McKeen's updates rankings

[Dr_Chimera*]

McKeen's released their draft rankings...

http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/default.asp
http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=250620

Some things they mentioned:

- They say that Alex Picard is really going up for the draft and is now 15th on their list.

- Moved Marek Schwarz up to #5 and Robbie Schremp down to #8.

- Andrew Ladd made the first-round list.

- Their top Swede is Carl Soderberg.

- A BCHL kid named Travis Zajac made their top 30

- They have a piece on A.J. Thelen - a collegian who also made their top 30.

- There's a qmjhl kid named Bruce Graham who is 6-6, 220 who is on their "hot" list

- They have Dubnynk down as "cold" - apparently he's struggled lately - Petr Pohl too

- They're critical of Bryan Bickell and Mark Fistric

Top 10:

1. Ovechkin
2. Olesz
3. Malkin
4. Barker
5. Schwarz
6. O'Neil
7. Tukonen
8. Schremp
9. Wolski
10.Dubnyk

They have a lot of American kids on their top 100.

Click to read more...

 

[X-SHARKIE]

I'm going to go there and check it out!

I totally agree with Carl Soderberg being the best swede. Well I dont know about the best, but he's definitly left an impression on me. Good to see Schwarz getting the recognition he deserves. A friend asked me about him and I said I think he's more talented that Dubynk. Just not as big.
Bruce Grahm is just huge at 6-6 he's also a great skater! I always notice him when I watch Bernier games in Montcon. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[leafaholix*]

Nice to see that there are a number of very good Swedish players in '04.

IMO, they'll go like this...

1. Johannes Salmonsson
2. Johan Fransson
3. Carl Soderberg
4. Fredrik Naslund
5. Oscar Hedman

 

[cagney]

They have a lot of American kids on their top 100.

27 to be exact (including Darin Olver who they have listed incorrectly as Canadian). It's probable that a number of these players won't opt in to this draft but it's still good to see that many American kids getting recognition. I like that they've mentioned Brett Tyler as a player who is 'Under the Radar.' If he was bigger he'd get a lot more recognition. He has the potential to be a great college player.

 

[Dr_Chimera*]

27 to be exact (including Darin Olver who they have listed incorrectly as Canadian). It's probable that a number of these players won't opt in to this draft but it's still good to see that many American kids getting recognition. I like that they've mentioned Brett Tyler as a player who is 'Under the Radar.' If he was bigger he'd get a lot more recognition. He has the potential to be a great college player.

I heard that Olver is from Burnaby, BC...

Dunno about his citizenship.

 

[Totamomasos]

I have seen Söderberg play a couple of times and while I also think he is a very good talent he is not that good. if he was that good he would have made the swedish jvm team (remember, he is also born 85).. and instead this 86's johannes salmonsson made the team, one year younger even. i think that salmonsson will be picked in the first together fransson and another defenseman (demen or hedman) and then söderberg and more players (2-3) will be selected in the second

 

[Duff88]

Nice to see that there are a number of very good Swedish players in '04.

IMO, they'll go like this...

1. Johannes Salmonsson
2. Johan Fransson
3. Carl Soderberg
4. Fredrik Naslund
5. Oscar Hedman

Where is Demén-Willaume on your list?

These would be my swedish rankings :

1. Johannes Salmonsson
2. Richard Demén-Willaume
3. Johan Fransson
4. Carl Soderberg
5. Mattias Hellström
6. Oscar Hedman
7. Alexander Tang
8. Linus Persson
9. Magnus Akerlund
10. Viktor Lindgren (There's a big difference between 9 and 10 but I had to includ Lindgren, he might be small but he's extremely gifted and as everyone know, you can learn defence but not offence. )

 

[leafaholix*]

Where is Demén-Willaume on your list?

It came down to Hedman and Demen-Willaume. Oscar's having quite an impressive season in the J20 league.

Richard D-W would be #6 on my list.

I don't think he goes ahead of Fransson, Johan's already playing a key role in the Eliteserien.

 

[Duff88]

It came down to Hedman and Demen-Willaume. Oscar's having quite an impressive season in the J20 league.

