we get 5th overall

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

seventeen said:

If Koivu's a UFA, Burke won't do it. If he's an RFA, you might as well throw in Zednik, Komisarek and Kostitsyn, because either way, we're giving up way too much.

Do we have any player who can step in right now for the Ducks? The deal would be our 5th and that player, but he'd have to be in the Bulis range. Not a front line player, but a decent, younger addition to any team. I wouldn't give up any of our prospects such as Higgins, Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, etc. Hainsey? Still, there isn't a lot of difference between 5th and 2nd other than position. Are you sure Kopitar isn't a better prospect than Johnson? Lots of ifs and I don't think there's sufficient upside for Gainey to gamble.

I'm a Kopitar kinda guy—Dis was musing about Johnson. IMO the deal for Johnson would have to be on the order of Koivu and our 5th—at least that's what I think Burke would want— but I don't think we should do it.

[seventeen]

Whew! For a while I thought you were turning to the dusk side. Now if you'd said Ribs instead of Koivu.......

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

seventeen said:

Whew! For a while I thought you were turning to the dusk side. Now if you'd said Ribs instead of Koivu.......

Mike Ribeiro and Brian Burke

Burke in the locker-room between periods of a crucial game:

"Mike, I want you to fall down just before you get to the faceoff circle—and for chrissake don't move once you hit the ice! Just pretend that you're dead."

[BadCompany]

I still want Bourret, and would not be adverse to trading down to get him.

How about a blockbuster? (To save everybody the aggravation, I'll put this right here, up front: )

To Vancouver: Theodore, the 5th overall (Brule), a throw-in (Plekanec?)
To Montreal: Bertuzzi, Cloutier, the 10th overall (Bourret or Bourdon).

Make everybody mad. Half the people will be mad we got rid of Theodore, half the people will be mad we picked up the monster psychopath Bertuzzi, and the other half (Yogi?) will be mad we got rid of a top prospect in Plekanec. Whoever’s left will be mad we picked up the choker Cloutier.

Theodore and Bertuzzi are a wash. Bertuzzi is probably a better player, but he’s going to be suspended for the first 20 games of the year, and his name is mud. The Canucks need goaltending, and Theodore has (the illusion of?) playoff credentials.

Cloutier and Plekanec are a wash. Plekanec has no room in Montreal, Cloutier has no friends in Vancouver. He’ll provide decent goaltending until Yann Danis is ready (like next spring, when the playoffs start).

Canucks get to draft Brule at 5th overall (assuming he’s still around), the Habs can take Bourret or Bourdon at 10th overall, and not look like they were stretching to get them.

Money wise, using their 2004 salaries, minus the rollback (I do not know how much they are owed this year), Bertuzzi and Cloutier come out to about $7 million (but if Bertuzzi is suspended for another 20 games, the Habs, I do not think, will not have to count 20% of that salary towards the cap – I think). Theodore wants $5 million, so the Habs would be spending $2 million of the money ear-marked for Kovalev… err, a free agent. With Brisebois gone, they could still have another $3-6 million to spend on one or two free agents.

Zednik (1.8) – Koivu (3.5) – Kovalev (4)
Ryder (1.5) – Ribeiro (1.5) – Bertuzzi (4.5)
Higgins (1) – Bonk (3) – Bulis (1)
Ivanans (.5) – Begin (.5) – Bourret (.875)
Perezhoghin (1), Ward (.75)

Buh-bye Niklas, Pierre stays until Todd’s suspension is over.

Markov (2) – Rivet (3)
Souray (3) – Komisarek (1)
Hainsey (.5) – veteran depth guy, for say $1.5
Bouillon (.5)

Cloutier (2.5)
Danis (.5)

Payroll would be right around $40 million, but like I said, if the Habs aren’t on the hook for 20% of Bertuzzi’s salary, because he is suspended...

[HabbaDasher]

That's actually a pretty good scenario, BC.
Well thought out.

[Bob]

badcompany said:

I still want Bourret, and would not be adverse to trading down to get him.

How about a blockbuster? (To save everybody the aggravation, I'll put this right here, up front: )

To Vancouver: Theodore, the 5th overall (Brule), a throw-in (Plekanec?)
To Montreal: Bertuzzi, Cloutier, the 10th overall (Bourret or Bourdon).

Make everybody mad. Half the people will be mad we got rid of Theodore, half the people will be mad we picked up the monster psychopath Bertuzzi, and the other half (Yogi?) will be mad we got rid of a top prospect in Plekanec. Whoever’s left will be mad we picked up the choker Cloutier.

Theodore and Bertuzzi are a wash. Bertuzzi is probably a better player, but he’s going to be suspended for the first 20 games of the year, and his name is mud. The Canucks need goaltending, and Theodore has (the illusion of?) playoff credentials.

Cloutier and Plekanec are a wash. Plekanec has no room in Montreal, Cloutier has no friends in Vancouver. He’ll provide decent goaltending until Yann Danis is ready (like next spring, when the playoffs start).

Canucks get to draft Brule at 5th overall (assuming he’s still around), the Habs can take Bourret or Bourdon at 10th overall, and not look like they were stretching to get them.

