RE-DO the 1st & 2nd Rounds of 2005!!

[Zim]

It's not just about the stats, that's what i was trying to say, He won't shy away from traffic, he's a working machine, witch isin't the case with Bolland with what i previously read, S. Kostytsin has been great everywhere he went threw, he practically carried the hole Belarussian team a month ago

Talent Analysis

Bolland has above average speed and possesses a heavy shot. Drives the net well and fearlessly. Loves to finish his checks and can deliver thundering checks despite his size. Plays a gritty game and is good at giving opponents jabs with his stick but stays out of the box. His offensive numbers as a sophomore are impressive when one considers that he plays on the checking line and is not always on the first two units of the power play. Is one of the team’s best penalty killers and uses his speed and good positioning to take away space in the neutral zone and has helped London stay at or near the top of the league in penalty killing and in short handed goals.

from hockeyfutures.

Central Scouting: Is a good skater, combining quickness, balance and agility … when carrying the puck, his adeptness at maneuvering on both the forehand and backhand is quickly apparent … he is a creative playmaker who moves the puck skillfully through traffic … has good on-ice vision … a valuable face-off performer - is often the coach's "go to" guy in critical draw situations … good passing skills, works the give-and-go well … uses good body position to protect the puck … can score several ways, often due to his ability to time his movement to open areas just as his teammate is ready to deliver his pass … a genuine "finisher", combining his accurate wrist shot with a quick release … a pure goal scorer … is a consistent competitor … gives a solid two-way effort each game both at home and on the road … not intimidated in a tough game, he goes to the net and battles hard in front … is aggressive on the forecheck and will take the body … used in all game situations and is a good penalty killer.

Red Line Report: "One of the least highly touted prospects in the draft, and Red Line Report is at a loss to explain why … Hard working and difficult to play against because he always keeps moving … Potential big-time player in the NHL with magical anticipation and offensive instincts."

To me that sounds like he isn't just about the stats and he is willing to put his body on the line and works very hard on the PK.

 

[Dominator13]

...

ok there's no need to get angry i must have him mixing with someone else

But still same case could be maid of every 1st rounder and to where i stand in my opinion, Kostytsin woudn't get picked lower then 35th

 

[TheBannermen]

With our horrendous draft history... I have to pinch myself at times to believe that we have both Kopitar and Johnson. Granted we didn't draft JJ, but on this day to have both those guys in the system is something special.

 

[Mr. Hab]

With our horrendous draft history... I have to pinch myself at times to believe that we have both Kopitar and Johnson. Granted we didn't draft JJ, but on this day to have both those guys in the system is something special.

Very true...definitely no doubt there.

I don't think you'll find one hockey fan out here who would not be excited/ecstatic about having Kopitar and JJ on their team ...

That Kopitar is one smooth player

 

[PanthersRule96]

Very true...definitely no doubt there.

I don't think you'll find one hockey fan out here who would not be excited/ecstatic about having Kopitar and JJ on their team ...

That Kopitar is one smooth player

Oh I know, Anze is absolutely great to watch, you're very lucky. I wish FLA had players like that, we've sucked longer than you have, lifes not fair.

 

[Mr. Hab]

Oh I know, Anze is absolutely great to watch, you're very lucky. I wish FLA had players like that, we've sucked longer than you have, lifes not fair.

I'm a HAB fan, but I can't deny (why should I?!!!) the fact that players like Kopitar, Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin...are all GREAT for the NHL...

And, who wouldn't want JJ and Kopitar on their team...

 

[Rare Jewel]

My choices would be...it's just for fun, I'm no Lou Lamoriello

1st round

1-1 Pittsburgh Sidney Crosby C
2-11 Los Angeles Anze Kopitar C
3-3 Carolina Jack Johnson D
4-6 Columbus Gilbert Brule C
5-5 Mtl. Canadiens Carey Price G
6-12 NY Rangers Marc Staal D
7-10 Vancouver Luc Bourdon D
8-4 Minnesota Benoit Pouliot L
9-2 Anaheim Bobby Ryan R
10-21 Toronto Tuukka Rask G
11-23 New Jersey Nicklas Bergfors W
12-44 Colorado Paul Stastny C
13-45 Mtl. Canadiens Guillaume Latendresse R
14-9 Ottawa Brian Lee D
15-7 Chicago Jack Skille R
16-24 St. Louis T.J. Oshie C
17-8 San Jose Devin Setoguchi R
18-13 Buffalo Marek Zagrapan C
19-17 Phoenix Martin Hanzal C
20-15 NY Islanders Ryan O'Marra C
21-35 san Jose Marc-Edouard Vlasic D
22-16 Atlanta Alex Bourret R
23-34 Colorado Ryan Stoa C
24-19 Detroit Jakub Kindl D
25-22 Boston Matt Lashoff D
26-41 Atlanta Ondrej Pavelec G
27-20 Florida Kendall McArdle L
28-29 Philadelphia Steve Downie R
29-18 Nashville Ryan Parent D
30-25 Edmonton Andrew Cogliano C

i dont mind this the leafs end up with vlasic

 

[Legionnaire]

Oh I know, Anze is absolutely great to watch, you're very lucky. I wish FLA had players like that, we've sucked longer than you have, lifes not fair.

