Most likely to get Crosby

[hawksfan50]

1. If the above guesses are based on finishes + lottery from a season or partial played in 2004/05 then most of the guesses are reasonable--except Chicago will not finnish bottom 5 again--they will "improve" (again barring disatrous injuries) to a mid-pack team ...

2. However IF no season is played yet a new CBA done BEFORE the scheduled June 2005 draft (if no deal this draft will be post-poned --likely to June 2006 =should a new CBA be in place before that) THEN the 2005 in Ottawa draft goes ahead and since no 2004/05 season played,THEN it reverts to finishes of 2003/04 and likely a new lotto for the bottom 5 of that season in the Crosby sweepstakes (so NYR would be out in that case). CHI would be #2 pre-lotto BUT we all know the hockey gods will never allow them to be so lucky as to get the "Nextky".

3. Someone posted that the NHL may "fix" it so that Crosby goes to a big market team (ie. NYR) --however this will not happen--the only way the "fix" would be in is if the CBA talks collapse and some current NHL owners decide to disband the NHL and form their own (reduced # of teams) league--in that case bet on Crosby going to either the New York or more likely DETROIT franchise inthe new league--since MSG or Illitch are the most likely to control that new league and spend "whatever it takes" to get what they want (including buying off other greedy owners with cold hard cash)...

 

[Coffey77]

1. If the above guesses are based on finishes + lottery from a season or partial played in 2004/05 then most of the guesses are reasonable--except Chicago will not finnish bottom 5 again--they will "improve" (again barring disatrous injuries) to a mid-pack team ...

2. However IF no season is played yet a new CBA done BEFORE the scheduled June 2005 draft (if no deal this draft will be post-poned --likely to June 2006 =should a new CBA be in place before that) THEN the 2005 in Ottawa draft goes ahead and since no 2004/05 season played,THEN it reverts to finishes of 2003/04 and likely a new lotto for the bottom 5 of that season in the Crosby sweepstakes (so NYR would be out in that case). CHI would be #2 pre-lotto BUT we all know the hockey gods will never allow them to be so lucky as to get the "Nextky".

3. Someone posted that the NHL may "fix" it so that Crosby goes to a big market team (ie. NYR) --however this will not happen--the only way the "fix" would be in is if the CBA talks collapse and some current NHL owners decide to disband the NHL and form their own (reduced # of teams) league--in that case bet on Crosby going to either the New York or more likely DETROIT franchise inthe new league--since MSG or Illitch are the most likely to control that new league and spend "whatever it takes" to get what they want (including buying off other greedy owners with cold hard cash)...

Only way I see a non-traditional bottom feeder (ie. New Jersey, Colorado, Detroit) getting their hands on Crosby is a year is wiped out. And then the NHL decides on a lottery involving all 30 teams, each getting a chance a number one. I don't think it's fair to have another draft with the same order as last year. IMO, it's not fair a team like Washington gets rewarded twice for sucking one year.

 

[Rowsdower]

Of all the teams, I really hope the Caps, Pens, or Canes DONT get him! Im sick of them sucking every year and getting top picks and still doing nothing! They could care less about winning and their market doesnt even have to potential to be big. I know I sound like a hypocrit, but atleast teams like the Hawks and BJs have a lot of young talent and will likely make improvements next year. If the Hawks had a guy like Crosby, their market could allow them to have the fan base the Wings had in the late 90s.