Money wise, using their 2004 salaries, minus the rollback (I do not know how much they are owed this year), Bertuzzi and Cloutier come out to about $7 million (but if Bertuzzi is suspended for another 20 games, the Habs, I do not think, will not have to count 20% of that salary towards the cap – I think). Theodore wants $5 million, so the Habs would be spending $2 million of the money ear-marked for Kovalev… err, a free agent. With Brisebois gone, they could still have another $3-6 million to spend on one or two free agents.

Zednik (1.8) – Koivu (3.5) – Kovalev (4)
Ryder (1.5) – Ribeiro (1.5) – Bertuzzi (4.5)
Higgins (1) – Bonk (3) – Bulis (1)
Ivanans (.5) – Begin (.5) – Bourret (.875)
Perezhoghin (1), Ward (.75)

Buh-bye Niklas, Pierre stays until Todd’s suspension is over.

Markov (2) – Rivet (3)
Souray (3) – Komisarek (1)
Hainsey (.5) – veteran depth guy, for say $1.5
Bouillon (.5)

Cloutier (2.5)
Danis (.5)

Payroll would be right around $40 million, but like I said, if the Habs aren’t on the hook for 20% of Bertuzzi’s salary, because he is suspended...

You are giving positions to Bourret (totally unproven) and Ivanans (a marginal AHL player). I would question whether Ivnanans, at any price, is better than Sundstrom. He is less than a one-dimensional player at this point. You also suggest moving Ryder and Bulis to their off-wings.

Bertuzzi loves Vancouver, why would he want to move. Cloutier has proven to be a mediocre talent and Plekanec provides some insurance at center for the kamikaze Begin.

Hossa isn't mentioned at all, even though he probably won't go back to Hamilton.

On defense you never mentioned the possibility of Mark Streit supplanting Hainsey on the 3rd pairing or as the 7th defenseman.

Before a bunch of trades are suggested, I think we need to see who the Habs can sign to fill in the gaps. Kovalev might or might not sign with us. Gainey could add one or even two defensemen. All of these factors could change the complexion of the team and who is available to trade.

As it stands, I couldn't like this deal less.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

habbadasher said:

That's actually a pretty good scenario, BC.
Well thought out.

Very well thought out, but it's been such a long time since we picked #5 or higher and it will be a longer time before we pick #5 again. We have a shot at Kopitar, a possible Lecavalier instead of another Bouret (Perez, Pleks, Higgs, Milroy etc.).
Adding Kovalev and Bertuzzi is an upgrade, but I wouldn't cut loose Dagenais from Ribs left side. If one of the kids beats him out in training camp, so be it; but until then he scored a lot of goals for us and had a great +/- without eating up a chunk of our cap.
He skates fast enough for the first three strides to get to the puck anywhere in the slot and his shot is the hardest on the team. I know Traverse was happy to get away from the fans who constantly berated him. Maybe it's time for Gainey to tell the fans to get off Dags back. It doesn't help him.

[Boston_Habs]

I'd make that trade. I think Theodore is overated and there is a current surplus of quality netminders. He can be replaced by Cloutier in the short term and by Danis or somebody else in the long term. Real power forwards who can score are a precious lot in the NHL. Assuming Bertuzzi is not emotinally scarred by the whole incident and he regains his form, then I think it's a steal for Montreal. I agree that the 5th pick in the draft isn't looking like a sure fire bet so there probably isn't a whole lot of difference between #5 and #10.

[BadCompany]

One angry fan! ;D

bob said:

You are giving positions to Bourret (totally unproven) and Ivanans (a marginal AHL player). I would question whether Ivnanans, at any price, is better than Sundstrom. He is less than a one-dimensional player at this point. You also suggest moving Ryder and Bulis to their off-wings.

Ivanans is a good, plain and simple. While Sundstrom is a much better all around player, he can't bring what Ivanans can. Actually, nobody can, as the Habs do not have any other goon in the system whatsoever. So if they want an "enforcer" its Ivanans by default.

And I really like Bourret. I think his crash-and-bang style would fit in great on the fourth line with Begin, and he's got NHL size and strength (well, not height, but he's probably never going to have that).

bob said:

Bertuzzi loves Vancouver, why would he want to move.

And Theodore loves Montreal. If we're going to make all the fans mad, we might as well make the players mad too!

Actually, Bertuzzi might want a change of scenery, away from his legal troubles and/or reputation. Or not. But he will have been traded, so there isn't much he can do about it.

bob said:

Cloutier has proven to be a mediocre talent

Cloutier, like Garon, puts up decent regular season numbers, then flops in the playoffs. But many here think Theodore flops in the playoffs, too.

bob said:

and Plekanec provides some insurance at center for the kamikaze Begin.

I'm not sure what Plekanec's waiver status is. And at any rate, insurance for a 4th line center shouldn't be too hard to find. Kyle Chipchura could probably step in for a taste of the big leagues, if Begin goes down for a bit.

bob said:

Hossa isn't mentioned at all, even though he probably won't go back to Hamilton.

