2005 Late Round Gems?

[Michael Morbid]

The following players were all late round (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th) picks in the 2005 draft.
Most of them are either doing well this season in their junior & semi-pro leagues or had/have hype around them for whatever reason.

CENTER:
Nathan Davis, Luciano Aquino, Mathieu Aubin, Ryan Russell, Chad Rau, Nicolas Blanchard, Nathan Gerbe, Brock Bradford, Matt Watkins, Kirill Starkov, Tom Wandell, Alexander Sundstrom

LEFT WING:
P.J. Fenton, Fredrik Pettersson, Tim Kennedy

RIGHT WING:
Stanislav Lascek, Marek Kvapil, Matt D'Agostini, David Kuchejda

DEFENSE:
Brian Salcido, Patrick McNeill, Nick Tuzzolino, Andrei Zubarev, Tomas Kudelka, Andrew Thomas, Anthony Aiello, Derek Joslin, Dmitry Megalinsky, Matt Generous, Ryan McGinnis, Raymond Macias, Kyle Lawson

GOALTENDER:
Matt Keetley, Alexandre Vincent, Joseph Fallon, Alex Stalock, Tomas Popperle

If you have any information, thoughts, opinions on any of these guys, it would be appreciated.

• Who do you think has a chance of making it to the NHL?
• If you think they could make it to the NHL, what could they project as (top 6, pk, pp, grinder, starting goalie, AHL goalie, etc.)?
• Why do you think is the reason they fell in the draft or were picked so late (small size, slow, locker room cancer, unknown, etc.)?

Thanks!

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[Metallian*]

Nikolai Lemtyugov

 

[OrrNumber4]

The following players were all late round (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th) picks in the 2005 draft.
Most of them are either doing well this season in their junior & semi-pro leagues or had/have hype around them for whatever reason.

CENTER:
Nathan Davis, Luciano Aquino, Mathieu Aubin, Ryan Russell, Chad Rau, Nicolas Blanchard, Nathan Gerbe, Brock Bradford, Matt Watkins, Kirill Starkov, Tom Wandell, Alexander Sundstrom

LEFT WING:
P.J. Fenton, Fredrik Pettersson, Tim Kennedy

RIGHT WING:
Stanislav Lascek, Marek Kvapil, Matt D'Agostini, David Kuchejda

DEFENSE:
Brian Salcido, Patrick McNeill, Nick Tuzzolino, Andrei Zubarev, Tomas Kudelka, Andrew Thomas, Anthony Aiello, Derek Joslin, Dmitry Megalinsky, Matt Generous, Ryan McGinnis, Raymond Macias, Kyle Lawson

GOALTENDER:
Matt Keetley, Alexandre Vincent, Joseph Fallon, Alex Stalock, Tomas Popperle

If you have any information, thoughts, opinions on any of these guys, it would be appreciated.

• Who do you think has a chance of making it to the NHL?
• If you think they could make it to the NHL, what could they project as (top 6, pk, pp, grinder, starting goalie, AHL goalie, etc.)?
• Why do you think is the reason they fell in the draft or were picked so late (small size, slow, locker room cancer, unknown, etc.)?

Thanks!

Davies- The nice, character player who can fill any role, like Mike Morris of San Jose. Has shown an improvement statswise. Relies on his skating a bit too much. Lacks the size to play on the third line. Probably will play on the second pp unit and on the fourth line. With the right coaching (IDK about Chicago's track record), he could be a future second line winger. But probably, he will *just* become a solid NHLer. Also, Chicago better leave him in college for the full four years. No point in rushing him.

Aquino- Future Martin St. Louis? Well, maybe not, but is very, very small. 5'9 has to be too big; he looks like he is 5'6! Has speed, and has played very well this year. Is an extreme, extreme longshot to make the second line, and he will never be able to play on the third and fourth lines. Is comparable to Sharks prospect Shane Joseph without the superb work ethic. Has inconsistency problems. Like Davies, he's going to need to use up all his junior development time. Still, a good late round pick. I think there was a reason other than size as to why he slipped so low.

Aubin- Statistical improvement, and great leaps in play. Has to learn defensive responsiblity, although he has good size and could utlize it to play on the third lines. His defensive play has improved, and he needs to work on his consistency. Could totally bust, however. Maybe come to the NHL very late at 24-25, I could see him needing a long time to develop. Is shifty and deceptive on the ice.

Russell- Too small to be effective. Is a lot like Aquino. Is an extreme longshot to play on the second line, and he will never be able to play on the bottom two lines in a checking role.

Fenton- Hard work always equals success. He needs to build up his strength and become a better skater. He is already good offensively, and just needs to prove himself at the AHL level. Unlike many his age, he is committed to playing defense.

Joslin- Has improved statistically each year. As a defenseman, size may be a concern, but he has a long reach, which should help him in the corners. Is a solid two-way defenseman, but on a third-pairing level. With extreme luck, he could utilize his offensive talents to be like Tom Preissing. I'm a bit harsh on him because he is a San Jose prospect

Stalock- Talented, I guess, but I think he will be stuck in San Jose's system. I would not be surprised if San Jose traded his rights or left him unsigned. Then of course, he can become the next Miikka Kiprusoff...

I'm too tired to do the rest. I'll say that Andrew Thomas and Tim Kennedy were excellent picks, and will be solid NHLers. Kennedy needs to work on his speed, and bulk up, but he is very skilled offensively and plays with determination. He is not shy about playing at center, either. A talented forechecker, his very versatile. Thomas could become a useful depth defenseman; he is very talented defensively. Zybnek Michalek comes to mind. With four years of college, look out.