40 years? I don't think so.

 

[Mr. Hab]

40 years? I don't think so.

Florida made it to the Stanley Cup finals in __?__.

1994? 1995? I forget...but it wasn't that long ago (so, they had some success there...).

Vanbiesbrouck was in nets, no?

 

[Legionnaire]

Florida made it to the Stanley Cup finals in __?__.

1994? 1995? I forget...but it wasn't that long ago (so, they had some success there...).

Vanbiesbrouck was in nets, no?

96'

Yep. Great run they had that year. Mellenby, Jovo, Beezer, Sheppard,
Rob Nieds, Svehla. Not overly talented, but they busted their butts, and played as a team. Not to mention some great tending by Beezer

 

[Agent007]

96'

Yep. Great run they had that year. Mellenby, Jovo, Beezer, Sheppard,
Rob Nieds, Svehla. Not overly talented, but they busted their butts, and played as a team. Not to mention some great tending by Beezer

That is why there is hope in Vancouver that if this team can make the playoffs they might just be able to go on a long run if they can get good goaltending and continue to bust their butts off.

 

[Jeffrey]

96'

Yep. Great run they had that year. Mellenby, Jovo, Beezer, Sheppard,
Rob Nieds, Svehla. Not overly talented, but they busted their butts, and played as a team. Not to mention some great tending by Beezer

like the canadiens in 93'

 

[Mr. Hab]

96'

Yep. Great run they had that year. Mellenby, Jovo, Beezer, Sheppard,
Rob Nieds, Svehla. Not overly talented, but they busted their butts, and played as a team. Not to mention some great tending by Beezer

Yeah...that was an underrated, good team...

 

[10 ft. pole]

Kings do pretty well in this draft. Arguably they picked up the number 2 and 3 players selected in the draft in Kopitar and Johnson.

 

[Blades of Glory]

like the canadiens in 93'

No, the 1993 Habs were far more talented than people think of them as. Desjardins, Schneider, Damphousse, Roy, LeClair, etc. A lot of talent on that team.

 

[MXD]

Observations, again :

1 : I don't understand some people putting Stasny in the Top-10. While it's true that he's having a great season so far, he entered the draft as an overager. My point with him is : any younger player who had entered the league with success so far must be ranked ahead of him. In this category, I lump in Kris Letang. He only played a handful games, but did very well, and was returned in the juniors for reasons that had nothing to do with his game. Pouliot, Ryan, Price, Rask and JJ too, due to package OR playing a position where it would be unappropriate to come in the NHL at 19 YO. And I really like the little I saw about Jack Skille. So that leaves Staal, Bourdon and Stasny. The first two guys are playing defense, and are still two years younger than Stasny. Between those 3, it would be a toss up. I've seen little of TJ Oshie (so I kept him out of the Top-15) but from what I heard, he could be in the Top-15 as well.

2 : Downie in the Top-10? You're kiddin' me. Downie behind Latendresse? Wow. Only from a Flyers fan on HFboards.com. This said, Downie would go in the 15-20 range. I'd place him 17th, behind TJ Oshie, ahead of Ryan Parent.

3 : Kostitsyn in the 1st round? Yes he drives the net, yes, he can score goals, yes, he seems to work his ass off. But I don't remember him being much better than Mathieu Aubin in the training camp. And Aubin went in the 5th round. Granted, he could have gone at least 2 rounds higher if it weren't for some skating deficiencies, but that still only makes him a 3rd rounder. Kostitsyn would look a great pick if he would have been picked instead of Juraj Mikus, in the 3rd round. It looks like a steal in the 7th. But that doesn't make him a 1st rounder.

4 : Is it me or Ryan O'Marra is looking like a dud pick? Or just a guy who is more likely to evolve as a checker?

5 : Overlooked guy so far : Dan Ryder. Not saying he would land a spot in the 1st round, but he's playing C, and well, I tend to value more C's than W's, as C's can be transfered to W, but W's to C is another story.

