HFNHL Red Wings
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In keeping with our Sponsor’s theme at Hockey’s Future here is a look at the HFNHL Red Wings 2000 draft.
The 2000 HFNHL Draft was GM Niece’s first official act since taking over just after the team had been eliminated from the 1999/2000 playoff’s. Despite the fact the team was picking late GM Niece had been happy at the time with his selections but, as with all drafts, time proved to be the true judge.
Brad Boyes
Selection: 1st round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 1
Despite having been used as a trading chip in that ‘other’ league, Boyes has succeeded wherever he has played putting up nearly point per game numbers each of the last 3 seasons. So far he has lived up to his draft day billing of being a smart two way player who sees the ice well and adapts well to different styles of play.
HFNHL Projection: 2nd line playmaking center
Ben Knopp
Selection: 2nd round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
Detroit was very happy on draft day with this selection. At 6’1†and playing RW, Knopp had just come off a good season with Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL where he put up 60 points in 72 games and had just over 100 PIM and had participated in the top prospects game. In the next two seasons he put up point per game numbers with a healthy PIM count, clearly his stock was rising and the Wings thought they may have a potential gritty 2nd line RW to play alongside Boyes in the near future.
Unfortunately that potential has not shown itself at the Pro level. The exact reasons are not evident, but after 3 pro seasons split between the ECHL and AHL Knopp was released by the HFNHL Red Wings.
Sanny Lindstrom
Selection: 4th round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
Sanny was drafted one year later in the HFNHL than in the NHL where he had also been selected in the 4th round (Colorado). The Wings had thought themselves fortunate to have gotten him as it was later revealed that several other teams had had Lindstrom at the top of their Day 2 lists.
After playing one season in NA he had demonstrated that he could not only handle the physical aspects of NA hockey but that he could dish it out as well. Combined with some flashes of offensive prowess many thought that within a couple of years he could develop into an HFNHL level player.
Unfortunately Sanny proved to be injury prone and over the next 4 seasons he played half a season or less. As the injuries mounted his development stalled and other players began to pass him on the depth chart, even returning to Sweden in 2002 did not allow him to escape the injury bug.
He was released by the HFNHL Red Wings in the summer of 2003.
Mathias Tjarnqvist
Selection: 5th round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 18
While not being an elite player in any aspect of the game, Mathias was a well rounded player and as he played RW, which at the time was a huge hole for the Wings, GM Niece could not pass on him.
The Wings have been patient in letting Tjarnqvist develop and it appears that with his strong work ethic he may be successful in carving out a role for himself.
HFNHL Projection: 3rd/4th line RW
Henrik Lundqvist
Selection: 6th round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 0
GM Niece is the first to admit that he got really lucky with this selection. While the Wings did like Lundqvist based on the team scouting reports, statistically they were flying blind with little to no information on his Junior stats. The team had actually had one or two goalies rated higher on their Day 2 draft list however the selection of Lundqvist this late in the draft was not a dissapointment.
GM Niece was later to say to GM Emerson that his concerns were not with Lundqvist himself but more with the ‘other’ NA organization he had been drafted into and whether Lundqvist could successfully develop there. Fortunately Lundqvist chose to stay in Sweden and develop at home which has proven to be a wise decision.
Although the recent world championships were certainly a disappointment for Lundqvist he has demonstrated he is ready for the next level in wining back to back top goaltender awards in the SEL and setting playoff goaltending records in the SEL.
HFNHL Projection: Starting goalie
David Chant
Selection: 7th round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
The first ever ‘Homer’ pick of GM Niece’s favorite OHL team the Brampton Battalion.
Chant is a stand up goaltender who depends primarily on positioning. Not listed on CSS GM Niece took a chance that Chant could be a late bloomer.
Following his solid, if unspectacular, OHL career, David was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Due to Pittsburgh’s depth at goal he was relegated to the ECHL where he played one full season before deciding to go to University in 2003.
Kaspers Astaschenko
Selection: 8th round
Status: NHL Player (Former)
NHL Games Played: 23
Drafted as an overage European (25yo) the pick was later ruled invalid as he had played in the IHL and so the team signed him as a FA just weeks later.
There was never any mystery about the reason for this pick, he was simply signed as an injury reserve given the team at that time had no depth whatsoever.
He was later traded away for a 7th round pick in the 2002 draft.
