Right after that incident occurred, the New York Rangers Chapter of the PHWA – which Botta and I are members – decided to see about forming a protest and not vote in the NHL postseason awards. At that time is was an informal vote, because no one suspected Botta’s ban would last.

But the NHL didn’t do anything about it and the PHWA “discussed” the situation, yet nothing formal happened.

So last week, Chapter President Larry Brooks put it to a formal vote, where the Rangers chapter decided 7-3 not to participate in the voting.

For the record, I was a member of the three. I voted that way at the time, because I perceived it as an Islander issue and why should the Rangers be punished for something that happened in Uniondale. Certainly the Islander Chapter should take the lead on the matter, but not the Rangers.

Furthermore, since Botta was an executive with the club, this is a personal matter between him and the team. Remember, Botta was the PR Director for 20 years and during that time, he performed the same actions on various writers – including myself –  as the team did to him. Yet now, because the shoe is on the other foot, it’s some sort of national crime.

I also felt any protest would fall on deaf ears, since nothing was done about the Botta situation since October.

So I voted no to the boycott, yet told the group, I would abide by the decision of the majority.

My opinion has changed in the past 36 hours.

After Brooks informed the PHWA and the NHL of the chapter’s boycott, PHWA president Kevin Allen released these statements.

“The idea of a national boycott was discussed briefly, but my sense was that the majority of our members opposed the disruption of the voting process. But no motion was ever made to boycott,” Allen said. “In talking to members, it’s clear to me that they consider the voting process to be highly important.

“Although the Rangers’ chapter doesn’t reflect the sentiment of the other 30 chapters, I’m respectful of its decision. In America, the idea of using one’s vote as a means of protest is as old as the country itself. And the issue here is important. The PHWA doesn’t believe that a NHL team should be able to deny access to one of our members. Chris Botta is one of our members. And he was denied access by the New York Islanders.

“I’m satisfied that the New York Rangers chapter conducted its vote in a democratic, professional manner. I have been informed that it was a 7-3 decision. There will be no effort made to change anyone’s mind. As president, I am willing to say who is eligible to vote, but I’m not going to suggest how someone should vote, or say whether he or she should vote at all.

“I’m confident that the integrity of the voting procedure will not be compromised by the loss of one chapter. Every year, we have some voters who don’t exercise their right to vote for a variety of reasons.  Even without the New York Rangers chapter, there will be 160 eligible voters.  At some points during my 25 years in the organization fewer than 60 voters decided trophy winners. I believe we have more than enough voters to get the job done.”

It seems to me the PHWA is more concerned about voting rights than protecting its members. The first and foremost mission for any writing organization is advocacy of its members. By not looking out for its own, the PHWA exposes its writers to the whims of the various organizations it covers. Teams want positive news, but our readership demands fair and accurate reporting. The association is supposed to protect writers and allow them to do their jobs.

Even if Botta’s situation is unique and may come with unclean hands, the association should have been more concerned about a writer doing his job rather than who should get the Hart Trophy.

And apparently the Rangers chapter’s statement is echoing through the NHL. Yesterday, the Islanders and Devils chapters – both of which voted 5-0 – decided to join the boycott and now we are told the NHL is weighing its options.

So maybe some good will come out of this and maybe this boycott will make the PHWA a stronger organization. If that’s the case, then this protest is worth it and I am glad my fellow writers voted for it.

“There was plenty of speculation – and there promises to be more – that the Bruins and Oilers may swap picks because the Bruins reportedly have their hearts set on Hall, but so far, all Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and Oilers GM Steve Tambellini have done is admitted to talking,” Murphy wrote on June 11. “Both Seguin and Hall (along with other prospects) visited Boston recently, but there is still no indication as to who will go first”.

While the Hall-Seguin Debate continues, the next Draft topic is the possible run on defense as Cam Fowler, Brandon Gormley and Erik Gudbranson could go three through five. Much as there is debate on Hall or Seguin, the same debate can be made among the three defensemen.

NHL Director of Central Scouting E.J. McGuire provided insight into his scouts providing a past or current NHL comparable for each of their Top 30 North American skaters.

“As unfair as it is to the NHL players in making these comparisons, we feel it provides the public a good idea what they could expect from these prospects,” McGuire explained to NHL.com. “It offers them a visual picture and recognizable name to associate with each of the players with. Keep in mind, these brainstorming comparisons could be something we see in the form of leadership, a specific shot, toughness, or skating ability.”

Each player has ratings for the following scouting services: The Hockey News (THN), McKeen’s (McK), TSN.ca (TSN), NHL’s Central Scouting (CS), and International Scouting Service (ISS). CS breaks down their ratings by North American skaters, European skaters, North American goaltenders and European goaltenders. TSN ranked the Top 75 players and listed fine Honorable Mentions. In an exclusive to NHL.com, CS provided a prospects’ comparable NHL player for their Top 30 North American skaters – and is listed here when applicable. ISS also provided a prospects’ comparable NHL player.

The draft positions are as of June 23 and presume that no trades will have been made since then.

1. Edmonton Oilers – Taylor Hall – LW
THN: # 1 —– McK: # 1 —– TSN: # 1
CS: # 2NA (Zach Parise) —– ISS: # 1 (Pavel Bure)
Hall is the pick with the first overall selection based on his ability to score (three years of 40+ goals) and his success in the Memorial Cup and World Junior Championships – a plus for an Edmonton team looking to return to the heydays of the 1980s.

2. Boston Bruins – Tyler Seguin – C
THN: # 2 —– McK: # 2 —– TSN: # 2
CS: # 1NA (Steve Yzerman) —– ISS: # 1 (Steve Yzerman)
Seguin in a close second and an excellent “consolation prize” as the Bruins reap the benefits of Toronto signing Phil Kessel. While Hall might be the better scorer, Seguin might be the better overall player.

3. Florida Panthers — Erik Gudbranson – D
THN: # 5 —– McK: # 4 —– TSN: # 3
CS: # 4NA (Dion Phaneuf) —– ISS: # 7 (Chris Pronger)
Just like the Hall-Seguin decision was a tough call, so is the Gudbranson-Fowler-Gormley race. The Panthers should go with Gudbranson who brings size (6-4/195), a developing offensive game and solid skating for someone his size. However, new GM Dale Tallon could throw everyone for a loop and take Jack Campbell here.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets – Cam Fowler – D
THN: # 3 —– McK: # 6 —– TSN: # 5
CS: # 5NA (Mike Green) —– ISS: # 5 (Duncan Keith)
While the Blue Jackets could use some help at forward to team with captain Rick Nash, Fowler’s offensive ability and skating skills are already NHL-ready and are too much to pass on. While he still needs to be more physical, it should come as he matures.

5. New York Islanders – Brett Connolly – LW
THN: # 4 —– McK: # 7 —– TSN: # 8
CS: # 3NA (Peter Forsberg) —– ISS: # 13 (Chris Stewart)
While the Islanders could very well select Brandon Gormley, GM Garth Snow should go with one of the Draft’s most elite offensive players. There is a concern over his hip flexor injury, which limited him to 15 games. However, his upside is too much to pass on and he should form a deadly offensive pairing with John Tavares.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning – Brandon Gormley – D
THN: # 7 —– McK: # 5 —– TSN: # 4
CS: # 6NA (Chris Phillips) —– ISS: # 3 (Nicklas Lidstrom)
Steve Yzerman has the chance to set the tone for his administration in Tampa Bay. You can expect him to call on his experience in Detroit. While there are good forwards available, Gormley gets the call because blue chip blueliners are much harder to come by as Yzerman brings in a complement to Victor Hedman.

7. Carolina Hurricanes – Nino Niederreiter – RW
THN: # 8 —– McK: # 10 —– TSN: # 7
CS: # 12NA (Erik Cole) —– ISS: # 6 (Brendan Shanahan)
GM Jim Rutherford will be very busy in LA as the Hurricanes have 11 total draft picks (including three second rounders and a pair of third rounders). If Carolina does not move up, then Niederreiter brings in a solid power forward to team with Eric Staal.

8. Atlanta Thrashers – Jack Campbell – G
THN: # 13 —– McK: # 3 —– TSN: # 9
CS: # 2NA Goalie —– ISS: # 1 Goalie (No comparison)
With the Thrashers having dealt away their second 1st round pick, Atlanta will look to shore up their goaltending situation by drafting the netminder who backstopped the USA to the World Junior Championship. His decision to bypass the University of Michigan in order to play for Windsor (OHL) will speed up his path to the NHL.

9. Minnesota Wild – Ryan Johansen – C
THN: # 12 —– McK: # 8 —– TSN: # 6
CS: # 10NA (Jason Spezza) —– ISS: # 8 (Eric Staal)
The Wild will get some pressure from home to draft Duluth-born Derek Forbort, but Minnesota has not gone overboard to draft home town talent. Plus, the Wild need to add depth at forward and Johansen is a solid two-way center who can play in all situations. Johansen has been a fast rise as he continues to fill out physically which means the best is yet to come.

10. New York Rangers – Vladimir Tarasenko – RW
THN: # 14 —– McK: # 20 —– TSN: # 16
CS: # 2E —– ISS: # 4 (Ziggy Palffy)
The Rangers figure to be in the chase for Johansen, Niederreiter and Skinner. In the end, the Rangers should go for Tarasenko who has big-time scoring ability. The 18-year-old held his own in the KHL. The Rangers are one of the few teams who have the means (i.e. money) to get around the lack of a transfer agreement. They showed no fear when they drafted the late Alexei Cherepanov in 2007. GM Glen Sather could use this pick as “incentive” in a deal to move one of his bad contracts.

11. Dallas Stars – Derek Forbort – D
THN: # 11 —– McK: # 18 —– TSN: # —– TSN: # 11
CS: # 9NA (Erik Johnson) —– ISS: # 10 (Erik Johnson)
The 18-year-old combines size (6-5/200) and solid skating into a package that projects to a top three d-men at the very least. Teams will be looking for these type of blueliners hoping to follow the success of Buffalo’s Tyler Myers.

12. Anaheim Ducks – Mikael Granlund – C
THN: # 10 —– McK: # 9 —– TSN: # 13
CS: # 1E —– ISS: # 15 (Saku Koivu)
The time is coming when both Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne will have to hang up their skates. At 18, Granlund is playing in Finland’s elite league and playing well (40 points in 47 games). The 5-10/180 center has excellent hockey sense and will be a perfect replacement for fellow Finn Saku Koivu.

13. Phoenix Coyotes – Nick Bjugstad – C
THN: # 9 —– McK: # 33 —– TSN: # 19
CS: # 13NA (Andrew Brunette) —– ISS: # 21 (David Backes)
Ownership problems didn’t hamper the franchise during the season, but might play a part in the Draft. GM Don Maloney might be willing to wait on a prospect like Bjugstad, whose uncle Scott played in the NHL. The 18-year-old Bjugstad has the size and skill, but he needs to find and maintain a consistent level of play.

14. St. Louis Blues – Alexander Burmistrov – C
THN: # 6—– McK: # 13 —— TSN: # 12
CS: # 11NA (Maxim Afinogenov) —– ISS: # 14 (Denis Savard)
With new goaltender Jaroslav Halak in hand, and having dealt Lars Eller, St. Louis should turn to Burmistrov. Alex is as skilled a playmaker as there is the Draft. However, he must bulk up on his slight frame (5-11/157 on a good day). He uses his speed and puckhandling skill to compensate for his lack of size. Concerns about the KHL should be lessened given that he played with Barrie in the OHL last season.

15. Florida Panthers Jeffrey Skinner – C
THN: # 25 —– McK: # 12 —– TSN: # 10
CS: # 34NA —– ISS: # 9 (Steve Shutt)
If Jack Campbell should happen to drop to this spot, GM Tallon would be wise to draft him. If not then Skinner gets the call from Florida in an attempt to replace the production loss with the trade of Nathan Horton. Skinner scored 70 goals last season – including 20 in the playoffs

16. Ottawa Senators – Jonathan Merrill – D
THN: # 31 —– McK: # 23 —– TSN: # 22
CS: # 21NA (Jordan Leopold) —– ISS: # 11 (Rob Blake)
One scout told the THN that Merrill was in the same class as Forbort and Gormley. He combines size (6-3/200), skill and hockey sense – although he still has some maturing to do based on his suspension by the USNTDP for violating team rules. However as ISS wrote, “Merrill has Norris Trophy potential”.