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

mr.hab, it is true that Sergei Kostitsyn has proven he is a force, but until we see him in the pros i think it will be hard to judge if he truly belongs in the first round. Yes he has grit, yes he has skating ability, yes he has a shot, yes he is a good playmaker. However i want to see what he can do in Hamilton next season. He has a good ceiling but i do tend to think he will be nothing more then a 2-way 2nd liner.

 

[Jori]

Stastny opted out of the 2004 draft and while he's an 85 birthday, he was born on December 27. He shouldn't be in the top ten and top 15 is stretching it. I'd put him between 20 to 30 in the first round.

 

[Mr. Hab]

mr.hab, it is true that Sergei Kostitsyn has proven he is a force, but until we see him in the pros i think it will be hard to judge if he truly belongs in the first round. Yes he has grit, yes he has skating ability, yes he has a shot, yes he is a good playmaker. However i want to see what he can do in Hamilton next season. He has a good ceiling but i do tend to think he will be nothing more then a 2-way 2nd liner.

I should put him in 2nd round...I think a GM would now pick him up in 2nd round if draft was today...(I'm a Habs fan so maybe I overestimate him!!).

2nd liner? (that's what I'm hoping for!! seriously). I'd be more than happy if he became a top 6 (2nd line) player...2 way or one(!) way!! I don't expect him to be a
1st liner. Although, you never know...

 

[Mr. Hab]

Stastny opted out of the 2004 draft and while he's an 85 birthday, he was born on December 27. He shouldn't be in the top ten and top 15 is stretching it. I'd put him between 20 to 30 in the first round.

I'll agree with you (at least half way!).

I'll re-re-edit my list! (draft picks 2005).

 

[VernonForrest]

Its strange to me more people wouldnt take Lashoff higher.. he's played in the NHL and showed excellent 2 way ability. I think he will prove to be one of the top 3or 4defensemen chosen in the 1st round..

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Here's my top 30:

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Anze Kopitar
3. Jack Johnson
4. Gilbert Brule
5. Carey Price
6. Bobby Ryan
7. Tuuka Rask
8. Luc Bourdon
9. Marc Staal
10. Benoit Pouliot
11. Guillame Latendresse
12. Jack Skille
13. Paul Stastny
14. TJ Oshie
15. Brian Lee
16. Niklas Bergfors
17. Steve Downie
18. Cody Franson
19. Andrew Cogliano
20. Kris Letang
21. Ryan Parent
22. Martin Hanzal
23. Matt Lashoff
24. Marek Zagrapan
25. Brendan Mikkelson
26. Jakub Kindl
27. Ryan O'Marra
28. Devin Setoguchi
29. Ken McCardle
30. Alex Bourret

 

[caley]

Here's my top 30:

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Anze Kopitar
3. Jack Johnson
4. Gilbert Brule
5. Carey Price
6. Bobby Ryan
7. Tuuka Rask
8. Luc Bourdon
9. Marc Staal
10. Benoit Pouliot
11. Guillame Latendresse
12. Jack Skille
13. Paul Stastny
14. TJ Oshie
15. Brian Lee
16. Niklas Bergfors
17. Steve Downie
18. Cody Franson
19. Andrew Cogliano
20. Kris Letang
21. Ryan Parent
22. Martin Hanzal
23. Matt Lashoff
24. Marek Zagrapan
25. Brendan Mikkelson
26. Jakub Kindl
27. Ryan O'Marra
28. Devin Setoguchi
29. Ken McCardle
30. Alex Bourret

This is probably one of the better ones I've seen. My only misgivings would be Rask and Lee. Rask shows all the signs of being a good goalie, is playing excellent, but so was Hannu Toivonen, who has yet to put it together at the NHL level. Lee just seems like, not a bust, but a player who would have been better off being selected in the second round.

 

[Mr. Hab]

No specific order...

1st overall: Crosby
2nd-3rd overall: Kopitar and Jack Johnson
4th to 9th overall: Price, Brule, Staal, Vlasic, Latendresse, Rask,
10th to 15th overall: Bergfors, Bourdon, Oshie, Pouliot, Stastny, Ryan
16th to 20th: Skille, Hanzal, Lashoff, Zagrapan, Downie
21st-25th overall: Letang, Cogliano, Setoguchi, Lee, Bourret
26th overall (1st Round) to 30th: Chorney, Kindl, McArdle, Parent, Pavelec

 

[Joe MacMillan]

This is probably one of the better ones I've seen. My only misgivings would be Rask and Lee. Rask shows all the signs of being a good goalie, is playing excellent, but so was Hannu Toivonen, who has yet to put it together at the NHL level. Lee just seems like, not a bust, but a player who would have been better off being selected in the second round.

Rask is playing way better than Toivonen when he was the same age.