ATD 2014 Summary

[Velociraptor]

As per tradition:

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft:
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft:
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft:
Biggest blunder selection of the draft:
A Player finally getting respect in the draft:
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft:
A player you've discovered in this draft:
Most underrated player taken:
Most overrated player taken:
Favorite scoring line of the draft:
Favorite checking line of the draft:
Best assembled line of the draft:
Worst assembled line of the draft:
Favorite pairing of defensemen:
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen:
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals:
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals:
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

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Best selection: You cannot vote for players you own
1st round:
2nd round:
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24th round:
25th round:

'Worst' Selection
1st round:
2nd round:
3rd round:
4th round:
5th round:
6th round:
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24th round:
25th round:


Also, feel free to add any other comments or reflections about your experience/team this year.

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Lemieux
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Ovechkin
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Vezina
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Palffy
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: St. Louis
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Broda
A player you've discovered in this draft: Normie Smith
Most underrated player taken: Moran
Most overrated player taken: Desjardins
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Zetterberg - Lemieux - Conacher
Favorite checking line of the draft: Ramsay - Carbonneau - Klukay
Best assembled line of the draft: Roberts - Bowie - Mosienko
Worst assembled line of the draft: Pulford - Sundin - Graham
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Vasiliev - Fetisov
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Pulford - Robinson
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Vancouver Millionares
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Detroit Red Wings
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: Red Dutton bouncing Red Horner into the air and onto his head for a concussion

---

Best selection: You cannot vote for players you own
1st round: Lemieux (at 8th!)
2nd round: Sawchuk
3rd round: Brodeur
4th round: Malone
5th round: St. Louis
6th round: Stewart
7th round: Ragulin
8th round: Hossa
9th round: Sundin
10th round: Neilson
11th round: Dunderdale
12nd round: Smith
13th round: Gare
14th round: Nieuwendyk
15th round: Hajt
16th round: Smith
17th round: Bilyaletdinov
18th round: Vikulov
19th round: Darragh
20th round: Ross
21st round: Bain
22nd round: Irvin
23th round: Lecavalier
24th round: Moran
25th round: McNamara

'Worst' Selection
1st round: Lidstrom (with Mario available!)
2nd round: Ovechkin (51st too soon)
3rd round: Lapointe
4th round: Olmstead
5th round: Bouchard
6th round: Pospisil
7th round: Desjardins
8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith
10th round: Ramsay
11th round: Tikkanen (Love him, but is ideal third liner imo)
12nd round: Roberts
13th round: Graham (way too early given comparables)
14th round: Watson
15th round: Ivanov
16th round: Thomas
17th round: Kasper
18th round: Primeau
19th round: Parise
20th round: Morrow
21st round: Stackhouse
22nd round: Ferguson
23th round: Brown
24th round: Spezza
25th round: Jovanovski

(Of course, "worst" pick is relative to options at that position or relative to ranking of all. Almost all the picks were of all-time greats worthy of selection. In fact, there were less whacky picks this draft than some past ones, perhaps due to the responsibility that a no-trade draft brings - you can't impulsively trade up to grab some guy you're hot on at that moment).

 

[ImporterExporter]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Super Mario
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Ovechkin
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Getting Tocchet to round out the Sedins line
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Lundqvist in 9th round, as a starter in 28 team league?
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: I guess St Louis
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Gillies
A player you've discovered in this draft: So many. I knew most names but the in depth scouting was incredibly rewarding and revealing
Most underrated player taken: Darragh
Most overrated player taken: Broadbent
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Lindsay - Oates - Bossy or Zetterberg-Lemieux-Conacher
Favorite checking line of the draft: Don Marshall - Ralph Backstrom –Claude Provost - Craig Ramsay - Guy Carbonneau (A) - Joe Klukay
Best assembled line of the draft: LOB line but another one i really like is Gary Roberts (A) - Russell Bowie - Bill Mosienko
Worst assembled line of the draft:
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Park/Langway-Johnson/Shore
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Maybe Reardon-Rafalski
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Giants
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Millionaires
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: So many different ones, hard to pick just one...

