Commandant

I agree the quality of opposition is a big jump. I just don't think you can blame Forsberg and say, he should be playing in the Elite League. Leksands isn't a farm team where their big club can call him up like the AHL or Russian MHL is for the KHL, so I was clarifying that. I also agree he's gonna take time and he's one of the youngest prospects in this draft as he's an August 1994. A few more months and he would have been in the 2013 draft. Besides all that I like Galchenyuk, and I think its unlikely (not impossible, but unlikely) he's in the NHL next year. But who will be ready fastest is never what I would base my pick on.

Shut him down til September. Don't ###### around with a concussion. Its a lost season for the Habs, and the WC don't mean that much to me. Hockey Canada understands if he has a concussion, he's been a loyal hockey canada guy (U18s and WJC)

Radio Canada seems to think Price has a concussion. http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2012/04/02/007-habs-entrainement-price.shtml

Paarjvi and Rundblad could both be good NHLers. I agree there. Fact is though they aren't getting it done yet, when other players drafted around them are. I shouldn't have called them busts, but my point was that just because Landeskog, Hedman, and Larsson look good, doesn't mean the next Swede will be awesome too. Forsberg might be, but he might not be. I'd like to see him in games so I can judge him for his individual talents, rather than where he was born. As for being in the Allvensken instead of the Swedish Elite League. That isn't something you can blame on Forsberg or his play. You have to remember that the Euro leagues run their leagues like soccer. His team got demoted to the 2nd division (like in Soccer) the year before he joined, and are trying to qualify for the Elitserran again. Its not like he was sent down to play in the Swedish version of the AHL, and he didn't sign with this team knowing they'd be in a lower league, he was coming up through their development program when they were an Elite League Club. That said, his playing time is not great, but his numbers for a 17 year old are actually very good. They are about 4x what Patrick Berglund had in the same league at the same age. (3g 1a 4pts in 21 games, drafted 25th overall... vs 8 goals 17pts in 41 games. Tough league to score in for a 17 year old.

Oh I think Troupp and Carrington should make the team, but there spots are not secure and with 17 dline guys under contract the fights for backup jobs will be intense. As for the draft, the more I think about it the more I feel they almost have to go LT on draft day, but I just think Buddy Nix is very committed to Best Player Available, see CJ spiller who was not a need with jackson and lynch on the club.

First rounders 2005-2009 out of Sweden who look like shit. How do you feel about Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson (#10 overall pick)... 2 goals in 41 games for the Oilers this year... only 5 goals in 28 AHL games? What about David Rundblad who got sent back to the AHL? Where is 2008 NHL 1st rounder Anton Gustaffson? Was Mattias Tedenby worth a 2008 first round pick? Mikael Backlund sucks in Calgary. Dennis Persson 2006 first round pick for Buffalo Nicklas Bergfors Sweden has its share of disappointing guys and busts too. You can't base a scouting decision on where a kid was born.

Heres what I'm talking about when I say Galchenyuk was great but couldn't buy a goal. Check this out. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8D9WWyU1FoM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

As for television. They'll be streamed on Fasthockey.com Heres the schedule not sure which games TSN will show yet, but they usually grab a few. http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/feature/?id=51371

US named their roster for the U18 and left Galchenyuk off of it. Its all politics. They took their entire NTDP team, and didn't take a single CHL player, but took all their NTDP guys instead. Leave their best player at home, i bet he's pissed. Look at the team http://usahockey.cac...8WMC_Roster.pdf Look at the column listing 2011-12 team, its all political bullshit. The only guy not listed as NTDP is Danny O'Regan and he actually is NTDP, he joined last month. You have to join their little cult to get a spot on the team. No Galchenyuk and no Nieves. I hope they get smoked, and I will laugh my ass off when the problem with their team is that they have a good defence but can't score goals.

Well he does have 15 pts in his last 19 games in Calgary. Meanwhile Bourque has 8 pts in 35 games in Montreal and is a -17.