17. Colorado Avalanche Austin Watson – RW
THN: # 15 —– McK: # 19 —– TSN: # 14
CS: # 14NA (Kris Draper) —– ISS: # 12 (Jordan Staal)
Watson is a solid two-way forward who competes hard and works every shift and projects out to be a team leader. Watson is an excellent complement to Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny, and might be a future captain of the Avs.

18. Nashville Predators – Quinton Howden – C/LW
THN: # 23 —– McK: # 37 —– TSN: # 26
CS: # 19NA (Todd Bertuzzi) —– ISS: # 16 (Jamie Langenbrunner)
With Jason Arnott and Dan Hamhuis traded in the days leading up to the Draft, the Predators are a bit of a wildcard when it comes to figuring out their selection. Howden is the solid two-way player Nashville likes. He averaged a point a game in Juniors and was used as a checker by Canada in international play. Howden has outstanding hockey sense combined with a hard shot that is accurate (he won the accuracy contest in the Prospects Game). At 6-2/180, he will add some size to Nashville’s forward corps – especially as he matures and gets bigger.

19. Los Angeles Kings – Emerson Etem – C/RW
THN: # 17 —– McK: # 14 —– TSN: # 17
CS: # 8NA (Glenn Anderson) —– ISS: # 18 (Martin Havlat)
Etem and the Kings are a natural fit given that the forward was born in Long Beach, CA. His game is keyed by his speed – which might have been helped by his inline skating when he was younger. He uses his speed to key his offensive game. He needs to gain consistency and learn to be less of a perimeter player.

20. Pittsburgh Penguins – Jarred Tinordi – D
THN: # 22 —– McK: # 25 —– TSN: # 23
CS: # 38NA —– ISS: # 25 (Robyn Regehr)
Tinordi is a chip off the old block as he is a physical defensive d-man like his father Mark who played in the NHL. The Penguins showed that they missed the size and physical play of Hal Gill so Tinordi is a perfect replacement. Despite his size (6-6/205), Tinordi is a good skater and passer. The best part is that he will get bigger – and better.

21. Detroit Red Wings – Evgeny Kuznetsov – C
THN: # 18 —– McK: # 11 —– TSN: # 24
CS: # 3E —– ISS: # 19 (Slava Kozlov)
Detroit has a long history of success with Russian players so they might not be scared off – even though Kuznetsov played in the KHL as a 17-year-old. He as skilled an offensive player in the Draft and he is not afraid to mix it up despite his size (6-0/172). He has represented Russia in various tournaments with mixed results, but when he was on he was head-and-shoulders above the rest of the players.

22. Phoenix Coyotes – Dylan McIlrath – D
THN: # 26 —– McK: # 15 —– TSN: # 15
CS: # 17NA (Ed Jovanovski) —– ISS: # 31 (Boris Valabik)
You have to love a player who is given the nickname “The Undertaker” as one scout did when talking to THN. As you might expect, McIlrath is a physical player who uses his size extremely well (6-4/212). McIlrath really made his bones when he beat Alex Petrovic in the Prospects Game. While he still needs work handling the puck, he has a big-time shot from the point that will allow him to see some tine on the power play.

23. Buffalo Sabres – Riley Sheahan – C
THN: # 19 —– McK: # 26 —– TSN: # 21
CS: # 22NA (Jordan Staal) —– ISS: # 22 (Keith Tkachuk)
Sheahan played as a top six forward at the University of Notre Dame and showed his versatility by filling on defense for a few games due to injuries. At 6-2/200, Sheahan adds much-needed size to Buffalo’s forwards as he projects as a power forward who is more playmaker than scorer at this point in his career.

24. Chicago Blackhawks – Calvin Pickard – G
THN: # 27 —– McK: # 32 —– TSN: # 31
CS: # 1 NA Goalie —– ISS: # 2 Goalie (No comparison)
Pickard, whose brother Chet was a first round pick by Nashville in 2008. Pickard relies on technique as opposed to physical attributes. He is a poised goaltender who is mentally strong – traits that he needed with a poor Seattle (WHL) team where he saw almost 500 more shots than the next WHL goalie.

25. Vancouver Canucks – Mark Pysyk – D
THN: # 16 —– McK: # 16 —– TSN: # 20
CS: # 7NA (Duncan Keith) —– ISS: # 17 (Kris Letang)
With three d-men going into the final year of their contract, and combined with the tragic death of Luc Bourdon in May 2008, the Canucks need to look at adding depth to the blue line. Pysyk is a top pairing d-man whose game is based on hockey sense, strong skating and passing. While his game is an offensive one, Pysyk is a very good defender who has some room to grow (6-1/175).

26. Washington Capitals – Tyler Pitlick – C
THN: # 21 —– McK: # 35 —– TSN: # 25
CS: # 18NA (Mark Parrish) —– ISS: # 20 (Travis Zajac)
There is some talk that Minnesota State-Mankato center might leave college for Medicine Hat (WHL). Tyler’s uncle Lance played defense in the NHL. Pitlick will fill out beyond his 6-2/195 frame and add to his ability to be both a finesse and power player. His has the skill sets to be a fine number two center behind Nicklas Backstrom.

27. Montreal Canadiens – Brock Nelson – C
THN: # 29 —– McK: # 62 —– TSN: # 34
CS: # 25NA (David Backes) —– ISS: # 26 (James Sheppard)
As the Canadiens decide what they are going to do with their goaltending, the Habs have concerns on defense (thanks to expiring contracts) and size at forward. Nelson has the size (6-3/205) and puck skills that teams want and he is a strong two-way player. There is some concern that he excelled against lesser talent at Warroad High School. Nelson does have hockey in his genes – his uncle is Dave Christian (1980 Olympian) and his grandfather is Bill Christian (1960 Olympian).

28. San Jose Sharks – Ludvig Rensfeldt – LW
THN: # 32—– McK: # 29 —– TSN: # 37
CS: # 5E —– ISS: # 27 (Johan Franzen)
The 6-3/195 LW put up dazzling numbers with Brynas Jr. in Sweden (21-29-50 in 39 games), but scouts were still uncertain about his ability to play at a high level on a consistent basis. While inconsistency might be his middle name, the 18-year-old’s ability to produce offense makes him a potential linemate for Joe Thornton down the road.

29. Anaheim Ducks – Jaden Schwartz – C
THN: # 30 —– McK: # 22 —– TSN: # 29
CS: # 28NA (Derek Roy) —– ISS: # 23 (Daniel Briere)
Schwartz was an offensive machine in the USHL with Tri-City his 83 points were the most since Thomas Vanek scored 91 points in 2001-2002 as he played apart in almost 50% of the Storm’s goals. While he does have size (5-10/180) or flashy speed, Schwartz relies on outstanding hockey sense and puckhandling ability.

30. Chicago Blackhawks – Charlie Coyle – C/RW
THN: # 33 —– McK: # 30 —– TSN: # 32
CS: # 24NA (Bob Sweeney) —– ISS: # 28 (Patrick Marleau)
The Stanley Cup champions are faced with salary cap problems that could strip the team of its winning assets. They could look at a goaltender, but the value is not there at this point in the Draft. While still battling some inconsistency, the 18-year-old cousin of Tony Amonte uses his size (6-2/200), vision and hockey sense to power his game. Like his cousin Tony, Coyle will be attending Boston University.

First Round Draft Pick Transactions

1. Pick # 2 – Boston Bruins receive Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2010 1st and 2nd Round Picks, and a 2011 1st Round Pick for Phil Kessel.
2. Pick # 13 – Phoenix Coyotes receive Calgary Flames’ 2010 1st Round Pick, C Matthew Lombardi, and Brandon Prust from Calgary for Olli Jokinen and 2009 3rd Round Pick.
3. Pick # 15 – Florida Panthers receive Boston’s second 1st Round Pick (#15), a 2011 3rd Round Pick and Dennis Wideman for Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell.
4. Pick # 24 – Chicago Blackhawks receive Atlanta Thrashers’ 2010 1st Round Pick (#24), 2010 2nd Round Pick (#54), Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin and Joey Crabb for Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, and Akim Aliu. Atlanta previously acquired New Jersey’s 2010 1st round pick, Johnny Oduya, Nicklas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier for Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Samela. Teams are also swapping 2010 2nd round picks.
5. Pick # 29 – Anaheim Ducks receive Philadelphia Flyers’ 2010 1st Round Pick, 2009 1st Round Pick, Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul and a conditional 2010 or 2012 3rd Round Pick for Chris Pronger and Ryan Dingle.

The draft positions for the Second Round are as of June 23, 2010 and presume that no trades will have been made since then.

31. Edmonton Oilers – Patrik Nemeth – D –
THN: # 61 —– McK: # 51 —– TSN: # 42
CS: # 11E —– ISS: # 37 (Pavel Kubina)
The 6-3/200 blueliner plays a physical game and takes hits as well as he gives them. He has the ability to develop into a top four d-man and has the potential to contribute offensively.

32. Boston Bruins – Kevin Hayes – RW –
THN: # 44 —– McK: # 42 —– TSN: # 44
CS: # 26 NA (Eric Staal) —– ISS: # 47 (Drew Stafford)
Hayes joins brother Jimmy (Toronto draftee) at Boston College. Kevin projects out as a power forward (6-2/201) who is more playmaker than goal scorer at this point in his development.

33. Florida Panthers – Alexander Petrovic — D
THN: # 24 —– McK: # 28 —– TSN: # 36
CS: # 29NA (Brent Seabrook) —– ISS: # 42 (Dion Phaneuf)
At 6-4/195, Petrovic has plenty of room to grow as he develops his all-around game. He needs to cut down on mistakes which are caused by his willingness to try and make the risky play.

34. Columbus Blue Jackets – John McFarland – C
THN: # 20 —– McK: # 24 —– TSN: # 28
CS: # 15NA (Brendan Morrow) —– ISS: # 39 (Sergei Berezin)
McFarland has all of the offensive tools to be mentioned in the same sentence as Taylor all and Tyler Seguin. However, he regressed in his second year with a weak Sudbury team. I he can maintain a consistency to his game, he will return to the expectations that made him the first overall pick in the 2008 OHL draft.

35. New York Islanders – Beau Bennett – RW -
THN: # 35—– McK: # 17 —– TSN: # 18
CS: # 32NA—– ISS: # 34 (Jason Pominville)
Bennett led the British Columbia Junior League in scoring with 120 points while scoring 25 of 41 goals on the PP. The key to his PP work is his strong hockey sense and superb shot from the point. Despite his goal scoring prowess, he is more of a playmaker than scorer.

36. Florida Panthers – Calle Jarnkrok – C –
THN: # 28—– McK: # 36 —– TSN: # 33
CS: # 4E—– ISS: # 44 (Derek Roy)
Jarnkrok played in the Swedish Elite League as an 18-year-old. After a slow start, Jarnkrok had a strong second half. At 5-11/156, it is easy to see how he could fly under the radar, but his skill and hockey sense has made everyone sit up and take notice.

37. Carolina Hurricanes – Stephen Johns – D –
THN: # 48—– McK: # 76 —– TSN: # 41
CS: # 35NA —– ISS: # 43 (Brent Seabrook)
Johns has good skating skills for someone with his size (6-3/215). He uses that skating ability to jump into the play late. Johns was overshadowed on the U.S. Under-18 team by his partner Jonathan Merrill. He is expected to join fellow U-18 teammate Jarred Tinordi at the University of Notre Dame.

38. New Jersey Devils – Johan Larsson – LW
THN: # N/R (in Top 100) —– McK: # 34 —– TSN: # 45
CS: # 34E —– ISS: # 29 (Doug Gilmour)
Thought of as a defensive player first, Larsson’s play at the U-18 (2nd in scoring) opened some eyes. He is prototypical player than President/GM Lou Lamoriello wants on his team. He is a solid two-way player who will do whatever it takes to win.

