2009 NHL Entry Draft

I know it is baseball season, however for some reason my head is still not in it. Thinking hockey all the way.
And why not. Love to watch NHL Entry Draft. Though majority of the players will not make it to NHL for another 3 years or so, somehow there is something in trying to keep up with NHL teams strategies on stacking their farm systems.

The draft kicked off with the trade where Flyers pay too much for Pronger. But hey they are going to be even more nasty and tough to play against now. They dealt from position of strength (lupul was not needed there). I guess it is OK to pay a bit more if you think you are close.

Even though Garth Snow was doing a great job keeping everybody in suspense on 1st pick, it seemed pretty evident that they would go JT. Any other pick (Hedman or Duchene) would not be any worth from hockey perspective, but would be a disaster from business side. They got a top scorer in the draft. There are not many of those.

Tampa got the man they most wanted/needed. Victor Hedman is the guy on D they can build around. All other Ds they have just fall perfectly into place now, as VH will be their #1 guy now.

Colorado had the easiest pick. They got a really good player in Duchene. Give him a couple of years and he can show why he could have been #1 pick.

The next 2 went as expected as well. It was evident Burke was trying to move up to get Schenn, but LA made the right choice in keeping the pick and drafting him.

In my opinion Burke was so frustrated with the lack of being able to deal, he made a mistake taking Nazem Kadri. Pissed off Ottawa, but made a mistake in my book. Though he needed a forward and the nest 2 players in the rankings were Ds.

I think the best thing that happen to Ottawa is Toronto taking their guy in Kadri. That way they got the best D in the draft behind Hedman. Jared Cowen is a stud.

And Finally when I thought oh My G-d Isles are actually making good moves. Moved up to 16 ( I thought looking for a top notch D after taking top forward) I am thinking please do not let Kulikov to fall to them. And than I see them move up to 12 with Kulikov still there. And I am thinking G-d damn it. Isles be Isles though they found a way to screw it up and went off the board a bit to grab deHann (I am sure could have been there with 16th pick). Stupid Isles.

As draft progresses, i am thinking If rangers can not move up to grab a talented player, please have 3 of my favs in the draft be there for them at 19th. 2 players with Huge Potential and talent according to scouts and who I would want to see in the Rangers uniform are: Jordan Shroeder and Chris Kreider. Another one that I would not mind drafted at 19 was Carter Ashton. By some miracle all 3 of them available at 19th for Sather to pick. Lucky day. I kind knew that Shroeder was not Sather type (small skilled forward, I think Canucks got a gift at 22 getting him), but getting Kreider is a bonus. Good job Blue.

So in my opinion a couple of teams did really well. (not counting teams that drafted high)

Rangers got a very good player in Kreider.
Vancouver stole Shroeder.
Tampa moved up and got a great prospect in Carter.
and Pens did well getting Simon Despres as a last pick in the 1st.

good draft. I personally enjoyed the 1st round. More fun on Saturday.