Gallagher's Giants were eliminated. He finished with 5g 5a in 6 playoff games

I havent seen enough of Forsberg to say I like him. The only full games i saw him play were the WJCs and he was not a major piece on that team and was even outperformed by another 18 year old in Collberg. I'll trust Timmins if he takes him, but a few youtubes isnt enough for me. Pavel Brendl looks good on youtube, so does David Fischer. Thats the problem with highlight packages instead of full gammes, you get 3:00 of only the guys best plays and none of his worst or none of what he looks like over the course of a full game.

1 regulation loss basically locks up 28th.

I was torn between the two when Gally was hurt, now that he's proven healthy he's the guy I want. I see Cole's size and board play. Plekanec's two way game and skating. Subbans commitment to practicing and his off ice workout habits Kovalev's dangling and that killer wrister and release. All rolled into one package. It makes me drool. The only place Grigorenko is better is in vision and passing. Thats it, and its not so much of a difference i even care. Plus Gally has a ton of heart. Galchenyuk goes to the net far more often than Grigo. If he's there, Timmins will grab him, just watch (unless we win the lottery).

They are pretty much gonna need to get at minimum 10/12 remaining points and hope for some help. 12/12 might be required. Its a longshot.

All reports are that Galchenyuk was as much a driver of that line last year as Yakupov was. No one with any kind of scouting credentials has made the claim he was leaching off of Yakupov. He is also 8 months younger than Yakupov and nearly able to keep up with him point for point. He scored as many pts as a 16/17 year old last year as Grigorenko scored as a 17/18 year old this year. Also Grigorenko doesn't play with chopped liver, he plays with Fredric Roy who is a very, very good QMJHL overager. He probably won't make the NHL, but he's an overager dominating his league (which is common). Roy had nearly as many points as Yakupov did in 2010-11, his experience and the fact he's older than most opponents allows him to dominate at about the same level as Yakupov can do as a 17 year old. Look at the questions about Holland because he plays with Brendan Shinnimin an overager who tore apart the QMJHL this year. I don't think playing with a 17 year old Yakupov is any great advantage over other draft eligible prospects who play with 20 year old kids who also dominate their junior leagues just based on being more physically mature than their opponents.

He might be able to avoid the slump due to his age, I hope he does, but its a question mark. Markov's health is also still a question mark. With two question marks in the top 4, I'd like us to add a minute eating #4 defenceman. If Markov gets hurt again or Emelin slumps we have a guy who can play a lot of minutes and help us out. If the UFA ends up on the third pairing with Kaberle, because Markov is healthy and Emelin avoids the slump, even better for us, we now have a top tier defence crew. There's no downside to adding a really solid #4 dman here, a Jackman, Grossmann, Allen, or Jurcina type.

There is no CBA when it comes to management. Such a clause could be bought out by the Habs if he's really their guy.

Would be nice for them to add Palushaj, Leblanc, Geoffrion, St.Denis if the Habs can get healthy, and Gallagher if the Giants are knocked out.

I believe Emelin will be a top 4 Dman. However most 2nd year D have a sophomore slump so I'm betting that realistically he might take a step back next year so I want a short term guy signed who can play in the top 4 until he's ready and the young kids start helping too (Tinordi Beaulieu Ellis etc...)

Galchenyuk is over 6'2, 205 lbs at last reports (1 inch less than Grigo and same as Cole and Patches). http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/roster/show/id/6534 He's grown over the last year, consider he was 6'1 when drafted into the OHL as a 16 year old, and that height is not updated on places like hockeydb until the nhl draft combine With Galchenyuk proving his knee is healthy i now prefer him to Grigo Exact heights will come out at the combine though

Dogs win in OT 3-2

Woot!!! 3 pt lead for the Wild Go Oilers tomorrow

Sarnia eliminated Galchenyuk's knee looks great though, he was dominant but couldnt buy a goal Yakupov looked rough Galchenyuk is eligible to join the US team for the U18 though, so he's likely to play a few more games this year

Yes, go Wild