6/22 - 2003 NHL Entry Draft (day 2 starts @ 10 am)

[Thomas]

HabzFan said:

If we were to keep our 10th and our 40th I would look to take one of Bernier, Pouiliot, Getzlaf, or Brown (IF he Falls)... And pick Seabrooke or Belle with the second rounder...

Bernier and Pouillot would most likely not be the BPA at the 10th overall. Pouillot seems like a weak center to me, he has some size, but doesnt seem to use his body all that well.
Theres something about Getzlaf that makes me think he will turn out to be a bust, or have some sort of problems in the long run, and besides, his knock is his skating and thus gives him a bad start with this org. So the Habs have pretty much three choices at the 10th IMO, Parise the small extremely skilled with lots of heart player (Beat Heatley's rookie point record in the NCAA), Brown, the big skilled player with PF make up who is compared to Guerin and Phaneuf, the big mean D who loves to hit. Any of these players is fine by me, the scouts have more info than we do and maybe they have seen something wrong with either of these players.

[HabzFan]

The thing that worries me about Brown is his size... He plays with alot of grit and is deemed as a PF and he thinks in his head that he is a PF but reality is, he is only 6'0 205... Not PF size IMO. He's stocky which would make him hard to knock down but when battling along the boards or trying to overload on the sides, he may be knocked off the puck by the much stronger NHL players... IF he were 6'1 or 6'2, I would grab him in a second, but it's just that I havent seen a 6'0 player ever become a PF in the league. The closest thing to a 6'0 power forward is already in our lineup, and thats Zednik.

[Habsolution]

HabzFan said:

The thing that worries me about Brown is his size... He plays with alot of grit and is deemed as a PF and he thinks in his head that he is a PF but reality is, he is only 6'0 205... Not PF size IMO. He's stocky which would make him hard to knock down but when battling along the boards or trying to overload on the sides, he may be knocked off the puck by the much stronger NHL players... IF he were 6'1 or 6'2, I would grab him in a second, but it's just that I havent seen a 6'0 player ever become a PF in the league. The closest thing to a 6'0 power forward is already in our lineup, and thats Zednik.

Brenden Morrow ! He's 5-11 and 210 and look what kind of game he plays. He plants his feet in the crease wait for the rebounds. I'd not say he's a PF but there are very few players in the league that are dominant enough to be called PFs. Tkachuk and Bertuzzi are the only ones that truly are PF.

[MPLABBE]

agreed...Brown = Morrow

[HabzFan]

Morrow=Carbo...

An ultimate coaches dream...

2nd/3rd line pest that will play solid two-way hockey, contribute offensively, piss off the other team, block shots and be a solid PKer...

There are many more PF's in the League then Bert and Keith...

Thornton, Sundin, Shanahan, 2001-2002 Iginla, Doan and a few more...

[Thomas]

Brown may not be a huge guy at 6'0, 205 lbs, but hes still big. He plays a PF style of game, which is more important than size itself. Hes got great upper body strength and is willing to play a hard type of game. Yes, there are a lot of bigger players than him, but he has a good mix of skill and size. If you look at a lot of the top players in the draft, like Horton, Staal, Michalek, Vanek they are all a good mix of size and skill, where Horton has a bigger size advantage. If Bernier and Pouillot are always low on mock drafts by scouts and GM's, ha may have a side to him that they are not talking about. Perfect example on our line up is Kilger. He was drafted 4th overall because of his size and supposed skill. Hes a big guy, but he doesnt play a PF style of game. Near the end of the season he started to show that spark, but previously in his career it was no where to be found. If Julien and Gainey tell him what they feel his specific role on the team is, he will be a good PF type of guy, but not a true PF like Bertuzzi and Thachuck which are really the only PF in the league.

[MPLABBE]

Sundin??!?!!??

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Higgins = Higgins. 5'11 198lbs, 20 years-old. All-around game. Coachable. Look no further.