---

Best selection: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Lemieux
2nd round: Hall/Sawchuk
3rd round: Brodeur
4th round: Francis
5th round: Keon
6th round: Cowley/Stewart
7th round: Cameron/Howell
8th round:
9th round: Lemaire
10th round: Griffis
11th round: Dunderdale
12nd round: Blake
13th round: Gare
14th round: Nieuwendyk
15th round: Tarasov/Hajt
16th round: Quenneville
17th round: Toppazzini
18th round: Nystrom
19th round: Darragh
20th round: Ross
21st round: Berenson
22nd round: Maclean
23th round: Lecavalier
24th round: Wharram
25th round: Machac

'Worst' Selection
1st round: Richard/Lidstrom
2nd round: Pronger/Ovechkin
3rd round: Lapointe
4th round: Neely/Perreault
5th round: Bouchard/Broadbent
6th round: Pospisil
7th round: Esposito/Gonchar
8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith (deserved a jump but not 200+ spots)/Lundqvist
10th round: Heatley
11th round: Andreychuk
12nd round: Weiland
13th round: Toews (love the player but like Keith too big a jump)
14th round: Hart/Smith
15th round: Ivanov/Ruotsalainen
16th round: Henry (not worth 150 spot jump IMO)
17th round: Getzlaf (another near 200 spot jump)
18th round: Markov
19th round: Parise
20th round: Morrow
21st round: Smythe
22nd round: Ferguson
23th round: Brown
24th round: Williams
25th round: Byflugien


Also, feel free to add any other comments or reflections about your experience/team this year.


*****will finish top portion later tonight.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Ovechkin

Predictable!

 

[ImporterExporter]

Predictable!

Hey, laugh at VI as well. Great minds think a like

 

[ted2019]

I find it funny that the 2nd round is too early for Ovechkin. The offense alone at a position that isn't really all that deep was too hard to pass up. I almost think that if His name was Alex Richards or something along those lines, that He would be considered the greatest thing since sliced bread. The guy has 3 Hart Trophies, 3 Ted Lindsay's, On His way to winning His 4th Rocket Richard, 1 Art Ross & 1 Calder. He's still only 28 years old.

 

[Velociraptor]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Lemieux, certainly.
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Palffy, like what he brings but this was early.
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Bill Cowley
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Andy Moog
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: Martin St. Louis, based on draft position.
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Johnny Bower, Clark Gillies
A player you've discovered in this draft: Don McKenney is admittedly a player I was not well-educated on, well aware of what he brings now.
Most underrated player taken: Cecil Dillon
Most overrated player taken: Mike Peca
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Zetterberg - Lemieux - Conacher, Joliat - Sakic - Cournouyer
Favorite checking line of the draft: Craig Ramsay - Guy Carbonneau - Joe Klukay
Best assembled line of the draft: Cy Denneny - Bryan Trottier - Rick Middleton
Worst assembled line of the draft: Bob Pulford - Mats Sundin - Dirk Graham, just doesn't make much sense to me with Sundin on a what seems like 2/3 of a checking unit.
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Orr - Chara, Park - Langway
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: I've got nothing.
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Indianapolis Racers
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Halifax Citadels
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

---

Best selection: You cannot vote for players you own
1st round: Lemieux
2nd round: Sawchuk
3rd round: Brodeur
4th round: Bentley
5th round: St. Louis
6th round: Vezina
7th round: Barry
8th round: Sittler
9th round: Fuhr
10th round: Krutov
11th round: Simpson
12nd round: Finnigan
13th round: Harris
14th round: Marshall
15th round: Nesterenko
16th round: Rowe
17th round: Bergeron
18th round: Stewart
19th round: Timonen
20th round: Vachon
21st round: Bain
22nd round: Thoms
23th round: Portland
24th round: Anderson
25th round: Patrick

'Worst' Selection
1st round: Lidstrom (Mario on the board??)
2nd round: Ovechkin
3rd round: Hull
4th round: Olmstead (too high)
5th round: Broadbent
6th round: Dye
7th round: Gonchar
8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith
10th round: --
11th round: Andreychuk
12nd round: Weiland
13th round: Toews
14th round: Corbeau
15th round: --
16th round: --
17th round: --
18th round: Rolston
19th round: Conroy
20th round: Morrow
21st round: Ruff
22nd round: Huddy
23th round: Osgood
24th round: Moog
25th round: Byfuglien

 

[Leaf Lander]

Lol Andy Moog the worst player in round 24 oh please. Maybe you recall his last season on the nhl and this affected your perception. The man won 372 games and Stanley Cups as a backup to fhur which is fine because he is on the bench.


Babe Dye is considered a top 100 player of All time by some

 

[King Forsberg]

Favorite scoring line of the draft: Lindsay - Oates - Bossy

Your own scoring line better be your favorite scoring line!

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Your own scoring line better be your favorite scoring line!

I think it's really cheesy to pick your own team in these.

