Final CSS List

[Flames Draft Watcher]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/draft/feature.asp?fid=8985

Most interesting to me is O'Neill's ranking. At 23rd in NA and the 9th ranked defensemen in NA it would appear he has been vastly overrated on these boards. And it's not only CSS, I believe Redline has him late first round as well.

So hopefully we stop seeing him going top 10 in mock drafts because it just doesn't look like that's realistic...

Click to read more...

 

[Mizral]

Very interesting! Just saw it myself.

A.J. Thelen ranked #11 might surprise some.

How about Oscar Hedman burried into #22 on the European skaters?

Very interesting stuff.

 

[Seachd]

I don't think there's much reason for Hensick to be ranked as low as he is, other than size. That's why I don't understand why he might (or has?) opt out. If he leaves it until 2005, he'll be in a deeper draft, and probably won't be any bigger. I don't see how it'll help him.

 

[Duff88]

7. Cory Schneider, Phillips-Andover Academy, Mass. (U.S. High School);

That's a complete non-sense... He's the 2nd best Goaltender available from N-A IMO, he should atleast be in front of Lacosta and Glass.

I never liked CSB's rankings, most likely never will...

Anyone know what it means when a player have a X- in front of the ranking?

 

[Slats432]

I love it when the rankings come out... Random thoughts.

Thelen at 11th when some people think he is on par with Barker at 2nd.

Valabik up to 6th. That give him a shot at top 10-15?

Picard at 3rd NA when most people have mentioned him at around 15th OV.

Schremp at 10th means what 16th-17th when some people have had him top 5?

Wheeler rises to 17th...

The goalies...just look at that depth if Schneider is at 7th NA.

I guess David Brown won't get a lot of love this draft. 25th NA. I would draft him mid rounds.

Apparently Olesz's concussion isn't hurting him too bad still at 3rd Euro.

People who have Radulov top 10 after a strong tourney will be surprised with 9th Euro.

I thought Sindel was going to be rated higher.

Lepisto at 25th Euro...hmm...I guess you either like him or don't. Some people talk very highly...but at 25th might be a 3rd rounder by these rankings.

 

[Chief]

O'Neil's a guy with a great frame for an NHL D-man and he has shown glimpses of talent but the guy is not very developed and who knows if he ever will...to me O'Neil is another example of a guy people predicted would be a bigtime prospect because he had all the raw tools and they just kept waiting for everything to finally click...and they're still waiting...

 

[Russian Fan]

7. Cory Schneider, Phillips-Andover Academy, Mass. (U.S. High School);

That's a complete non-sense... He's the 2nd best Goaltender available from N-A IMO, he should atleast be in front of Lacosta and Glass.

I never liked CSB's rankings, most likely never will...

Anyone know what it means when a player have a X- in front of the ranking?

Did you mean an * ?

If that's the case, that means he didn't opt-in for the draft yet.

 

[Duff88]

Stastny and Krejci opting out...

 

[Seachd]

Stastny and Krejci opting out...

Have they opted out, or have they just not opted in yet?

 

[Seachd]

Lepisto at 25th Euro...hmm...I guess you either like him or don't. Some people talk very highly...but at 25th might be a 3rd rounder by these rankings.

Yeah, I think they realized they may have jumped the gun when they ranked him 4th earlier.

 

[Larry Fisher]

...

Looking at the list I found a couple things surprising:

1) Andrew Ladd = top skater in NA. I seen him play a number of times this year being in Lethbridge and all I can think is Wow...weak draft year of NA...I was thinking top 10 would be good for Ladd.

2) Robbie Schremp = #10 in NA. Big surprise here, I've only seen this kid once and be it at the Prospects game where he was pulling all sorts of talented moves. I just can't see him falling that far not that I would complain if he was available to the Oilers at #14.

3) BCHL Players = How many of these guys are ranked. It's unreal I bet theres 30 or more this year. AJHL has 15+ too yet I see no mention of any SJHL ranked players. Did the scouts not make it far enough west or have the BC and AJ leagues become superior to the SJ. I am from the Kindersley area and the Jr. Klippers are currently the SJ's representative at this year's Royal Bank Cup and they have a rather young sqaud which begs the question "why aren't some of these talented kids ranked?"

4) Lethbridge Hurricanes = Some of you will probably recognize this beef but I have to go off yet again. John Lammers is ranked as a 2/3 rounder yet linemate, Kris Versteeg, isn't even ranked in the top 231 NA? That's crazy and another 'Cane who I still feel is worthy of being drafted is two-way physical defenseman, Michal Gulasi, who was in his first year of NA hockey. Both Versteeg (Canada) and Gulasi (Czech Republic) represented their countries at the U18s and by all accounts held their own so why are they not ranked?