39. Minnesota Wild – Brad Ross – LW
THN: # 42—– McK: # 45 —– TSN: # 35
CS: # 59NA —– ISS: # 35 (Dustin Brown)
Ross was the only player in Canadian Juniors to score 25+ goals and rack up 200+ PIM. He played on a line with Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederreiter so his job to clear the way instead of scoring. In THN, one scout complimented him by calling him a “dirt bag”. When talking about Ross, people mention the names Daniel Carcillo, Matt Cooke, Steve Downie, Steve Ott, and Darcy Tucker.

40. New York Rangers – Brock Beukeboom – D
THN: # 49 —– McK: # 81 —– TSN: # 54
CS: # 41NA —– ISS: # 79
The Rangers should give consideration to trading down in the second round in an attempt to recoup the 3rd round pick they sent to Los Angeles for Brian Boyle. It might be a bit of a reach to draft Brock this high, but the Rangers have been searching for a physical defensive d-man since his father Jeff was forced to retire as a result of post-concussion syndrome. Papa Jeff convinced Brock to switch from forward to defense during the last couple of years so his skating is better than one would expect from a defensive d-man. The Blueshirts might also look at Kirill Kabanov or Petr Strake with this pick.

41. Dallas Stars – Tyler Toffoli – RW –
THN: # 40 —– McK: # 27 —– TSN: # 27
CS: # 16NA (Tim Connolly) —– ISS: # 38 (Scott Pearson)
Toffoli is as solid a goal scorer as there is in the Draft. While Toffoli is on the slight side (6-0/180), it is his skating that keeps him from being mentioned with the elite prospects. Played on a line with Tyler Seguin and John McFarland in last summer’s Hlinka Tournament and skated with fellow draftees Ryan Martindale and Dalton Smith with Ottawa.

42. Anaheim Ducks – Teemu Pulkkinen – RW
THN: # 50—– McK: # 21 —– TSN: # 46
CS: # 17E—– ISS: # 48 (Niclas Bergfors)
Pulkkinen was a linemate of Mikael Granlund during international play, so it makes sense for the Ducks to reunite them. Teemu suffered with various injuries during the season, but he hit his stride by leading the U-18 tournament in scoring. While he still needs to work on defense and developing a bit of a physical game, Pulkkinen is a big-time finisher.

43. Chicago Blackhawks – Kirill Kabanov – LW
THN: # 38 —– McK: # 31 —– TSN: # 43
CS: # 31NA —– ISS: # 45 (Alexander Radulov)
When you are the Stanley Cup champions, you are more inclined to gamble in the Draft. There are no doubts about Kabanov’s hockey abilities on ice – they are that good. However, there are concerns about his off-ice makeup. After some internal problems with Moncton that led to a playoff benching, Kabanov was given permission to return to Russia for the U-18 Tournament – where he ended up being taken off the roster.

44. St. Louis Blues – Petr Straka C/RW –
THN: # 52 —– McK: # 38 —– TSN: # 38
CS: # 23NA (Pavol Demitra)—– ISS: # 36 (Petr Sykora)
Straka led all QMJHL rookies in scoring (62-28-36-64) during the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs (12-5-9-14). While he has nice size (6-1/185), he still needs to get stronger and develop a little more consistency to his game because he tends to get his goals and points in bunches.

45. Boston Bruins – Martin Marincin – D -
THN: # 34 —– McK: # 63 —– TSN: # 71
CS: # 10E —– ISS: # 40 (Milan Jurcina)
At 6-4/190, the Slovakian-born Marincin draws comparisons to Zdeno Chara so it makes sense for the Bruins to draft Marincin – especially considering they also drafted fellow Slovak Jurcina as well. Marincin is used to playing against better players as he has been a staple for Slovakia in various international tournaments. He still needs to develop physically and improve his skating, but he projects out down the road as someone who could give them a similar type of play they get from Chara.

46. Carolina Hurricanes – Jordan Weal – C
THN: # 41 —– McK: # 40 —– TSN: # 48
CS: # 30NA (Jason Blake) —– ISS: # 32 (Steve Sullivan)
While Weal is short in stature (5-10/160) he is long on skating and talent. Weal uses his strong skating ability to keep moving into open space. While he might not be a top line player, he will be someone who runs up impressive PP numbers. He finished 3rd in the WHL in scoring (72-35-67-102) as he played on a line with Edmonton’s 2008 1st rounder Jordan Eberle.

47. Colorado Avalanche – Jason Zucker – LW
THN: # 54 —– McK: # 49—– TSN: # 44
CS: # 51NA —– ISS: # 30 (Steve Ott)
Zucker played for the U.S. at the WJC and the U-18 as well last season as a member of the US National team Development Program. Zucker’s game is powered by his outstanding speed which makes him a forechecking demon. He still needs to harness that speed so that he can improve his offensive game. While not the biggest player (5-11.175), Zucker is a willing hitter. The Las Vegas native is worth a gamble based on his speed and leadership ability.

48. Edmonton Oilers – Phillip Grubauer – G –
THN: # 47 —– McK: # 87 —– TSN: #69
CS: # 15NA Goalie—– ISS: # 3rd Goalie
Grubauer overcame a benching during the OHL playoffs to lead Windsor to their second straight Memorial Cup victory. The German-born netminder then backstopped Germany into the 2011 WJC during their qualification at the Division I Group A WJC. At 6-0.180, he doesn’t have classic NHL goalie size, but is very athletic and plays his angles well.

49. Los Angeles Kings – Connor Brickley (LW) –
THN: # 75 —– McK: # 59 —– TSN: # 47
CS: # 58NA —– ISS: # 98
Connor, whose second cousin is former NHLer Andy Brickley, plays like a power forward even if he does not have classic power forward size (6-0/190). He is able to do that because of his strong skating ability, aggressive style of play and a high work ethic. The Kings have some talent at forward so they can let him develop at the University of Vermont.

50. Florida Panthers – Kent Simpson – G –
THN: # 82 —– McK: # 60 —– TSN: # 62
CS: # 4NA Goalie—– ISS: # 11th Goalie
The 6-3/185 netminder makes good use of his size by utilizing the butterfly style, which is supplemented by his agility. Simpson finished second in the WHL in goals against average and save percentage.

51. Detroit Red Wings – Justin Faulk – D –
THN: # 45—– McK: # 44—– TSN: # 30
CS: # 56NA —– ISS: # 67
Faulk is an offensive defenseman who is equally adept at moving the puck or joining the offense for a shot from the high slot – which is a plus because he gets rid off the puck co quickly. While he is not that big (6-0/195), he is solidly built and is willing to get involved in physical play.

52. Phoenix Coyotes – Mark Visentin – G –
THN: # N/R (in Top 100) —– McK: # 52 —– TSN: # 60
CS: # 4NA Goalie —– ISS: # 18th Goalie
Only five other Canadian Junior goalies played more than Visentin’s 55 games. Visentin has a solid work ethic and makes good use of his size (6-2/190) and combines that with quickness and agility in net,

53. Carolina Hurricanes – Matt MacKenzie – D –
THN: # 55—– McK: # 56—– TSN: # 73
CS: # 74NA —– ISS: # 33 (Marc Staal)
MacKenzie is a reliable defenseman who does not stand out in any one aspect of the game, but is continuing to develop as a blueliner. Originally seen as a defensive d-man, MacKenzie scored 40 points in 64 regular season games and added 16 more points in 23 games in the post-season as he helped lead Calgary to their Memorial Cup appearance.

54. Chicago Blackhawks – Ryan Martindale – C –
THN: # 46—– McK: # 43 —– TSN: # 58
CS: # 27NA (Steve Bernier) —– ISS: # 61
Chicago might look to add some help at defense, but the 6-3/185 Martindale will help add some size down the middle. Martindale is blessed with size (6-3/185) and hockey ability/sense, but he needs to be more consistent in his play.

55. Columbus Blue Jackets – Stanislav Galiev – RW
THN: # 37 —– McK: # 47—– TSN: # 40
CS: # 20NA (Alexander Frolov) —– ISS: # 24 (Pavol Demitra)
There are no questions about this Russian’s wish to play in the NHL. He played in the USHL in 2008-2009 and spent last season with Saint John (QMJHL). Galiev proved to be more of a playmaker than goal scorer last season (67-15-45-60), leaving some scouts wanting more goal production. That will come as he continues to refine his game and add some muscle on to his 6-0/178 frame.

56. Minnesota Wild – Brandon Archibald – D
THN: # 63 —– McK: # 68 —– TSN: # N/R (in Top 80)
CS: # 64NA —– ISS: # 59 (Doug Murray)
The 6-4/200 rearguard uses his size and reach well when he works in front of the net or along the boards. Archibald has worked at developing an offensive component to his game and makes good use of a quick release with his shots from the point.

57. Montreal Canadiens – Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault – G
THN: # N/R (in Top 100) —– McK: # 80 —– TSN: # 69
CS: # 7NA Goalie —– ISS: # 20th Goalie
Corbeil-Theriault has the size (6-6/190) that NHL teams have come to look for in young goaltenders. Despite the size, he has good quickness for someone his size. Corbeil-Theriault had the chance to work on his game as he played for a poor Halifax (QMJHL) team as he faced 1,466 shots in 50 games.

58. New York Islanders – Patrick McNally – D – THN: # N/R (in Top 100) —– McK: # 71 —– TSN: # N/R (in Top 80)
CS: # 40NA —– ISS: # 57 (Alex Goligoski)
McNally is puck-moving blueliner with size (6-2/180) who is not afraid to use it. The Harvard-bound d-man uses excellent puck skills to make up for his average speed, but he those puck skills do allow him to make rink-long rushes.

59. Los Angeles Kings – Ryan Spooner – C – THN: # 36 —– McK: # 48 —– TSN: # 39
CS: # 39 NA —– ISS: # 64
Spooner was on pace to top his rookie season number in Peterborough (62-30-28-58) until he broke his collarbone and finished the season with 19 goals and 35 assists in 47 games. He is a strong offensive player thanks to his outstanding skating and solid puck handling ability.

60. Chicago Blackhawks – Justin Holl – D –
THN: #: 74 —– McK: #: 79 —– TSN: #: 56
CS: # 47NA —– ISS: # 71
Holl is an offensive blueliner who is equally adept at running the PP and joining the rush. His game is powered by strong skating and passing skills, which is supplemented with a big-time slap shot. The young d-man will play for Omaha (USHL) next season where he needs to bulk up (6-2/170) and work on developing a physical portion to his game.

