Friday, June 22, 2007

 

Draft Day: Open Thread

Mock drafts are here. And of course Lowetide and Spector are up and running. Personally, I like Abboud's take on what the Oilers will do this weekend.
1st pick (6th overall) - Low upside, low downside, high-character two-way forward or defenceman from the Canadian Hockey League.

2nd pick (15th overall) - Obscure, low-ranked European player with dazzling physical skills but who is considered a "project".

3rd pick (30th overall) - Traded. Best case scenario - along with a medium-rated prospect or two for Wade Redden. Worst case scenario - for an aging, overpaid 2nd pairing defenceman or 2nd line forward.

2nd Round Pick - American high school or USHL player who will go on to become the team's best player from this draft.

Other Moves

1. Trade late round pick or prospect for the rights to an unsigned player currently playing in Europe.

2. Declare off-season a success.

Comments:

The action is hot in here. Good thing I posted this.
 


Nothing yet about Aucoin going to the Flames? Somebody wake up Fenwick.
 


Leaks get Toskala and Bell for a 1st and 2nd this year and a 4th next year.

What's that JFJ? Getting Raycroft was a mistake you say? O RLY?
 


*Leafs, rather. Freudian slip.
 


Am I the only one who does not think the oilers should pay big money to get Scott Gomez? Let alone give away a pick to talk to him a week early.

If we have him and hemsky on one line, then whoever the left winger is better be one heck of a shooter. Was there a guy like that that we were supposed to get from Anaheim for whats-his-face last year.

Read a rumor today, which I refuse to believe, that Flames are in the running for Smytty. How much of a kick in the teeth would that be?

If we trade Lupul, I guarentee he scores 30 wherever he goes next year.

I still miss MAB.
 


Am I the only one who does not think the oilers should pay big money to get Scott Gomez? Let alone give away a pick to talk to him a week early.

Where did that come from? I have zero desire to have Gomez on our team. Last thing we need is another guy who refuses to shoot the puck.
 


HAHAHAHA AUCOIN LOL
 


Check out Spector's page. The Gomez rumour is there (sigh), as is a rumour that the Sens are asking for Lupul over Horcoff in a deal involving Redden and Vermette. Insane.
 


...the Sens are asking for Lupul over Horcoff in a deal involving Redden and Vermette. Insane.

I can picture Lowe trembling with barely restrained excitement if such a deal were to rear it's head. Kinda like slowly reading winning lottery numbers the second time over, just to make sure they're real.
 


Hey, listen, Matt's busy, but he asked me to tell the comrades that the party line about Keenan having NO SAY IN PLAYER ACQUISITIONS WHATSOEVER is still in full effect.
 


the party line about Keenan having NO SAY IN PLAYER ACQUISITIONS WHATSOEVER is still in full effect.

And so it begins...
 


Ah nothing beats waiting for the draft by watching re-hashed draft previews from 2003-2005. I hear that CSB NA 10th ranked Robbie Schremp is a can't miss offensive talent. Thinking about it though, it must have been nerve-wracking for him to be ranked 10 and then as picks are getting into the high 20s fearing that you won't be getting that first round money after all. Hahaha... oh wait I suppose we're the suckers who faltered.
 


Here's the Aucoin story, by the way.
 


Do you think that Lowe doing so well in 2005-06 made GM's stay clear of him in 2006-07?

I mean Pronger, Peca, Roloson, Samsonov, Spacek, and Tarnstrom one year ... then not being able to sell your soul for a defensemen the next year?

I'm really worried that this weekend passes without anything big, then we're eventually starting the season with a few more nobodies plugging holes.

I'll feel much better if we pull of something good this weekend, but I'm getting anxious.

I think the 7M range is way to high for Gomez. I like the guy (mostly cause he signed my USA jersey at an ECHL game during the lockout) but that is too much.
 


Hemmer is twice the player Gomez is, for a fraction of the price. No way I add Gomez in.
 


I love how TSN is advertising the draft as "NHL Draft 2007: Primetime." Primetime? Gotta love Upper Canada. Thank God someone has made a movie.
 


Vokoun got dealt to the Panthers for picks, according to XM radio... Just what picks they are haven't been disclosed.
 


TSN says Vokoun moved for a first-rounder and two seconds. I assume that's Florida's first and second this year and a second in 2008?
 


Florida has two in the second round this year
their own 40 & Detroit's 58
 


Mason was awesome last year, but damn. Firesale in Nashville?
 


Story is here.
 


I can't believe that's all it cost for Vokoun. I would have done that deal, flipped Roli, and still had two 1st rounders to play with.
 


The Hat is saying Chicago and Phoenix have swapped picks so the Coyotes could draft Turris first overall...
 


I'm really interested to see where Sutter goes, lots of people have him in their top 10, yet Central Scouting dropped him down their list at the end of the year. He's listed as 28th on the N.A. skater list.

If he's still around at 18, I have no doubt that uncle Darryl will take him.
 


Holy Crap!

Leopold's not selling to Balsillie!

Guess that fire sale is looking mighty stupid now.
 


