2011 NHL Draft: Nashville Predators had limited success

[HF Article]

Photo: Miikka Salomaki plays a rambunctious style of hockey, but next season should see his offensive game grow (courtesy of Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)


</p>The Nashville Predators entered the 2011 NHL Draft without a first-round pick – having dealt their pick to Ottawa late in the 2010-11 season. Even considering just the short-term gain — Mike Fisher, obtained from the Senators, was Nashville’s third-leading scorer and helped the Predators win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history — that trade would have to go down as one of the best in franchise history.



Fisher in many ways has been one of the heart-and-soul leaders for the Predators since that time and scored five goals in 14 playoff games this year.… read more

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[nomorekids]

That Hellberg pick was rotten even at the time. It was way off the board, when the highest rated goaltender in the draft(and a guy projected to be a late first rounder) went one pick later--John Gibson. Brandon Saad, another guy that fell out of the first round unexpectedly a few picks later. Kucherov was a first round talent, but the Russian factor hadn't really started to dissipate yet...that didn't happen until about two years later. Two defensemen..Ryan Sproul and Xavier Ouellet went to Detroit. Either would be the top defensive prospect in our system at this point.

I distinctly remember, when Hellberg was selected, the NHL Network guys didn't even know who he was, to the extent that they thought he was a center.

I know that drafting is a crapshoot at times, but for an organization that preaches "best player available," they have made some questionable moves that defied the conventional opinion at the time.

 

[triggrman]

That Hellberg pick was rotten even at the time. It was way off the board, when the highest rated goaltender in the draft(and a guy projected to be a late first rounder) went one pick later--John Gibson. Brandon Saad, another guy that fell out of the first round unexpectedly a few picks later. Kucherov was a first round talent, but the Russian factor hadn't really started to dissipate yet...that didn't happen until about two years later. Two defensemen..Ryan Sproul and Xavier Ouellet went to Detroit. Either would be the top defensive prospect in our system at this point.

I distinctly remember, when Hellberg was selected, the NHL Network guys didn't even know who he was, to the extent that they thought he was a center.

I know that drafting is a crapshoot at times, but for an organization that preaches "best player available," they have made some questionable moves that defied the conventional opinion at the time.

Agreed and this particular draft was full of questionable moves.

 

[Drake744]

Holy hell what a forgettable draft. Assuming we wouldn't have done squat with our first rounder I'll consider getting Fisher in exchange a big win.

 

[Soundgarden]

And that's why you don't waste a second on a goalie, our scouts should just look at our track records with goalies in the 1st and 2nd and compare that with our record 4th-7th(or later).
We should have taken a flyer on any of the next six picks over Hellberg, even though that contradicts what I just said, John Gibson was pretty much the undisputed no.1 goalie in the draft and high second round is the appropriate place for him to go.

At least we got Salomaki.

 

[King Weber]

to think that we could've gotten Saad and/or Kucherov.

 

[Viqsi]

This draft is so freaking bipolar for me. For the Jackets, it was a ludicrous triumph, and for the Preds, it was an unmitigated disaster.

Probably doesn't help that I'm not as much of a fan of Salomaki as others here, altho I can't really describe why per se.