Second Round Draft Pick Transactions
1. Pick # 32 – The Toronto Maple Leafs pick will go to the Boston Bruins as the result of a trade on September 18, 2009 that sent Phil Kessel to Toronto in exchange for first-round picks in 2010 and 2011 and this pick. Toronto previously re-acquired their own second-round pick as the result of a trade on September 5, 2009 that sent Calgary’s second-round pick in 2011 and Toronto’s own third-round pick in 2011 to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for this pick. Chicago previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on September 12, 2008 that sent Robert Lang to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for this pick. Montreal previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on July 3, 2008 that sent Mikhail Grabovski to Toronto in exchange for Greg Pateryn and this pick.
2. Pick # 36 – The Tampa Bay Lightning’s second-round pick will go to the Florida Panthers as the result of a trade on March 3, 2010 that sent Dennis Seidenberg and Matthew Bartkowski to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Craig Weller, Byron Bitz and this pick. Boston previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on March 4, 2009 that sent Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums to Tampa Bay in exchange for Mark Recchi and this pick.
3. Pick # 38 – The Atlanta Thrashers’ second-round pick will go to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on February 4, 2010 that sent Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier, a first-round pick in 2010 and a second-round pick in 2010 to Atlanta in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk, Anssi Salmela and this pick.
4. Pick # 43 – The Calgary Flames’ second-round pick will go to the Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on July 1, 2008 that sent Rene Bourque to Calgary in exchange for this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Calgary chooses to trade a pick in either 2009 or 2010 – was converted on March 4, 2009 when Calgary traded the 2009 pick in question to the Colorado Avalanche.
5. Pick # 46 – The Ottawa Senators’ second-round pick will go to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on February 12, 2010 that sent Matt Cullen to Ottawa in exchange for Alexandre R. Picard and this pick.
6. Pick # 48 – The Nashville Predators’ second-round pick will go to the Edmonton Oilers as the result of a trade on March 1, 2010 that sent Denis Grebeshkov to Nashville in exchange for this pick.
7. Pick # 50 – The Pittsburgh Penguins’ second-round pick will go to the Florida Panthers as the result of a trade on March 1, 2010 that sent Jordan Leopold to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick.
8. Pick # 53 – The Buffalo Sabres’ second-round pick will go to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on February 7, 2010 that sent Niclas Wallin and a fifth-round pick in 2010 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for this pick. San Jose previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on July 4, 2008 that sent Craig Rivet and a seventh-round pick in 2010 to Buffalo in exchange for a second-round pick in 2009 and this pick.
9. Pick # 54 – The Chicago Blackhawks receive Atlanta Thrashers’ 2010 1st Round Pick (#24), 2010 2nd Round Pick (#54), Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin and Joey Crabb for Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, and Akim Aliu. Atlanta previously acquired New Jersey’s 2010 1st round pick, Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier for Ilya Kovalchuk and Anssi Salmela. Teams are also swapping 2010 2nd round picks.
10. Pick # 55 – The Vancouver Canucks’ second-round pick will go to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on March 3, 2010 that sent Raffi Torres to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nathan Paetsch and this pick. Buffalo previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on July 4, 2008 that sent Steve Bernier to Vancouver in exchange for Los Angeles Kings’ third-round pick in 2009 and this pick.
11. Pick # 56 – The Washington Capitals’ second-round pick will go to the Minnesota Wild as the result of a trade on March 3, 2010 that sent Eric Belanger to Washington in exchange for this pick.
12. Pick # 58 – The San Jose Sharks’ second-round pick will go to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on March 2, 2010 that sent Andy Sutton to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for this pick. Ottawa previously acquired the pick in a trade on September 12, 2009 that sent Dany Heatley and a fifth-round pick in 2010 to San Jose in exchange for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, and this pick.
13. Pick # 59 – The Philadelphia Flyers’ second-round pick will go to the Los Angeles Kings as the result of a trade on July 1, 2008 that sent Patrick Hersley and Ned Lukacevic to Philadelphia in exchange for Denis Gauthier and this pick.

Chris Conner

Sydney Crosby

Marc-Andre Fleury

Coach Dan Blysma

Contact Bob Trainor at trainorcomm@gmail.com for more information.

31. New York Islanders – Toni Rajala – LW
CS: #:11E —– THN: # 49 —– McK: 45
ISS: # 31 (Martin St. Louis) —– RLR: # 34(Martin Straka)
TSN: # 56 (Sami Kapanen)
Rajala’s goal scoring exploits do not come from a Bobby Hull-like shot. Rather, he it comes from his excellent puck skills, hockey sense and shooting accuracy. He broke Alexander Ovechkin’s scoring record with 19 points in the U-18 tournament.

32. Tampa Bay Lightning – Kyle Palmieri – C
CS: # 20NA —– THN: # 26 —– McK: 42
ISS: # 23 (Brian Gionta) —– RLR: # 26 (Tuomo Ruutu)
TSN: # 25 (Chris Drury)
Palmieri is a team player who plays much bigger than his size (5-10/191). He plays a gritty style of hockey and is not afraid to play in traffic and is a strong two-way center.

33. Colorado Avalanche – Calvin de Haan – D
CS: # 25NA —– THN: # 22 —– McK: 28
ISS: # 36 (Brian Campbell) —– RLR: # 20 (Tomas Kaberle)
TSN: # 23 (Tomas Kaberle)
Calvin is a solid puck-moving defenseman who plays an intelligent game and showed this season that he can thrive when given extra ice time. Once he adds some muscle to his wiry frame (6-0/170), de Haan has the chance to become a solid all-around d-man.

34. Atlanta Thrashers – Chris Brown – LW
CS: # 30NA —– THN: # 61 —– McK: # 40
ISS: # 34 (Taylor Pyatt) —– RLR: # 101 (Anthony Stewart)
TSN: # 39 (Jamie Langenbrunner)
Brown’s combination of size (6-2/191) and very good skating ability sets him up to be a power forward in the NHL – which will be an excellent addition to Ilya Kovalchuk and Evander Kane. Brown is also very responsible in his own as well, doing the little things to help defend.

35. Los Angeles Kings – Zach Budish – RW/C
CS: # 22NA —– THN: # 44 —– McK: 50
ISS: # 51 (Keith Tkachuk) —– RLR: # 29(Ryan Getzlaf)
TSN: # 42 (David Backes)
The Kings could look to add to their defense corps, but it is worth their while to reach a bit on Budish. He is former first round projection who suffered an ACL injury while playing football in high school. The injury hurt his draft position, but he is expected to be ready to play at the University of Minnesota. His size (6-4/230), heavy shot and all-around game could make Budish one of the steals of the draft – if he lasts into the second round.

36. Phoenix Coyotes – Tim Erixon – D
CS: # 5E —– THN: # 32 —– McK: 30
ISS: # 55 (Kenny Jonsson) —– RLR: # 23 (Ron Hainsey)
TSN: # 28 (Mattias Ohlund)
The solid two-way defenseman is the son of former Ranger Jan Erixon. While there isn’t any one part of his game that stands out, he is solid in all aspects of the game – as seen by his playing in the Swedish Elite League at the age of 18.

37. New York Islanders – Robin Lehner – G
CS: # 1E Goalie—– THN: # 52 —– McK: 57
ISS: # 6 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 69 (Mathieu Garon)
TSN: 47 (Henrik Lundqvist)
With Rick DiPietro a perennial injury waiting to happen, GM Garth Snow needs to address his goaltending situation. Lehner draws comparisons to fellow Swedish netminder Henrik Lundqvist. However at 6-3/220, Lehner is bigger than The King and is more willing to cut down the angles and challenges shooters with his butterfly style.

38. Dallas Stars – Dmitry Orlov – D
CS: # 9E —– THN: # 55 —– McK: 33
ISS: # 29 (Dan Hamhuis) —– RLR: # 61 (Patrice Brisebois)
TSN: # 44 (Trevor Daley)
With Sergei Zubov nearing the end of his career, the Stars look to fellow Russian Orlov as a replacement. Dmitry is an offensive d-man who likes to rush the puck as well as join the rush late. While he still needs to polish up his game in the defensive end, Orlov will contribute immediately on the PP because of his shot and hockey sense.

39. Ottawa Senators – Richard Panik – RW
CS: # 13E —– THN: # 31 —– McK: 54
ISS: # 35 (Marian Hossa or P. Stefan) —– RLR: # 60 (M. Hossa or L. Kasper)
TSN: # 38 (Marian Hossa)
As you can see, both ISS and RLR believe Panik can be a boom or bust type player. While his play is inconsistent, he does have the offensive package (scoring touch, puck handling and speed) and size (6-2/202) to be an impact player. He has all the tools, now he needs to find a box to put them in.

40. Edmonton Oilers – Charles-Oliver Roussel – D
CS: # 36NA —– THN: # 35 —– McK: 53
ISS: # 42 (Wade Redden) —– RLR: # 14 (Brad Stuart)
TSN: # 37 (Kris Letang)
Roussel is a solid two-way blueliner who kicked his game up a notch during the post-season. He plays a well-rounded game, and while he doesn’t have one calling card aspect to his game, he does not have any major weaknesses either.

41. Nashville Predators – Ethan Werek – C
CS: # 32NA —– THN: # 34 —– McK: 38
ISS: # 26 (Gary Roberts) —– RLR: # 46 (Nik Antropov)
TSN: # 41 (Alexi Ponikarovsky)
Werek originally wanted to go the NCAA route, but decided to play in the OHL with Kingston. He is the hard-nosed type of player every team wants. He will do the dirty work needed in front of the net to score. Werek made Canada’s 2008 World Junior A Challenge team and their 2009 U-18 team.

42. Nashville Predators – Stefan Elliott – D
CS: # 17NA —– THN: # 27 —– McK: 39
ISS: # 38 (Sergei Gonchar) —– RLR: # 41 (Paul Martin)
TSN: # 35 (Tom Gilbert)
With the back end of their back-to-back picks, Nashville drafts Elliott with an eye towards his offensive contributions. His puck-handling and passing skills make him a valuable weapon on the PP. Elliott likes to join the rush and will work deep in the offensive zone. He is still a work in progress in the defensive zone and he needs to be more physical.

43. San Jose Sharks – Ryan O’Reilly – C
CS: # 39NA —– THN: # 39 —– McK: 26
ISS: # 50 (Shawn Horcoff) —– RLR: # 39 (Sammy Pahlsson)
TSN: # 27 (Maxime Talbot)
The Sharks continue to misfire in the playoffs as the team is just missing that something extra. This is where O’Reilly can fit in. He has excellent hockey sense and is a team leader who very well may be a captain in the NHL. He is solid in his own end, and is one of the best penalty killers and faceoff men in the OHL. His offensive game in the NHL will be more as a playmaker than goal scorer.

44. Florida Panthers – Josh Birkholz – RW/C
CS: # 43NA —– THN: # 57 —– McK: 67
ISS: # 37 (Matt Cullen) —– RLR: # 97 (Torrey Mitchell)
TSN: # 52 (Dan Hinote)
The soon-to-be University of Minnesota freshman is a strong two-way forward who has good quickness and speed. Josh will use his speed to beat defenders wide as he cuts to the net. Birkholz has good size (6-1/182), but he needs to use it more as part of an overall need to be consistently more consistent.

45. Atlanta Thrashers – Brayden McNabb – D
CS: # 51 NA —– THN: # 54 —– McK: 60
ISS: # 43 (Hal Gill) —– RLR: # 66 (Matt Walker)
TSN: # 54 (Sean O’Donnell)
GM Donnie Waddell has the chance to make up for his mistake for trading Brayden Coburn for Alexei Zhitnik. The 6-4/200 McNab is a stay-at-home defenseman who does have the ability to move the puck and see the ice. McNabb plays a physical game, but doesn’t run around to throw hits. He does need to work on defensive positioning because speedy forwards can beat him wide.

46. Ottawa Senators – Edward Pasquale – G
CS: # 3NA Goalie —– THN: # 40 —– McK: 80
ISS: # 1 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 98 (Dany Sabourin)
TSN: Honorable Mention (Not Available)
Despite the acquisition of Pascal Leclaire and the development Brian Elliott, the Sens still need to address the position. Pasquale has good size (6-3/218) and athletic ability. When he is on his game, he will let the puck come to him rather than trying fight off shots. He is still needs to work on his consistency and stickhandling.

47. New York Rangers – Alex Chiasson – RW
CS: # 34NA —– THN: # 76 —– McK: 47
ISS: # 85 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 67 (Jochen Hecht)
TSN: 46 (Colby Armstrong)
At 6-3/187, Chiasson has the size to be your prototypical power forward. While he needs to work on his skating, Chiasson is a hard worker who goes to the net and does all of the little things you want from a physical forward – including being a strong forechecker. Chiasson will jump from the USHL to Boston University. McK scout Kevin Wey said he has “the most upside of any USHL prospect in the 2009 Draft.”

48. St. Louis Blues – Tomas Vincour – RW
CS: # 42NA —– THN: # 63 —– McK: 98
ISS: # 49 (Nik Antropov) —– RLR: # 83 (Tomas Kopecky)
TSN: # Not Rated (Not Available)
Vincour is still a work in progress, but he is a strong mix of skill and size (6-2/203) and is a hard worker. The Czech native has spent the last two seasons playing in the WHL and is ahead of most European born players when it comes to adapting to North American hockey. He is at his best on offense when he uses his hands and his hockey sense below the faceoff dots.

49. Colorado Avalanche – Olivier Roy – G
CS: # 2NA Goalie —– THN: # 38 —– McK: 68
ISS: # 2 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 56 (Manny Legace)
TSN: # Honorable mention (Marc-Andre Fleury)
New GM Greg Sherman will look to another Roy (no relation to former Colorado goalie Patrick Roy) to solidify their goaltending position. Roy is looking to follow fellow Cape Breton netminders Marc-Andre Fleury and Ondrej Pavelec. Roy is a butterfly goalie who plays up at the top of the crease.

