xtra's mock draft

[xtra]

Now I know a lot of my picks are going to have people scratching their heads but I believe that without clear cut talent differences after the top 4 there will be a lot of suprises in the early stages of the draft that I am going to go to and I do have some players that I have seen (WHL bias) that I think are better than the rankings they have. Obviously I haven’t seen the Europeans so I am going based on rankings and what other drafts have said. SO don’t expect a single one of my picks after the top 4 (maybe not even the first pick) to go with what you all expect.


1. St. Louis Blues – Phil Kessel: He is no longer the #1 pick and is as low as #5 in some rankings but I belive he is the most talented player in this draft and the St. Louis Blues won’t pass up his game breaking abilities with the young defense they already posses

2. Pittsburgh Penguins - Erik Johnson: The penguins are amazed that St.Louis passes on EJ and they take him happily because while the team may eventually run up the score they need a defenseman like EJ will become.

3. Chicago Blackhawks- Jordan Stall: Stall could become a dominant center like his brother and his ability to control the play will become great for the blackhawks who could use Him as their Future center piece of the team if Ruutu can’t stay healthy

4. Washington Capitals- Jonathan Toews: With Semin and Ovechkin already on board the Capitals look for a defensemen but with none worthy of this high of a pick they decide to select Jonathan Toews who will center Ovechkin for many years to come and become a great secondary player to AO ( I think they might move down out of the top 10 and grab a dman)

5. Boston Bruins- Peter Muller: With Patrice Bergeron looking great the Bruins grab a winger that will play with Bergeron and keep up with his speed and anticipation and one that impressed me in his series with the Vancouver Giants even though his team only scored 2 goals.

6. Columbus Blue Jackets- Derrick Bassard: A little bit of a reach at # 6 but Columbus adds to their offense as their offense will be set for the next decade with Brule-Nash-Zherdev-Bassard even though they need defense

7. New York Islanders Jiri Tlusty: The islanders grab Tlustly and expect him to play wing where he will go on to be a great forward.

8. Phoenix Coyotes: Nicklas Backstrom: I know that everone is going to jump on this pick but for some reason I have a gut feeling that he will fall for no particular reason other than the needs of some teams and some teams being in love with someone.

9. Minnesota Wild: Kyle Oposko: Another player that goes higher than his ranking in CSB because he can be a dominant player at the next level.

10. Florida Panthers: Bobby Sangeuitti: Even though Stewart is on the board I beilive the Panthers will look for a stud dman and even though Sangeuitti may never be a #1 dman he will be a great #2 dman with in the NHL.

11. Los Angeles Kings: Michael Frolik: I was tempted to have Vasyunov go to the kings here but it’s a real big reach, too big for a team like the kings so the grab a high scoring center who will be a great player for them because of his good vision.

12. Atlanta Thrashers- Nigel Williams- I think that the Trashers will look to grab a defensemen but they could easily grab little and groom him to one day play with either Kovalchuk or Hossa.

13. Toronto Maple Leafs- Bryan Little: Though I belive the Leafs will go for a defensmen by moving down since I am not doing trades the Leafs I belive will grab this High scoring center who will eventually play very well though I don’t think will ever be a true #1 but more of a #2 because of his size.

14. Vancouver Canucks: James Sheppard: Even though the canucks could pull of a trade involving bertuzzi and Chris stewart who could one day replace Bertuzzi is on the board the cancucks draft a a center that will one day give them a great 1-2 punch with Henrik Sedin.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning- Jonathan Bernier: The Lightning have learnt what It means to go at it without a goalie so the grab the most talented one in this draft espically since Coleman will probably never be a Star number 1 goalie.

16. Montreal Canadians – Chris Stewart
17. Minnesota Wild- Cody Emerton
18. Colorado Avalanche- Yuri Alexandrov
19. Anaheim Ducks: Nick Foligno
20. San Jose Sharks: Michael Grabner
21. New York Rangers: Alexander Yasunov
22. Philly Flyers: Riku Helnius
23. Washington Capitals: Ivan Vishnevski
24. Buffalo Sabers: Patrick Berglund
25. New Jersey Devils: Jesse Jonesus
26. Calgary Flames: Cody Burki
27. St. Louis Blues: Michael Forney
28. Dallas Stars: Leland Irving
29. Ottawa Senators: Thomas Kana
30, Detriot Red wings: Ondrej Fiala

Feel free to throw your insults espically among the bottom 15 as i am ready for them

Click to read more...

 

[Rise from the Ashes]

couple of things...

first is that Mueller is a center also and secondly Chris Stewart could very well end up with the Canadiens. A big spark plug who could score... hmmm seems a bit like Ryan Kesler but bigger, a big and fast tenacious forward. Just imagine.

Begin-Chipchura-Stewart

or

Latendresse-Chipchura-Stewart

 

[clay]

Nice list.

 

[katodelder]

Interesting mock. I'll point out some differences to the other mocks I've seen on hf boards so far:

-- most don't have Backstrom as the one who falls. Almost everyone has him as the first Euro taken.

-- most have L.A. picking up a defenseman, especially Sanguinetti.

-- not many have Dallas picking up a goalie... interesting.

-- more and more mocks have Helenius as the first goalie taken, with Bernier the only other goalie taken in the first round.

