The biggest steal in 04´

[GoPenguins]

Alex Goligoski was not really a steal as many people felt Pittsburgh overreached for him in R2. I have no complaints over any of the people named in this thread, but I feel that if Goligoski can have a career similar to Paul Martin and Keith Ballard (and he apparently has a chance to outplay them both), then he could look like a R2 steal.

 

[Kritty]

I really don't understand how all of you can be talking about steals after the draft just took place a few months back. Most of these players have played 20-30 games since the draft, and you are calling them steals? This is just like posters around here. Now wait until those players go into the tank again, everyone will be talking about how they were overhyped and they're busts. Give a couple of years before making a statement about a steal. Plus, you need to consider what a steal is. Is a guy that was picked later than expected a steal? Not really, depends where. A can rated in the mid 1st round in a draft as wide open as the past one isn't a steal if he is picked in the 2nd round. That's the way the draft was. Aside from the top 2 picks, there was zero consensus on the way the draft would go. Hense the reason why Wheeler goes 5th, and guys like Tukonen, Schwarz, Meszaros fall. If you want a true steal, you are talking about a guy picked in the later rounds that turns out to be a solid pro. That's a steal in my books.

 

[CH Wizard]

Wyman , JOKE !!!!

Shremp , TUkonen.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

absolutely amazing pick by Ottawa.

I would say its crap picking by most of the other teams that didn't take him. As i understand it, he is the 2nd/3rd best d-man behind Barker {and possibly Thelen} in the draft.

I was pissed off that the Sabres didn't take him at 13, I was suprised he was still there, and given our serious lack of defenseman prospects, I thought it would have been the sensible thing to do taking Meszaros. Especially as the Oilers supposedly offered their 1st {14th overall} and their 2nd for our pick to get Stafford.

The russian guy whos name escapes me at the moment, that Ottawa took in the 2nd is supposed to be pretty good too though, you can't say their scouting is crap, thats for sure.

 

[Hossa]

The russian guy whos name escapes me at the moment, that Ottawa took in the 2nd is supposed to be pretty good too though, you can't say their scouting is crap, thats for sure.

That would be Kiril Lyamin.

 

[Chimaera]

Mike Green's certainly looking like a solid pick.


He could have been a steal in this draft. If he wasn't on a bad team, he'd probably have been considered in the top 15, easy... and I do think he'll be one of the top 2-3 defensemen to come out of this draft. (Well, at least, here's hoping)

 

[Sting]

Eaves was shutout yesterday.

I stand corrected!

 

[Lionel Hutz]

Third?

I know that Ovechkin is great, but the rumors of him being able to "do it all" are a bit overstated.

*Drum roll*

 

[loadie]

I think Patrick O'sullivan will be one of the bigger steals. With the way he's playing with the Bulldogs, Corey Locke looks to be a steal as well.

 

[CREW99AW]

I saw this guy live 9 times, twice last year and 7 times with Green Bay... You can not tell me that guy doens't have hockey sense.

X-SHARKIE you beat me to it.I was going ask,how many times the poster's seen O'Neill play last yr and this yr.

It's way too soon to tell who'll be a steal,but O'Neill's getting props from the college press and his headcoach for his strong start this yr.

 

[DownFromNJ]

Tyler Eckford of the Devils could turn out to be a huge steal.

32 points in 20 games as a Dman in the BCHL.

 

[Kovy274Hart]

Petruzalek was a ninth round pick for the Rangers. He's doing very well in the OHL.

Also Earl from Toronto. How this guy lasted until the sixth round is beyond me. Even though he didn't score last night against Minnesota, he played very well. What a phenomenal skater.


Anyway, we won't really know who the steals were until 3-4 years from now.

 

[Freaky Habs Fan]

Mikhail Grabovsky for the Habs. He's 20 years old and was pick in the 5th round(150). He's doing great in the RSL and he is only in his second season. I think he's in the top 20 of the league for point production with 6 goals 7 assists(13 points) in 24 games.

 

[reffree]

As a Bruins fans, I'm really happy with the way David Krejci is playing right now in the Q.

 

[GorillazXL]

Montoya, Dubynk

Dubnyk? Not this year. He's a solid goaltender prospect, don't get me wrong but from what I've read and seen, he plays a solid game until he lets in the 1st goal... after that the pucks are rollin'. I still have faith in him to turn out, but as an Oilers fan, I've been pretty disappointed to date.

"steals" of the draft: McGrath, Pineault, Reddox

GXL

 

[Juicer]

Another thing on Robbie Earl, he has atleast 1 point in the first 7 games of the season. I'm not sure if there's anyone else in the NCAA that has done that. The guy is turning out to be a real steal for Toronto.

Ryan Potulny has a point in every game so far this year.

 

[Kritty]

Tyler Eckford of the Devils could turn out to be a huge steal.

32 points in 20 games as a Dman in the BCHL.

It's the BCHL, enough said. Yes, it's a very solid league, but let's wait until he's doing that at the college or major junior level.

To whoever mentioned Locke and O'Sullivan, wrong draft year. We are talking about the past draft.

 

[loadie]

To whoever mentioned Locke and O'Sullivan, wrong draft year. We are talking about the past draft.

That was me.....thanks for the correction.

 

[SwOOsh*]

Dubnyk? Not this year. He's a solid goaltender prospect, don't get me wrong but from what I've read and seen, he plays a solid game until he lets in the 1st goal... after that the pucks are rollin'. I still have faith in him to turn out, but as an Oilers fan, I've been pretty disappointed to date.