[HabzFan]

I would be extremely excited to get Brown, but our coaches would have to make sure to play him with someone who can defend him. At 6'0, 205, I wouldn't want a blue-chipper getting in Thornton's face (chin) and getting popped in the nose. I would be much more comfortable if he managed to grow to 6'1 and put on 5-8 pounds to bring him to about 213...

www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?s=df1d06727e6f787866b49581a68c79a7&threadid=100643

Apperently this guy is pretty impressed by brown and compares him to Iggy...

[Thomas]

Heres a part of an interview with Brown and HF:

HF: How about just a favorite NHL player?

DB: I do have a favorite NHL player, (Peter) Forsberg. Some people say that I play like Bill Guerin. But it's hard to say. They're very good players.

So Bill Guerin could be a better comparison than Iggy.

Heres the link if you want to read more:
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2002/11/06/brown_qanda/

[Thomas]

Part 1: Parise

Here are some interesting quotes from some articles on Parise:

In a tournament that has boasted participants such as Petr Nedved, Scott Gomez, Mike Modano and Dany Heatley, Zach Parise is simply the best.

"He's got great anticipation and he's not one dimensional like Nedved or Gomez. He sees the ice better and utilizes everyone on the ice much better than they did. He's incredible at both ends of the rink."

"Just shutting down Zach isn't enough. He's probably the best player we've faced all year and the best midget player I've ever coached against."

"That's not surprising at all to hear," said Hirsch, the game MVP. "It's a gift to play with someone like him. He's also our hardest worker. As great as he is, he's always trying to get better."

Parise says he'll have to see how his 5-ft. 10-in., 170-lb. frame fills out before knowing if his NHL aspirations are realistic. (This was at 16-17 yrs old)

"He's our hardest worker, our most dedicated team player, leader, good student, good boy, he's a warrior and he plays from goal line to goal line."

slam.canoe.ca/Slam020102/col_francis-sun.html

Parise, who played college hockey at North Dakota this season, stirs thing up on the ice just as his dad did, and there is an added scoring touch in his genes.

"At the world junior championship, Zach serviced notice that, if hard work is what it takes to get to the next level , he's on the fast track," says Bangen. "He is one of the most talented offensive players in the draft, who makes up for any lack of size with great determination and desire."

slam.canoe.ca/Slam030405/nhl_draft-cp.html

"No freshman has done what he's done," said North Dakota coach Dean Blaise. "Maybe Paul Kariya. Zach doesn't have a weakness to his game.

"'He's got to work on defensive-zone coverage,' that's the old NHL adage. Right? Well, I had him on a 5-on-3 disadvantage, an 18-year-old freshman, and he killed off two of those for a minute last weekend. That usually doesn't happen."

And usually, a 3-year-old, if he skates at all, learns on a local rink or pond. Parise, the son of former North Stars captain J.P. Parise, took his first strides in the Met Center in Bloomington, Minn., under the watchful eye of former North Stars' skating instructor dick Vraa.

Tournament organizer Carl Archibald called Parise the best to ever play there, counting among his evaluation almost 200 future NHL players, including Mike Modano and NHL Rookie of the Year Dany Heatley. After that, Sports Illustrated featured Parise in its "Faces in the Crowd" department. A week later, he was the magazine's "Old Spice Athlete of the Month."

"He became one of the best players in the tournament the first weekend," Berenson said. "He's a throwback kid. Some kids are spoiled nowadays expecting things: "Who am I going to play with? Will I be on the power play?' Zach doesn't think like that. He knows if he's on the team it will be a good team. It's not, 'What can you promise me?' It's, 'What can I do to help you?' "

Parise does what is asked and enjoys it. He actually likes to play in the defensive zone as much as offensive, and though he prefers to finesse his way around the rink, playing in the corners motivates him to produce in the clutch.

www.nhl.com/intheslot/read/college/college111402.html

Brown to follow...

[MPLABBE]

Thanks.

So he was 5'10' at 16/17 years old?

[Thomas]

Marc said:

Thanks.

So he was 5'10' at 16/17 years old?

