2004 NHL CSS rankings

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Skilly said:

I too thought about giving Los Angeles a goalie. But they got Cechmanek last year, and Huet improved this year, and then they have Hnlinka in the wings waiting for his opportunity. I just feel a forward to replace FA's Robitaille, Pallfy, and Stumpel as well as probable retirements of Deadmarsh and/or Allison is more important.

Edmonton has failed in recent years when drafting first rounders. They have shown a tendency to draft European forwards (last seven years - Riesen, Hinrich, Rita, Miknhov, Hemsky, Niinimaki, Pouliot) in the first round. (I thought Doug Lynch was a first rounder, and obviously Woywitka was acquired by trade ... my bad). This year the lack of defense in the system should prompt them to go for a defenseman.

LA's goaltending situation is looking pretty tenuous.

Huet signed with Langnau in Switzerland on May 13, and may not be back .

Hnlicka signed a 3 year deal with Liberec of the Czech Republic May 18th and will not be back.

[Patty Roy]

It's still very early (for me at least, i've only gotten into this draft recently), but from what i gather, the top 17 could look something like this...

1) Washington - Alexander Ovechkin (LW)
2) Pittsburgh - Evgeni Malkin (C)
3) Chicago - Cam Barker (D)
4) Columbus - Rostislav Olesz (C)
5) Phoenix - Al Montoya (G)
6) New York R. - Lauri Tukonen (RW)
7) Florida - Andrew Ladd (LW)
8) Carolina - Marek Schwarz (G)
9) Anaheim - Robbie Schremp (C)
10) Atlanta - Andrej Meszaros (D)
11) Los Angeles - Alexander Picard (LW)
12) Minnesota - A.J. Thelen (D)
13) Buffalo - Drew Stafford (RW)
14) Los Angeles - Boris Valabik (D)
15) Nashville - Alexander Radulov (RW)
16) New York I. - Kyle Chipchura (C)
17) St. Louis - Wojtek Wolski (LW)

Of course those are mostly (ok they are all) guesses at this point. In every draft year there are suprises, i'm guessing this year will bring as many, if not more shocking 1st round selections as there arn't many blue chippers past the first few selections.

So what does that leave the Habs? Well assuming the top 17 goes something along those lines, it leaves us with the following (coments/opinions drawn from a number of scouting resources):

Forwards:

Enver Lisin (6'2" 190 RW) - Super fast, but not at all responsible in his own zone. Sounds like a real project, he's one guy that some team could take a flyer on in the top 10. If the Habs pick him, i think it would be the 2nd year in a row that we swing for the fences with a top forward talent.

Lauri Korpikoski (6'1" 183 LW) - This kid is rocketing up the charts. Played on a line with Tukonen at the U18. Fast, can play the game tough and has the skills to be a top 2 line forward. I really like his scouting report and wouldn't mind seeing him at #18 at all!

Dave Bolland (5'11" 171 C) - Scouting report reads alot like Chris Higgins...nice skills, average size, average speed, very smart with the puck. Not a real flashy forward, but gets the job done.

Travis Zajac (6'2" 205 C) - Could he be this years Dainus Zubrus? A real talent in a weak draft that slips to the middle of the 1st because he plays in a low level league (Jr. A)? Not sure, but the kid has good size, good skill and is said to be competitive. He would be a gamble.

Defence:

Ladislav Smid (6'3" 202 LD) - A potential top 4, well rounded defenceman. Said to be not overly physical despite his size. Skating needs a bit of work.

Mike Green (6'1" 198 RD) - His scouting report reads a bit like a young Bryan McCabe. Has the skill to play the PP (14 goals in the WHL), but also loves to hit hard and play it rough. He played on a piss poor team in Saskatoon, but that shouldn't be held against him...anyone remember Patrick Roy's junior team?

Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (6'6" 194 G) - He was all the talk a year ago, but i think he dissapointed a few scouts this season. Another project, but he's big and agile. Might be worth considering despite our strength in nets.

Anyway those are just a few names....i could easily see guys like Valabik, Chipchura and Thelen slipping to 18 depending on how things go. Should make for some interesting speculation as we approach the draft.

[BadCompany]

Patty said:

It's still very early (for me at least, i've only gotten into this draft recently), but from what i gather, the top 17 could look something like this...