50. Toronto Maple Leafs – Cody Eakin – C
CS: # 29NA —– THN: # 64 —– McK: 46
ISS: # 46 (Darcy Tucker) —– RLR: # 49 (Mike Comrie)
TSN: # 53 (Darren Helm)
Eakin’s history of injuries probably cost him a shot at the first round (including two concussions). With that said, he is big-time goal scorer whose offense is fed by his speed, quickness and good hockey sense. At 5-11/176, he can’t afford to be overly physical, but he is aggressive and is an effective forechecker.

51. Carolina Hurricanes – Mac Bennett – D
CS: # 40NA —– THN: # N/R in Top 100 —– McK: 52
ISS: # 64 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 73 (Tobias Enstrom)
TSN: # 56 (petr Svoboda)
Bennett is a bit of project because he made a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan for 2010-11. An injury cost him some time this season (as well as scouting exposure), but he is a solid two-way d-man who is a tremendous skater – so much so that ISS says it is reminds them of Paul Coffey.

52. Tampa Bay Lightning – Matthew Hackett – G
CS: # 1NA Goalie —– THN: # Not Rated in Top 100 —– McK: 55
ISS: # 3 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 174 (Not Available)
TSN: # 43 (Mike Smith)
The Lightning’s goaltending situation is still up in the air so it would be worth it for Brian Lawton to draft the nephew of former NHLer Jeff Hackett. There a lot of GMs who regret passing on the 6-2/170 goalie in last year’s Draft. Hackett’s play during the season forced Plymouth (OHL) to trade Jeremy Smith – a former second round draft pick of the Nashville Predators. Hackett plays his angles well, which allows him to use his size to his advantage.

53. Vancouver Canucks – Tomas Tatar – C
CS: # 14E —– THN: # 51 —– McK: 35
ISS: # 41 (Ales Hemsky) —– RLR: # 35 (Jiri Hudler)
TSN: # 49 (Sergei Samsonov)
Replacing the Sedins continues in to the second round as Vancouver drafts Tatar. The 5-11/176 center is a potential top six forward based on scoring ability, skating and strong puck-handling skills. Tatar saved his best for big games as his 7 goals helped led Slovakia to the semi-finals in the World Juniors and he scored 5 goals in 13 games in Slovak Extraleague play.

54. New Jersey Devils – Jean-Francois Berube – G
CS: # 10NA Goalie —– THN: # 43 —– McK: 109
ISS: # 11 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 45 (Martin Biron)
TSN: # Honorable Mention (Not Available)
Martin Brodeur’s injury showed that the Devils need to start thinking about life after Brodeur. New Jersey has not had much luck in drafting a successor (see Ari Ahonen). Berube is a bit of a wildcard because he has been stuck behind Jake Allen in Montreal (QMJHL). Berube will be the main benefactor of Steve Mason’s super rookie season because Mason only played 6 games in his draft year. When he is on his game, Berube’s positioning is solid and het lets the puck come to him rather than fighting the puck.

55. Washington Capitals – Eric Gelinas – D
CS: # 38 NA —– THN: # 46 —– McK: 36
ISS: # 82 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 25 (Cam Barker)
TSN: # Honorable mention (Not Available)
Gelinas is an attractive prospect because of his size (6-3/185) and strong skating skills. He is more of an offensive defenseman at this point in his career and is valuable player on the PP. He is still a work in progress in his own end, but he does use his long reach well. One concern is that he only had 2 goals and 4 assists in his final 23 games last season.

56. New York Islanders – Kenny Ryan – RW
CS: # 56NA —– THN: # 66 —– McK: 29
ISS: # 59 (Brooks Laich) —– RLR: # 47 (Andrew Ladd)
TSN: # Honorable Mention (Not Available)
The Isles continue stocking up their organization with the selection of the solid two-way RW. Ryan, who will be attending Boston College, is a very good skater who has speed to beat defenders wide. He uses those assets to be a solid forechecker who has the ability to get back and help out in the defensive zone.

57. San Jose Sharks – Anton Lander – LW
CS: # 19E —– THN: # 50 —– McK: 75
ISS: # 47 (Mikko Koivu) —– RLR: # 64 (Niklas Sundstrom)
TSN: # Honorable Mention (Not Available)
Muck like Ryan O’Reilly, Anton Lander is a hard worker who features very good leadership abilities who plays hard until the final whistle. He has some scoring ability, but he is more of a passer than scorer. His skating and hockey sense make him an effective forechecker and solid contributor on defense.

58. Toronto Maple Leafs – Scott Stajcer – G
CS: # 5NA Goalie —– THN: # N/R in Top 100 —– McK: 34
ISS: # 4 Goalie (Not Available) —– RLR: # 115 (Not Available)
TSN: # Scott Stajcer (Not Available)
While Swedish free agent goalie Jonas Gustavsson is on the Leafs radar, Brian Burke should look to give new goalie coach Francois Allaire another toy to play with. Stajcer has good size (6-2/180) and switches between a stand-up and butterfly style of play. He is a solid athlete who has to pay attention to letting the puck come to him rather than doing too much to fight off the puck.

59. Chicago Blackhawks – Alex Hutchings – RW
CS: # 44NA —– THN: # 48 —– McK: 74
ISS: # 61 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 43 (Chris Kunitz)
TSN: # 58 (Chuck Kobasew)
His speed, skill and hockey sense make up for his lack of size (5-10/173). Despite his slight stature, Hutchings will go into the corners and play in traffic thanks to his skating skills. He has the ability to play in all situations, including both special teams.

60. Detroit Red Wings – Philippe Paradis – LW/C
CS: # 26NA —– THN: # 60 —– McK: 48
ISS: # 88 (Not Available) —– RLR: # 40 (Matt Stajan)
TSN: # 40 (Max Pacioretty)
Paradis uses his size (6-1/196) to be a grinding player who is developing a solid all-around game – after starting in Shawinigan as an offensive player. Paradis has developed into a forward who plays in all situations – including PP and PK. RLR says he is “capable of being a ‘Gordie Howe hat trick’ guy”.

61. Pittsburgh Penguins – Taylor Beck – LW
CS: # 67NA —– THN: # 48 —– McK: 66
ISS: # 53 (Scott Hartnell) —– RLR: # 130 (Not Available)
TSN: # Honorable Mention (Not Available)
Beck is a perfect complimentary player for a team that has the offensive talent the Penguins have. The 6-1/205 Beck isn’t fleet of foot, but he makes up for it with very good puck-handling ability. A McK scout compares Beck’s style to that of Milan Lucic and they believe he will be a better NHL player than junior player.

Often pegged as the odds-on favorite to be the first overall selection for the past few years, the draft landscape has shifted a bit as Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman finished the year as the number one prospect according to McKeen’s (McK) and Red Line Report (RLR). Tavares topped the rankings according to International Scouting Service (ISS), The Hockey News (THN) and the NHL’s Central Scouting (CS). In each service, either Hedman or Tavares finish first or second except for RLR where Tavares is ranked third with Matt Duchene rated second.

GM Garth Snow has a difficult decision to make. The Islanders’ selection comes down to more than just talent alone. With the franchise struggling to get a new building as part of the Lighthouse Project, there is pressure to select Tavares in order to help further that cause because of his “star potential”. Tavares would give the Islanders its version of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Alexander Ovechkin.

Conversely, it might be in the Islanders best interest to draft Hedman as the shutdown defenseman Eastern Conference teams will need to battle the likes of Crosby et al.

Past Islanders history lends itself to the Islanders drafting Hedman. The Islanders have had the first overall selection three times in their history. The turning point in the Islanders franchise was in 1973 when they drafted future captain Denis Potvin – who far outpaced their previous first overall selections – Billy Harris (1972) and Rick DiPietro (2000).

With five picks over the first 56 selections (1st, 26th, 31st, 37th and 56th), the Islanders will go a long way in shaping the outcome of the 2009 Draft. Depending on who their selection is they could set into motion a multitude of trade proposals.

It is no secret that Toronto GM Brian Burke covets Tavares. Burke sees the youngster as the cornerstone piece in rebuilding the Maple Leafs. If the Islanders are leaning towards drafting Hedman, Snow needs to speak with Burke and Brian Lawton of Tampa Bay. If the Islanders play their cards right, they could use their excess of draft picks to highlight a three-way deal that could bring back a future round draft pick or two and prospects or veteran players.

The Islanders would move down to the second pick, Toronto would jump up to the first spot and Tampa Bay would move down to the seventh overall selection. Depending on the other pieces, the Islanders could give up their second first round pick this year in exchange for a 2010 first round draft pick in an attempt to position themselves to draft Taylor Hall.

Even if the Islanders don’t upset the apple cart and pull off a deal, you can expect Burke will still try hard to make a deal – even if Tavares is the first player off the board. You have to believe the Maple Leafs GM will look to move up in the draft to pair Brayden Schenn with his brother Luke in TO because odds are the younger Schenn will not be around for Toronto with the seventh overall pick.

While the 2009 Draft is deep, we might see a lot of movement as teams try to move up/down while securing additional draft picks or players. Prospect Insider Shane Malloy explained how deep the Draft is.

“This year’s crop is stronger than in the past, as there is a group of potential elite prospects in the Top 15,” Malloy wrote on TSN.ca. “The remaining 15 draft picks in the first round have array of good skills and teams may find first round-worthy talent in the early second round.”

Ryan Kennedy of THN has an interesting take on a new way to look at the Draft.

“[The] draft is the new trade deadline; names such as Vesa Toskala, Tomas Vokoun and Olli Jokinen have all been dealt during the event in recent years and there’s no reason to think that trend will end soon. Simply put, the draft allows a GM to get a jump-start on his summer several days before free agency opens July 1. Plus, all 30 teams are in the house at the same time, which makes for maximum wheeling and dealing.”

Each player has ratings for the following scouting services: NHL’s Central Scouting (CS), The Hockey News (THN), McKeen’s (McK), International Scouting Service (ISS), Red Line Report (RLR), and Bob McKenzie of TSN.ca (TSN). CS breaks down their ratings by North American skaters, European skaters, North American goaltenders and European goaltenders. ISS, RLR, and TSN all list a prospects’ comparable NHL player. The draft positions used are as of June 23, 2009 and presume that no trades will be made – even though we know better .

1. New York Islanders – John Tavares – C
CS: # 1NA —– THN: # 1—– McK: # 2
ISS: # 1 (Mike Bossy) —– RLR: # 3 (Brett Hull)
TSN: # 1 (Dale Hawerchuk)
If Garth Snow keeps the first pick, he will draft Tavares who gives the rebuilding team a face for the franchise – as well as an electric offensive star who will be counted upon to raise the level of play of the young Islanders.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning – Victor Hedman – D
CS: # 1E —– THN: # 2—– McK: # 1
ISS: # 3 (Jay Bouwmeester) —– RLR: # 1 (Chris Pronger)
TSN: # 2 (Jay Bouwmeester)
With Tavares going first overall, that leaves the Lightning with a great consolation prize. Franchise defensemen are and far between and Hedman gives Tampa Bay a great one-two punch of young stars along with Steven Stamkos.

3. Colorado Avalanche – Matt Duchene – C
CS: # 2NA —– THN: # 3—– McK: # 3
ISS: # 2 (Joe Sakic) —– RLR: # 2 (Joe Sakic)
TSN: # 3 (Steve Yzerman)
The Joe Sakic comparison makes Duchene a natural for the Avalanche. In any other year, Duchene would have been talked up even more as the first overall pick. In addition to playing the same style of play as Sakic, Duchene shares his leadership ability – as seen by his captaining of Canada’s Under-18 team.

4. Atlanta Thrashers – Evander Kane – C
CS: # 3NA —– THN: # 5—– McK: # 5
ISS: # 5 (Devin Setoguchi) —– RLR: # 5 (Tomas Vanek)
TSN: # 4 (Jarome Iginla)
The Thrashers must find a way to keep Ilya Kovalchuk, who is set to be an UFA after next season. Drafting Kane provides the star winger with a potential potent linemate. In addition to having the skills of a finesse player, Kane does the dirty work needed to produce offense.

