Well the draft pundits said this will be a draft where anything is possible and they didn't dissappoint! With many scout's believing that there was not so much top end talent that we were going to see picks all over the board. Some draft list's had player's rated at 20 that other's had at 40. With that being said here is some 1st round surprises that "we" thought were worth noting.
After going 7 for 7 to start the draft on my list that's when things started to go awry.
1st the " what are these guys thinking" surprises.
- Korpiskoski going 14th had him early 2nd and I'm sure it made the other's drafting right after very happy to see.
- Salmonsson going 22nd had him mid 2nd and looking who was drafted within the following 3 picks made these happy as well.
It sure is nice having poeple over the pond in this league during draft time
2nd is the " how can these guys drop so far" catagory.
- Meszaros going 19th.
I had him ranked 8th with even 1 draft resource rating him 3rd!! After he didn't go in the top 10 I tried trading up after every selection made wasn't him, but alas no luck.
- possibly the most upsetting for on the day was Radulov going 40th overall. RIGHT BEFORE MY NEXT PICK . I had Radulov 20th overall and was getting more and more excited after every pick and his name glaring at me on the list.
On with the actual PREDATOR picks
The PREDATOR organization goes by the best player available mindset with an emphasis on potential top line talent in the 1st 3 rounds. I would rather have a guy who can play on my top line than a sure thing 3rd liner. However, with this draft being the way it is you could draft by organizational weakness and be just as good in the long run.
5th overall
Tukonen Rw 6-2 198 lbs #1 finnish ranked player, #3 iss, #5 css and moved up 6 places from mid year rankings.
And damn happy about it
If I was drafting 3rd overall I would have still picked him. Anytime you can pick up a power forward with this type of potential your very lucky. Look at the many different ways a power forward can contribute to your team and it's no wonder they are in high demand.
41st overall ranked 27th on my list
Bahensky c/w 6-2 190lbs #24 css and 40th @ mid year
Here's a kid who is not afraid of traffic, has great hockey sense, good speed, quickness and agility with a great wrist shot. I've seen Europeans with amazing talent who play the perimeter and are not successfull in the N.H.L., but here's an offensive Czech with a nose for the net = goal scorer in the N.H.L. level.
54th overall ranked 37th on my list
Yunkov c/w 6-0 180lbs #18css
A playmaker with defensive awarenessand a acute hockey sense, creative and a deft passer. Will be the guy setting up goals for a long time in a PREDATOR uniform.
64th overall ranked 58th on my list
Sietsonen c 6-3 206lbs #30css
A big competitive 2 way forward. I picked this guy because I love how the finns play and he's big.
70th overall ranked 59th on my list
Sprunger w 6-4 194lbs #1 swiss ranked player #27css #33 @ mid year
This kid carried the swiss team to regain promotion to the "a" level @ the wjc scoring 7 goals in 5 I think if this guy was born in a more hockey breed country he is 1st round material, he's overlooked because he's swiss. HE'S 6-4!!!
83rd overall ranked 66th on my list
Naslund w 6-4 207lbs #32css and #51 @ mid year
Another big kid with a hockey name. What impressed me most is his astronomical rise in every ranking from the beginning of the year.
87th overall ranked 69th on my list
Wellar lw 6-1 188lbs #32css and 47th @ mid year
I had too many European picks that I had to take a North American
Overall I am extremely pleased with draft so far taking guys that i had ranked higher in every selection. Unfortunatley, none were on defence. look forward to seeing all d-men draft on day 2.
Like usual time will tell who were the winners today
After going 7 for 7 to start the draft on my list that's when things started to go awry.
1st the " what are these guys thinking" surprises.
- Korpiskoski going 14th had him early 2nd and I'm sure it made the other's drafting right after very happy to see.
- Salmonsson going 22nd had him mid 2nd and looking who was drafted within the following 3 picks made these happy as well.
It sure is nice having poeple over the pond in this league during draft time
2nd is the " how can these guys drop so far" catagory.
- Meszaros going 19th.
I had him ranked 8th with even 1 draft resource rating him 3rd!! After he didn't go in the top 10 I tried trading up after every selection made wasn't him, but alas no luck.- possibly the most upsetting for on the day was Radulov going 40th overall. RIGHT BEFORE MY NEXT PICK
. I had Radulov 20th overall and was getting more and more excited after every pick and his name glaring at me on the list. On with the actual PREDATOR picks
The PREDATOR organization goes by the best player available mindset with an emphasis on potential top line talent in the 1st 3 rounds. I would rather have a guy who can play on my top line than a sure thing 3rd liner. However, with this draft being the way it is you could draft by organizational weakness and be just as good in the long run.
5th overall
Tukonen Rw 6-2 198 lbs #1 finnish ranked player, #3 iss, #5 css and moved up 6 places from mid year rankings.
And damn happy about it
If I was drafting 3rd overall I would have still picked him. Anytime you can pick up a power forward with this type of potential your very lucky. Look at the many different ways a power forward can contribute to your team and it's no wonder they are in high demand.41st overall ranked 27th on my list
Bahensky c/w 6-2 190lbs #24 css and 40th @ mid year
Here's a kid who is not afraid of traffic, has great hockey sense, good speed, quickness and agility with a great wrist shot. I've seen Europeans with amazing talent who play the perimeter and are not successfull in the N.H.L., but here's an offensive Czech with a nose for the net = goal scorer in the N.H.L. level.
54th overall ranked 37th on my list
Yunkov c/w 6-0 180lbs #18css
A playmaker with defensive awarenessand a acute hockey sense, creative and a deft passer. Will be the guy setting up goals for a long time in a PREDATOR uniform.
64th overall ranked 58th on my list
Sietsonen c 6-3 206lbs #30css
A big competitive 2 way forward. I picked this guy because I love how the finns play and he's big.
70th overall ranked 59th on my list
Sprunger w 6-4 194lbs #1 swiss ranked player #27css #33 @ mid year
This kid carried the swiss team to regain promotion to the "a" level @ the wjc scoring 7 goals in 5 I think if this guy was born in a more hockey breed country he is 1st round material, he's overlooked because he's swiss. HE'S 6-4!!!
83rd overall ranked 66th on my list
Naslund w 6-4 207lbs #32css and #51 @ mid year
Another big kid with a hockey name. What impressed me most is his astronomical rise in every ranking from the beginning of the year.
87th overall ranked 69th on my list
Wellar lw 6-1 188lbs #32css and 47th @ mid year
I had too many European picks that I had to take a North American
Overall I am extremely pleased with draft so far taking guys that i had ranked higher in every selection. Unfortunatley, none were on defence. look forward to seeing all d-men draft on day 2.
Like usual time will tell who were the winners today