1) Washington - Alexander Ovechkin (LW)
2) Pittsburgh - Evgeni Malkin (C)
3) Chicago - Cam Barker (D)
4) Columbus - Rostislav Olesz (C)
5) Phoenix - Al Montoya (G)
6) New York R. - Lauri Tukonen (RW)
7) Florida - Andrew Ladd (LW)
8) Carolina - Marek Schwarz (G)
9) Anaheim - Robbie Schremp (C)
10) Atlanta - Andrej Meszaros (D)
11) Los Angeles - Alexander Picard (LW)
12) Minnesota - A.J. Thelen (D)
13) Buffalo - Drew Stafford (RW)
14) Los Angeles - Boris Valabik (D)
15) Nashville - Alexander Radulov (RW)
16) New York I. - Kyle Chipchura (C)
17) St. Louis - Wojtek Wolski (LW)

Of course those are mostly (ok they are all) guesses at this point. In every draft year there are suprises, i'm guessing this year will bring as many, if not more shocking 1st round selections as there arn't many blue chippers past the first few selections.

So what does that leave the Habs? Well assuming the top 17 goes something along those lines, it leaves us with the following (coments/opinions drawn from a number of scouting resources):

Forwards:

Enver Lisin (6'2" 190 RW) - Super fast, but not at all responsible in his own zone. Sounds like a real project, he's one guy that some team could take a flyer on in the top 10. If the Habs pick him, i think it would be the 2nd year in a row that we swing for the fences with a top forward talent.

Lauri Korpikoski (6'1" 183 LW) - This kid is rocketing up the charts. Played on a line with Tukonen at the U18. Fast, can play the game tough and has the skills to be a top 2 line forward. I really like his scouting report and wouldn't mind seeing him at #18 at all!

Dave Bolland (5'11" 171 C) - Scouting report reads alot like Chris Higgins...nice skills, average size, average speed, very smart with the puck. Not a real flashy forward, but gets the job done.

Travis Zajac (6'2" 205 C) - Could he be this years Dainus Zubrus? A real talent in a weak draft that slips to the middle of the 1st because he plays in a low level league (Jr. A)? Not sure, but the kid has good size, good skill and is said to be competitive. He would be a gamble.

Defence:

Ladislav Smid (6'3" 202 LD) - A potential top 4, well rounded defenceman. Said to be not overly physical despite his size. Skating needs a bit of work.

Mike Green (6'1" 198 RD) - His scouting report reads a bit like a young Bryan McCabe. Has the skill to play the PP (14 goals in the WHL), but also loves to hit hard and play it rough. He played on a piss poor team in Saskatoon, but that shouldn't be held against him...anyone remember Patrick Roy's junior team?

Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (6'6" 194 G) - He was all the talk a year ago, but i think he dissapointed a few scouts this season. Another project, but he's big and agile. Might be worth considering despite our strength in nets.

Anyway those are just a few names....i could easily see guys like Valabik, Chipchura and Thelen slipping to 18 depending on how things go. Should make for some interesting speculation as we approach the draft.

To be honest with you, I think Schremp might fall right out of the first round. Or certainly out of the top 20. Attitude can really hurt a prospect (see Patrick O'Sullivan, Patrick Thorenson, Maxim Glazachev), and I'm not sure there are teams willing to look past the obvious character flaws. Wasn't Schremp benched for his Game 7 playoff matchup versus London? Game 7, man, no tomorrow. That could mean one of two things - his coach is thinking only of Schremp, and is trying to launch a serious life message to the young man (which begs the question, why does he need the message?), or, Schremp is such a me-first player that he actually hurts his team, despite his talent, and in a Game 7 the coach didn't trust him on the ice. Game 7, you want your best players on the ice, and often, and if Schremp was benched... well, red flags everywhere, for a player who already had a lot of rosy flags flapping over his head...

[Patty Roy]

BadCompany said:

To be honest with you, I think Schremp might fall right out of the first round. Or certainly out of the top 20. Attitude can really hurt a prospect (see Patrick O'Sullivan, Patrick Thorenson, Maxim Glazachev), and I'm not sure there are teams willing to look past the obvious character flaws. Wasn't Schremp benched for his Game 7 playoff matchup versus London? Game 7, man, no tomorrow. That could mean one of two things - his coach is thinking only of Schremp, and is trying to launch a serious life message to the young man (which begs the question, why does he need the message?), or, Schremp is such a me-first player that he actually hurts his team, despite his talent, and in a Game 7 the coach didn't trust him on the ice. Game 7, you want your best players on the ice, and often, and if Schremp was benched... well, red flags everywhere, for a player who already had a lot of rosy flags flapping over his head...