The 2000 HFNHL Draft was GM Niece’s first official act since taking over just after the team had been eliminated from the 1999/2000 playoff’s. Despite the fact the team was picking late GM Niece had been happy at the time with his selections but, as with all drafts, time proved to be the true judge.
Brad Boyes
Selection: 1st round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 1
Despite having been used as a trading chip in that ‘other’ league, Boyes has succeeded wherever he has played putting up nearly point per game numbers each of the last 3 seasons. So far he has lived up to his draft day billing of being a smart two way player who sees the ice well and adapts well to different styles of play.
HFNHL Projection: 2nd line playmaking center
Ben Knopp
Selection: 2nd round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
Detroit was very happy on draft day with this selection. At 6’1†and playing RW, Knopp had just come off a good season with Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL where he put up 60 points in 72 games and had just over 100 PIM and had participated in the top prospects game. In the next two seasons he put up point per game numbers with a healthy PIM count, clearly his stock was rising and the Wings thought they may have a potential gritty 2nd line RW to play alongside Boyes in the near future.
Unfortunately that potential has not shown itself at the Pro level. The exact reasons are not evident, but after 3 pro seasons split between the ECHL and AHL Knopp was released by the HFNHL Red Wings.
Sanny Lindstrom
Selection: 4th round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
Sanny was drafted one year later in the HFNHL than in the NHL where he had also been selected in the 4th round (Colorado). The Wings had thought themselves fortunate to have gotten him as it was later revealed that several other teams had had Lindstrom at the top of their Day 2 lists.
After playing one season in NA he had demonstrated that he could not only handle the physical aspects of NA hockey but that he could dish it out as well. Combined with some flashes of offensive prowess many thought that within a couple of years he could develop into an HFNHL level player.
Unfortunately Sanny proved to be injury prone and over the next 4 seasons he played half a season or less. As the injuries mounted his development stalled and other players began to pass him on the depth chart, even returning to Sweden in 2002 did not allow him to escape the injury bug.
He was released by the HFNHL Red Wings in the summer of 2003.
Mathias Tjarnqvist
Selection: 5th round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 18
While not being an elite player in any aspect of the game, Mathias was a well rounded player and as he played RW, which at the time was a huge hole for the Wings, GM Niece could not pass on him.
The Wings have been patient in letting Tjarnqvist develop and it appears that with his strong work ethic he may be successful in carving out a role for himself.
HFNHL Projection: 3rd/4th line RW
Henrik Lundqvist
Selection: 6th round
Status: HFNHL Prospect
NHL Games Played: 0
GM Niece is the first to admit that he got really lucky with this selection. While the Wings did like Lundqvist based on the team scouting reports, statistically they were flying blind with little to no information on his Junior stats. The team had actually had one or two goalies rated higher on their Day 2 draft list however the selection of Lundqvist this late in the draft was not a dissapointment.
GM Niece was later to say to GM Emerson that his concerns were not with Lundqvist himself but more with the ‘other’ NA organization he had been drafted into and whether Lundqvist could successfully develop there. Fortunately Lundqvist chose to stay in Sweden and develop at home which has proven to be a wise decision.
Although the recent world championships were certainly a disappointment for Lundqvist he has demonstrated he is ready for the next level in wining back to back top goaltender awards in the SEL and setting playoff goaltending records in the SEL.
HFNHL Projection: Starting goalie
David Chant
Selection: 7th round
Status: BUST
NHL Games Played: 0
The first ever ‘Homer’ pick of GM Niece’s favorite OHL team the Brampton Battalion.
Chant is a stand up goaltender who depends primarily on positioning. Not listed on CSS GM Niece took a chance that Chant could be a late bloomer.
Following his solid, if unspectacular, OHL career, David was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Due to Pittsburgh’s depth at goal he was relegated to the ECHL where he played one full season before deciding to go to University in 2003.
Kaspers Astaschenko
Selection: 8th round
Status: NHL Player (Former)
NHL Games Played: 23
Drafted as an overage European (25yo) the pick was later ruled invalid as he had played in the IHL and so the team signed him as a FA just weeks later.
There was never any mystery about the reason for this pick, he was simply signed as an injury reserve given the team at that time had no depth whatsoever.
He was later traded away for a 7th round pick in the 2002 draft.
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