"steals" of the draft: McGrath, Pineault, Reddox

GXL

Oh I was just responding to the poster who was asking who the other two goalies were that were taken above Schwarz

 

[CH Wizard]

1. Adam Pineault

GOtta agree with you.The guy is already doing well in the Q.Not alot of people were expecting him to get these kind of stats in the juniors so early.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

GOtta agree with you.The guy is already doing well in the Q.Not alot of people were expecting him to get these kind of stats in the juniors so early.

Well to be honest I didn't like him much last year, but this guy can't be ignored! he looks so much like Bill Guerin the 2nd.

 

[BAuldie]

The Canucks have drafted a few guys with some potential.. Alexander Edler is looking good for the MODO junior team but he probably won't get a chance to strut his stuff on the big club unless some injuries occur.

Julien Ellis-Plante has been very solid for Shawinigan behind a pretty shabby team.

Mike Brown looks like he'll make the US world Junior team which isn't a bad accomplishment in a deep year although he won't be a top 6 scorer.

 

[DownFromNJ]

It's the BCHL, enough said. Yes, it's a very solid league, but let's wait until he's doing that at the college or major junior level.

True. But right now he's tied in 2nd for scoring in the league. There are no other Dmen in the top 20. Thats impressive even in the BCHL.

I can't wait to see him in the NCAA next year.

Considering that 37 points in 58 games got him drafted, this is amazing.

Plus, he's a big mean player.

 

[Ola]

How are Salmonsson and Fransson considered steals? They were picked at the beginning of the second round, hell Salmonsson was one team away from being a 1sts rounder.

And if you still want to consider them 'steals', who would you take out of the 1st round and replace with either one of them?

Look at Zetterberg, he was drafted in the 7th round 210th overall in 99´. Only a year after that you didn´t have to be a genius to see how good he was. Today he is one of the top 3-4 players to come out of that draft. I´ve never said that Salmonsson was a steal, he has allot left to prove that he even was worth a 2nd round pick IMO. However when you see Fransson play its obvious that he has everything to become a great hockey player, he could be a franchise player.

I really don't understand how all of you can be talking about steals after the draft just took place a few months back. Most of these players have played 20-30 games since the draft, and you are calling them steals? This is just like posters around here. Now wait until those players go into the tank again, everyone will be talking about how they were overhyped and they're busts. Give a couple of years before making a statement about a steal. Plus, you need to consider what a steal is. Is a guy that was picked later than expected a steal? Not really, depends where. A can rated in the mid 1st round in a draft as wide open as the past one isn't a steal if he is picked in the 2nd round. That's the way the draft was. Aside from the top 2 picks, there was zero consensus on the way the draft would go. Hense the reason why Wheeler goes 5th, and guys like Tukonen, Schwarz, Meszaros fall. If you want a true steal, you are talking about a guy picked in the later rounds that turns out to be a solid pro. That's a steal in my books.

I agree with most of your points. But in every draft there is a avg. of what 2-3 franchise players? If one of them are picked in the 2nd round he is gooing to be considered a huge steal. There was a allot of circumstances that made Fransson drop so far. Sweden had a really weak WJC team and Fransson wasn´t given much room there other then late in games when Sweden was behind by a goal or two. Last years WJC´s is Fransson´s only international showing. Fransson is playing some great hockey in a league with defensemens named Z. Chara, C. Philips, S. Souray and Dick Tärnström to name a few. I saw him play live a couple of days ago and he was matched against Peter Forsberg and played really well, he lost Forsberg once and Peter set up Weinhandl for a goal. And its not to be forgotten that Fransson is far from beeing a finished product. He isn´t like Barker who had a developt upper body at the age of 18. There is no question if Fransson will make it to the NHL, he is a lock. The question is how good he will be come and he has IMO potential to be one of the top 3-4 players in that draft. That is what makes him a steal. It will take 5-6 years before he reaches his prime, allot can happen in that time. But wait till you see him in this years WJC, I am willing to bet that allot of you would take him the top 5 if you had the chance to do the 04´ draft over again.

 

[BrettNYR]

I consider a guy went in the 2nd round or later a steal, when everybody else had a chance to take him. I know people will bring up the traded picks, but they didn't have to trade the pick, so they had a chance at him.

First, I'll do my homer picks: Bruce Graham, Zdenek Bahensky. I think both of these guys will be above-average NHL'ers. They don't get alot of press, yet have the potential to sneek up on people and become good NHL'ers. I really don't think that anyone else in the Rangers picks (Past round 1) has the potential to become a well-above average NHL'er. Maybe Darin Olver, but I don't think that he will. Brandon Dubinsky is a very good talent, but he has some attitude problems. His skill and size won't be able to overcome his attitude, and he won't make the NHL. Or at least become a good player.

For my non-homer picks: I like Kirill Lyamin (Senators), a guy who I had pegged for the first round. He will be like Fedor Tytuin, a guy who was projected to go in the late first round, but slipped, and could become a #1 or #2 D-Man. Another guy is Grant Lewis (Thrashers), he could become a #2-3 D-Man. He has all the tools, an above average defensive game, and a very good offensive game. He will be a very good player in the NHL because of his all-around play. He reminds me of an EXTREMELY poor man's Brian Leetch, which is still pretty d@mn good. He won't be nearly as good offensively, abut will be an underrated defensive player, like Leetch. I'm not saying Lewis is the next Briant Leetch, just that they play a similar game. Once again, I said an EXTREMELY poor man's Brian Leetch.

Please tell me what you think, and don't be afraid to be too critical.