The fact that I haven't seen a majority of these prospects live makes it hard for me to pass judgement because I could comment on another 30 or so but I would be getting my information almost solely from these boards and mainly X Sharkie who I don't think watches all the prospects on a regular basis. I will take CSB's word for it but the list looks questionable in places.

 

[Draft Guru]

Yes, the x, as in x-91. Joe Barnes, C, Saskatoon (WHL) means they've opted out.

Pretty fair list I'd say. Of course there's always going to be a few players we feel should be higher or lower, but nothing too dramatic, IMO.

Not like four years ago, when they had Marian Gaborik as the 4th ranked Euro, and Pavel Vorobiev jumping from 40 to 1.

 

[Seachd]

4) Lethbridge Hurricanes = Some of you will probably recognize this beef but I have to go off yet again. John Lammers is ranked as a 2/3 rounder yet linemate, Kris Versteeg, isn't even ranked in the top 231 NA? That's crazy and another 'Cane who I still feel is worthy of being drafted is two-way physical defenseman, Michal Gulasi, who was in his first year of NA hockey. Both Versteeg (Canada) and Gulasi (Czech Republic) represented their countries at the U18s and by all accounts held their own so why are they not ranked?

I'm not sure why Versteeg's not ranked (he is kind of small, but that excuse is getting old), but Gulasi's not eligible until 2005.

 

[Seachd]

Yes, the x, as in x-91. Joe Barnes, C, Saskatoon (WHL) means they've opted out.

Okay. On the rankings it says they just haven't opted in yet.

 

[Brock]

I think the only thing these final CSB rankings prove is how rediculously wide open this draft could be.

Everyone's rankings are all over the map. Of course every draft that's going to happen. But this is different, we've got so many players that some scotuing services have like top 15 and others have outside the top 30 even.

Could be a wild one.

 

[Draft Guru]

Okay. On the rankings it says they just haven't opted in yet.

I heard the deadline to opt-in was May 1st? That's what I was told...maybe there is a late opt-in date?

 

[Seachd]

I heard the deadline to opt-in was May 1st? That's what I was told...maybe there is a late opt-in date?

Okay, I just looked it up in the CBA. It says "May 15, or within 7 days of the last game, whichever is later."

So I guess they still have a little time left.

 

[TMHUNH]

Okay, I just looked it up in the CBA. It says "May 15, or within 7 days of the last game, whichever is later."

So I guess they still have a little time left.

I guess thats the downfall to getting them a little early this year...last year they knew who had opted out and just left them out.

We can hope that once they know for sure who is in or out, that they will update the rankings similar to when they left the blank spaces last year and then filled them in.

You have to hope that all the guys with the * aren't opting out. Some guys listed saw their stock rise a ton, so it wouldnt make sense to opt out. You have to think a kid like Sigalet would opt in while he is on the hot list.

 

[Enoch]

Interesting list....it shows how badly some players can be hyped here at HF. Thelen a top 5 pick.........He is ranked 11th in NA alone. I guess we will see, though, where they will eventually land up. This draft will certainly be appealing.

 

[Seachd]

Interesting list....it shows how badly some players can be hyped here at HF.

I think it shows that Central Scouting rankings don't mean a whole lot. I see Thelen ranked at #11, but I don't expect him to go 20th-30th overall.

 

[leafaholix*]

Looks like a very average draft.

 

[Belarus Rocket]

73. Rickard Demen-Willaume

Wow,I tough this guy would be a 2 rouder

and Peter Pohl Is pretty low,I know Is production Is not as high as everyone was waiting for,but he Is ranked 58 In NA so something like mid 3 rouder,too low IMO

 

[montreal]

I think the only thing these final CSB rankings prove is how rediculously wide open this draft could be.

Everyone's rankings are all over the map. Of course every draft that's going to happen. But this is different, we've got so many players that some scotuing services have like top 15 and others have outside the top 30 even.

Could be a wild one.

I agree all the way. This draft looks to be very wide open. I'd say there's easily 40 players that could go 1st round after the top 5 or so.

As for CSB, I don't put much stock in their rankings. Always fun to read, but that's about it.

I would have liked to see Paul Stasny in this draft, but opting out is smart. He should have a big year at Denver next year, which should put him higher up the rankings.

As for Pohl that's one I think they got right. One way player, bad 2nd half, benched for several playoff games, not a good sign.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Vikter Alexandrov over Alex Radulov? :lol

 

[leafaholix*]

Vikter Alexandrov over Alex Radulov? :lol

Well... Viktor's been touted as a top prospect for awhile now... so he's obviously talented.

And by "top prospect" I don't mean at the level of Ovechkin or Nash... but a good top 10-15 pick.