Natey's Top 70 Rankings - NHL Draft 2007

[Natey]

Natey's Top 70 Rankings
NHL Draft 2007

1ST ROUND
#1 - #10
1. James Van Riemsdyk
2. Patrick Kane
3. Kyle Turris
4. Karl Alzner
5. Alexei Cherepanov
6. Sam Gagner
7. Logan Couture
8. Jakub Voracek
9. Angelo Esposito
10. Keaton Ellerby

#11 - #20
11. Mikael Backlund
12. Zack Hamill
13. Lars Eller
14. Ryan McDonagh
15. Kevin Shattenkirk
16. Bill Sweatt
17. Maxim Mayorov
18. Nick Petrecki
19. Joakim Andersson
20. Brett MacLean

#21 - #30
21. Bradon Sutter
22. Michal Repik
23. Logan MacMillan
24. Mike Hoeffell
25. Alex Plante
26. James O'Brien
27. Oscar Moller
28. Ian Cole
29. Thomas Hickey
30. Andrew Clark

2ND ROUND
#31 - #40
31. Patrick White
32. Colton Gillies
33. David Perron
34. Jonathan Blum
35. Keven Vellieux
36. Tommy Cross
37. Jeremy Smith
38. Nick Spaling
39. Max Pacioretty
40. Sergei Korostin

#41 - #50
41. Nichlas Torp
42. Stephan Legein
43. Colby Cohen
44. Kevin Marshall
45. TJ Galiardi
46. Zack Torquato
47. Mark Katic
48. Drayson Bowman
49. Simon Hjalmarsson
50. Luca i

#51 - #60
51. Riley Nash
52. John Negrin
53. Dan Tyrell
54. Ruslan Bashkirov
55. Nick Palmieri
56. David Stich
57. Juraj Mikus
58. Justin Levac
59. Drew MacKenzie
60. TJ Brennan

3RD ROUND
#61 - #70
61. Yannick Weber
62. Dale Mitchell
63. Ted Ruth
64. Maxim Goncharov
65. Denis Reul
66. Luca Caputi
67. Lassi Kokkala
68. Taylor Ellington
69. Niclas Lucenius
70. Nico Sacchetti

* Feel free to bash me for anything. I especially know I'll get some heat for JVR heading the top of the list. I also have a sleeper at #30 that'll likely take some heat. As well as a few guys who I've dropped to start of the 2nd Round.

Click to read more...

 

[Plato]

voracek at 8 is way too low

 

[Natey]

voracek at 8 is way too low

The top eight players, in my opinion, are really flip and flop. I just see Couture going a lot higher than most. Ontop of that, I see Gagner, who is a mere 5 days older, going ahead of Voracek.

I think Voracek is a bit overrated, as the Q is really such an easy league for good players to score in.

 

[TheHoser]

The top eight players, in my opinion, are really flip and flop. I just see Couture going a lot higher than most. Ontop of that, I see Gagner, who is a mere 5 days older, going ahead of Voracek.

I think Voracek is a bit overrated, as the Q is really such an easy league for good players to score in.

I'd argue that, with the quality of goaltending in the O being what it is right now, that the Q and the O are virtually identical in terms of goal scoring. IMO Voracek is better than Gagner, regardless of league... let's not forget that Gagner had Kane and Kostitsyn, whereas Voracek had Hillier and Pridham... bit of a difference there.

Past that, I agree for the most part, though I don't really know a lot about the players outside the first round.

 

[Redwingsfan]

who is andrew clark??

 

[vincetheprince]

who is andrew clark??

I dont know him but here are his stats:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid[]=91366

I think he was eligible last year too.
Maybe 2nd or 3rd round is more realistic for him because lots of people havent heard of him but i dont know him nor his capabilities so who am I to judge.

 

[GSK*]

Odd to see Mikus ranked 57 overall. I don't know if someone will take him in second round

 

[Mr Sakich]

not a big akim fan are you?

 

[Stajan Fan]

I see Hjalmarrson and Tyrell being taken early second round, maybe late first.

 

[Natey]

not a big akim fan are you?

I've heard a lot about attitude problems. I kept wanting to put him in there, but I think he'll go anywhere from mid 2nd - mid 3rd round. If I had of kept going further, he'd of been about 72ish. He has good skills, but a headcase already doesnt really bode well.

I'd understand if say.. Gagner was a headcase. He might slip to #10 or something.. but he's not going too far because teams will gamble on his skills. After the top 20, I figure, if you're a headcase, you're skill set isn't going to be judged on fairly. Especially in a draft like this, where you really can't tell a 2nd Rounder from a 5th Rounder.

 

[mikethompson]

and blum is in the second round why? god the new NHL is built for this freakin guy. I have seen him play for 3 years know as I am season ticket holder to the giants.

 

[eaton28]

58. Justin Levac

Akim Aliu not there and Levac is? that is a complete joke.. IF levac does get drafted... it will be 7th round, Aliu will go top 50.

 

[Bryzga lol*]

I dont know him but here are his stats:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid[]=91366

I think he was eligible last year too.
Maybe 2nd or 3rd round is more realistic for him because lots of people havent heard of him but i dont know him nor his capabilities so who am I to judge.

