the Kessel-Frolik-Joensuu trio.

Exactly.

 

[Hiishawk]

IDK about others, but Zagrapan was on mine after he had a great U-18 as a 16 year old last year.

Agreed. Ryan and Zagrapan were in many, if not most, top 15s at the start of the season. Zagrapan was great at the under 18 worlds last year. Both, however, have moved up the charts this year, as the previous poster implies (save for CSS's curious raking of Zagrapan).

 

[AgentNaslund*]

does anyone know, or think they believe that 2005 will be better then 2004?

 

[Eb0la11]

2004 was a crap chute if you ask me. So yes 2005 will be better, almost guaranteed.

 

[God Bless Canada]

2005 looks to be an excellent year, at least for North Americans. The top-end talent appears to be higher than 2003, but the depth likely won't be as good as 2003. (But hey, what draft in recent years has been). Like 2003, it appears to be a mediocre class for Europeans. Certainly the 2005 draft (whenever it is held) will be much better than last year's draft, when you had Ovechkin, Malkin and Barker, and not much else. I'd say it'll be more like 2001, which had a lot of top-end talent, but not as much depth. (Crosby and Brule are bonafide franchise players). Mark my words, 2005 will be better than 2006.

 

[borro]

2004 was a crap chute if you ask me. So yes 2005 will be better, almost guaranteed.

I believe 2 surprising things will happen.
1. No goalie will be Top10. This is rare.
2. The talent is deeper-maybe even getting guys in Round 4, but the Top 10 does not have as many dominant players.

 

[Hiishawk]

2004 was a crap chute if you ask me. So yes 2005 will be better, almost guaranteed.

:lol If that was a Freudian slip it was a great one! :lol

 

[jojo]

2004 was a crap chute if you ask me.

Boy... I nominate this for the best unintended joke EVER to appear on these boards!

 

[rt]

Boy... I nominate this for the best unintended joke EVER to appear on these boards!

I was just going to ask that guy if it was intentional or not! CRAP CHUTE!!! :lol

 

[tuckerdomi]

I wonder if maybe there is so much attention on N.A. players that some Europeans
are being overlooked.Sergei Shirokov was nowhere on the radar and then he pulls
off a pretty good performance at world juniors.

I think Scouts have learned there lesson many times, they are smarter these days, but you still never know. The draft is a crap Shoot

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

The first 2 rounds are pretty solid to me, the NA class of this year is unbelievable, the european class is pretty weak save for the Finns who always produce a couple of blue-chippers every year.

Exactly. The US class, IMO, is very strong, relative to other years.
I'm not all that familiar with the Canadian contingent this year, but reports are that it is strong.
Sweden will have a tough year. And I'm not sold on Finland, outside of Rask.
I haven't heard a ton about Russia, so far.

 

[Vincent_TheGreat]

Just wondering what peoples opinion's are on this years draft. After seeing the mid term rankings, this draft seems to be all over the place. Is this draft weak? After crosby it seems to really drop off , and there is no clear cut number 2. The european skaters don't look as strong this year as well, plus the north american skaters aren't exactly screaming franchise or star players other than crosby. To me I don't see too much depth this year........any thoughts....

IMO Brule is the clear cut 2nd!

 

[pei fan]

I believe 2 surprising things will happen.
1. No goalie will be Top10. This is rare.
2. The talent is deeper-maybe even getting guys in Round 4, but the Top 10 does not have as many dominant players.

Actully I think it's VERY RARE for a goalie to go top ten except in recent years.

 

[Captain Conservative]

IMO Brule is the clear cut 2nd!

This statement contradicts your user title. What up with that?

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Actully I think it's VERY RARE for a goalie to go top ten except in recent years.

But wouldn't you say that recent years are the most relevant for predicting the next draft?

The last time there was no goalie taken in the top 10 was 1998. The last 6 drafts have all had one or more goalies taken in the top 10.

Given that it looks like there are several highly regarded goalies available this year I would be shocked if one didn't go in the top 10.