Draft Thread 2006

[Dalhabs]

So who are the big names this year?

[BTH]

I believe it goes something like this:

1. Erik Johnson

2. Phil Kessel

3. Jordan Staal

4. Jonathan Toews

5. Niklas Backstrom

Then there are defenceman Bobby Sanguinetti, David Ruzicka and Ty Wishart and powerforwards James Sheppard, Chris Stewart, Kyle Okposo and Nick Foligno.

Peter Mueller is ranked very highly as well. A very possible top 5 pick. There's also Michal Frolik who's a goal-scoring machine. Derrick Brassard wil be a good playmaker and it would be nice if we can grab him.

Jonathan Bernier is the highest ranked goaltender. Followed by, I think, Reto Berra of Switzerland.

[Komisarek the Cruncher]

Here's the final listing by ISS (International Scouting Services):

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10631&hubname=

Looks like only Bob Sanguinetti (12th) and Mike Weber (20th) are the only D ranked around where we draft (16th).

Unless BG makes a move, looks like there is a good chance that we will be drafting a forward this year, there are not that many D in the top 30.

[MAK]

12. Sanguinetti, Bob RD 6.01 182 R 2/29/1988 Owen Sound

24 Williams, Nigel LD 6.04 226 L 4/18/1988 USA Under-

20- Weber, Mike LD 6.02 200 L 12/16/1987 Windso

26. Strait, Brian LD 6.01 200 R 1/4/1988 USA Under-18

28. Wishart, Ty LD 6.04 214 L 5/19/1988 Prince George

I wouldn't be surprised if one of those guys ended up in montreal...unless of course that bg pulls a kick ass deal and we go in the top 5...

[BTH]

Williams is huge... but I would probably prefer getting the BPA (a aforward) then taking a worse d-man just for the hell of it.

[MAK]

Williams is huge... but I would probably prefer getting the BPA (a aforward) then taking a worse d-man just for the hell of it.

yeah. It's not like we didn'T have other areas that needed attention...we're still small up front and not physical enough

big centermen:

15. Fiala, Ondrej C 6.02 190 L 11/4/1987 Everett

17. Marcinko, Tomas C 6.04 187 R 4/11/1988 Kosice

18. Berglund, Patrik C 6.03 187 L 6/2/1988 Vasteras

19. Armstrong, John C 6.02 201 R 2/26/1988 Plymouth

29. Matthias, Shawn C 6.03 211 L 2/19/1988 Belleville

30. Forney, Mike C 6.02 185 L 5/14/1988 Thief River Falls (HS)

I wonder what happened to michale frolik...a year ago, he was tought the best player coming of this draft and now his stock has fallen to 8th place

[BTH]

Maybe Armstrong...

That would give us the big center we wanted. But if we get the chance to get a skilled guy like Brassard then jump on it.

[MAK]

I agree...brassard seems to have all the required skills.

he was also latendresse'S linemate for a while so I do expect montreal scouts to knoweverything about him

[CerebusClone]

It's hard to tell on Williams' case; he might be a high risk, high reward kind of prospect. Some people feel he's almost on par with Erik Johnson, while others feel he has some fundamental flaws that will prevent him from becoming a superstar.

As for the Canadiens, if one of Sanguinetti, Williams, or Wishart is available, we will probably go for him. Oher defensemen are too much of a reach. Otherwise, I'm hoping for a power-forward like Kyle Okposo (most likely will be gone by then), Chris Stewart, or James Sheppard if he goes down in the draft. Otherwise, I guess a skilled guy like Tlusty or Brassard would have to do, although we already have quite a few smallish, skilled forwards.

[ch_nl]

Do you think the Habs could move up in the draft by trading the rights to say Zednik or Sundström?

They sure could use a good defenceman prospect?

[montreal]

Berglund or Strait are two of the guys I'd be interested in us getting at 16th.

[The-Habby2919]

Do you think the Habs could move up in the draft by trading the rights to say Zednik or Sundström?

They sure could use a good defenceman prospect?

Sundstom is a UFA this year and who would want to give up their early first round pick for Zednik???

Does anybody know if Michael Ryders brother is in the draft this year or he is already drafted. I saw him in part of a game today and he was great.

:hlogo:

[ch_nl]

Sundström an UFA? Sure? Not a RFA?

About Zednik... I don't think anyone would like to trade their first pick for him but if the Habs could deal him along with the their first pick then it's a different story?

Let's say Canadiens will be at 15th and some team are interested to pick a forward. Could it then be possible for let's say Washington to trade for Zednik, Bulis our pick for their first pick?

It there a rule for this?

[dark_faerie87]

Sundstom is a UFA this year and who would want to give up their early first round pick for Zednik???

Does anybody know if Michael Ryders brother is in the draft this year or he is already drafted. I saw him in part of a game today and he was great.

:hlogo:

He was drafted last year by Calgary. Had we not traded an additional pick to the Rag$ for Latendresse, we probably would have ended up drafting him, as he was picked right around where our missing pick would have been.

Sundström an UFA? Sure? Not a RFA?

About Zednik... I don't think anyone would like to trade their first pick for him but if the Habs could deal him along with the their first pick then it's a different story?

Let's say Canadiens will be at 15th and some team are interested to pick a forward. Could it then be possible for let's say Washington to trade for Zednik, Bulis our pick for their first pick?

It there a rule for this?

Well Bulis is a UFA, so we'd have to sign him beforehand, but yes, it is possible to package players and a draft pick for another pick.

[The-Habby2919]

Let's say Canadiens will be at 15th and some team are interested to pick a forward. Could it then be possible for let's say Washington to trade for Zednik, Bulis our pick for their first pick?

Sounds alot like something that happend in 2001... :hlogo:

[MAK]

About Zednik... I don't think anyone would like to trade their first pick for him but if the Habs could deal him along with the their first pick then it's a different story?

