Mizral's 2004 Entry Draft Preview (long)

[Golbez]

Tukonen is more like Marian Hossa or Hejduk, but tougher. Richard Zhetnik is too small and don´t look like Tukonen at all.

Good list, but you put some American players too high i think. Where is Nokelainen and Korpikoski on that list? And why Meszaros is that slow and Schremp that high?

Zednik (WTF is Zhetnik?) might be short, but he isn't small. Zednik is incredibly strong on his skates and plays his game like a Power Forward with his forechecking, hitting, yada yada..

Now, Zednik can't pass worth a lick and does need a creative center to match with. It sounds like Tukonen has some passing skills, so perhaps he'll be somewhere in between a Hossa and Zednik-like player.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Mizral-

Schneider went 17-5-2 for Phillips-Andover.

More impressive was his combined W-L record for the U.S. U-18 teams in Piestany and Minsk. 11-1. If that isn't proving one's self against top competition, then I don't know what is.

 

[Mizral]

Mizral-

Schneider went 17-5-2 for Phillips-Andover.

More impressive was his combined W-L record for the U.S. U-18 teams in Piestany and Minsk. 11-1. If that isn't proving one's self against top competition, then I don't know what is.

Thanks for that, Kirk! I'll add it in. I searched high and low for those stats, couldn't find 'em. You're right about the U18 - I was alluding to high school hockey. Whenever you've got a prospect out of high school, there's always that worry that he's looking better than he really is. Brian Boyle last year for instance didn't look nearly as good as he did in high school hockey as he does now in college.

You know, this really is the year of the goaltender. Guys like Shantz and Schneider, in my opinion, are really amazing goaltenders. Particularly Shantz whom I am a big, big fan of (and I'm banking another team out there thinks as much, too). In fact, my #31 guy was Devan Dubynk whom I very.. VERY nearly plugged in over Garlock (whom I think will be a Patrick Eaves-like riser into the 1st round).

 

[Legionnaire]

Nice work Miz.

 

[tripledekehockey]

Awesome job with your draft preview

thanks for your effort and hard work here!!

 

[Kingz4life]

That is a great draft preview. I don't know to much about these guys, but this helped a lot. AMAZING work.

 

[Takkie]

i'm gonna echo everyone elses statement and compliment you on your draft preview, i was just wondering if you think Ladd will drop the the 7th pick., since he if drops, Mad Mike will probably draft him.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Excellent work Mizral, I have a question:

When you put a guy like Fransson at 18th overall, are you projecting Montreal picks him there or are you simply stating he is the 18th best prospect in this draft?

 

[Mizral]

I am saying he's the 18th best in the draft.

But it's still probobly the best way to predict the draft regardless of teams anyways. Considering all the trades that usually go down at the draft, it's kind of fruitless to try to pick per team. I'm not saying Montreal would be best to take Fransson with the 18th pick if 1 through 17 aren't available, but I'm saying the team that ends up with the 18th pick and 1 through 17th are gone, Fransson is the best player available.

 

[Histrion]

Thanks a lot Miz, it's a great read! I didn't follow this crop that well so I wasn't aware of how it was past top 5. It's very helpful.

 

[BrettNYR]

I am saying he's the 18th best in the draft.

But it's still probobly the best way to predict the draft regardless of teams anyways. Considering all the trades that usually go down at the draft, it's kind of fruitless to try to pick per team. I'm not saying Montreal would be best to take Fransson with the 18th pick if 1 through 17 aren't available, but I'm saying the team that ends up with the 18th pick and 1 through 17th are gone, Fransson is the best player available.

Mizral: How many points do you see Rotislav Olesz getting in the NHL?

 

[loadie]

Very nice read Miz, appreciate the effort.

 

[Mizral]

Mizral: How many points do you see Rotislav Olesz getting in the NHL?

That's a pretty difficult question to ask, but if he does make the NHL, he's got 1st line potential, so anywhere from 65 points to 90 points - something like that maybe?