I've all but written off Hossa.

bob said:

On defense you never mentioned the possibility of Mark Streit supplanting Hainsey on the 3rd pairing or as the 7th defenseman.

Streit has said that he will not come over unless he has a one-way contract, and that the Habs have not contacted him in over a year. I suppose they could sign him, but do you really want to guarantee a spot to a 27 year old who has never played a game in the AHL, let alone NHL?

bob said:

Before a bunch of trades are suggested, I think we need to see who the Habs can sign to fill in the gaps. Kovalev might or might not sign with us. Gainey could add one or even two defensemen. All of these factors could change the complexion of the team and who is available to trade.

Yes, yes, but what fun is that?

bob said:

As it stands, I couldn't like this deal less.

Suivant next!

[BadCompany]

habsfaninla said:

habbadasher said:

That's actually a pretty good scenario, BC.
Well thought out.

Very well thought out, but it's been such a long time since we picked #5 or higher and it will be a longer time before we pick #5 again. We have a shot at Kopitar, a possible Lecavalier instead of another Bouret (Perez, Pleks, Higgs, Milroy etc.).
Adding Kovalev and Bertuzzi is an upgrade, but I wouldn't cut loose Dagenais from Ribs left side. If one of the kids beats him out in training camp, so be it; but until then he scored a lot of goals for us and had a great +/- without eating up a chunk of our cap.
He skates fast enough for the first three strides to get to the puck anywhere in the slot and his shot is the hardest on the team. I know Traverse was happy to get away from the fans who constantly berated him. Maybe it's time for Gainey to tell the fans to get off Dags back. It doesn't help him.

Bourret is a much, much different player than Perezhoghin, Plekanec, Higgins or Milroy. He's more like Steve Begin on steroids. With some offensive ability. I think he would be an instant fan favorite, no matter where he goes.

[BadCompany]

bostonhabs said:

I'd make that trade. I think Theodore is overated and there is a current surplus of quality netminders. He can be replaced by Cloutier in the short term and by Danis or somebody else in the long term. Real power forwards who can score are a precious lot in the NHL. Assuming Bertuzzi is not emotinally scarred by the whole incident and he regains his form, then I think it's a steal for Montreal. I agree that the 5th pick in the draft isn't looking like a sure fire bet so there probably isn't a whole lot of difference between #5 and #10.

Hey! No non-angry replies allowed!

(just kidding!)

[Yeti]

When I read the material written about the Kopitar all I can see is the picture of Dainius Zubrus

[Doc Holliday]

I like Bourret and I agree that he would be the only player of his style on our depth chart (with maybe Max Lapierre as an exception, but a much longer shot). I compared him to a poor man's Marty Lapointe. I'd certainly be happy if somehow we could secure him.

...but I hate this trade since I feel we're shortchanged on just about every aspects of the trade. When all is said and done, it will look like the HABS traded a fan favorite and recognized top rated goalie, Theodore, a potential stud, Brule, for a prospect grinder, a bad goalie and a freak that will maybe play 60 games for us...

For a simpler trade, how about Plekanec and Bulis for Bourret ?

[Doc Holliday]

yeti said:

When I read the material written about the Kopitar all I can see is the picture of Dainius Zubrus

...I'm not sure what I see either... A guy that got a big reputation for being the best player (while in no way making a killing) of his horrendous national team...

[TheCaper]

badcompany said:

To Vancouver: Theodore, the 5th overall (Brule), a throw-in (Plekanec?)
To Montreal: Bertuzzi, Cloutier, the 10th overall (Bourret or Bourdon).

I hate your trade.

Bertuzzi is scheduled to make $5.27M in 05-06 and $5.27M in 06-07. For that kind of money, I think we are better off playing the UFA market.

A 5th for a 10th is a clear loss.

Theo for Cloutier is a clear loss.

Pleks for nothing is a clear loss.

Loss + loss + loss + loss != win

And I don’t agree that Plekanec has no room in Montreal. There is a 4th line / PK job available, and if he focuses on that role then he could make a valuable contribution.

Special teams will be critical in the next few years, and the PK is just as important as the PP. Plekanec has the makings for the PK. He’s quick, doesn’t shy from contact, can play that passive-aggressive style that’s so often successful on the PK, doesn’t panic with the puck, good hands to thread the dump-out, can zoom down and create a scoring chance if the opposing PP isn’t careful. Plus, you can’t find a better teacher for that role than Jarvis, and they’ve already been working together for 2 years. And if we get an injury in the top six, he can step up.

Jarvis and Gainey are very tight. If Jarvis feels that Plekanec isn’t cut out for the bottom 6, then he’s gone. But if Jarvis gives the thumbs up, then Plekanec will get the opportunity to prove he can contribute.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

thecaper said:

And I don’t agree that Plekanec has no room in Montreal. There is a 4th line / PK job available, and if he focuses on that role then he could make a valuable contribution.

