Bold Predictions about the 2011 Draft

[BIG BLUE]

Michael Paliotta goes in the 40s.

Marek Tvrdoň becomes a steal for someone.

 

[SDig14]

Devils will trade up for the # 1 pick and draft RNH to Center Kovalchuk.

That would be shocking. For the sake of my health, I sure hope not.

 

[Foxlockbox]

Winnipeg trades down for or drafts Joel Armia in hopes to get an another finnish superstar to the team. I know bold huh?

 

[Raptactics29]

- Joe LaBate turns in to a 30 goal scorer one day
- Dougie Hamilton becomes the best defenseman from this draft
- Nikita Kucherov plays in the NHL 2 year after he's drafted
- Mark McNeill becomes Don Cherry's new man-crush
- Glen Sather makes a predictable 1st round selection
- Just as many 2nd round picks become regular NHLers as 1st rounders.
- Michael Houser gets drafted and becomes a starter one day

 

[Generic User]

If Couturier falls to 10 you can take it to the bank that the Wild would take him.

That said, as far as bold predictions go...

-Adam Larsson doesn't necessarily bust, but is a career defenseman on the 2nd pairing.
-Landeskog never breaks 85 points but will still be considered one of the best players in the league.
-Beaulieu becomes a legit #1 defenseman at some point.
-Someone "reaches" for Zibanejad, yet years down the road it looks like a steal.
-RNH will be good, but doesn't end up being one of the best three players from this draft.
-Strome busts fast.

 

[magic school bus]

San Jose trades up to draft Dougie Hamilton.

 

[S E P H]

Mayfield in the top 15-17.

Murphy dropping out of the top 10.

Forsberg in 2nd round.

Gibson picked in late 1st, early 2nd.



These are my possibilities. Again is amazingly hard to predict drafts.

 

[Flash20]

sabres trade up and get Sean Couturier

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

Larsson falls to the Islanders.

 

[BearChi]

Couturier falls out of top 10, hopefully 13

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Winnipeg drafts John/Christopher Gibson at the 7th pick.

Duncan Siemens falls to 12 and Carolina takes him

Habs trade up to 5 with NYI packaging

Cammalleri and Yannick Weber for Matt Moulson, 5th overall

Yeah the Isles wont be doing that

 

[jmelm]

--Ottawa and/or Winnipeg trades up one or 2 spots to either the Isles and/or the Devils

--Strome falls out of the top 9 in lieu of Dmen like Klefbom, & maybe Beaulieu or Oleksiak. Strome goes to Minnesota at #10

--Colorado takes either Grimaldi, Miller, Puempel or Armia at #11, or possibly trades up to #8 with CLB moving back to #11.

--Siemens does not go top 10, but rather between 12 & 19

--Connor Murphy goes in the top 15

--Penguins, or some other team, steps up and takes Mario Lucia in the back 3rd of the first round

--Bogosian gets traded at the draft if he they can't come to terms on a new contract. If he were to be traded, he goes to Philly for Jeff Carter, and WIN drafts a Dman instead of a C with their top pick, or trades down a couple of spots to do so.

--Nashville trades one of Ellis, Blum or Franson (preferred) for a top 10 pick (or top 14 in the case of Franson). If it's Ellis or Blum, they could fetch #7, #8 (or maybe even #5 if NYI is in love with one of those guys, maybe wanting to recreate the PP magic between Ellis & Tavares)

 

[Cleatus]

If Winnipeg had the 5th overall pick they're not taking Couturier, I see them personally taking either Strome, Larsson, Huberdeau or Landeskog, maybe Zibanejad. But I highly doubt we take Couturier.

I believe if Couturier isn't selected in the top 4, the draft order will go like this; RNH, Landeskog, Huberdeau, Larsson.

I also believe Couturier is going to be the best NHL player of this draft. If the draft goes the way I predict and Winnipeg moves up, I'd want them to take Couturier over Strome, Zibanejad, and anyone else by a landslide.

My draft predictions are definitely bold because even if Winnipeg moves up a couple of spots, I don't see them drafting Couturier.

No way Winnipeg gives up that much to move up two spots.

It's fair value, Toronto gave up a nearly identical package to the Islanders in 2008 to move up two spots for Luke Schenn.

 

[jmelm]

I predict Burke trades Clarke MacArthur, the 25th overall pick, and Boston's 2012 2nd round pick for Colorado's 11th overall pick.

Then Kadri takes MacArthur's spot on Grabovski's wing.