5. Los Angeles Kings – Brayden Schenn – C
CS: # 4NA —– THN: # 6—– McK: # 6
ISS: # 6 (Doug Gilmour) —– RLR: # 4 (M. Richards/R. Brind’Amour)
TSN: # 5 (Bryan Trottier)
The Kings put an end to Brian Burke’s hope of uniting the Schenn brothers in the NHL. Schenn provides the Kings with a gifted two-way center that will give LA a potent one-two punch at center with Anze Kopitar.

6. Phoenix Coyotes – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
CS: # 4E —– THN: # 13—– McK: # 4
ISS: # 9 (Tomas Kaberle —– RLR: # 7 (Nicklas Lidstrom)
TSN: # 6 (Scott Niedermayer)
The Coyotes are still a team in flux until their ownership problems are settled. Don Maloney could long and hard at Jared Cowen, but Ekman-Larsson’s offensive game will win the day.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs – Jared Cowen – D
CS: # 9NA —– THN: # 4—– McK: # 8
ISS: # 7 (Chris Pronger) —– RLR: # 8 (Braydon Coburn)
TSN: # 7 (Brayden Coburn)
With Tavares and Schenn out of the picture, the Leafs can draft Cowen to build up their blue line. Cowen might have gone even higher, but there are some concerns over a knee injury that limited him to just 48 games. If Toronto goes with a defenseman, look for Burke to bring in the Sedin twins.

8. Dallas Stars – Magnus Svensson-Paarjarvi – LW
CS: # 2E —– THN: # 7—– McK: # 10
ISS: # 4 (Alexander Mogilny) —– RLR: # 6 (Marian Gaborik)
TSN: # 10 (Mike Gartner)
The Stars could use an offensive d-man to eventually replace Sergei Zubov. However, the speedy scoring LW is too much to pass up. Magnus has shown that he can play up to his competition with his fine play in the past two WJC tournaments and his play in the Swedish Elite League.

9. Ottawa Senators – Dmitri Kulikov – D
CS: # 11NA—– THN: # 11—– McK: # 7
ISS: # 10 (Niklas Kronwall) —– RLR: # 9 (Andrei Markov)
TSN: # 9 (Sergei Gonchar)
The Senators are in an unsettled position given Dany Heatley’s request for a trade. Depending on how that situation plays out, Ottawa could trade this pick in a deal or look to replace Heatley through the Draft. If Ekman-Larsson falls to this spot, the Sens will snap him up. If not, Kulikov is a good choice as the Russian blueliner has a year in the QMJHL under his belt.

10. Edmonton Oilers – Nazem Kadri – C
CS: # 15NA—– THN: # 8—– McK: # 9
ISS: # 8 (Kyle Turris) —– RLR: # 17 (Maxim Afinogenov)
TSN: 8 (Andy McDonald)
It is not out of the realm of possibility that the new GM Steve Tambellini drafts a d-man. However, the Oilers have been linked as a possible landing place for Heatley. Faced with the possibility of having to move some of their young forward talent, the Oilers draft Kadri who projects out as a top-six forward who has speed and plays with a chip on his shoulder.

11. Nashville Predators – Jordan Schroeder -RW
CS: # 5NA —– THN: # 9—– McK: # 13
ISS: # 14 (Paul Kariya) —– RLR: # 11 (Daniel Briere)
TSN: # 15 (Steve Yzerman)
If the 5-9 Schroeder were a little bigger, he would have had a great chance at breaking into the top three of the Draft. However, he is a pure goal scorer who will team up with fellow USA WJC teammate Colin Wilson and some bite to the Predators offense.

12. Minnesota Wild – Scott Glennie – RW
CS: # 7NA —– THN: # 14—– McK: # 14
ISS: # 19 (Peter Mueller) —– RLR: # 18 (Patrick Sharp)
TSN: # 11 (Jeff Carter)
The Wild just miss out on selecting the homegrown Schroeder, but Glennie is a fine consolation prize. Glennie’s offense is keyed by his outstanding speed and his goal scoring ability is supplemented by solid ice vision and hockey sense.

13. Buffalo Sabres – Zack Kassian – RW
CS: # 10NA—– THN: # 16—– McK: # 18
ISS: # 20 (Milan Lucic) —– RLR: # 16 (Poor Man’s T. Bertuzzi/B. Shanahan)
TSN: # 14 (Todd Bertuzzi)
The Sabres might be tempted for the goal scoring ability of local boy Jeremy Morin, but the offense and physical package of the 6-3/210 Kassian is too much to pass up. Kassian plays in all situations and is a powerful skater. ISS believes he is “the most physically ready player in this draft to play at higher levels.”

14. Florida Panthers – John Moore – D
CS: # 6NA —– THN: # 18—– McK: # 12
ISS: # 16 (Joe Corvo) —– RLR: # 21 (Ryan Suter)
TSN: # 13 (Ryan Suter)
With Jay Bouwmeester having one skate out the door, the Panthers need to address the hole he leaves. Enter John Moore. The USHL Defenseman of the year combines the size (6-2/189 and growing), skating and speed that a team wants in a top-notch d-man. His physical game is sure to improve as he matures mentally and physically.

15. Anaheim Ducks – Ryan Ellis – D
CS: # 16NA —– THN: # 17—– McK: # 11
ISS: # 13 (Brian Rafalski) —– RLR: # 13 (Sergei Zubov)
TSN: # 12 (Reijo Ruotsalainen)
With Scott Niedermayer’s future uncertain, the Ducks might want to address his possible loss with one of, if not the best, offensive blueliners in the draft. While his size (5-9/173) is a concern, he is a premier PP quarterback thanks to passing ability and big-time shot from the point that he unleashes with a quick release.

16. Columbus Blue Jackets – David Rundblad – D
CS: # 6E —– THN: # 10—– McK: # 23
ISS: # 22 (Mike Green) —– RLR: # 12 (Mike Green or Lars Jonsson)
TSN: # 21 (Mike Green)
Rundblad is a high-risk/high-reward type of player. His offensive game can’t be questioned, but he is still a work in progress as for as the defensive end game goes. However, he was able to compete in the Swedish Elite League at the age of 18 and is worth the risk for a team that needs an offensive leader on defense.

17. St. Louis Blues – Jacob Josefson – C
CS: # 3E —– THN: # 15—– McK: # 16
ISS: # 11 (Daymond Langkow) —– RLR: # 32 (Patrice Bergeron)
TSN: #: 16 (Henrik Zetterberg)
The Blue have done a fine job during the last couple of years in the Draft. Josefson brings a solid two-way game that is powered by his excellent hockey sense. Jacob is more playmaker than scorer, and is another 18-year-old who played in the Swedish Elite League and has the tools to thrive in the NHL.

18. Montreal Canadiens – Chris Kreider C/LW
CS: # 14NA—– THN: # 24—– McK: # 31
ISS: # 24 (Eric Staal) —– RLR: # 27 (Poor Man’s Jeff Carter)
TSN: # 19 (Alexander Mogilny)
The hometown team in the 2009 Draft will be under a lot of pressure to draft a Quebec province native (Louis LeBlanc). However, the Flying Frenchmen have a history of drafting American-born players. While Kreider is not Quebecois, he very well may be the best skater in the Draft. While he is still a work in progress, Kreider is a great blend of skating, size and skill.

19. New York Rangers – Carter Ashton – LW
CS: # 12NA —– THN: # 20 —– McK: # 22
ISS: # 33 (Bill Guerin) —– RLR: # 22 (Dustin Penner)
TSN: # 20 (Bill Guerin)
The tragic death of Alexei Cherepanov left the Rangers short on scoring among the forward prospects. As a result, they need to concentrate on offense – especially in the first couple of rounds. The Rangers should look long and hard at Landon Ferraro lest they repeat their mistake of passing on Zach Parise for Hugh Jessiman. However, Ashton size (6-4/212), skating and scoring ability make him the pick over Ferraro. He also has the ability to drop the gloves when need be. Carter’s father, Brent, is a former NHL player.

20. Calgary Flames – Louis Leblanc – C
CS: # 13NA —– THN: # 29 —– McK: # 15
ISS: # 12 (Mike Richards) —– RLR: # 10 (Derek Roy)
TSN: # 17 (Mike Richards)
Calgary is another team that appears to be in the mix for Dany Heatley. If they keep the pick, LeBlanc is a fiery, two-way player who was voted the USHL’s Rookie of the Year and will play next year at Harvard. At 6-0/178, he still has to mature physically, but he still plays with an edge and competes hard every night.
LeBlanc got better as the season progressed, which is always a positive sign – especially for a rookie.

21. Philadelphia Flyers – Simon Despres – D
CS: # 8NA —– THN: # 12—– McK: # 19
ISS: # 30 (Nigel Williams) —– RLR: # 33 (Brent Seabrook)
TSN: # 18 (Jay Bouwmeester)
Often teams like to draft players who “do more with less”. Unfortunately for Despres, he is a player who “does less with more”. Simon is a talented two-way d-man who was stuck playing for a poor Saint John (QMJHL) team. He has all of the skill sets to succeed and showed them off at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament this summer. McK scout Rick Springhetti said, “I feel that if a team really wants, but can’t get Hedman, they would do well taking Despres….”

22. Vancouver Canucks – Landon Ferraro – RW
CS: # 18NA —– THN: # 28 —– McK: # 32
ISS: # 17 (Patrick Sharp) —– RLR: # 38 (Devin Setoguchi)
TSN: # 26 (Patrick Sharp)
Facing a possible future without the Sedin twins, the Canucks will look to replenish their stock in offensive forwards. That is where the son of former NHLer Ray Ferraro skates in. Ferraro is a natural goal scorer who uses his speed well and projects out to be a top six forward. Landon nearly tripled his goal output (13 to 37) last season. If the Rangers do draft Ferraro, then Vancouver would scoop up Ashton – if the Flyers don’t.

23. New Jersey Devils – Joonas Nattinen – C
CS: # 10E —– THN: # 36 —– McK: # 59
ISS: # 28 (Jordan Staal) —– RLR: # 31 (Bobby Holik/Jordan Staal)
TSN: # 36 (Jordan Staal)
Given the high powered centers playing in the Atlantic Division, Nattinen is a natural selection for Lou Lamoriello and David Conte. Joonas is a hard-nosed two-way center with an excellent sense for the game. Nattinen is very comfortable playing a physical game and does not mind driving to the net. He was most impressive at the WJC, winning 63% of his faceoffs.

24. Washington Capitals – Peter Holland – C/LW
CS: # 19NA —– THN: # 19 —– McK: # 25
ISS: # 15 (Chris Gratton) —– RLR: # 24 (Kristian Huselius)
TSN: # 24 (Patrick Marleau)
The Capitals could go offense or defense with their first round pick. Holland represents the opportunity to surround Alexander Ovechkin with another weapon up front. He plays in all situations for Guelph (OHL) and has been used at the point on the PP at times. He can play center or the wing, but he needs to use his size (6-2/185) more than he does.

25. Boston Bruins – Dylan Olsen – D
CS: # 27NA —– THN: # 41—– McK: # 17
ISS: # 39 (Brent Seabrook) —– RLR: # 28 (Mark Stuart)
TSN: # 32 (Cam Barker)
The Bruins have some free agent decisions to make and face some salary cap implications in regards to Phil Kessel, so they might be tempted to draft a forward. However, Olsen presents a package that is too tempting to pass up. He has size (6-2/205) and strength to be a top four blueliner. While he will not remind anyone of Bobby Orr when it comes to moving the puck, he has a good shot and sees the ice well and contributes on the PP. He was the only Junior A player on Canada’s WJC team and was a first pair d-man with Calvin de Haan.

