Draft thread

[SDS]

Mike Wilson was drafted 20th overall. Ahead of Saku Koivu & Todd Bertuzzi. He went 70 spots before Eric Daze and 131 spots ahead of Darcy Tucker.

 

So, in other words - Koivu, Bertuzzi, Daze, and Tucker ALL had MORE pre-draft negatives about their game yet still turned out pretty well. Thanks for making my point.

[Two or less]

104th pick Sabres select.... D Jordon Southorn.

[kingcongkorab]

I thought VS was really bad coverage last night. Today is even worse. One good thing is it is in HD. One bad thing is they don't take advantage of the screen size to add stats, etc. NHL coverage is beyond amateurish. No wonder hockey is a fourth and sinking fast.

 

I like how they ask each of these kids if they are prepared to make the Fall NHL Roster. And how do you like that high tech draft board?

It is embaressing for the NHL. Reminds of the scoreboard at Wrigely field.

[stenbaro]

There is no doubt that I would have liked to see some movement to acquire a vet but I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt till the first week or two in July. Darcy did say that he talked to a team about a d-man (Koistinen??). Remember, the Peca trade came after the draft. Also, I would not be surprised to see Max moved in the next couple of days for a pick next year.

I dont think Max gets traded straight up for a pick..I will run my fat naked ass down Delaware if he doesnt get traded for at least a player with some decent value..

[kingcongkorab]

I dont think Max gets traded straight up for a pick..I will run my fat naked ass down Delaware if he doesnt get traded for at least a player with some decent value..

I think you'd have better luck streaking down Chippewa Street especially if Marshawn is driving. :nana:

[shrader]

And the Sabres later focus on college players has begun.

[slapshot1619]

Round 5 Selection Jacob Legace LW from Chicoutimi QMJHL

[stenbaro]

I think you'd have better luck streaking down Chippewa Street especially if Marshawn is driving. :nana:

Yeh..I could make some dough from the beast..LOL

[slapshot1619]

6th round selection Nick Crawford D Saginaw OHL

[Team Strike Force]

The Sabres aren't going to get a lot for Max. If the Flyers are getting two picks for Umberger, a former first round pick who will probably get better, what do you think the Sabres would get for an enigmatic winger who has missed 52 games over the last two seasons?

 

I understand that one of the picks for Umberger is a first rounder, but as has been noted numerous times, there are no guarantees.

 

At best, I think Max will bring in a couple late round picks for next year, a third line player, or a bottom pair defenseman. That or he'll be here skating circles around himself.

 

From the bits and pieces I've read. I like the picks, especially that they've stocked up on defensemen.

[Bmwolf21]

Yup, I'm done. This coverage is so bad that I might as well wait to later tonight to check who we took. Someone should be fired. Seriously.

According to the News reporters covering the draft, the ScotiaBank Place has had a lot of issues with their Internet access for the media. Mickey Mouse through and through, I guess...

[deluca67]

So, in other words - Koivu, Bertuzzi, Daze, and Tucker ALL had MORE pre-draft negatives about their game yet still turned out pretty well. Thanks for making my point.

You're welcome. It seemed like you needed a little help with it. :rolleyes:

[deluca67]

According to the News reporters covering the draft, the ScotiaBank Place has had a lot of issues with their Internet access for the media. Mickey Mouse through and through, I guess...

Don't you mean 'Dora the Explorer'?

[Bmwolf21]

Don't you mean 'Dora the Explorer'?

Damn, how did I miss that one empty netter? Well I guess I get an assist for the setup...

[Bmwolf21]

I posted in another thread, but apparently the NHL allows timeouts in the draft? Really? (Look at the 11:55 update at this link.)

[wildcat48]

Sabres add size with promising draft

Ottawa, ON ? With the Sabres 2008 draft now complete, it?s time to reflect on what they?ve accomplished.

 

Buffalo has to get semi-high marks for the draft because they took the best player available while also addressing their long-term needs, which was getting bigger, while not losing any offensive ability and strengthen their blueline. Taking four defensemen, including 6-7, 206-pound Tyler Myers, the Sabres followed a pattern of the Anaheim Ducks, one that?s familiar to many Pirates fans, taking big, strong defensemen who can handle and shoot the puck.

 

Link>>>

[Bmwolf21]

The Habs are up against the cap also arent they with there UFA I think

Looking at NHLNumbers.com, it looks like they have $38M committed with Streit, Brisebois, Ryder and Smolinski as their UFA's.

Here's an interesting read from the Montreal Gazette's Pat Hickey (LINK):

 

Gainey said yesterday that he has the money to sign Sundin and fill out the rest of his roster, but it might not be easy. If Sundin agrees to play in Montreal - his other options include retirement or waiting until July 1 to exercise his right as an unrestricted free agent - he will probably command a salary in the $8-million range.