-- players I see less and less of in 1-round mocks: Vasyunov, Joensuu, Irving.

and lastly:

-- you have Emmerton listed twice.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

I like any mock with Sheppard going to the Nucks.

 

[Prussian_Blue]

Hmmm... interesting.

A few points re: St. Louis.

1. If the Blues don't take Johnson first -- and they most likely will -- I'm about 99% sure that it would be Staal that they take rather than Kessel.

2. I don't mind Forney as the second first-rounder chosen by the Blues. In the mock draft I'm running, I took Trevor Lewis (Des Moines) 27th overall, and in the other mock I'm in, Jesse Joensuu was chosen at 27 by the guy doing the GM duties for St. Louis before I took over...

3. I've gotten Tomas Kana in the two mock drafts I'm in, once at 31 and once at 65. I'd be willing to bet the Blues look hard at him with that 27th pick, and if he's still on the board at 31, I definitely can't see them passing on him.

P_B

 

[xtra]

Interesting mock. I'll point out some differences to the other mocks I've seen on hf boards so far:

Appreciate it.

-- most don't have Backstrom as the one who falls. Almost everyone has him as the first Euro taken.

Personally i don't know why but i figured i would trust my gut instinct

-- most have L.A. picking up a defenseman, especially Sanguinetti.

Thats true but it seems that as i was doing it Frolik was falling and i figured that L.A. was a good bet to pick him

-- not many have Dallas picking up a goalie... interesting.

Here was the fact that Irving can be a #1 at the next level where as Ellis, Stephanson and smith may not have that in them

-- more and more mocks have Helenius as the first goalie taken, with Bernier the only other goalie taken in the first round.

even with the 2 yr rule put in place i think that goalies will still go.

-- players I see less and less of in 1-round mocks: Vasyunov, Joensuu, Irving.

Vasyunov is probably my fav pick to go higher than any one thought as i think he will be great reading stuff about him. Irving i think is very underrated and hes #3 because people still think Everett is all trap all the time.

-- you have Emmerton listed twice.

Well all i can say is ooops

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Originally Posted by katodelder
-- most have L.A. picking up a defenseman, especially Sanguinetti.

Yes, and i believe that LA should pick up a defenseman, but IMO Saguinetti is the only defenseman worth picking up at the #11 spot. Williams and Wishart are all size, and nobody else has #11 talent, IMO.

If Saguinetti is taken by FLA like xtra has, i hope LA picks up a slipped talent like Frolik or trades down and take a Vishnevski, Alexandrov, or Wishart(better pick from a 18-20 slot). Plus I feel that their are some solid D steals in the 2nd and 3rd rounds (ie Mitera(slipping fast), DeGray(underrated solid two-way guy)) Just my opinion.

Overall i like the mock draft though. Good Job xtra

 

[hb6947]

Isles fan here.... I agree that Tlusty might be the player the Isle target. I can also see them looking at Sheppard, with the chance of Oposko. Good Mock!

 

[KH1]

Isles fan here.... I agree that Tlusty might be the player the Isle target. I can also see them looking at Sheppard, with the chance of Oposko. Good Mock!

If Backstrom is on the board and the Isles take Tlusty, I'll ask for Mike Milbury back.

 

[RightKinger]

Alot of ppl say LA will definitely take a Dman. I was just wondering how many teams have you seen go by need in the NHL Draft? The NHL Draft is all about BPA IMO.

 

[Captain Ron]

Alot of ppl say LA will definitely take a Dman. I was just wondering how many teams have you seen go by need in the NHL Draft? The NHL Draft is all about BPA IMO.

I agree that teams should pick the best player available......but when most of the players in the #6-#13 slots are rated very close then you go for positional needs.

 

[RightKinger]

I agree that teams should pick the best player available......but when most of the players in the #6-#13 slots are rated very close then you go for positional needs.

Sponge, say Sanguinetti gets picked before 11. Who do you think the Kings should take then? Can I see your mock 15?

 

[AnThGrt]

Sponge, say Sanguinetti gets picked before 11. Who do you think the Kings should take then? Can I see your mock 15?

Greats like Nigel Williams at #11

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I'm just curious at what point "I seriously doubt the Blues take Kessel" starts to sink in.

 

[BuppY]

Good list.
I think if Little is on Board Leafs will take him. I don't seem them taking a Dmen. They have a lot of defensemen in their system and are lacking a top end offensive player.

 

[Thirty One]

I'm just curious at what point "I seriously doubt the Blues take Kessel" starts to sink in.

when it comes from Larry Pleau

 

[Safir*]

12. Atlanta Thrashers- Nigel Williams- I think that the Trashers will look to grab a defensemen but they could easily grab little and groom him to one day play with either Kovalchuk or Hossa.

The Thrashers have a solid prospect D-man core in place. Two to four of these guys could be in the AHL or perhaps in the NHL next season. The lack of deepth at center is mind boggling for most Thrashers fans. We expect that the team will try to correct it.

I find hard to believe that the Thrashers and the Leafs each pass on Sheppard. Canucks fan, eh?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

when it comes from Larry Pleau

Larry Pleau doesn't call the shots at the draft - that falls to Jarmo Kekalainen (assistant GM, director of scouting) and knowing what he looks for in prospects, I think I can safely say "I seriously doubt the Blues take Kessel."