Special teams will be critical in the next few years, and the PK is just as important as the PP. Plekanec has the makings for the PK. He’s quick, doesn’t shy from contact, can play that passive-aggressive style that’s so often successful on the PK, doesn’t panic with the puck, good hands to thread the dump-out, can zoom down and create a scoring chance if the opposing PP isn’t careful. Plus, you can’t find a better teacher for that role than Jarvis, and they’ve already been working together for 2 years. And if we get an injury in the top six, he can step up.

Jarvis and Gainey are very tight. If Jarvis feels that Plekanec isn’t cut out for the bottom 6, then he’s gone. But if Jarvis gives the thumbs up, then Plekanec will get the opportunity to prove he can contribute.

[PTH]

thecaper said:

Bertuzzi is scheduled to make $5.27M in 05-06 and $5.27M in 06-07. For that kind of money, I think we are better off playing the UFA market.

A 5th for a 10th is a clear loss.

Theo for Cloutier is a clear loss.

Pleks for nothing is a clear loss.

Loss + loss + loss + loss != win

I don't disagree with your conclusion, but I think that it'll become harder and harder to evaluate trades on "asset" value. Maybe Cloutier is better than Theo, if Theo is about to leave as a UFA but Cloutier has discreetly made it known he'd like to sign a 4-year deal for reasonable money to play a Hackett-type mentor role for a youngster.

With UFA's at 25 to 27, contract length and cost will become much, much important. And with a cap, maybe Bert's 5 million is a better investment than Theo's 5 million ie, for the same salary, maybe Bertuzzi and Cloutier are a better fit for us than Plek and Theo. (that's not my point, this is all just a rant about how trades will become tough to understand and evaluate)

When you think that many still complain about Weinrich-Traverse (Weinrich was a UFA for heavens sake, we were losing him regardless....), I cringe to think what some will say about future trades...

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

disgruntled70shab said:

Jack Johnson would be worth trading up a few places for. I'd like to see him in Montreal.

Cheers.

Dis one's for you bud:

Prospect Johnson adds snarl to style on blueline

Allen Panzeri
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, July 27, 2005


It won't be difficult to spot Jack Johnson at the NHL amateur draft on Saturday.

He'll be sitting next to Sidney Crosby, on whom all the cameras will be aimed.

The two have been buddies since playing together at Shattuck St. Mary's, a prep school in Johnson's hometown of Faribault, Minnesota, three years ago.

That's where they started to dream about going 1-2 in the draft.

"We work out together in the offseason and we stay in touch," Johnson in an interview with Hockey's Future, an online magazine.

"It's going to be a special day."

Whether it is as special as they've dreamed is a question.

Everyone already knows that Crosby is going to go first, to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But Johnson, a 6-1, 200-pound defenceman who has been compared to Brian Leetch, may not go second.

He'll have competition from left-winger Benoit Pouliot of the Sudbury Wolves, right-winger Bobby Ryan of the Owen Sound Attack, and centre Gilbert Brule of the Vancouver Giants.

However, Johnson should go no later than No. 4, when the Minnesota Wild, with that pick, are expected to select the native son if he's still available.

Johnson's got everything the modern NHL is looking for.

With 14 goals and 27 assists in 42 games for the U.S. under-18 team last year, Johnson was their top scoring defenceman and helped the team to a gold medal in the under-18 world championship.

But he also has a decidedly mean and aggressive streak. In those 42 games, he had 170 penalty minutes.

NHL teams might not want him to be that aggressive, but as Crosby can tell you, it's not a bad thing. This is now a near mythical story: During a baseball game at Shattuck St. Mary's, Johnson charged the mound after an opposing player heckled Crosby.

"He's a really vibrant player," said Frank Bonello, of NHL Central Scouting.

"He rushes, he's got a heck of a shot, and he's got a real presence on the ice," Bonello said. "It's not too long before you notice this guy."

International Scouting Services, a rival group, says Johnson's "most notable asset is his unique combination of skill and toughness.

"He has a gritty, take-no-prisoners style and demonstrates these qualities on a consistent basis."

Johnson's father, Jack Sr., won a NCAA championship in 1973 with Wisconsin. He was drafted in the ninth round, 140th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks that same year, though he never played for them.

He didn't push his son toward hockey, but it soon became apparent that Jack Jr. had found his sport.

Today, Johnson describes himself as a two-way player.

"Most people usually categorize a defenceman as either an offensive or defensive defenceman, and I try to play in that grey area of not being either/or, but both," Johnson said to USA Hockey magazine. "I try to play physical in my own end, like Scott Stevens, and then like Scott Niedermayer in the offensive end."

Johnson has committed to play for Michigan this year.

That has long been a dream of his, and in 2002, as a 14-year-old, he set a precedent by verbally declaring his intention to play at Michigan.

Under NCAA rules, teams can't contact players until they reach Grade 11, but Johnson discovered it was OK if he initiated contact. So he called Michigan, which is coach by Red Berenson.

"I wanted to get things over with and didn't feel it was fair to the other teams to lead them on," he said in an interview.

"I had the opportunity at about every school out there, but my dream was Michigan."

He made that verbal commitment official this summer. Some NHL teams could balk at that commitment, but, in the end, his skills and obvious potential will do the persuading.