Richard D-W would be #6 on my list.

I don't think he goes ahead of Fransson, Johan's already playing a key role in the Eliteserien.

It was really close between Fransson and Démen-Willaume for #2 but I gave the edge to Demén-Willaume because of the fact that Fransson is a year older and had some injury problems. I really love Fransson, but I think that Démen-Willaume has a better future ahead of him.

 

[leafaholix*]

It was really close between Fransson and Démen-Willaume for #2 but I gave the edge to Demén-Willaume because of the fact that Fransson is a year older and had some injury problems. I really love Fransson, but I think that Démen-Willaume has a better future ahead of him.

Yeah, that injury last year could really hurt Fransson's stock.

Could go either way I suppose.

 

[Duff88]

Yeah, that injury last year could really hurt Fransson's stock.

Could go either way I suppose.

His WJC will prove have a big impact on his draft ranking. But I seriously wouldn't be sure who to pick between both...

 

[leafaholix*]

I've only seen him once... that being on Sunday vs. Canada.

And he looked pretty good.

Looked steady.

Hopefully he doesn't drop that much.

 

[cagney]

I heard that Olver is from Burnaby, BC...

Dunno about his citizenship.

What I know is that he was born in Idaho and his family now resides in Washington. He also went to high school in Minnesota for a while and played hockey there. It's possible that he could be a dual citizen though.

 

[leafaholix*]

What I know is that he was born in Idaho and his family now resides in Washington. He also went to high school in Minnesota for a while and played hockey there. It's possible that he could be a dual citizen though.

The team website says his hometown is in BC.

I think it might have been Burnaby.

But I think he's American... that's the only site that says his hometown was in Canada... uscollegehockey.com has him from Idaho.

If anyone can find something on the kid, it would be appreciated.

 

[cagney]

One thing to keep in mind is that his father, John Olver, who played for Michigan in the late '70s was from Burnaby. It's possible that some people might have the two mixed up. His father is the coach of the Idaho Steelheads in the WCHL but I don't know how long he has held that position. I know they have lived in the Washington area for three or four years since Darin transfered to Minnesota high school from Washington as a 15 year old. I'll keep my eye out for more information.

Edit: I looked into this a little more and it seems that his father has coached American based teams in the WCHL since 1996. Before that he had coached with teams in both the BCHL and WHL. I suspect Darin has lived a good number of years in Canada. He most likely has dual citizenship considering at least one of his parents is Canadian (don't know his mother's citizenship) and he was born in the States. In this case he could represent either the US or Canada internationally (assuming he gets the chance, which is possible considering he'll be eligible for next years WJC's). His situation seems somewhat similar to Tyler Arnason's.

 

[coolio123]

Spealing of Olver and NMU, does anyone have info on his linemates Dirk Southern/Pat Bateman?

 

[coolio123]

Spealing of Olver and NMU, does anyone have info on his linemates Dirk Southern/Pat Bateman?

Speaking***typo haha

 

[ChemiseBleuHonnete]

Yeah, that injury last year could really hurt Fransson's stock.

Could go either way I suppose.

Andre Savard once said on CKAC that he was one of his favorite guy in the 2003 draft... The habs would probably have drafted him with one of thier second round picks last year. He was talking about him like if he was to pick him!

 

[leafaholix*]

Andre Savard once said on CKAC that he was one of his favorite guy in the 2003 draft... The habs would probably have drafted him with one of thier second round picks last year. He was talking about him like if he was to pick him!

If he was 100%, I would be surprised if he dropped out of the top round.

If he entered in 2003... I think he would have dropped to the 4th or 5th round.

 

[Campino]

I'm going to go there and check it out!

I totally agree with Carl Soderberg being the best swede. Well I dont know about the best, but he's definitly left an impression on me. Good to see Schwarz getting the recognition he deserves. A friend asked me about him and I said I think he's more talented that Dubynk. Just not as big.
Bruce Grahm is just huge at 6-6 he's also a great skater! I always notice him when I watch Bernier games in Montcon. Thanks for the heads up!

Who do you watch games from Moncton if you live in Wisconsin????