- Feb 24, 2003
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Wonder Boy said:Buffalo is proud to select Defenseman Jack Johnson.
excellent pick. Johnson dropped further then I thought he would.
Wonder Boy said:Buffalo is proud to select Defenseman Jack Johnson.
Boyle, Kubina, Sydor and Sarich represent a decent top 4, but none of them are elite players.
However, you guys should have some extra cap room to add another Top 2 or Top 4 guy, so the blueline will be "average" in the near future.
A blue chipper like Jack Johnson comes along once every three or four years
But as far as prospects go, none of those six you mentioned will ever be Top 2 guys and Egener is the only guy I would be even partially optimistic about.
As for you looking to draft a goaltender, I was simply saying that might be the direction Tampa's real GM takes this year for the reasons I mentioned. Grahame is a good backup and could maybe share NHL duties when play resumes, but he wouldn't be one of the Top 20 starters in the league.
Gerald Coleman is decent, but he wasn't even the starter for the London Knights at the Memorial Cup and I personally don't see a future starter among your goaltending prospects.
A smart GM faced with Tampa's current goaltending situation, providing Khabibulin is going to test the market and not return, would definitely use this year's draft as an opportunity to snag one of the two top goaltenders in Price and Rask.
It's come to the point where 6-footers are considered future "power forwards."
6-0 wingers like Skille are now considered future power forwards.
IMO deciding to pick Skille because Red Line likes him is silly (a little rhyme there).
Skille may go in the top 10, but to pick him over the likes of Brule, Johnson and Kopitar because he "might" be a power forward who fills a need despite being average sized is most certainly questionable thinking.
Let me ask you a question: do you know who finished first in Finnish Jr. A in sv% and GAA last season AHEAD of Tuukka Rask?
Your average blueline was good enough to win a cup because your offence was the best in the league and carried the backend.
Without even researching this question I am going to guess: A Tampa prospect who is a year or two older than Rask, on a better overall team that plays a more defensive game.
turnbuckle said:It's come to the point where 6-footers are considered future "power forwards."
whatever happened to the day when there were only a handful of players considered power forwards, namely Neely, Tocchett, and Kevin Stevens? It used to be that you had to be tough (at least 150 PMs per season including fights), big (alll were above average in size), and a sniper (40+ goals). I realize the game has changed but it's gotten ridiculous. Now even relatively soft centers like Pouliot (a power forward is a winger, not a center) and 6-0 wingers like Skille are now considered future power forwards.
You never said Skille was a power forward but you did say you think he will be the next Bill Geurin or a player in that mold.
salostyle said:A blue chipper like Jack Johnson comes along once every three or four years
there's always a smooth skating above average height defenseman that has a great outlet pass and potential PP quaterback that seems to come out in the draft the past couple years.
Boltprospects said:He's not even above average height. He's 6'0"-6'1" and around 2 bills.
sirkraut_82 said:that's true. i was using the average composite of guys like bouwmeester, whitney, coburn and barker.
the point remains....in the past few drafts there's been a blue-chip defenseman that's regarded as a very smooth skater, good passer, nice shot and potential NHL powerplay quarterback. even if johnson doesn't grow anymore, i'd still classify him with the aforementioned, based on the same attributes.
Captain Conservative said:I agree. Even though I personally rate Johnson in a plateau above the next 5 after he and Crosby, I think that it could be considered a 6 player plateau after Crosby. Every player(sans Johnson, but just imo), has certain amazing attributes and certain weaknesses, but most have the potential to be franchise or superstar players.
sirkraut_82 said:also, i think if NYR gets kopitar their fans would be estactic. especially if they get the 7th pick in the draft and are lucky enough to see him there.....IMO one of the earliest 'best' steals in the draft. not to knock how this mock draft has played out, but i think it would be a universal shock if kopitar's still on the board after 6 picks.
i'm not even a rangers fan, but a potential combination of balej, kopitar and jessiman would be a pretty awesome and complete line!