 

[King Forsberg]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Lemieux, yeah easily
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Punch Broadbent
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Vladimir Petrov to play with Hull
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Passing on Lemieux with picks 4-7
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: Vladislav Tretiak
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft:Sergei Zubov
A player you've discovered in this draft:King Clancy, I really underrated this guy
Most underrated player taken: Frantisek Pospisil
Most overrated player taken: Cam Neely
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Henrik Zetterberg - Mario Lemieux - Charlie Conacher
Favorite checking line of the draft: Dick Duff- Dale Hunter -Ron Ellis
Best assembled line of the draft: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Rick Tocchet - Not the greatest line but it's got great chemistry and balance
Worst assembled line of the draft: Bob Pulford - Mats Sundin - Dirk Graham
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Orr - Chara, Park - Langway
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen:
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals:
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals:
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

---

Best selection: You cannot vote for players you own
1st round:
2nd round:
3rd round:
4th round:
5th round:
6th round:
7th round:
8th round:
9th round:
10th round:
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12nd round:
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16th round:
17th round:
18th round:
19th round:
20th round:
21st round:
22nd round:
23th round:
24th round:
25th round:

'Worst' Selection
1st round:
2nd round:
3rd round:
4th round:
5th round:
6th round:
7th round:
8th round:
9th round:
10th round:
11th round:
12nd round:
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20th round:
21st round:
22nd round:
23th round:
24th round:
25th round:

WILL FINISH THE REST LATER

 

[ImporterExporter]

Based on some comments here the Hornets will shift Datsyuk to the 3rd line to start and move Sundin up to the 2nd line. Bowman will move and mix lines as needed. It was never meant to be exclusively Dats on the 2nd and Sundin on the 3rd, but for viewing purposes, it's worth changing based on above comments.

On the best assembled line, i simply don't think anyone can match the fit or sheer overall talent of my 1st line....but again, i went W-W to start, so that's a leg up. Wasn't attempting to be cheesy lol. If i had to pick another line that i really like scoring wise, it would have to be the Zetterberg-Lemieux-Conacher as some others have noted. Just slightly less overall offensive talent IMO, but a superb fit nonetheless.

 

[Velociraptor]

Lol Andy Moog the worst player in round 24 oh please. Maybe you recall his last season on the nhl and this affected your perception. The man won 372 games and Stanley Cups as a backup to fhur which is fine because he is on the bench.


Babe Dye is considered a top 100 player of All time by some

It was more so the fact that you selected a third goaltender. You only need two!

 

[Dwight]

Lundqvist is absolutely a starter in a 28-team league. He was about the 25th goalie picked, and compare him to some of the other guys taken around there. I'm not making him out to be a top end guy or anything, and it's definitely possible that I jumped the gun on him in terms of what round he went in, but he's an ATD starter at this point, for sure.

 

[papershoes]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Lemieux
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Ovechkin
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Vezina
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Palffy
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: St. Louis
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Broda
A player you've discovered in this draft: Normie Smith
Most underrated player taken: Moran
Most overrated player taken: Desjardins
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Zetterberg - Lemieux - Conacher
Favorite checking line of the draft: Ramsay - Carbonneau - Klukay
Best assembled line of the draft: Roberts - Bowie - Mosienko
Worst assembled line of the draft: Pulford - Sundin - Graham
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Vasiliev - Fetisov
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Pulford - Robinson
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Vancouver Millionares
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Detroit Red Wings
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: Red Dutton bouncing Red Horner into the air and onto his head for a concussion

I'm always a fan of your roster input so, am curious… what do you find puzzling about Robinson - Pulford?

 

[Elvis P]

Lol Andy Moog the worst player in round 24 oh please. Maybe you recall his last season on the nhl and this affected your perception. The man won 372 games and Stanley Cups as a backup to Fuhr which is fine because he is on the bench. ...

Agreed. Biggest blunder in round 24!?!

 

[Elvis P]

I think it's really cheesy to pick your own team in these.

Agreed. It's also against the rules of this thread.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Palffy

Wow. Really?

If Palffy is my Bert Corbeau moment this draft I'm in good shape.

8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith

8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith (deserved a jump but not 200+ spots)/Lundqvist

Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Palffy, like what he brings but this was early.

8th round: Palffy
9th round: Keith

You guys are harshing on my mellow. Maybe I am totally evaluating these players wrong but in my defense:

Palffy

VsX 80.6
Top 10 in Points: 5, 8, 9, 10 (26-30 team league)

RW's taken immediately after:

Ace Bailey
VsX N/A
Top 10 in Points: 1, 4, 6 (10 team league)

Rod Gilbert
VsX 80.2
Top 10 in Points: 5, 5, 7, 8, 9 (6-18 team league)

I don't think there is a lot separating these guys. Bailey has the one win and is all peak 4 years.. Gilbert looks better for top 10s -- especially assists -- but by VsX, which may be better considering the leagues they played in, they are practically equal and I wanted a guy who leaned more towards goal scoring for Francis' playmaking.