 

That has the Canadiens pushing $50 million and Gainey still has to negotiate with restricted free agents Andrei Kostitsyn, Josh Gorges, Ryan O'Byrne, Jaroslsv Halak and, possibly, Mikhail Grabovski.

 

Kostitsyn could take up a chunk of the money that's available. He's due for a significant raise from his $785,000 after a breakthrough season saw him collect 53 points. You can bet that agent Don Meehan made note of the fact that Philadelphia's Jeff Carter also had 53 points last season and was recently given a three-year deal worth $15 million.

 

Carter has more of a track record but Kostitsyn, who also has an offer on the table from the new league in Russia, is in a good bargaining position.

 

Streit talks planned: And, if Sundin signs, you can forget any notion of power-play specialist Mark Streit re-signing. Gainey will talk with the Swiss veteran before becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but he said that the planned contact would not include a firm offer.

[That Aud Smell]

mirtle links to an interesting draft analysis today - it's on about as macro a level as you can get, but it's still really interesting food for thought.

 

my biggest take-away: a little over one-tenth of the league's current players went undrafted.

[X. Benedict]

mirtle links to an interesting draft analysis today - it's on about as macro a level as you can get, but it's still really interesting food for thought.

 

my biggest take-away: a little over one-tenth of the league's current players went undrafted.

 

I love Mirtle's site. Add in the 8-10 round guys who would no longer be drafted and that is a significant pool of nearly 20%.

[That Aud Smell]

I love Mirtle's site.

you're the one who linked me thereto, x. :worthy:

 

mirtle in turn linked me to a guy who blogs as "puck daddy" over at yahoo.ca -- he's also very smart, and very funny.

 

Add in the 8-10 round guys who would no longer be drafted and that is a significant pool of nearly 20%.

woah, that's right. :blink:

[shrader]

mirtle links to an interesting draft analysis today - it's on about as macro a level as you can get, but it's still really interesting food for thought.

 

my biggest take-away: a little over one-tenth of the league's current players went undrafted.

 

The comments seem to be a bit off. The 7th round is better than the 5th round? That's 5% vs. 7%, probably not a significant difference. Also, compensatory picks play a major role there, as some rounds had more picks than others.

 

The writer made a point that the % of players that were first round picks is lower than he'd expect. I don't think he put too much thought into that. In the big picture, looking at all hockey players, first round draft picks is such a small piece of that overall pool, of course the number isn't going to be sky high. The same goes for the comment about soon there will be more undrafted players than 2nd round picks. If you break it down and look at the percentage of all 2nd round picks who make the NHL and then compare it to the percentage of all draft eligible players (a number that is probably impossible to find) who actually make it, you'll see an incredibly different picture.

 

There's one other thing I'd like to know about. What did he do with players who were drafted, but then became free agents. Players like Mike Van Ryn. He probably counts him as a draft pick anyway. But what about players like Nathan Paetsch who were drafted twice, in different rounds. Which round is he counted as?

[Knightrider]

I love Mirtle's site. Add in the 8-10 round guys who would no longer be drafted and that is a significant pool of nearly 20%.

 

Ditto.

 

The comments seem to be a bit off. The 7th round is better than the 5th round? That's 5% vs. 7%, probably not a significant difference. Also, compensatory picks play a major role there, as some rounds had more picks than others.

 

The writer made a point that the % of players that were first round picks is lower than he'd expect. I don't think he put too much thought into that. In the big picture, looking at all hockey players, first round draft picks is such a small piece of that overall pool, of course the number isn't going to be sky high. The same goes for the comment about soon there will be more undrafted players than 2nd round picks. If you break it down and look at the percentage of all 2nd round picks who make the NHL and then compare it to the percentage of all draft eligible players (a number that is probably impossible to find) who actually make it, you'll see an incredibly different picture.

 

There's one other thing I'd like to know about. What did he do with players who were drafted, but then became free agents. Players like Mike Van Ryn. He probably counts him as a draft pick anyway. But what about players like Nathan Paetsch who were drafted twice, in different rounds. Which round is he counted as?

 

I agree, the six and seventh round are in the noise. The thing that stood out to me was that there were four teams with more 2nd rounders than first - Buffalo, Dallas, Detroit, and New Jersey. That's pretty good company. Detroit's ability to find help in the 3rd is also impressive.

 

Paetsch and Gaustad are our 2 seventh rounders.

[nfreeman]

mirtle in turn linked me to a guy who blogs as "puck daddy" over at yahoo.ca -- he's also very smart, and very funny.

 

I really like Puck Daddy. If you like Puck Daddy, another one you might like is the AOL Fanhouse, which is here: http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/nhl/. Mirtle posts there sometimes, FWIW.

[X. Benedict]

you're the one who linked me thereto, x. :worthy:

 

woah, that's right. :blink:

I can take no credit. I think it was nfreeman that recommended him.

[shrader]

Ahhh, I didn't see the embedded link that broke down the picks by team. There's still some holes like the Paetsch and Van Ryn situations I mentioned, but still, interesting stuff.