Edit: Winnipeg trades their 7th and 67th overall picks this year, as well as their 2012 2nd round pick to the Islanders for their 5th overall pick, and draft Sean Couturier.

Winnipeg probably doesn't need to move up to draft Couturier. Ottawa will take Zibenejad at #6 if they can't trade up to get Landeskog or Huberdeau.

If Couturier isn't available at #7, it's because either NJ or NYI takes him at #4 or #5 instead of a Dman (which would be surprising).

 

[Cleatus]

Winnipeg probably doesn't need to move up to draft Couturier. Ottawa will take Zibenejad at #6 if they can't trade up to get Landeskog or Huberdeau.

If Couturier isn't available at #7, it's because either NJ or NYI takes him at #4 or #5 instead of a Dman (which would be surprising).

I could definitely see New Jersey taking him. He'd fit in their two-way system perfectly, and he'd have a couple of elite wingers to play with.

My God, if Winnipeg gets Couturier at 7, I'm going to freak. If they have the opportunity to draft him and take someone else, I'll cut my wrists.

 

[jmelm]

I could definitely see New Jersey taking him. He'd fit in their two-way system perfectly, and he'd have a couple of elite wingers to play with.

My God, if Winnipeg gets Couturier at 7, I'm going to freak. If they have the opportunity to draft him and take someone else, I'll cut my wrists.

Yes, he would fit in great there, but he would fit in great on any team. NJ's issue is not at centre so much as it is defense. If Larsson were to truly fall pas the top 3, NJ would take him. Otherwise, they take Hamilton. Either way, they have their #1 Dman for the next 10+ years.

I'm going to be posting my full first round prediction (mock) draft later, but here's the just of it for the top end of the draft:

1) R. Nugent-Hopkins (EDM)
2) Larsson (COL)
3) Huberdeau (FLA)
4) Hamilton (NJ) (If they like Klefbom, or Murphy, better than Hamilton, they trade down to #6 or #7 and select that player then)
5) one of Klefbom/Beaulieu/Murphy (NYI)
6) Landeskog
7) Couturier/Zibenejad

If a forward goes at #4 or #5, it will be Landeskog, which will mean that OTT takes Zibenejad instead and there is no choice except for Couturier at #7. If I'm wrong about OTT taking Zibenejad and they draft Couturier instead (which I don't think they will do), then Zibenejad would be a great consolation prize for WIN at #7, or they take Best Dman available, or put together a package for Carter.

 

[SimplySensational]

Grimaldi will be top 10. He's got speed, skill, and something else a majority of the other forwards in the draft don't: he shoots right.

 

[BHD]

Carolina, yes Carolina, will draft a d-man (Oleksiak) in the first round.

 

[jmelm]

Carolina, yes Carolina, will draft a d-man (Oleksiak) in the first round.

They will draft a Dman alright, but it's not guaranteed it's Oleksiak. I think it could also be Connor Murphy or Duncan Siemens. (Assuming Beaulieu goes in the top 11, otherwise he's in the mix for sure, if not the obvious choice)

 

[SammyTheBull]

Hamilton will go top five.

 

[Le Golie]

If Winnipeg had the 5th overall pick they're not taking Couturier, I see them personally taking either Strome, Larsson, Huberdeau or Landeskog, maybe Zibanejad. But I highly doubt we take Couturier.

Winnipeg has a total of two hockey operation staff members, each with two days on the job, and you pretend to know this?

 

[SeriousFan09]

Tyler Biggs falls out of the first round, NJD trade down the second Larsson goes off the board.

 

[Bookman]

Rocco Grimaldi goes 10th to Minnesota.

MIN - Jamieson Oleskiak (After drafted, Wild trade Brent Burns)

Things might get ugly in St. Paul if either of those happens.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Bold top 10 Prediction:

1. Edmonton drafts Larsson 1st overall.
2. Colorado drafts RNH and trades Statsny to Toronto.
3. Florida drafts Huberdeau.
4. New Jersey takes Strome 4th overall.
5. Ottawa trades up to 5 with a second round pick (59th overall). Drafts Landeskog.
6. Winnipeg trades up to 6 with a 3rd and 5th round pick and a promise they won't draft Hamilton. Drafts Couturier.
7. New York drafts Hamilton.
8. Columbus trades 8th overall pick + Voracek to Philly for Jeff Carter. Philly picks Jibanejad.
9. Boston goes off board and picks Oleksiak at 9.
10. Minnesota picks Ryan Murphy.

 

[Gargyn]

Boston trades Johnny boychuk and the 9th overall to Winnipeg for Zach Bogosian.