- - -

The Favoured Five

Jack Johnson is ranked fourth among North American amateurs available in Saturday's NHL draft in Ottawa and will, in all likelihood, be among the first four or five players picked by an NHL team after Sidney Crosby, who is ranked No. 1. Johnson, from Minnesota, is the second player featured in a series of Citizen stories this week about the draft's five top prospects. Tomorrow: No. 3. Bobby Ryan.

[teem]

Whoever it is--it sounds like the Habs will be getting a good prospect.
I like it.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

teem said:

Whoever it is--it sounds like the Habs will be getting a good prospect.
I like it.

Habsolutely right.
Kopitar, Skille, Johnson, Brule, Bourret, Ryan all have good features to their game. Spots 2 - 6 are filled with very good players and sure fire NHL careers (if there is such a thing as sure fire). Is there a possible superstar in the bunch?
Johnson will become the best Dman on his team, but not the best in the league.
Skille will be a great digger in the corners and contributor to his line.
Brule will get the fans into and out of their seats.
Bourret is the package.
Ryan will be good but not great.
Kopitar is the unknown. Tremendous talent, good kid, 6'4" and still growing. No limit to potential. Another Lecavalier or another Linden or another Bonk? At least with AK the potential for superstardom is there. The Hab's haven't been in the position to draft a superstar in a long time. Two AK-47's on the same line?

Chipchura - Kopitar - Kostitsyn 2006?

along with

Dagenais Ribeiro Ryder
Pleks Perez Higgins
Hossa Begin UFA or a surprise
Locke on the powerplay

(not slighting Captain courageous Koivu who still is a leader and has gas left in his tank) and could fit in somewhere above. It's nice to have too many good players and have to cut instead of too few and have to fill.
Zednik and Bullis could be slotted anywhere above (well Zednik could)!

The future looks brighter in 2006 than 2005.
As Martha said, "It's a good thing."
Martha may have said, "the future looks brighter in 2006 than 2005" too.

Defense, hmmmmm.

Markov (Ru$$ia or canada.00)
Hainsey (clear the brains first, the body is there)
Komisarek (time to live up to the ourstanding potential)
Rivet (on the down escalator, not going up)
Souray (first half of the season or second half? certainly not a liability)
______________
______________ who will step up to fill the blanks?

Haven't even explored the huge number of free agents available to be added as we are safely under the cap.

Theodore (negotiating hard using three year old press clippings)
Danis (turn potential into gold)
______________ lots of good players available!

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

mrbozo said:

seventeen said:

If Koivu's a UFA, Burke won't do it. If he's an RFA, you might as well throw in Zednik, Komisarek and Kostitsyn, because either way, we're giving up way too much.

Do we have any player who can step in right now for the Ducks? The deal would be our 5th and that player, but he'd have to be in the Bulis range. Not a front line player, but a decent, younger addition to any team. I wouldn't give up any of our prospects such as Higgins, Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, etc. Hainsey? Still, there isn't a lot of difference between 5th and 2nd other than position. Are you sure Kopitar isn't a better prospect than Johnson? Lots of ifs and I don't think there's sufficient upside for Gainey to gamble.

I'm a Kopitar kinda guy—Dis was musing about Johnson. IMO the deal for Johnson would have to be on the order of Koivu and our 5th—at least that's what I think Burke would want— but I don't think we should do it.

Given it much thought (as much as my feeble mind is capable of at this point).
Moving up to #2 would be wrong.

1. There is no clear cut advantage and no clear cut consensus on who is #2.
2. All the players from 2 - 6 could be considered as the best.
3. I want Kopitar who is projected to still be available at #5, but if not, there are still good guys available. It's not like when we were drafting #10 or #18. We will get a top six player picking at #5.
4. Crosby and Johnson probably will be gone and we will have a shot at one of Kopitar, Skille, Brule, Bourret, Ryan. Kopitar may be gone by #5 simply because big guys rise in the rankings on draft day.

Unrelated darkhorse prediction (another smallish forward Bergfors) may move up to the top 10. He could be another Steve Shutt type player.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Apologies to BC.

Anze Kopitar could be the best player in the draft after Crosby hype.

AK Kopitar is like AK Kastitsyn without the epilepsy.

[The Habsome One]

ISS Scouting Report: Anze Kopitar
International Scouting Services

Source: msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/3833152?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=142

While Sidney Crosby is being touted as hockey's next big thing, in Slovenia, Anze Kopitar is considered the first big thing.

Not only is the very likeable Slovenian the first ever notable prospect to emerge from that country, but according to ISS, he's also the top European player available in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

ANZE KOPITAR
Height: 6-foot-2 1/2
Weight: 210
Position: Center
Team: Sodertalje (SWE)

After ISS first profiled the 17-year-old back in the fall of 2004, Kopitar quickly became the focus of European scouts and other media outlets. The Hockey News also ran the profile story and soon after Slovenia's best-kept secret was revealed for the rest of the world.

"There was a difference after that last article," admitted Kopitar to ISS recently. "A lot of scouts came to the games more often to see me so, yeah. There were always a lot of scouts at our games, just not because of me but because of guys like Nicklas Bergfors and other players."