I don't think that there's that many teams interessed in zednik right now. and if there was, I really don't think that we would get much for him...a second round pick would be welcomed..but thats it. other teams also know how great he's been for us this year

[kaos]

Zednik and our first round pick might move the Habs up 2 or 3 spots in the draft, but thats it.

It is conceivable that it could happen, considering its not thought to be a deep draft beyond the first 4 or 5 players.

So some team a few spots in front of the Canadiens might say, well I can probably draft the guy I want in Montreals spot, and pick up a 20 goal scorer while doing so.

But I'd rather see Montreal package something like Aebischer, the 1st round pick this year, and one of Perezhogin or Plekanec to Tampa Bay for Brad Richards (should they feel they can't resign him).

Montreal would have to throw something else in, but that would be a sweet trade.

[beliveau1]

Don't want to see the Habs deal Perezhogin, Plekanec or any of these young prospects for what's being suggested here.....

Patience ladies & gentleman, patience! PATIENCE!!!!! B) :hlogo:

[kaos]

Don't want to see the Habs deal Perezhogin, Plekanec or any of these young prospects for what's being suggested here.....

Patience ladies & gentleman, patience! PATIENCE!!!!! B) :hlogo:

I would easily trade them both for Richards. Wouldn't give it a second thought.

[beliveau1]

I would easily trade them both for Richards. Wouldn't give it a second thought.

To each his own I guess - but not worth it. Too much upside for this one? Perezhogin showed flashes of what he's capable of in the playoffs this year, and Plekanec is too versatile to lose for a team that wants to contend.

Gainey's season end comments on the play of these players is not indicative of any wish to deal these prospects. I'd be very surprized if he even considered dealing them?

The Richards deal is a long shot - it would not only mean sacrificing solid prospects who have acquitted themselves well, but it would force the Habs to hang on to some players even longer that they really need to dump now. Who in the farm system can step in and replace the players being shipped out - now you have to start all over again grooming more prospects for the future, when you already have them.

No, you'll see moves involving players like Ribeiro, Bonk, etc long before you'll see Gainey pack a solid prospect. The deal would have to be absolutely overwhelming for Gainey......

And in the new salary cap era a deal for a first round choice at entry draft salary is not as unlikely as some suggest. It won't be common place, but if possible it frees up cap space and allows teams to move stars if the right deal can be made.

[BTH]

I still think Gainey should definitely hang on to Bonk. Of all our forwards, he's the best defensively and he isn't bad offensively either (despite only scoring 6 goals in the half-season he was healthy for). I mean, he's got a lot of skill/stickhandling skills. Yes, he's overpayed but we have cap space. There's no point dumping our top defensive forward because he costs a few extra hundreed thousand dollars when we aren't having cap trouble.

Now, I would definitely have to think long and hard to trading Perezhogin/Plekanec, mid-1st 06, Aebischer + something else for Brad Richards. Sure, Richards is a star but do we really want to lose a big portion of our future for him? We also lose the depth that we worked so hard to acquire.

I haven't liked what I've seen from Perezhogin this year but Plekanec has really impressed me. Versatile, fast, very skilled, strong work ethic, good both ways. This kid has it all and I expect to him to be a second line center some day. He's simply a great playmaker and a great player. For the moment, he's priceless. And Perezhogin has got 1st line potential so I wouldn't trade him away just yet.

[kaos]

To each his own I guess - but not worth it. Too much upside for this one? Perezhogin showed flashes of what he's capable of in the playoffs this year, and Plekanec is too versatile to lose for a team that wants to contend.

Gainey's season end comments on the play of these players is not indicative of any wish to deal these prospects. I'd be very surprized if he even considered dealing them?

The Richards deal is a long shot - it would not only mean sacrificing solid prospects who have acquitted themselves well, but it would force the Habs to hang on to some players even longer that they really need to dump now. Who in the farm system can step in and replace the players being shipped out - now you have to start all over again grooming more prospects for the future, when you already have them.

No, you'll see moves involving players like Ribeiro, Bonk, etc long before you'll see Gainey pack a solid prospect. The deal would have to be absolutely overwhelming for Gainey......

And in the new salary cap era a deal for a first round choice at entry draft salary is not as unlikely as some suggest. It won't be common place, but if possible it frees up cap space and allows teams to move stars if the right deal can be made.

Not that it would happen but Richards easily takes Plekanec and Perezhogin spots. Richards is the most versatile player in the league. He plays every situation, PP, PK, important faceoffs, everything. About the only thing he isn't is an excellent goalscorer.

Infact Montreal does have the depth to make that deal. With Ryder, Kovalev, Kostitsyn and Higgins you have your top 6 forwards. You've got Murray, Downey, Begin, Bonk, Koivu. Keep or dump Zednik it doesn't matter. Maybe Ferland can make the jump, Lapierre should almost be ready.

NEvermind that Locke, Chipchura, Latendresse and maybe one or two of the European prospects could be ready by '07/08.

Richards is someone who could step in and make this club better immediatley. If Ryder played with him he'd probably become a 40 goal scorer. Maybe 50. If Kovalev played with him, who knows what they could do together.

If it was as simple as Perezhogin and Plekanec straight up for Richards, anybody would make that deal in a second. Throw in Aebischer and its still a steal. But its not going to happen.

[ch_nl]

Why not just draft the highest ranked defenceman available?

At least two should be succesfull?

[MAK]

Why not just draft the highest ranked defenceman available?

or a big centerman

[Pierre the Great]

I dunno about drafts. I say trade for proven young players with the pics because the draft is pretty much a toss up. If you want results now trade for proven players, if you want to wait 5 years then the players contract is up and you can't pay him because of the CBA draft a blue chipper.