Most of the players on the list were picked low probably because of size, skating deficiency, or a severe lack of strength. Some probably just slipped under the radar.

I believe I have a friend of a friend of a friend's cousin connection with Kyle Lawson.

 

[Belizarius]

I made a good draft in my fantasy league... I have Gerbe, Fallon and Sundstrom!

 

[McDonald19]

GOALTENDER:
Matt Keetley, Alexandre Vincent, Joseph Fallon, Alex Stalock, Tomas Popperle

no mention of...Jean-Philippe Levasseur 7th round Anaheim ??

He was Red Line's #1 goalie going into the draft.

 

[OrrNumber4]

no mention of...Jean-Philippe Levasseur 7th round Anaheim ??

He was Red Line's #1 goalie going into the draft.

As far as I am concerned, this means nothing. However, I guess he should have made the list.

 

[McDonald19]

As far as I am concerned, this means nothing. However, I guess he should have made the list.

I agree Red Line overrated him...but he still is a steal in the 7th round.

 

[Kaizer]

Nikolai Lemtyugov

+1

 

[Fozz]

What about RW Sergei Kostitsyn from the London Knights? Leading rookie scorer in the OHL with 24g 42a 66pts in 49 games...

7 round pick for Montreal.

 

[Pete Rock]

I'll 3rd the nomination of Lemtyugov.

I'd also like to nominate Nicholas Drazenovic (another Blues late rounder) and Wacey Rabbit of the WHL. Either of these could be 1st or, more likely, 2nd liners or could be career AHLers.

Draz is 6'0" and I think was about 155 lbs at the draft so he really needs some beef on him. This year he started out fast, then went into a big drought, but I believe he has recently pulled his play back up.

Rabbit is only 5'9" 170, but he can skate like the wind and was easily near the top, if not at the top, of skating prowess. He was very hyped after his first year with Saskatoon, but collapsed in the 2nd year along with the rest of the 7-win team.

Can't say that I don't like Risto Korhonen either, and I could see him as a 2nd pairing compliment to an offensive man, but is at least a 5/6 I would think.

EDIT - I'll add that Kvapil's draft position was largely the idea that he was an '85 born in an '87-born draft.

 

[Starsdude]

Wadell was hurt last year. he is talented and playing in a junior sel league. Watkins has been poor in college and is a disappointment so far

 

[Panopticon]

Juho Mielonen, definitely. Grand Theft Hockey Player.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

the gem definitley is sergei kostitsyn

 

[Maithz]

the gem definitley is sergei kostitsyn

agreed , read a lot of report on him , seems to work harder than his bro . I serously think he can make it to the big league

 

[The Boot]

Completely agree on Kostitsyn seeing him in London this year actually makes me think he will be a better pro player than Bolland. I think he can really become a solid playmaker at the NHL level.

 

[Techbert]

Three I Like

Three 4th rounders:

Keith Yandle is tearing it up.

Slava Trukhno has like 75 points in 45 games in the Q, and it seems to be just him and a defenseman (3rd rounder Gragnani) doing the damage for PEI.

Jordan Lavallee has been injured, but he scored 40 goals last year.

 

[Vikke]

Johan Dahlberg, drafted by the Leafs.

 

[edd1e]

Im surprised that no one has mentioned Perttu Lindgren, 3round 75 pick by Dallas Stars.

Center, 18 years old, 10+15=25 +10 in 43 games in Finnish National League.

Edit: ups im sorry i didnt see that 3rd round picks didnt count

 

[Starsdude]

Stars have hopes for Perttu Lindgren

 

[Bookman]

I was happy on draft day to see the Wild nab Anthony Aiello. It's not too often the Wild draft someone later than the player was predicted to go - usually they go the other way(Kassian anyone). He hasn't put up eye shattering numbers at BC, but he is a true freshman, and 4 years might make a decent prospect of him.

 

[Kafka]

Tomas Pospisil maybe?

The Forecaster had him at the end of the first round... Thrashers picked him during the fifth round. On paper, he currently looks good for a first year OHL player... near a point a game, 2nd best scorer on the 2nd worst OHL team.

 

[Birko19]

No love for Darren Helm, he was drafted in the 5th round (132) by the Red Wings, currently he's 5th in points (In the WHL) with 67 points (Setoguchi is the only same age player ahead of him by only one point), and he's also 3rd in goals with 36...

That's gotta be a great steal.

 

[VanW27]

Three 4th rounders:

Keith Yandle is tearing it up.

Slava Trukhno has like 75 points in 45 games in the Q, and it seems to be just him and a defenseman (3rd rounder Gragnani) doing the damage for PEI.

Jordan Lavallee has been injured, but he scored 40 goals last year.

I've seen Trukhno a few times and he is a very good player, he is basically carrying the offense for PEI and has terrific 1 on 1 skills, he is also gritty and doesnt mind getting dirty.

 

[Kritty]

Yes, I understand that all these players are having good years in their respective leagues, but how can you call them steals? They have done zero at the NHL level which means they have proven nothing. Of course they have improved their stock, but there are usually reasons why players fall that far. Yes, I know that alot of times teams find gems, but I just think it's way too early to call these guys steals. Especially with the way these boards are. All these guys that are being mentioned as steals will have a bad stretch or a down season and all of a sudden they'll be busts. Happens all the time.

 

[Ti-girl]

Darren Freaking Helm.