Kopitar admits that initially the extra attention was a distraction as the new experience took some getting accustomed to.

"It was hard at the beginning because I wasn't used to it," he said from his home city of Jesenice. "Here in Slovenia, there are no scouts at all. But then I started to realize that it's not a big deal if someone is watching you, you just need to stay calm and not be nervous or feel the pressure."

Clearly Kopitar adjusted quickly and went on to have a tremendous year on several fronts, including leading his junior club team with 49 points in 30 games.

"Yeah, I'm very happy with my season," Kopitar said. "I won the junior scoring title and played the whole playoffs with the senior team in Sodertalje, so it was a great season for me. I didn't get much ice time in the playoffs, but I think it was good experience."

In international play Kopitar represented Slovenia at the World Junior Championships, scoring 10 goals and 13 points in just five games. Unquestionably his nation's only superstar, the teenager was also added to the men's team for their appearance at the World Championships in Austria where he says he enjoyed his career highlight.

"The World Championship game against Canada," the center said easily. "They're the Olympic Champions, the World Cup Champions and they're the best team in the world right now and I think it was a great experience just to play against them."

Kopitar scored once in the six games Slovenia played at the tournament and, according to one NHL executive, never looked out of place.

"He stepped into the World Championships and he certainly didn't embarrass himself," said the NHL head scout. "He was one of the best players on the ice."

The talented youngster was a popular target in Toronto recently where Kopitar met with 26 NHL organizations during their pre-draft player interviews. Unfortunately, his favorite team, the Red Wings, was one of the four clubs that passed on sitting down with him. But Kopitar says there were several organizations that made very positive impressions on him.

"Both Atlanta and Columbus were good, Dallas was actually a really fun interview and Vancouver was good," said Kopitar. "All the interviews were good though; I didn't really have a bad feeling about any of them afterwards."

Kopitar admits that playing in Columbus or Atlanta are two scenarios he would quickly embrace, as he would relish the opportunity to play with some of the NHL's top young players.

Over the course of the season Kopitar grew a bit taller and added about eight pounds to his frame, now tilting the scales at 6-foot-2 1/2 and 210 pounds, and he also addressed the concerns his critics had laid before him.

"I improved on my foot speed, my defensive play and also my offensive skills," he said. "I think the biggest part was with my defensive play and with learning to move my feet faster."

One ISS scout says that although Kopitar isn't ready to jump to the NHL yet, he's certainly got all the tools to make it big in the league.

"His skating isn't as good as (Sidney) Crosby or (Benoit) Pouliot and he has trouble turning, but when he's got the puck, from the blueline in, he's as good as any player in this draft," said the scout. "He's a big, strong kid so he rarely losses battles in the corners. I think he just needs to mature more and fill into that body. He's got big feet and that might be part of the problem with his turning."

When asked if the fact that Kopitar hails from a non-hockey nation was a deterrent, the NHL scout countered by saying, "He's coming from a country that doesn't produce a lot of hockey players, but he played in a country (Sweden) that does, and he played very well."

Kopitar isn't afraid to be a trailblazer for future hockey players back home.

"I know that hockey in Slovenia is not so big but if I go to the NHL someday, hopefully a lot of young guys will start to play and be successful just like me," said Kopitar.

Wayne Gretzky became known the world over as "The Great One" and one day soon, at least in the country of Slovenia, Anze Kopitar will proudly be anointed as "The First One".

[The Habsome One]

NHL Draft: Europe's best bet is Slovenian
Thursday, July 28, 2005
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Source: www.post-gazette.com/pg/05209/544916.stm


The day might come when the world's premier downhill skier hails from Havana, its finest golfer from the shores of Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.

After all, the best European prospect in this year's NHL Entry Draft, winger Anze Kopitar, is a native of Slovenia, so just about anything is possible.

That is a most improbable pedigree -- only one player from Kopitar's country has been drafted -- but it's easy to understand why he is a popular choice to go in the top 10. When a guy is 6 feet 2 1/2, 210 pounds and has Kopitar's shot and instincts, scouts don't care much about his address.

"He's a hockey player," said Goran Stubb, NHL Central Scouting's top man in Europe. "A player. He has very good vision, a very good understanding of the game. His technical skills are very, very good. ... He's very good with the puck. He can score goals, and he can set up goals."

Kopitar spent the past winter playing junior hockey in Sweden, winning the scoring championship in the process, and represented his country in several international tournaments. He not only played for Slovenia in the under-18 and under-20 world tournaments, but also in the world championships in Austria.

He was the youngest player in that event and did nothing to make scouts who projected him as a high first-rounder to second-guess their decisions.

"He played against the U.S. and against Canada in the world championships and did well," Stubb said. "Of course, he didn't have many players [to work with]. When he passed the puck, they didn't pass it back to him."

Although Slovenia is not one of the world hockey powers -- "They don't have many hockey players," Stubb said. "They don't have many rinks." -- Kopitar grew up with the game; his father is an assistant coach with the national team.

That background aside, the consensus is that Kopitar's development has been retarded, at least slightly, by growing up in a country where there is little hockey played.