Even if you would pick them over Palffy (it isn't all about points obviously) I don't see how Palffy sticks out like a sore thumb here.


Keith

2 Cups as by far the best overall dman.
Norris: 1, 6, 6, 9, 11 (and another finalist+ after 12 more games)
AS: 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14

D taken immediately after:

Lionel Hitchman
2 cups
2nd in Hart when D used to win them
AS: 5, 10 (only available for a little less than half his career)

Leo Boivin
0 cup teams
Norris: 5, 8, 10, 14
AS: ?

In other words.. I think you guys are underrating them.

 

[Elvis P]

...9th round: Keith (deserved a jump but not 200+ spots)/Lundqvist
10th round: Heatley
11th round: Andreychuk
12nd round: Weiland
13th round: Toews (love the player but like Keith too big a jump)
14th round: Hart/Smith
15th round: Ivanov/Ruotsalainen
16th round: Henry (not worth 150 spot jump IMO)
17th round: Getzlaf (another near 200 spot jump)...

Agreed. I like Hawks and other active players, but this is too much and I got the PP specialist Eel in round 19 pick 589 of a 32 team draft last year. I think he's a good value there.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Agreed. It's also against the rules of this thread.

I didn't see anything posted for the top section? I just assumed you focused on all other teams, and after researching all rosters, i simply think nobody has as good a 1st line...although the Zetterberg-Lemieux-Conacher is right there. Like it a lot.

Lesson learned

 

[VanIslander]

I'm always a fan of your roster input so, am curious… what do you find puzzling about Robinson - Pulford?

I loved Big Bird as a kid but I imagine he at that time as much like Pulford: a big defensively-oriented defenseman with long reach, size, physical ability to neutralize the opposition and quick to pass the puck rather than rush. Yeah, I've read about Robinson's early career rushes but the Big Bird I remember for years toward the tailend of his career was more stay at home, rushing at times but quick to remain high, except for the powerplay.

I guess they could be like the Dynamite Twins, Harvey rushing while bro' George McNamarra staying at home, both big and physical and defensively excellent, in this case a younger Robinson rushing and a Pulford remaining in his own end more.

Thistles have three longterm stay-at-home dmen in Pulford, Baun and Ludwig so I guess I ought to think of Pulford as suitable for him given Robinson was paired with Serge Savard for so long.

 

[Elvis P]

I didn't see anything posted for the top section? I just assumed you focused on all other teams, and after researching all rosters, i simply think nobody has as good a 1st line...although the Zetterberg-Lemieux-Conacher is right there. Like it a lot. Lesson learned

I wasn't trying to be snarky and actually picked your post as the one I agreed with in the previous post #19. No hard feelings. If I play next year, you'll probably beat me in the first round.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Lundqvist is absolutely a starter in a 28-team league. He was about the 25th goalie picked, and compare him to some of the other guys taken around there. I'm not making him out to be a top end guy or anything, and it's definitely possible that I jumped the gun on him in terms of what round he went in, but he's an ATD starter at this point, for sure.

I think it really boils down to at a certain point the goalies are all very close in terms of talent/resume so it's better to focus on better players and just bite the bullet on a goalie much later. For instance i knew after the top 15-20 goalies went in that crazy run, that there was no point in drafting a goalie anytime soon after.

Barrasso isn't a major weakness compared to Fuhr or King Henrik (for exampe) but the difference in selection was roughly 6 rounds. That's a small gap in overall resume but a wide gap in draft position.

I think most people think you could have waited a lot longer to get Lundqvist and then nab a better player in round 9 for F/D.

 

[Elvis P]

...I think most people think you could have waited a lot longer to get Lundqvist and then nab a better player in round 9 for F/D.

246. papershoes - Kenora Thistles : John Tonelli, LW
247. Modo - Eishockeyclub München e.V. : Vyacheslav Starshinov, C/LW
248. JFA87-66-99 - Pittsburgh Bankers : Duke Keats, C
249. Rob Scuderi - Pittsburgh AC : Cecil Dillon, RW
250. 87and71 - Pittsburgh Hornets : Mats Sundin, C
251. LeafLander - Toronto Maple Leafs : Pat Lafontaine, C
252. Hedberg & VanIslander - New York Rangers : Henrik Sedin, C

Wow. That was a wise post. Those are some players drafted after The King.

 

[Leaf Lander]

It was more so the fact that you selected a third goaltender. You only need two!

We always drafted 3 and imo it should be mandated even if it meant and extra round but I think the in or league draft changed that cause they wanted some good goalies left for their teams.