26. New York Islanders – Nick Leddy – D
CS: # 24NA —– THN: # 25 —– McK: # 24
ISS: # 21 (Alex Goligoski) —– RLR: # 19(Phil Housely/Kris Letang)
TSN: # 29 (Paul Martin)
The Islanders would be very happy to see Olen fall to them at 26. If he doesn’t, they will still draft a d-man, but will go more for the offensive than defensive. Leddy has game changing ability thanks to his outstanding skating, puck handling and ice vision. Voted “Mr. Hockey” as the top senior player in Minnesota, Leddy would have gone higher in the draft if not for his size (5-11/179) and strength – two things that will improve with time.

27. Carolina Hurricanes – Drew Shore – C
CS: # 28NA —– THN: # 23 —– McK: # 20
ISS: # 18 (Rod Brind’Amour) —– RLR: # 65(R.J. Umberger)
TSN: # 30 (Ryan Kesler)
With Rod Brind’Amour playing such a big part for Carolina in the past eight plus seasons, the Hurricanes would love to add a younger model to their organization. Shore is another one of those solid two-way pivots. He bases his game on strong skating ability, smart use of his size (6-2/190) and solid playmaking ability. Shore, who will play Denver University, next year, is a potential top six forward who will play in all situations.

28. Chicago Blackhawks – Jeremy Morin – LW
CS: # 33NA —– THN: # 21 —– McK: # 37
ISS: # 27 (Zach Parise) —– RLR: # 15(Dany Heatley)
TSN: # 31 (Ray Sheppard)
Chicago is another team who has been connected to Dany Heatley. Whether they get involved or not, the offensive ability Morin brings to the table is too hard for Chicago to pass on. His performance in helping the USA win the U-18 championship (6 goals and 4 assists in 7 games) is indicative of what kind of talent Jeremy has. Other players may be better skaters, but few have the shot and offensive ability that Morin unleashes.

29. Detroit Red Wings – Carl Klingberg – LW
CS: # 7E —– THN: # 37 —– McK: # 27
ISS: # 32 (Ryan Getzlaf) —– RLR: # 44 (Mike Fisher)
TSN: 34 (Kirk Maltby)
Ken Holland Jim Nill have become quite adept at retooling the Red wings despite having the best draft positions. Klingberg is the type of player the Red Wings have brought in over the years. He has imposing size (6-3/205), strong skating ability and an ability to play an NHL-style of game prior to coming to North America. Carl played on the same lines as Magnus Svensson-Paarjavi and Jacob Josefson at the U-18 tournament and did more than just hold his own.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins – Jordan Caron – RW/C
CS: # 21NA —– THN: # 33 —– McK: # 21
ISS: # 25 (Jason Arnott) —– RLR: # 30(Wojtech Wolski)
TSN: # 22 (Steve Bernier)
The Penguins have some cap issues to face during the summer – as do most teams. With some age and salary questions among their forwards, Ray Shero should look to add some complimentary players for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Caron brings a solid mix of size (6-2/202) and offensive ability and projects out as a power forward in the NHL. He was one Rimouski’s best players during the playoffs this season.

But Flyers coach John Stevens delivered a not-so-subtle message to Claude Giroux in the summer, instructing the 2006 first-round pick to improve in the minor leagues before thinking about a promotion.

Giroux went to the AHL, where he became a ghost. No, the Hearst, Ontario native didn’t literally disappear. He joined the Philadelphia Phantoms and quickly emerged as one of the league’s most talented players, racking up 17 goals and 17 assists in just 33 games. That led to late a Christmas gift, as Giroux was called up and played his first game with the Flyers on Dec. 26, earning a spot on the team he hasn’t relinquished.

As he gets ready for help the Flyers go up against the potent Penguins in a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series that starts tonight, Giroux said his Phantoms stint was a boon for his career.

“It actually helped my game a lot being able to [log] a lot of ice time,” Giroux said after the Flyers 3-2 victory over the Islanders Saturday. “Playing on the power play, penalty kill, just playing in all those different situations helped my game.”

Stevens said he noticed the difference in Giroux’s all-around game immediately since his promotion. It also helps that Philadelphia boasts six 25-goal scorers, allowing Giroux to fill a complementary role. At 5-11, 179 pounds, Giroux provides speed as a right winger who also can win faceoffs and present different matchups.

Stevens successfully found a formal to incorporate Giroux’s skills into the team framework, playing him alongside veteran Daniel Briere, a former All-Star game MVP. After a two-game stint with the Flyers last season that featured zero points, Giroux scored nine goals and logged 18 assists in 44 games since proving his worth as a complete player to a once-skeptical coaching staff.

“He’s playing at a high level every day,” Stevens said. “We always knew he could play with the puck. But it’s his ability to play without the puck that’s allowed him to be here.”

After turning 21 in January, Giroux finished strong, scoring four goals in Philadelphia’s final eight games, which were pressure-packed contests as the Flyers were fighting for position and home-ice advantage. Philadelphia ended up behind Pittsburgh in the battle for the fourth seed, though Giroux said the games’ intensity was a good test for the best-of-seven series to follow.

“It’s a lot different than during Christmas time,” Giroux said. “The games are a lot tighter and you get less room with the puck. You have to make some quick decisions, but that’s part of hockey.”

Giroux enticed the Flyers to take him with the 22^nd overall pick after scoring 48 goals as part of a 103-point season for Gatineau Olympiques as a junior player in 2005-06. He seemed destined to justify the high draft selection, scoring 48 goals in a 112-point season for Gatineau the next season before closing out the season in the AHL.

That success didn’t translate to training camp and the preseason. Giroux’s slow maturation forced the club to send him down an entire level, though he had to walk just a few hundred feet away, where the Phantoms play in the soon to be demolished Spectrum. Once the home to the Flyers’ Cup-winning teams, Giroux thrived on the same ice the Broad Street Bullies made famous three decades ago.

“During camp, playing defensively wasn’t really important for me,” Giroux said. “I learned playing in the AHL that if I wanted to play in the NHL, I really have to be responsible. I learned a lot by playing on the “PK” with the Phantoms and against the top lines.

His upbeat attitude and scoring touch allowed Giroux to re-cross the parking lot to play at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers’ current home. Before even being allowed to drink legally, Stevens saw signs that Giroux was ready to shed the prospect tag and became a regular contributor.

“He’s been a strong performer,” Stevens said. “I think he’s allowed us to get Danny really involved. [They've] had good chemistry and he’s shown the ability to be responsible without the puck. He’s certainly been a pleasant surprise and he’s a fixture on our team.”

Living away from home continues to be an off-ice challenge for Giroux. But he said Simon Gagne and Briere have helped in that department since all three are French- Canadians.

“It was a little easier to speak to them. They just understand how hard it is when you get in the league,” Giroux said. “Every day, they come to the rink and still have fun. It’s just a big motivation to see the passion they still have.

“Everyone in general has been nice and tried to show me a good path.”

Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Eagles, is the conspicuous facility because of its size. Even in the offseason, the ballpark across the parking lot is noticeable because of a bright red sign and a message board proclaiming its home inhabitant as Major League Baseball champions. Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004, is the home of Phillies while the Eagles’ home field is one year older.  Rounding out the last of the newer stadiums is the home of the Flyers and 76ers, which opened way back in 1996.

But amid the new palaces for this city’s sports teams sits a haunt for generations of Philadelphia entertainment fans. Like the aforementioned venues, the Spectrum’s formal name is preceded by a corporate sponsor. But while the arena doesn’t host big league events anymore, many sports fan have been making the trek to see a historic site that is scheduled to be razed this spring.

The Spectrum has been like an old friend to a sports-crazed city since it opened in 1967. There are many similarities between the old barn and Nassau Coliseum, which is undergoing a major public relations campaign by the Islanders to renovate what is considered by many fans to be an outdated facility.

Yet the Spectrum is undeniably one of the most storied places in North American sports. It has hosted two NBA All-Star Games and four Finals series, six Stanly Cup Finals series (one more than the Coliseum) and two All-Star contests, two Finals Fours and crossed over into the entertainment world, with banners still hanging that chronicled the Grateful Dead tours. From the cinema world, the Spectrum was in the script of the famous “Rocky” fight against Apollo Creed and the actual building at one time was the location of the famous statue to honor the fictional Rocky Balboa (sorry, Philly fans, he is just a character and not a real champion).

Some fans like Will Janson said some non-sports events will make the demolition of the Spectrum a sad day and could prompt him to take home some memorabilia before the doors close for good.

“I actually had the prettiest girl in the world sitting on my shoulders during a David Bowie concert in ’76″ Janson said. “She actually still lives in the neighborhood. I’ll try and grab a section of the wall and I’m going to try and grab my seats.”

The Spectrum serves as the home to the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers’ farm team. Though long since outdated for the modern NHL, the capacity of 17,380 for hockey allows fans to sit close to the ice, making it easy to envision the heyday of one of the most intimidating places to play for visiting teams when the Flyers were racking up consistent playoff appearances decades ago.

“I like the comradery here,” Brett Marino said during an intermission of a Phantoms game. “Everybody’s always glad to be here and glad to see a good game. It’s a shame. I’ll hate to see it go.”

Purple stanchions on the glass give the place a unique look and portraits of past Flyers and 76ers great players and coaches are painted on the walls of the narrow corridors that stretch around the arena.  Instead of an eagle-eye view of the action from the press box on the luxury box level, the press sits between the two-tiers of seats, sitting within ear-shot of the crowd. A small staircase actually located inside the media area allows access to the dressing room by descending two flights of stairs into the rickety underbelly that has served as the dressing room for Hall of Famers and A-list celebrities.

Passageways directly next to the benches lead from the dressing room to the ice, making the players who enter and exit the playing surface are level with the first rows of seats. Players are literally within touching distance of the fans. It’s easy to imagine fans of the  Broad Street Bullies taunting future Islanders Hall of Famers during the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Islanders were able to hold off a Philadelphia team that went undefeated for 35 games during the regular season to win the first of its four straight titles.

“The building is outdated ,but you can’t beat the seating here,” said Chris Poole, who has been coming to the Spectrum for the past three decades. “I saw my first concert here [to watch] Kiss.”

Almost 140,000 fans have passed through the Spectrum’s gates this season. Overall, the Phantoms average nearly 7,000 per game. Claude Giroux, the Flyers 2006 first-round pick who started the year in the AHL before getting called up, said it meant extra playing in the Spectrum.

“Every game, they cheer a lot,” Giroux said after a December win against Hartford. “It’s a big motivation every time we play here. We’re lucky to have those fans.”

New arenas seat closer to 20,000 people and offer amenities like more leg room, cup holders and wider lobbies, though there is usually a tradeoff with fans sitting further from ice level. The Devils’ new home in Newark exemplifies the dichotomy between modern perks and things like great sight lines for which old barns like the Spectrum were noted. Some fans like the close-quarter feelings a 42-year-old arena provides.

“It just has a nice feel,” Michelle Penkrot said. “It’s nice that it’s a little smaller.”

A patch that that espouses the arena as “America’s Showplace” is being worn on Phantoms jerseys this season. It is influenced by the original logo, replete with 1960s-era color scheme. The Phantoms could move to Allentown, Pa. next season after Comcast Spectator, the Spectrum’s owner, sold the team to Brooks Group of Pittsburgh. While those plans have not been finalized, there will certainly be a literal and figurative vacancy at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

“It’s very intimate,” Jansen said. “You’re close to [the action]. It’s old style now, well, it wasn’t back then. But it’s just perfect.”

Alexander Ovechkin has 31 goals this season. (Jim Leary/NYSD)

UNIONDALE, NY- Alex Ovechkin usually makes highlight films thanks to offensive rushes that formulate into memorable plays. Yet the NHL’s reigning MVP and scoring champion is also capable of destroying teams with subtle actions.

Before centerman Nicklas Backstrom takes an offensive zone faceoff, Ovechkin deftly lines up directly behind the circle, waiting to unleash a lightning-fast snapshot off a clean draw. But Ovechkin can also score  any place on the ice, evidenced by his two-goal performance, including the overtime game-winning tally, in Washington’s 2-1 victory over the Islanders earlier in the week.

Ovechkin is just in his fourth season but will likely reach 200 career goals in the next month. The 23-year-old winger has the potential to threaten some of the league’s most heralded scoring record. Against the Isles, he notched goals No. 30 and 31 to move past Philadelphia’s Jeff Carter for the top mark. It was the first time all season the Art Ross winner sat alone atop the leader board, though Ovechkin said he didn’t mind giving the competition a chance 47 games into the season.