Well, the year before he joined the NCAA where he is 18 now, so he was roughly 17 years old I'd say. Which should then mean hes 5'11 by now, if he gained 10-15 lbs.

What I liked most from the article was how he wants to help, and does not complain about his PP time or whatever, he will do whats best for the team and work hard for it.

[StickHandler]

I'm getting more and more convinced that if he's still available at #10, Parise will be wairing a Habs uniform on June 21th.

[Thomas]

StickHandler said:

I'm getting more and more convinced that if he's still available at #10, Parise will be wairing a Habs uniform on June 21th.

I agree, the only thing he seems to lack is size from what I've read. But his skill, skating, heart and determination/work-ethic make up for this lack of size. He seems like the kind of player that makes everybody around him a better player, his hard work would rub off onto some of the other players around him and thus make the whole team more competitive. He is very coachable and would wear the CH with pride from all the comments the articles above, he strives to be the best he can be.

[madhabfan]

Could somebody please tell me if Parise is a winger or center?

If he is a winger, i'd definitely stay away from him. He's too small.

And if he's a center, does he not sound like a Chris Higgins clone, with more offesive potential? Will Andre(or whoever) draft the same player two years in a row? I happen to think he won't.

[MPLABBE]

He's a center.

[Thomas]

Rooster said:

And if he's a center, does he not sound like a Chris Higgins clone, with more offesive potential? Will Andre(or whoever) draft the same player two years in a row? I happen to think he won't.

Well, Higgins is more of a two-way forward, so I would see him being a top notch 3rd line center with a checking role rather than a 2nd line center, but hard to tell right now, not having seen him play in the AHL or NHL. Parise seems like a sure-fire 1st or 2nd line center, where once Koivu leaves/retires/gets injured, Parise could take the 1st line center position and Higgins the second. They are fairly similar players, but Parise is more a pure offensive player who has no problems in his own zone if needed. Or theres a possiblity Higgins will be moved to LW, as AS has hinted. I wouldn't mind having two of those kinds of players, they are great players. You could say the same thing about Komisarek and Phaneuf really, both the same type of player with the same upside.

[Habsolution]

I wish we could draft them all ;D

Since it's not possible I'd be happy with any of the following players :

Phaneuf, Parise, Bernier, Brown

[Bones]

I really want Parise!!! But with all these positive reports about him floating around, I get more nervous he won't be available at the 10th pick. It would be a shame, but I guess Phaneuf would be a very nice consolation prize.

[seventeen]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Phaneuf go before Coburn. He's big enough and has moderate offensive skills and mega toughness. Sort of like a more offensive Barret Jackman. An attractive package, for sure.

[Rimmer]

From all that I've read about all these prospects and from what I think would realistically be available when we pick at no. 10, my choice would be:

1. Phanuef
2. Parise

I'd really like for AS to make a deal to get us another mid-to-late 1st round pick. of course, w/o dealing away any of our top prospects.

R.

[BadCompany]

Rimmer said:

From all that I've read about all these prospects and from what I think would realistically be available when we pick at no. 10, my choice would be:

1. Phanuef
2. Parise

I'd really like for AS to make a deal to get us another mid-to-late 1st round pick. of course, w/o dealing away any of our top prospects.

R.

Personally, I really, really doubt Phaneuf will be available at #10. His stock just keeps rising, and there are enough teams ahead of us who would take a defenseman that I don't seem him making it to us. There seems to be a lot of pressure in Calgary to take him at #9, should he still be available then, so I don't think we will even get a shot at him.

Parise I think will still be available, but you never know.

I suspect we will end up drafting somebody we haven't really talked about, like Jeff Carter, or Ryan Getzlaf (as suggested by turnbuckle).