Ok, where to begin. First off the Caps haven't had a top 5 pick up until this draft for quite awhile...hell, I don't even think they had a top 10 pick those years. The Canes are on their second straight top 5 pick, the Penguins their third. All three of these teams are in a little process known as REBUILDING. As we all know, rebuilding takes time, it doesn't happen overnight. I also think that the markets are decent, but are being hurt because people are gonna be more reluctant to cash in to watch their team get beaten around. And they do care about winning....it's not like these teams were in playoff contention when they started dumping guys....you may be able to make an exception with the Pens and Jagr, but he was asking for money the Pens did not have....not even close. It takes a bit of nerve to question other teams' dedication to winnin, when your favorite team is run by Bill Wirtz....if he has shown any commitment to winning, I'd love to hear it. So yeah...these teams that 'suck every year' have only been mediocre the last three (at most).....I can recall a team that was pretty crappy for a handful of years awhile back (and seemingly past the scope of many posters here)....the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Senators are another....every team goes through this...the mighty Wings of the 90's-present were once called the 'Dead Things' and were a league wide joke. These teams are not just trying to deprive other teams (like your much more 'deserving' Blackhawks) A-list prospects out of spite. They are rebuilding.

I also think it's funny how you blast teams like the Caps and Pens, and then go on to say the Hawks and Jackets have plenty of young talent, and will both improve next season. Firstly, the Pens and Caps have just as much servicable young talent as the Hawks or the Jackets, maybe even moreso. Secondly, I see no reason to insinuate that Columbus and Chicago will improve, while the three teams you bash will go nowhere. I fail to see what Columbus has done to bolster their roster, and Chicago's fares rest squarely in Thibault's health....if he goes down, I can definately see them in lotto contention.

 

[Kafka]

Boston

 

[moosefan]

Gretzky is in love with this guys talent. Don't be shocked to see Gretzky do everything in his power to get that pick. The team has been busy picking players up this year with a good foundation now, look for these players to be brought in just as trade bait for a trade to try to get the top pick.

 

[st_roland]

Gretzky is in love with this guys talent. Don't be shocked to see Gretzky do everything in his power to get that pick. The team has been busy picking players up this year with a good foundation now, look for these players to be brought in just as trade bait for a trade to try to get the top pick.

I'd be shocked to see him do that. It'd be a stupid business move. Well, now that I think about it...maybe I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Chief]

hawksfan50: In the event that there is no 04-05 season, there is no plan in place for the 05 draft. People have speculated that there would be a weighted lottery with all of the non-playoff teams from 03-04, with the lower teams getting better odds but as of now, that's just speculation. The fact is nobody knows how the next draft will be handled.

 

[Chief]

Gretzky is in love with this guys talent. Don't be shocked to see Gretzky do everything in his power to get that pick. The team has been busy picking players up this year with a good foundation now, look for these players to be brought in just as trade bait for a trade to try to get the top pick.

I don't think Gretzky is anymore in love with Crosby than any other team owner or GM. And even if he were willing to do anything to get him, the players they have recently acquired won't help. Brett Hull and Mike Ricci are not going to bring back Crosby.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

The way Gretzky's management team bumbled the No. 5 overall selection in 2004, selecting a player that high that they probably could have had somewhere between picks No. 15 and 20, if not lower, good luck to the Coyotes in finding enough assets to parlay into Crosby.

I suppose Doan, LeNeveu and a first in 2005 would be a starting point, but I don't think any team that lands the top pick in 2005 would want to give it up--unless that team already draws fans very well and already boasts a franchise player for the future and is looking to win it all in 2005-06. Not too many teams have all three of those criteria.

As for the potential 2005 lottery, I think you HAVE to include all 30 teams because it really isn't fair otherwise. After all, Boston made the playoffs in 2003-04, RIGHT NOW are they a playoff team on paper? No. They should have just as much of a right to the top pick in 2005 than say Atlanta, who wasn't a playoff team in 2003-04 but who probably won't miss the playoffs for the next several years.

It should be a weighted system, with say Pittsburgh getting 30 ping-pong balls, Chicago 29 balls, Washington 28 balls all the way down to Tampa Bay with 1 ball. I think that would be the only fair way to go. If nobody can prove their suckitude (or is it suckiness?) on the ice, then the winner of the Crosby Sweepstakes should come down to sheer luck of the draw, with only a small factor being 2003-04 standings.