There's two ways to look at what Nashville's doing, now that sale is apparently off:

1) Leipold is tired of losing money, so he's simply cutting costs

2) He's freeing cap room to make some acquisitions this summer.
 


pfffffffffft. The sale is still on Leipold is not letting that ginormous premium sale price go. Obviously he and Jim have run into a bump in the road in the terms of their deal and Craig is playing whatever cards he still holds in his hand.

He actually has no cards. Not a one.


Go Flames.

Andy, I thought you retired. I'm happy that you haven't.
 


IS there anything more stupid than every freaking GM thanking the host city and then congratulating the Ducks on their Cup win. Not that politeness is wrong but the fact there is no sincerity in their voices is insulting. Quit wasting time. And then the league wonders why the nobody watches the draft?
 


Jeez. Twelve picks in and Cherepanov and Esposito are still in the bleachers.
 


Flames will end up with Cherepanov or Espo.

YEEEEEE HAAAAAAWWWWWWWW
 


More importantly, 15 picks in and they're both there.
 


… and they're still available with the Oilers to pick.

Can you really pass on Cherepanov at 15th?
 


Can I just say that Cherepanov probably has the worst hair I have seen on a human, ever? That mullet is a work of fucking art.
 


Of course you can Chris, Who's going to call them on it? Lowe's passed on good players ot take guys he likes before.
 


Told You.
 


What? Who the hell is Alex Plante?
 


The Oileres picked who??? STUPID! How can you pass on the Russian? Unbelievable!
 


Bwa Ha Ha

Come to Calgary Cherepanov, you'll love it here.

Alex Plante(WHO???) did ...
 


Yeah, so much for BPA, as though that's some sort of surprise. Paul called it.

Kid looks like 100 feet tall, at least. but man, come on. Cherepanov! Esposito!
 


wild will take the ruskie
 


Cherepanov has the same hair Teemu Selanne had when he came into the league
 


Tom Thomson looks and sounds retarded
 


I don't know how a team like the Oilers can look at the draft and say "We could have two of the top 7 guys in it" and not take them. And then you take a guy (Plante) you probably could have gotten at 30 (if not in the second).
 


My favourite part of the NHL draft is how worked up people get over players they have almost certainly never seen play.

I don't know much about Alex Plante, but I do know that Cherapanov is no sure thing. He could be Pavel Bure, or he could be Alexander Volchkov.

I can't believe Minnesota traded up to get a guy who everyone agrees has no offensive upside. Of course, Calgary almost certainly wouldn't have taken him, so it makes sense if they wanted him that badly. Love the new Wild jersey as well.
 


crap is pumpkin head McKenzie reaching now. The Wild draft Gillies and he is the 2nd cousin of Clark Gillies.


That says a lot if he was a hillbilly from Arkansas and he was actually Gillies second cousin and son.
 


I smell an NHL conspiracy to get a big star in a big NHL market. Bettman did learn from the top conspiracy maker David Stern.
 


Holy Fuck!!!!!!

No sense getting a top talent to replace future forwards who will leave as free agents in the future.

Why not trade him to another team in your conference? Can't hurt you at all can it?

Keenan looked happy in that last shot didn't he?
 


How the hell do Cherepanov and Esposito end up in New York and Pittsburgh without some backroom dealing between Bettman and the rest of the teams?

I smell a huge freaking rat.

At worst he's the next Tanguay.
 


Is Gretz eating Doritos? That's hilarious.
 


At worst he's the next Tanguay.

I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself.
 


Wow...Backlund. Im fairly surprised.
 


So that interview with Kevin Lowe after he picked that Nash kid ...

Kevin drinks a bit, does he?

I mention this, because he seemed totally wasted to me.

Or is that how he always looks?

Might explain a thing or 3.
 


The Backlund pick also surprises me. Not disappointed per se, but I certainly didn't expect it.
 


I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself.


Not really. Similar situation as when Tanguay was drafted and he goes to ultra talented team.

Very similar to me.
 


Im not disappointed either. But a center (not to mention, a player I've actually heard of)...didn't expect that from Sutter.
 


Esposito ended up where? Are you fucking kidding me?

Thank god it's not 2004 or anything. The Oilers might have gone out and spent a draft pick on some flabby kid who had hyperinflated London Knights stats and wasn't even considered the best prospect on his team.

OHHHHH SHIIIIIIIT
 


But hey, the Plante pick is great news 'cause it always works out real well* when the Oilers drop down to like #77 in the NA ratings with a first-rounder.

*Note: statement only true in alternate universes
 


Fuck the Oilers. I think we need to petition for Prendergast and Lowe for full neurological assessments. No one can be this stupid without some sort of brain damage.
 


You have to love Dan Barnes. On Kevin Lowe:

"This has been the worst calendar year of his professional career. Lose the 2006 Stanley Cup final in seven games. Lose Chris Pronger. Lose Ryan Smyth at the deadline. Lose 43 games.
The losses have been excruciating, the gains minimal.

He'll do whatever he can to claw back some respectability and peace of mind. Because Lowe has always been among the most competitive men in hockey. Losing doesn't simply bother him, it crawls under the layers of his skin like an infection.

Or a media guy."

 

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