[TheHabsfan]

I am unsure if this information has been posted or not...in case not, here is a little exercise I did for another thread and may interest some people:

Round # Pick # Team's pick
#1 10th Montreal
#2 40th Montreal
#2 56th Philidelphia
#3 70th Montreal
#4 98th Nashville
#4 100th Montreal
#6 160th Montreal
#6 172nd Toronto
#8 220th Montreal
#9 250th Montreal

THF

[MPLABBE]

BadCompany said:

There seems to be a lot of pressure in Calgary to take him at #9, should he still be available then, so I don't think we will even get a shot at him.

I agree...the Flames seem like a perfect fit for Phaneuf(even though they are loaded with young D) and I fully expect them to draft him.

[Rimmer]

BadCompany said:

Personally, I really, really doubt Phaneuf will be available at #10. His stock just keeps rising, and there are enough teams ahead of us who would take a defenseman that I don't seem him making it to us. There seems to be a lot of pressure in Calgary to take him at #9, should he still be available then, so I don't think we will even get a shot at him.

Well, you might be right. in that case I would be a little disappointed, especially if Parise is picked as well.

Re Calgary, I know that there are rumours they would take Phaneuf if he's available, but I'm not sure why. They already have a good core of young d-men (Regehr, Gauthier, Leopold, Lydman, Ference) but at forward positions they are very thin. I'm not saying they won't take the BPA (which could be Phaneuf) I just don't know why many insist they will be picking Phaneuf. If they indeed do take Phaneuf, could that mean they are ready to move one of their d-men for an upgrade upfront?

R.

[MPLABBE]

Rimmer said:

Re Calgary, I know that there are rumours they would take Phaneuf if he's available, but I'm not sure why. They already have a good core of young d-men (Regehr, Gauthier, Leopold, Lydman, Ference) but at forward positions they are very thin. I'm not saying they won't take the BPA (which could be Phaneuf) I just don't know why many insist they will be picking Phaneuf. If they indeed do take Phaneuf, could that mean they are ready to move one of their d-men for an upgrade upfront?

I was thinking the same thing

Regehr is a cornerstone of their D so he ain't going anywhere

Leopold is young and really came on in the 2nd half, so I guess he is not going anywhere

Lydman is a sort of a mini Lidstrom. Solid all-around. I think he stays

Ferrence is a good 5th-6th d-man with offensive flair

add Boughner in there as the veteran

and that leaves one man: Denis Gauthier. Injury prone and starting to enter the big payday years, he could be available for sure.

Although CGY has a decent core of forwards(Iggy, Drury, Conroy, Saprykin, McAmmond, Gelinas, Kobasew, Nystrom, some good checkers in Yelle, Donovan, Clark,etc) I could see them using Gauthier+one of those decent forwards to get another real good forward.

[Rimmer]

Marc said:

and that leaves one man: Denis Gauthier. Injury prone and starting to enter the big payday years, he could be available for sure.

Although CGY has a decent core of forwards(Iggy, Drury, Conroy, Saprykin, McAmmond, Gelinas, Kobasew, Nystrom, some good checkers in Yelle, Donovan, Clark,etc) I could see them using Gauthier+one of those decent forwards to get another real good forward.

That's what I was thinking but was afraid it could start another fantasy trade discussion. I remember reading this past season how, in order to keep Drury, Iginla and sign RFA (Regehr, Lydman, Saprykin, Yelle,...), the Flames would have to look to trade either Boughner (2.3 mil/year), Conroy (2 mil, UFA at the end of the year) or Gauthier (in line for a big raise next year I think, especially after what Regehr got). we know Turek is practically untradeable.

With the lack of centers and veteran presence on the blueline and to maximize the return, Gauthier, as you said, seems like an obvious choice. If I were the Flames GM, I would use Gauthier to get rid of Turek's contract (4 mil.) which is the one that really hurts them, get a decent 2nd line forward in return and sign/trade for a cheap goalie to replace Turek.

[Lord Stanley]

I don't think this was posted...

A mock draft for SI

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/06/03/mock_draft/

[MPLABBE]

FreakZilla said:

I don't think this was posted...

A mock draft for SI

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/06/03/mock_draft/

yeah it was posted a few pages earlier

Suter at 4 is a joke btw..