 

[Alex Kovalev]

Good Read, agreed with you most of the time. The one thing that made me laugh was the Stafford/Ryan Smyth comparison.

 

[Oi'll say!]

Good work Miz, this will be a good reference tool come draft day.

Just wondering why Bruce Graham didn't make the first round?

He had a good playoff run (18 gp, 14 pts, +4), he's a gargantuan center (6'-6", 220), and he's good on the dot (53% reg season, 55% playoffs).

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

I am saying he's the 18th best in the draft.

But it's still probobly the best way to predict the draft regardless of teams anyways. Considering all the trades that usually go down at the draft, it's kind of fruitless to try to pick per team. I'm not saying Montreal would be best to take Fransson with the 18th pick if 1 through 17 aren't available, but I'm saying the team that ends up with the 18th pick and 1 through 17th are gone, Fransson is the best player available.

That's what I thought, it's just that Andre Savard has said in the past that he likes Fransson so I thought you may have been predicting he goes to MTL. Thanks again.

 

[Steve Latin*]

Great work. That's a 4 banana preview in my book!



S L

 

[Seachd]

Teacher nitpick alert: it's spelled "adieu"!

It's actually "ado". Adieu is the goodbye thing.

 

[DevilFisch]

Great job on the preview!

Looks like this draft is more a reach like 2002's than 2003's. Except for goaltenders. Schwarz, Montoya, Schneider, Shantz, Dubnyk, et. al. Either way, I certainly know a lot more in addition to what THN has.

 

[Murphy*]

The Sens have the 23rd pick no? Because getting Valabik would be insane.

 

[BrettNYR]

That's a pretty difficult question to ask, but if he does make the NHL, he's got 1st line potential, so anywhere from 65 points to 90 points - something like that maybe?

Good. I thought around that, but I wanted to see what your opinion was. You said that he is a "pure sniper", or something like that, but I read that he is a great defensive player, as well.

 

[gameface]

First time poster, but long time lurker.

I'll echo everybody else's sentiments: great work here! I have to ask though. How do you have the ability to see so many of these guys located where you are? What do you do for resources?

Once again, excellent job!

 

[Mizral]

How I see games: I am an amatuer scout (read: I do it just for my own amusement and love of hockey), and I really got into watching the draft starting in about 1996. I am able to watch quite a few players live via BCHL and WHL games, of which I attend about 10 - 15 of each a year.. this year I caught more WHL games than I usually do I should add.

I catch all the tournaments I can, tape the WJC's, and try to tape any other tournaments that are on TV. Watched the Re-Max Challenge this year, and saw a bunch of prospects. Watched the CHL Top Prospects game and saw a ton more. I usually only see 2 or 3 NCAA games all year via 'The Score', and no European games outside of videos that are posted on HF (mostly of Ovechkin or Malkin).

With NCAA stuff, I rely a lot on scouting reports I read from others, or maybe what little I have seen of them (for instance, I saw Montoya play in the WJC's as well as he was in the NCAA).

Almost all the top prospects are on TV at some point or another in the year on Canadian TV.

In terms of the OHL and QMJHL, Bell ExpressVu helps, shows lots of OHL/QMJHL games. For the CHL I'm more than covered. WJC's too and other tournaments I'm usually okay.

Again, in regards to Euro's, I'm mostly resorting to scouring the web for scouting reports in addition to what little I've seen of a player. For I believe only a select few of the 30 I listed there, I haven't seen at all (Blake Wheeler comes to mind). Through HF I have talked with quite a few scouts & other website owners of which I'm able to get some information regarding European scouts. I read HF for interviews with players. It sounds really time consuming, but it's not really considering I've been watching these guys for a little while now.

It's not meant to be a complete and utter scientific analysis. Take from it what you will

 

[Prucha73]

Mizral, I am just curious how many games you saw Wolski play? Did you see him live or on TV? I have been very intrigued by him for a while.

 

[Mizral]

Saw him twice + the CHL Top Prospect game. All on TV I'm afraid.