That's possible, but if you take Patrick O'Sullivan as an example; well that's a player that i think alot of teams would take sooner if they had last years draft to do over.

I've heard that there are some character issues with Schremp (no specifics though), but is this the year you want to pass on a top end talent because he got in a tiff with his coach? Schremp is arguably a top 5 talent in this years draft. He could very well slip into the teens but i really don't see him dropping much further.

[BadCompany]

Patty said:

That's possible, but if you take Patrick O'Sullivan as an example; well that's a player that i think alot of teams would take sooner if they had last years draft to do over.

I've heard that there are some character issues with Schremp (no specifics though), but is this the year you want to pass on a top end talent because he got in a tiff with his coach? Schremp is arguably a top 5 talent in this years draft. He could very well slip into the teens but i really don't see him dropping much further.

Trouble is, its not just one coach. Schremp has had a bad reputation for several years now, pulled a Lindros and demand to be traded in junior, and generally makes Hainsey's head look smaller than a pea. He was left OFF the USA World Junior Team. That says a lot too, almost as much as being benched for a game 7. I've read really nasty things about him, things that suggest a lot more is going on that a tiff with a coach. Sullivan was a top 5 talent in last year's draft too, but teams just didn't want to bother with the hassle. He wasn't even picked on the first day.

[Rimmer]

what BC was saying about Schremp:

London's Schremp enigmatic prospect

By TERRY KOSHAN -- Toronto Sun

Is Robbie Schremp the type of player who can make a difference in his team's biggest game of the season?

NHL scouts would love to know. Schremp is a highly rated prospect for the NHL entry draft next month, but he was nailed to the bench for much of Game 7 of the OHL Western Conference final when the London Knights were ousted by the eventual league champion Guelph Storm.
.
.
.
"There's no questioning his talent," an NHL scout said. "But does he want to be a member of the Harlem Globetrotters? The kid is an exhibitionist.

--full article--

R.

[rhabdo]

Patty said:

Forwards:

Enver Lisin (6'2" 190 RW) - Super fast, but not at all responsible in his own zone. Sounds like a real project, he's one guy that some team could take a flyer on in the top 10. If the Habs pick him, i think it would be the 2nd year in a row that we swing for the fences with a top forward talent. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

Lauri Korpikoski (6'1" 183 LW) - This kid is rocketing up the charts. Played on a line with Tukonen at the U18. Fast, can play the game tough and has the skills to be a top 2 line forward. I really like his scouting report and wouldn't mind seeing him at #18 at all! SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

Dave Bolland (5'11" 171 C) - Scouting report reads alot like Chris Higgins...nice skills, average size, average speed, very smart with the puck. Not a real flashy forward, but gets the job done. HIGGINS WEIGHED 189 WHEN HE WAS DRAFTED. BOLLAND SOUNDS LIKE A SMALL PLAYER WHO COULDN'T MAKE THE TEAM AT CENTRE.

Travis Zajac (6'2" 205 C) - Could he be this years Dainus Zubrus? A real talent in a weak draft that slips to the middle of the 1st because he plays in a low level league (Jr. A)? Not sure, but the kid has good size, good skill and is said to be competitive. He would be a gamble. WHO KNOWS?

Defence:

Ladislav Smid (6'3" 202 LD) - A potential top 4, well rounded defenceman. Said to be not overly physical despite his size. Skating needs a bit of work. SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER TRAVERSE.

Mike Green (6'1" 198 RD) - His scouting report reads a bit like a young Bryan McCabe. Has the skill to play the PP (14 goals in the WHL), but also loves to hit hard and play it rough. He played on a piss poor team in Saskatoon, but that shouldn't be held against him...anyone remember Patrick Roy's junior team? SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (6'6" 194 G) - He was all the talk a year ago, but i think he dissapointed a few scouts this season. Another project, but he's big and agile. Might be worth considering despite our strength in nets. CERTAINLY NOT IN THE FIRST ROUND, AND THE HABS TRADED THEIR SECOND ROUNDER TO THE RANGERS.

Anyway those are just a few names....i could easily see guys like Valabik, Chipchura and Thelen slipping to 18 depending on how things go. Should make for some interesting speculation as we approach the draft.

[roke]

If available I like what I've read about Korpikoski, speed and skills. Valabik would also be an interesting pick if he was available, plays big with a mean streak from what I have read. I'm personally leaning to Korpikoski right now if he was available I would seriously consider taking him.

Of course, I haven't seen most of the players available so I can't say how good they are.