Which Top 10 Picks This Year Will Play In The NHL Right Away?

[Hockey Moose]

Horton, Stall, Brown...all made their teams & played from 2003...

Which guys can/should/or could player right away, without stayin in juniors or in their own country?

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[Legionnaire]

I think Ovechkin is the only lock right now; even Malkin could use another year of development.

I think it's all pretty much guess work right now. So I'll go with Mezaros.

 

[craig1]

Horton, Stall, Brown...all made their teams & played from 2003...

Which guys can/should/or could player right away, without stayin in juniors or in their own country?

As did MAF and Zherdev if you are talking about Top 10 picks....

 

[sharkyz15]

Horton, Stall, Brown...all made their teams & played from 2003...

Which guys can/should/or could player right away, without stayin in juniors or in their own country?

so did Michalek, Burns, Kesler, and Burgeron

 

[Swervedriver]

My longshot is Zdenek Bahensky.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Ovechkin and Malkin .

 

[ChemiseBleuHonnete]

My longshot is Zdenek Bahensky.

OMG what a risky choice lol.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

Barker would be an impressive 19 year old defenceman.

 

[teme]

Ovechkin and Olezs are both ready. Olezs' stock has taken a bit of beating for reasons I do not completely understand or agree with, but he's a complete player who should have relatively little trouble converting to NHL. I really think he is about as safe a pick as it gets, he is good all-around, has wonderful hands and balance, and should be a zero-maintenance high production scorer for years to come.

 

[mazmin]

Andrew Ladd has all the tools...size, skating, puck skill. On a team like Florida, Columbus or Phoeinix I could see him stepping in despite playing Jumior-A in '02-'03.

Olesz and Ovechkin also seem physically mature enough to handle the NHL.

Not Top 10's:
Possibilities due to being better developed than most prospects are... Tim Brent (re-entry), Martin Vagner (re-entry) and David Booth (opted out last year).

Wildcard pick is Kyle Chipchura. He could definitly use a few more years in Juniors but is the type of guy that could really impress in training camp. The #1 rated skated at mid season, he may very well be playing on the third or fourth line of an NHL team by next season.

 

[Vagrant]

Ladislav Smid. He's the smartest defenseman in the draft and will be a top 4 defenseman, but his upside isn't as high as the others in the draft. He's comperable to how Steve Eminger made the Capitals and how Sheaone Morrison made the Bruins. He's the type of defenseman that is safe and positionally sound, therefore more ready than the rest.

 

[KH1]

Andrew Ladd could be ready to step in and contribute. Obviously Ovechkin could also.

 

[Epsilon]

Not a top 10, but Sami Lepisto could step in right away.

 

[mcarrick16]

picard maybe?

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

picard maybe?

You have to be able to skate to play in the NHL at 19...

 

[NYR469]

when we say 'step in right away' do you mean this coming october or should we factor in the fact that these guys will get a full year of development in juniors/college/europe during the lockout?

 

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I tend to think Euro's are often more ready to step in as they often are playing against men. So in that vein I see Ovechkin, Malkin, Olesz, Tukonen, Smid, and Meszaros as some of the potential guys to step in right away or early on.

 

[JF Omalycat]

Anyone Columbus picks, (with the possible exception of Barker). I've heard Olesz is one of the more "NHL" ready players available in the top-ten, but I've never seen him play, myself.
With all the hype, it's hard to imagine Washington not putting Ovechkin on the ice, for marketing reasons if nothing else.

 

[mcarrick16]

the skating of picard is ok

 

[teme]

Not a top 10, but Sami Lepisto could step in right away.

No he can't. He is a skinny six footer who needs at least a season to bulk up. Of the Finns, Tukonen or Nokelainen could play in a limited role, but it would not be good for their development.

 

[PSUhockey34]

A safe guess would be Ovechkin...but with the season in doubt, he could just end up playing the entire year in the RSL...I'm not to sure on how it all works out, if he signs does that mean he has to play the entire season in the RSL or can he jump ship if/when the NHL season starts back up?