DON

Again just FYI: For those who are interested in seeing Draft Prospect video clips, this website has many. http://www.hockeyprospect.tv/

Maybe picking #5 is lucky for Habs anyways! And with 67-51-72 on fire, it could be a battle to stay in top 5? And at least Ducks or Oilers will get 2 points tonight, be nice to see OT game happen.

Gord Miller Ray Ferraro do a very credible job and a couple of CBC play by play guys are OK, like Bob Cole. RDS only because i dont have to listen to them (i can pick up bits and pieces of french but not most) and mostly becasue i cant stand CBC- with Glenn Healy being just a total idiot, so RDS by default and of course because they show every Hab game. The Boston Bruin guy seems the most biased, almost comical. Funniest is John Shorthouse and his non-responses to just stupid assertions by John Garrett during Canuck games, he is just left speachless at some of the biased and kooky stuff Garrett says.

LaPierre is a bottom six guy and i always liked his play, but Latendress is just a bit injury prone and has a total of 8 goals in last 2 years and like the rest was disgruntled, if i remember correctly and he would be quite low on my recall list, i would much prefer to see Andrai Kostitsyn resigned.

Yes i know, but the odds are not in favour. But in worst case scenario; if Habs win all 3 and those close lose all, the Habs can only drop to 6th pick. But likely will end up exactly where are now and 3rd looks pretty sweet.

So did I, but both are now on their 3rd or 4th team and know their nine lives are running out, same as Sergai K., Riberio and Grobovski who all got a wake up call when traded for dick-all. When the KHL is only option left, that can be a good motivational factor in their play. But being a Canuck fan as well, it is nice to see both playing super and they both will earn their ring this year.

fair enough, will be interesting to see where Schneider ends up and what for by JUly 2nd, Leafs/Chicago/Philly/Caps would likely love to have him, or maybe even Luongo? Can the Habs win the #2 battle with Oilers....highly unlikely eh?

Find out next Tuesday when lottery is done, i wouldnt bet against Columbus though, but Oilers will likely end up 29th, so Hab odds wont be great; however Newe Jersey had dick-all odds and won last year, so not hopeless.

Sure why not Roy? it would likely make for good entertainment that is for sure. And McQuire would be annoying and likely isnt a good choice, but why would Scotty Bowman say otherwise? Again, i am very curious and hope the best canditate get chosen and politics plays only a minor role at most.

I think Gillis would laugh at a 9th pick and he would rather trade Luongo because Schneider is a better goalie and after Luongo getting booed off the ice again last night and Schneider getting a big cheer when he came in and then shut the door and won, again, Luongo may not even be #1 come playoffs? But, i really was just wondering what a Yakupov/#1 pick is valued by most as. I would say Schneider is due to be the USA goalie of future (14 olympics?), in the same vain as Price may be for Canada and both are likely very even in many ways. But is a top goalie to build a franchise around, not worth a possible 90-100point forward? I just thought would be a toss up is all?

4, 9

I am like you and know a bit about some of people discussed, but dont know much about specific history/track records nor management quality of each and really aint got a clue who really would be a success. I just know that; say, we all agree Pierre McQuire is a loudmouthed a-hole, that may mean absolutely nothing as far as being a successful GM, just have to look at a Steve Jobs/Bill Gates who were total a-holes, but can anyone argue with the final product. I can speculate and toss names against a wall, but this is one topic i would admit i know very little about.

I just see it as a perfect trade for both and thought it might be even? I just dont know what a Yakupov is worth, he is not a Stamkos, nor Bure and hasnt tore up OHL that much to say he will ever be a 50 goal guy in NHL, maybe but unknown? I would say Schneider is almost a top 10 goalie in league (a bit unproven, but darn good), Columbus needs a goalie terribly and must be scared to draft another russian. And Yakupov is only a prospect.

If Cory Schneider plays a bit in playoffs and does fine (as he will), would he be an equal value for Columbus to trade their #1 pick for? Which is basically Yakupov for Schneider? Seems to be a fair deal for both.