His size could also be an issue: 5.10 - 162lbs

 

[Redwingsfan]

Akim Aliu not there and Levac is? that is a complete joke.. IF levac does get drafted... it will be 7th round, Aliu will go top 50.

i havent even heard of the guy

 

[Natey]

Odd to see Mikus ranked 57 overall. I don't know if someone will take him in second round

Just to be on the same page, are we talking about the same Mikus? There are two in this years draft.. The now overager unsigned by the Habs.. and a Defensemen who played on the Slovakia U18 team this year.

The one I listed, was the young defensemen from the U18 team, who I thought was one of their best players at the tournament.

Though, I fully expect the overaged Juraj Mikus to go in the first 3 Rounds, and as early as the top 50... Montreal passed on him because I think they were near (or at) their limit on players... but he was fantastic in the final half of the Q. If they want a european player with raw scoring talent and who did awesome at the World Juniors, this Mikus is their guy. He's got north-american experience, raw offensive talent.. I'm still pissed Montreal passed on him.

Here's a link on the defensemen;
http://www.eurohockey.net/players/show_player.cgi?serial=93359

 

[Natey]

i havent even heard of the guy

Levac is definately off the board, but having got to see him play a few times, I noticed he was pretty good all around. He's a pretty good skater, he's a good forechecker, will get back in the play to help defensively, offensively minded, and he's got some good size for a kid who isn't filled out yet at 6'2, 175.

Maybe it's more realistic for him to go later, but I really think he could be a good pick for a team.

 

[Natey]

His size could also be an issue: 5.10 - 162lbs

HockeyDB is famous for not updating weight. Clark is most definately 5'10, but he also weighs 175 - 178 now. His team site lists him at 178, whiles HockeysFuture lists him at 171. So he's still small, but not as bad as HockeyDB makes him look.

He played for Team WHL during the Russian/Canadian junior series that went on this year as well. He's definately, in my opinion, going to go higher than expected.

 

[mikethompson]

he is 18 he is still growing. he just got invited to the U.S World Junior Summer Camp.

 

[Kuzmenkshow]

Perron and Blum won't go outside the first round.

 

[Natey]

and blum is in the second round why? god the new NHL is built for this freakin guy. I have seen him play for 3 years know as I am season ticket holder to the giants.

Blum is truly a fantastic player. He'll likely go in the 1st Round, but I put a couple "Off the board" guys in there and moved him down slightly. I think most of the defensemen in front of him on my list, are a slight bit ahead of him.

I also haven't seen enought of Blum to really judge. His stats are fantastic, his size is perfect, how's his skating? I've only seen Blum a few times. Most of the other guys above him, I've seen a lot more of.

 

[mikethompson]

his skating is actually probably one of his bettter attributes. some people say he is not a good skater but his transistion from being on the rush and then getting back to the front of the net is excellent. he rushes the puck so much and loves the backdoor play on the power play when he comes in from the point straight to the net for the perfect tap in. And really when he was paird with Festerling this year and Fistric last year he did the rushing and getting the puck to the forwards while Festerlin and Fistric cleared the net. If you pair Blum with a big d-man that clears the front of the net you will have the perfect combination. Their are two guys that people rank above him that I cant understand, Hickey and Plante, Hickey was a non factor against the giants in round 2 while blum was excellent, and while plante may be good if it wasnt for alzner he would be a late second rounder early third rounder.

 

[Thirty One]

* Feel free to bash me for anything. I especially know I'll get some heat for JVR heading the top of the list. I also have a sleeper at #30 that'll likely take some heat. As well as a few guys who I've dropped to start of the 2nd Round.

you're too nice. you're telling us we can bash you, and giving us pointers on how to do it.

 

[Natey]

you're too nice. you're telling us we can bash you, and giving us pointers on how to do it.

That I am

 

[Natey]

his skating is actually probably one of his bettter attributes. some people say he is not a good skater but his transistion from being on the rush and then getting back to the front of the net is excellent. he rushes the puck so much and loves the backdoor play on the power play when he comes in from the point straight to the net for the perfect tap in. And really when he was paird with Festerling this year and Fistric last year he did the rushing and getting the puck to the forwards while Festerlin and Fistric cleared the net. If you pair Blum with a big d-man that clears the front of the net you will have the perfect combination. Their are two guys that people rank above him that I cant understand, Hickey and Plante, Hickey was a non factor against the giants in round 2 while blum was excellent, and while plante may be good if it wasnt for alzner he would be a late second rounder early third rounder.

I think Hickey gets more attention for a few reasons..

1) While Hickey's team failed to advance as far as Blum's, he still managed to put up 7 PTS in 11 GP during the run.

2) His PPG average during the season was slightly (and I stressed that word) higher than Blums. During the playoffs, it was far better where Blum scored just 9 PTS in 22 GP.

3) Although maybe less of a argrument point, Hickey was able to jump to the WHL for a few games (just 5 GP), a year ahead of schedule.

and most importantly;

4) Hickey weighs about 15 LBS more and has a more complete frame than Blum, that is a big thing teams will look at. Blum could fill out, or he could stay tall and lanky.

 

[mikethompson]

i think the biggest thing is Blum was one of the major reasons (past Lucic, Rabbit, Repik, Sexsmith) that they won the Mem Cup. Franson and Mikellson did not produce the way they should of and Blum took over basically. This guy was a leader on a team filled with 19 yr olds, and is going to be wearing one of the "A" next year. You listed lots of key points about well points but Hickey is not nearly as great a skater and truly does not have as great offensive instincts as Blum does. And another major factor teams should be looking at is that he is in the biggest junior hockey market there is, and he talks to reporters all the time.