If his roots were in Sweden or Russia or Finland or the Czech Republic, Kopitar would have been able to hone his abilities against higher-caliber competition from the time he took up the game, instead of having to always compete against older players, just to have a challenge.

"I believe he'd be a better player right now if he'd been in one of those countries, for sure," Phoenix scout Willy Lindstrom said. "The hockey in Slovenia is not that great."

Neither is Kopitar's skating, which is the one concern most scouts seem to have about him. All agree his acceleration and speed must improve, but few doubt that they will.

"His skating is something you may look at and want to question," said Greg Malone, the Penguins' head scout. "But he's the type of guy who, with his work ethic, that will come, probably."

Developing hockey sense is a lot harder but, for whatever reason, that seems to have come naturally for Kopitar.

"His hockey sense and reads on the ice are very good," Malone said. "That's the thing that's most impressive about the kid. You're like, 'Wow, where did he pick this up?' "

Kopitar had good instincts long before he joined Sodertalje's junior club in Sweden for the 2004-05 season, but the rest of his game benefited from the time he spent there. Sodertalje made out OK in the deal, too, because Kopitar put up 28 goals and 21 assists in 30 games.

"He made a wise decision to play in Sweden," Stubb said. "He improved a lot."

And he should be able to get better. For even though Lindstrom already describes Kopitar as "a natural-born player" who has "good size and sees hockey like a senior guy," he won't be 18 until Aug. 24.

Blend his size and skill with a bit more experience -- and factor in Kopitar's willingness to work on his game -- and he has the potential to be an impact player for a long time.

"He's got a lot of upside, because of his size and his work ethic," Malone said. "He's a determined kid.

"The bottom line is that, down the road, this kid should be a pretty good hockey player."

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Jul. 28, 2005. 07:30 PM

Scouts expect Pouliot to be high draft pick

OTTAWA (CP) — Benoit Pouliot's journey to the NHL draft is similar to that of Andrew Ladd's, a Calgary Hitmen forward who was drafted fourth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes last year.

Both players are left-wingers who impressed scouts so much in just one year of major junior hockey that they earned the pre-draft labels "came out of nowhere" and "late-bloomer."

Their storylines touch again here and there as their late birthdays in the calendar year forced them to wait until the next year to be drafted. Both were released the first time they tried out for a major junior team.

- tinyurl.com/dz8ah

[BadCompany]

The International Scouting Services pre-draft rankings:

1. Crosby, Sidney
2. Pouliot, Benoit
3. Johnson, Jack
4. Brule, Gilbert
5. Ryan, Bobby
6. Kopitar, Anze
7. Staal, Marc
8. O'Marra, Ryan
9. Zagrapan, Marek
10. Price, Carey
11. Bourdon, Luc
12. Hanzal, Martin
13. Skille, Jack
14. Bourret, Alex
15. Parent, Ryan
16. Bergfors, Nicklas
17. Latendresse, Guillaume
18. Rask, Tuukka
19. Kindl, Jakub
29. Mikkelson, Brendan

www.internationalscouting.com/pdf/ISSdraftpreview05.doc

Lots of interesting stuff, and profiles of the top prospects in the above link, including reports cards on the top 10 guys.

Also included above are a couple of profiles on Luc Bourdon, and Alex Bourret (I know, I know, we're probably not going to pick them - but I really like them!)

Luc Bourdon: The scouting world has been waiting six long years for a French Canadian defenseman to be worthy enough in skill to be drafted in the first round. Not since Mathieu Biron was chosen 21st overall by the Los Angles Kings in the 1998 National Hockey League entry draft has the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League produced a potential gem. At first glance this New Brunswick native appears to be everything you look for in a defenseman with good size and strength to go along with fantastic mobility. His puck movement skills are solid and he makes a good first pass to start the rush, equally adept in transition on a turnover. His downfall is gambling to push a play instead of making a safer decision. The main weapon in his game is his exceptional skating ability. Displays good leadership ability and will go to war for any of his teammates. Excels at dishing out physical punishment.

Alex Bourret: There is plenty of interest in this young stud and rightfully so. Is the most “feared hitter” in the QMJHL. He may only be 5’10”, however at 210 lbs. he is built like a tank, and hits like a truck. Bourret has shown a willingness to play hard along the boards and can easily overpower bigger players. This grit is an added element that many highly skilled players rarely encompass. He is not afraid of physical play and will certainly not back down from a physical challenge. This gritty play is an added dimension that makes him much more valuable as a NHL prospect. He was one of the most consistent offensive contributors throughout the QMJHL season. We like his work ethic and his ability to make things happen. Goes into the tough areas of the ice willingly and takes an aggressive approach to any 1/1 situation. A hard hitter who loves to play physical and is willing to drop the gloves.

[BadCompany]

An older Bobby Ryan article (just to counter the Kopitar love-fest! ;D ):

www.internationalscouting.com/ryan-011405.html

Right-winger Bobby Ryan of the Owen Sound Attack has jumped to fourth spot in 2005 NHL draft rankings of skaters compiled by International Scouting Services.