“It’s happened,” he deadpanned. “I give a chance to a different guy.”

Ovechkin and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby are the NHL’s two most marketable stars. The Islanders can also take some solace in the fact that the Capitals finished 23-46-10 for a dismal 49 points in 2003-04. Washington won the No. 1 overall pick and selected Ovechkin, and the 6-2, 212-pound forward galvanized the franchise and led the Capitals to the playoffs last season.

His goal totals in the first three seasons: 52, 46 and 65. Ovechkin is on pace to surpass the 50-goal mark at a time when there have been just 10 50-goal seasons after the lockout (including two from Ovechkin). One player can turn a lackluster club with no direction into a must-see event and contender in the conference.

“I don’t want to put myself on top of anybody,” Ovechkin said. “I just try and do the best that I can and try to help the team to win. I play hard all the time. No matter what happens, I just try, try, try and never give up.”

The Islanders have a chance to potentially select a player like that this spring in John Tavares. If the Isles, which enter the All-Star break 13-29-5 and eight points away from the second-worst team, win the draft lottery, the reeling team could finally have an impact scorer to put people in the seats and possibly even keep the Islanders in Uniondale.

While it takes more than adding one great player to morph into a championship contender, Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said a player like Ovechkin makes everyone else better.

“He raises the bar in that he wants everyone else to play as hard as him,” Boudreau said. “You watch how hard he plays, how can you not want to play with that intensity and passion every night when he’s doing that?”

Yann Danis began the season as the top netminder for Bridgeport in the AHL. He then stepped into the starting role following injuries to Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald and was burned twice by Ovechkin. The first goal was a laser from the left point and the second was an easy one-timer off Alexander Semin’s centering pass during an overtime power play.

Danis was making just his 14^th career appearance, though more experienced goalies have talked about the need to account for impact players like Ovechkin every second they are on the ice.  That type of dominant player can open up room for other scorers and add a different dimension to the offense.

“You can definitely see why he scores a lot of goals,” Danis said. “He’s got a good shot, quick release and very skilled. You have to steady ready when he’s on the ice, that’s for sure.”

Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore saw the Hart Trophy winner score an overtime goal to beat the Islanders at the Coliseum Dec. 16. When asked if Ovechkin has a comfort level playing a hapless opponent in an old arena, the netminder didn’t hesitate to respond.

“There are a lot of buildings he likes to play in,” said Theodore, who posted 27 saves for his 200th career victory.

Ovechkin is still two years away from being able to rent a car at a reasonable price. Yet he already joined Hall of Famer Mike Gartner and perennial All-Star Peter Bondra as the only Capitals with four-straight 30-goal seasons.

Once timid and unsure of himself as a rookie off the ice, Ovechkin now speaks fluent English. Standing inside the visiting dressing room at Nassau Coliseum, Ovechkin spoke with a gold chain of his uniform No. 8 around his neck. He will play in his third All-Star game this weekend in Montreal and has the Capitals in contention for a second straight Southeast Division crown.

It seems everything is coming easy for Ovechkin, who unlike DiPietro, is living up to his huge contract. Ovechkin signed a 13-year, $124 million contract that is shorter than DiPietro’s 15-year pact but nearly twice the size in salary. Consider he has a whopping 194 goals, 175 points and 369 points in just 291 games, and so far the Capitals seem to be getting a bargain.

“Sometimes I have lucky bounces and luck goals,” Ovechkin said. “But you know, goals are goals. Sometimes my teammates give me great passes.”

Though the league has attempted, ardently, to eliminate fighting from the sport, pockets of fans and media have felt that in doing so, the NHL was stripping the sport of its essence.

For many, fighting is a necessary evil and one that helps maintain the game’s classic norms of passion, courage and grit. Without it, many contend, the game becomes more about scoring and less about teamwork and toughness.

“Hockey is the only one of the four major sports with confines [where] a player can’t run out of bounds to avoid a hit,” said Hall of Fame broadcaster Jiggs McDonald, who has called over 3,200 NHL games over 45 years. “Some of those hits, the ones of questionable intent, lead to fights… But the more obvious is that hockey is the only sport to equip every player with a weapon – if they were to chose to use it that way.”

In the late 1970s, the NHL had an influx of European players and the league underwent changes.

The European players, for the most part, were better skaters than the North Americans who had long dominated the league and, as a result, offensive production skyrocketed. However, with fighting being illegal in European leagues, incidents of dirty plays such as high-sticking, cross checking and tripping became more frequent. While most of the new players were reluctant to fight after committing the penalties, their North American teammates, who had grown accustomed to the league’s rough and tumble style, were more than willing to drop the gloves.

As the years went on, the frequency of questionable stick play increased, engulfing players of all backgrounds. The dirty plays, McDonald asserted, is the cause of the fighting and is what needs to be stopped, rather than the fighting itself.

But in spite of those beliefs, which are widespread, the league has continued to make it a goal to penalize fighting. In addition, the league has begun to call more penalties in an effort to produce as much offense as possible, because according to their studies, it’s what the fans want to see. That, McDonald believes, is a big mistake and one the league will pay for in the future.

“Fighting is the one thing that sets the sport apart and makes hockey unique,” he said. “If you watch two great fighters go toe to toe, you can’t help but get the feeling that it’s an art. These guys are extremely tough customers and they definitely serve a purpose out there. I’m not talking about the bench-clearing brawls, even though they are entertaining at times. I’m talking about the one-on-one fight. It changes the entire complexion of the game if done right; it gets an entire team and the fans going all at the same time.”

Knowing this, McDonald doesn’t really understand why the NHL would attempt to rob the game of one of it’s most entertaining elements.

“Over the years, the league has tried to take that element out of the game because they think the fans don’t like it. Well, they do. That was the thing that filled up buildings in Boston and Philadelphia,” he added. “You couldn’t buy a ticket back then to see the big bad Bruins or the Broad Street Bullies. Sure, they had players like Bobby Orr that the fans loved, but they also had players that were aggressive and would defend each other. That was what the fans came to see.”

Former NHL enforcer Bob Probert, who racked up 3,300 penalty minutes in a stellar 17-year career feels the same way. Despite scoring 163 goals and being a player who was quite capable of making it in the league without dropping the gloves, Probert is still infamous for the thrashings he has delivered on the ice. To him, fighting will always have a place in hockey, regardless of who’s playing and what the league tries to do to stop it.

“I think that fighting will always be a part of the game. It’s a part of the game that belongs there,” Probert, who scored 29 goals in the 1987-88 season, said. “It keeps players honest and keeps the cheap shots down. People think twice when they know someone will come after you if you get too physical.”

While McDonald and Probert accept and understand that fighting is a part of the game, Minnesota hockey writer Ross Bernstein dedicated a year of his life to finding out exactly why. In the process of interviewing dozens of players during the NHL lockout in 2005, he consistently came across the word “code.” It was during the writing of his book, “The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL,” that he began to understand what it was. The unspoken, unwritten rules that most hockey players abide by. “The Code,” as Bernstein put it in his book, is a system devised to protect talented players and ensure every player is responsible for their actions on the ice. While the majority of the athletes on the ice follow “The Code,” there are exceptions, which of course, lead to fisticuffs.

“It’s all about respect,” Bernstein said. “You have to always be accountable for your actions. When you decide to play like a jerk and hit people from behind or take liberties with someone and be disrespectful, you have to be held accountable. In hockey, there are serious consequences for actions like that. Hockey is very unique in the fact that it is allowed to police itself.”

The players doing the policing, known as enforcers, try to make sure that “The Code” isn’t broken. These are the players that have inspired the creation of websites like HockeyFights.com and HockeyFighters.com in recent years that attract thousands of fans every day. According to Bernstein, enforcers are often the most loved players on their teams. Some hockey enthusiasts believe enforcers play much of a role in their teams’ success, but Bernstein disagrees.

“Fighters, in my opinion, are like kickers and punters in the NFL,” he said. “They’re specialists and without them, you can’t win. Just like the kickers, they don’t get the same amount of respect, because they usually can’t skate as well as the other players. Nevertheless, they’re very important pieces to a championship team.”

However, while many have voiced their beliefs that there is indeed a place in the game for fighting, citing the nostalgia and history it has, Bernstein also believes that having enforcers to protect teammates makes the game safer.

“Many people don’t understand that in hockey, there are a series of checks and balances,” he said. “If you’re a player that likes to play dirty, your teammates won’t even want you around after a while. The way the code works is if someone isn’t held accountable for their actions and doesn’t ‘show up’ afterwards, his teammates won’t want him on the bench. As barbaric as it may seem, fighting cleans up the game.

“Where I live, the Minnesota Wild have Derek Boogaard as their enforcer. He’s 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds. He’s an animal. Without his presence, you wouldn’t see Marian Gaborik, Brian Rolston or Pavol Demitra scoring goals. If the opposition knows they can take liberties with those guys, they can’t win. Boogaard on your team gives them confidence and lets them get in front of the net and skate without fear of getting whacked.”

Probert too thinks things would be quite different on the ice if he and his fellow tough guys weren’t around in one way or another.

“There were times when players were going after Steve Yzerman and I had to go after them,” he said. “Sometimes though, there are just times when you look at someone the wrong way and you go at. There’s also the motivation factor, a big hit or a fight can definitely motivate your team and change the game. That’s what my job was.”

However, many of the leagues top tough guys like Chris Simon and Darren McCarty have had problems keeping up with some of the more talented players over the past few years, leading to an unusual amount of suspensions by the very people who were expected to police the game, many think their existence in the league may be running it’s course.

“What I think is happening is because of the new rule changes, a-la getting rid of the red line, the cutting down on obstructions and the salary cap, the way of the enforcer is slowly, but surely going the way of the dinosaur,” Bernstein said. “I don’t know if a Tony Twist would make it in today’s game. Even Tie Domi also retired very quietly. Guys like that are always the most popular players amongst their teammates, but they’re kind of a luxury that you can’t afford to keep.”

With the role of the enforcer changing and the league continuing to take steps to eliminate fighting from the game, Bernstein still doesn’t think fighting will stop altogether. Nevertheless, he feels a new kind of player will emerge and take its place.

“I think the agitators are the new wave,” Bernstein said. “In New York, you have a guy like Sean Avery. He’s a perfect example; he can play, he can hit, he’ll fight, he’ll turtle and he’ll draw penalties. He’s the new hybrid. He’s not a big lumbering Snuffaluffagus. He’s not going to take up space and come on the ice like a nuclear bomb when his buttons are pushed and beat the crap out of somebody. I think guys today have to take a regular shift and contribute, kill penalties and even be able to take a penalty shot at the end of a game if they had to.”

Although Bernstein is a fan of the rough stuff, he feels that the game will continue to have plenty of action even if the enforcers do become extinct.

“I like fighting and I think it serves a purpose, but I’m not a fan of gratuitous fighting you see when a team is down 5-1 and is trying to change the momentum of a meaningless game to sell tickets,” Bernstein said. “I like it when Jarome Ignila drops the gloves in the playoffs when it means something or when a player runs into a goaltender and you have to go. I love seeing the kind of emotion on the ice when you see two non-traditional fighters go.”

This type of responsibility, which forces hockey players to be accountable for their actions and for a select few to play peace keeper, is what Bernstein believes sets hockey apart from the rest of the sports world and preaches the ultimate team dichotomy and an end result that can’t be found anywhere else.

“Hockey is all about the team, sticking up for each other and growing a playoff beard,” he said. “You aren’t going to find that anywhere else.”

Despite the thoughts of people like Bernstein, McDonald wonders what will happen if the game continues to be censored the way it has been over the past five years.

“Referee Andy Van Hellemond was once quoted saying, ‘If we take fighting out of the game and the arenas are empty, how do we put them back in?” McDonald said. “I think a lot of cities are at the point where the game isn’t as entertaining as it used to be. If it’s not entertaining to the thousands in the arena and thousands more at home watching, it’s not entertaining. There were many nights at the end of my career when I was driving home where I wondered if it was just me, or was this sport really not entertaining any more?”