And who exactly would that be? Which 45+point, experianced puck-moving, cup winning d-man for $4.3m is available to help tutor Diaz, Subban, Ellis and Beaulieu for next couple years? If you can come up with 1, i would be darn surprised and even if you can, what is the chance he can be signed by Habs by next fall? Suter, Chara and S. Weber are about same point producers and also add alot more defense, but just a tad more pricey and will never sign with Habs by next fall will they? The Wiz? no, 30% more costly and terrible signing for Columbus. Pietrangelo, Byfuglian, Campbell, again not a chance of signing. Anyways, i am curious whom would you have replace Kaberle's offense, at under $4.5/year (which is the Habs weakest team aspect for several years, not defense)?

Without Price, the Habs are basically the friggin Leafs! I was just trying to think back when Price had last been injured and recall when it was, if ever?, maybe drafting a goalie like Subban or Makarov in 2nd or 3rd round might be prudent and on Timmins agenda?

I kind of agree that most are good picks, But some years just friggin suck, like the 2004 1st round, had Ovechkin, Malkin and then basically mostly crap picks, cept Radulov at 15th, Schneider 26 and Green 29th. So it can be quite a crap shoot. 2008 had a 1st round loaded with a ton of very good d-men and seems to be like this year will turn out quite similar, with a whole bunch of promising d prospects; such as; Dumba/Murray/Trouba/Maatta/Reilly/Reinhart/Thrower/Ceci/Pouloit/etc etc.

Which i why i couldnt believe they took on Cammalleri's contract and gave up a good pick and prospect, when even if made the playoffs, they couldnt compete in playoffs with a St.Louis or Vancouver. But now that 2nd round pick they gave the Habs next year should be a fairly high one, as the Flames must surely be going to bite the bullet and start rebuilding before draft, or for sure on July 1st and should have another bad season next year once Iginla is traded to Habs?

I think the Oilers are one team which should consider taking a Ryan Murray, not only casue he is just bout best d-man, but like Hedman or Larrson, Murray is NHL ready now with his all-round game, whereas a Dumba or any other d-men is at least a year or 2 away, and Oilers could really use some more skill there right now. But for Habs, will know next tuesday evening exactly where picking, whomever they have eyed up, Timmins seems to know what he is doing and i am not worried he would pick a flop.

Can you tell me why Cammalleri is a top 3 player? only his salary says that, not his goal production, a sub 20 goal scorer both the past 2 years aint worth the $$, while Bourque has had more goals over last several years at 1/2 the salary and actually contributes more away from the puck, while Cammalleri does dick all, but float around in circles and is battlin with Kessel for softest player in league. Good riddence and Flames can have the cull.

I would think he would be en route already?

Which is sort of why i was wondering if the U18 is being televised at all; as Forsberg is playing for Sweden and now Galchenyuk should be playing for USA team eh?

No, i think Burke has the sucks award sown up. I would like to defend the Gomez trade as just looking bad in hindsight, but i was not fond when it went down, due to giving up Higgins and McDonaugh as well as takig the stupid Sather signing. But all in all, Habs made playoffs till this year and the youth on team is super; with Eller, hopefully a Mikko Koivu to be and Pacioretty finally going hard to net, Yemelin, Subban, Price etc etc, whomever takes over has some great building blocks. Heck; even a Pierre McQuire couldnt screw it up that bad could he? Doug Risebrough? is he bilingual?

Galchenyuk time after time gets the "hard worker" description/character trait quoted, while Grigorenko dosent , which is main reason why I would feel much safer taking Galchenyuk; and Forsberg would be another safe bet (if Galchenyuk goes to Oilers). But see how Grigorenko does against a bit stiffer competition in the 2nd round coming up, right now he has same point total as Morgan Ellis i think (7). If havent seen this clip about Dumba, worth a look, but dont see Habs picking him, unless happen to end up picking 5th or 6th (highly unlikely now i hope?). http://www.whl.ca/video/index/id/ffab0ac8f1b843ca25a76f0760eef6a2

Dont think i dislike McQuire not like Martin as much as you, but surely has to better person than McQuire to choose. I am sick of the call for a more outgoing "press friendly" GM, Gauthier and Gainey were very reserved, as are many successful GMs, such as like Detroit's and Chicago's GMs and i could care less if he was mute. As long as he is smart/shrewd/savvy or whatever business attribute you want to use and made smart decisions, then its all good by me. One Brian Burke is already too many loudmouthed egomaniacs to have to listen to.