Rimouski Oceanic centre Sidney Crosby remained No. 1, U.S. national team defenceman Jack Johnson stayed No. 2 and Vancouver Giants centre Gilbert Brule again was No. 3 in the January rankings released by the independent ISS group.

Jumping to No. 4, from No. 7 in December and No. 17 last October, Ryan continues to impress the scouts.

"Ryan has turned into an absolute force within the OHL and has been a major part of the Owen Sound Attack's major run," says ISS. "With all the hype surrounding the London Knights, Ryan and the Attack went on a string of 20 games with only one loss to serve notice that London won't be sailing to the league championship.

"Ryan's commitment to fitness has allowed him to become lighter and although he'll never beat Ilya Kovalchuk in a foot race, he has become an adequate skater. Ryan's real genius is his ability to carry guys to the net and he has hands that are too good for a kid of his size."

He's only 17. The six-foot-one forward weighs in at about 210 pounds. He's from Cherry Hill, N.J., and after 39 OHL games he has 23 goals, 36 assists, 59 points and 26 penalty minutes. He's been selected to play in the annual Top Prospects Game in Vancouver on Jan. 19.

"Ryan has become a player that ISS could see becoming a franchise player and that will be evident at the next draft," says ISS.

And their final little profile says:

Ryan continues to impress all those who see him by simply dominating games and imposing his will. All of this in the competitive OHL and only recently celebrating his 18th birthday makes his performance even more impressive. The baby faced man-child has improved his skating to the point where it is serviceable and it will only improve with leg strength but the real genius with Ryan is his ability to handle the puck and create instant offence. These assets will allow him to score a boatload of goals in the NHL.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Hmmm, ISS lists Skille as the most over-rated.

*

Due to recent seemingly off-the-cuff mentions by both Gainey and Timmins I've become quite curious about...

7. MARC STAAL
Position: Defense
Born: 01.13.87
Height: 6’3.5”
Weight: 197
ISS July Ranking #07
ISS Oct. Ranking #15

Report Card

Size/Strength A
Skating A+
Shot/Scoring C
Puckhandling B
Hockey Sense A
Leadership A-
Poise A
Defense A+

Skill: Tremendous feet and understanding of the game. He already plays 30 minutes against the opponents best players.

Scouting Report: Staal has been a favorite amongst ISS scouts all season. The brother of Carolina star, Eric, he is a future stud on the blue-line for the team that selects him. Very quick feet and tremendous game awareness will allow him to excel in the NHL. Has really benefited from the coaching of Bob Jones in Sudbury. His offensive upside is relatively limited and although he will never be considered an offensive defenceman, his hockey IQ is very high and will contribute somewhat from the blue-line. Continues to get bigger and stronger and has great technique. He positions himself well on the ice, which gives him an advantage. He seems to be a step ahead with his vision/decision making which gives him a good passing game.

His competitiveness & desire are second to none. Will play in 8 All-Star games and will never be a problem for the team.

NHL Potential: #1 defenseman that will play against the other teams top players and will always be a plus.

Style compares to: Adam Foote.

[BadCompany]

mrbozo said:

Hmmm, ISS lists Skille as the most over-rated.

*

Due to recent seemingly off-the-cuff mentions by both Gainey and Timmins I've become quite curious about...

7. MARC STAAL
Position: Defense
Born: 01.13.87
Height: 6’3.5”
Weight: 197
ISS July Ranking #07
ISS Oct. Ranking #15

Report Card

Size/Strength A
Skating A+
Shot/Scoring C
Puckhandling B
Hockey Sense A
Leadership A-
Poise A
Defense A+

Skill: Tremendous feet and understanding of the game. He already plays 30 minutes against the opponents best players.

Scouting Report: Staal has been a favorite amongst ISS scouts all season. The brother of Carolina star, Eric, he is a future stud on the blue-line for the team that selects him. Very quick feet and tremendous game awareness will allow him to excel in the NHL. Has really benefited from the coaching of Bob Jones in Sudbury. His offensive upside is relatively limited and although he will never be considered an offensive defenceman, his hockey IQ is very high and will contribute somewhat from the blue-line. Continues to get bigger and stronger and has great technique. He positions himself well on the ice, which gives him an advantage. He seems to be a step ahead with his vision/decision making which gives him a good passing game.

His competitiveness & desire are second to none. Will play in 8 All-Star games and will never be a problem for the team.

NHL Potential: #1 defenseman that will play against the other teams top players and will always be a plus.

Style compares to: Adam Foote.

No chance on Staal, as the Wild are picking him at #4. Haven't you seen my mock draft?

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

badcompany said:

No chance on Staal, as the Wild are picking him at #4. Haven't you seen my mock draft?

Indeed I did, but that seems to me to be a bit of a wild prediction.

While there has been conjecture about the Habs trading up so that they can nab Crosby's pal, I wouldn't be surpised should they trade down from 5th to lower in the top 10 for an established player or prospect and, hopefully, Marc Staal.

In any event, tomorrow should make up in spades for what has thus far been a rather lacklustre week in terms of activity.