Was just over at Hockey's Future and they've released their top 50 prospects. Eeverytime I see Tukka Rask in a Bruins uniform it's going to make me cringe. Instead the Leafs ended up with Pogge who is nowhere near as good as Rask.

Anyway, one name stuck out and it made me think of what this PP will look like in the future. How is anyone going to stop Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin? Pittsburgh also has an excellent young powerplay but man, the Capitals on the power play are going to be so much fun to watch. Apparently Backstrom can thread the needle, and guys like Ovechkin and Semin don't need very much room.

They don't have that point man yet, though, and Pittsburgh has several coming up from the farm, most notably Kris Letang and Alex Gologoski. That made it easy for them to trade Noah Welch.

By the way, Tukka Rask was ranked #7 (Pogge 34th).


12. Bobby Ryan, Anahiem
14. Kyle Okposo, NY. Islanders
20. Nicklas Bergfors, New Jersey
27. TJ Oshie, St. Louis
32. Andrei Kostitsyn, Montreal
33. Jack Skille, Chicago
36. D Kris Russell, Columbus
42. Benoit Pouliot, Minnesota

What do all these players have in common? You guessed it, they are all part of the Cheap Thieves top notch farm system.

CNN.com's rumor mill said yesterday that Backstrom might not be interested in coming to the NHL this season or next. Not calling it gospel, just reporting what I read.

Link

Funny, because a tabloidish Swedish daily printed today that he had given his agent permission to negotiate with the Capitals late last night, effectively announcing he'd be coming to North America (there's no place the negotiations could stall really, he'll be getting the maximum). It's not officially confirmed yet, but when it is, lol@SI for being hockey retarded.

Please Daniel give Raycroft a chance...I guarantee you that he will be a top 10 goalie in this league very soon....Especially when the younger Leaf defenceman like Carlo C, Ian White and Stephane Kronwall develop....Just remember that this is his only 3yr in the NHL and only second as the number 1 starter....Also remember that he played for a mickey mouse franchise in Boston....

So the loss the difference in Rask and Pogge isnt that great when you look at the abilities of Raycroft...

Yup, lol @ retarded SI.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/

I'm excited looking at the Kings potential unit of Visnovsky and Jack Johnson on the Points with the forwards as Kopitar Cammalleri and Frolov.

I really think that the Kings, Caps and Pengs can be the big three teams over 2009-2015 if they manage to keep their core together with some decent goaltending.

Brown, Camelleri, Kopitar, Frolov, O'Sullivan, Pushkarev as the top 6 with Lewis behind as a well above average 3rd line center? So sick.

can't think of exactly who is there, but Chicago's power play is going to be real scary too in the next few years.

And this thread made me feel a little better that the Leafs, with White and Colaiacovo won't be too depressing in years to come.

Yeah, agreed. The Kings are well on their way to being a sick, sick team.

They traded Pushkarev as they didn't really like him. Or well Lombardi did not.

Besides Lewis there is also Scott Parse who I still believe is going to surprise a lot of people. Then there is 6'7" Brian Boyle who may play offense and he may play defense. He has been on D lately for BC as they have been short on defense and apparently is better at D then offense. Also he led Hockey East in scoring this year.

I really liked Pushkarev (from the 6 total minutes I've seen him play lol), but I had forgotten about Parse, don't know much about Boyle. Regardless it's a sick lineup.

I'm glad I know that now about Boyle, I was giving him a pretty hard look for a high FCHL draft pick. I'll have to keep an eye on him, but I liked his numbers as a College forward.

The problem that happened with Pushkarev that got him traded Lombardi basically said that he thinks he is a bigger **** then he really is. He believed this year he should be playing in the NHL so he didn't try in the AHL. Of course that didn't do anything for him.

Skille, Ruutuu, Havlat with Barker/Seabrook in the back should make for a very good pp unit, but I'm not sure it compares with Washington's.

plus toews

hmmm, never heard of him

Heh, I'm sure everyone I've looked at for the draft is on someone else's list as well. Tough to keep guys under wraps when we're all looking at the same information sources.

adam i am pretty sure i have looked at everyone lol! i have a ridiculous depth list already, thats what happens if you miss the playoffs!

I'm so glad I don't have the number one overall, I have no clue whatsoever what I would do with it. I think I'll have the 7th or 8th overall pick, and I've probably got 12 candidates for who I may take in that position.

My prospect list is stored on my home PC, so I can't say exactly, but I'm sure it has well over 150 names on it with stats and projections as well as which rounds I'd project each player to be drafted into the FCHL. I have at least 3 prospects from every NHL team along with their various stats, which league they're playing for currently, blah blah blah...

And I only have 7 picks this year. I think DannyG has something like 3 first rounders, be interesting to see what he does with them.

Pity the Biatch, I really wouldn't want 1st overall this year. Like I said, my head would asplode if I had that kind of pressure without a consensus #1 prospect. I can't wait for our first entry draft, that's going to be a good day.

i'm a little obsessed no doubt. i'll probably do a mock draft when the final positions are set. i think i pick 6th and 7th. i got 6 names for that first pick so i am good for at least one of those guys, goes to show how deep the draft is really.

I have a deal somewhat in place for an unnamed pick, but I only want it if two specific players are available (or if a few players inexplicably drop). I am hesitating on pulling off the trade because I have absolutely no idea where those players will fall. They could go in the first round or they could drop to the third round.

My only hope is that either Jens Karlsson or Hugh Jessiman are still available when I make my selection. They're right at the top of my list.

i know 1 of them, he'll be available past my first round picks i'd have thought. if it was the same guy as before

Good old Jens. Wanted too much too soon.

Back on topic, Minnesota should have a good powerplay for years. Obviously there is Gaboric, but they have some interesting D and Bouchard is an unreal passer. Lemaire is also very creative with his PP schemes.

If Bertuzzi can get relatively healthy, I really like the thought of Tuzz, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom and Schneider. It makes me a little hard each time I think about it...

It looks so good on paper, but wait until Bertuzzi starts taking penalties 30 seconds into the PP instead of going to the net. Trust me, after 5 games Holmstrom will be in front of the net and Bertuzzi will be playing entirely on the perimiter, unless something drastic changes.

HUGH'S MAKING A COMEBACK BABY, AND GUESS WHO'S GOT HIM ON THE FARM!!!!!!!

wow, you guys got a head-start eh? i'm a bit confused by our schedule - when's the FCHL entry draft?

and I have done absolutely no research, so i actually wasn't kidding when I said that name was new to me. though with 3 first-rounders and 5 of the first 15 picks, i should have a fun time at the draft!

is it going to be possible to trade mid-draft? for instance, if someone gets worried that their guy is going to be gone, they could (hypothetically) contact someone with a few picks ahead of them and trade up?

You guys should be able to, makes no sense not to allow it. NHL GM's do it all the time.

Yeah, I don't see anyone having a problem with mid-draft trading. My services as a draft consultant are available for a modest fee (2 of those 1st rounders, for instance).

The Hawks are going with 4 forwards 1 defense this year under Savard. Who knows what they'll do next year, but my guess would be Toews, Ruutu, Bourque, Havlat and Barker. Byfuglien has a huge shot, and Keith has speed, so they have a lot of options.

Sorry I meant to put Toews in there obviously. Byfuglien hasn't really shown anything other than he's a monster so far.

They are trying to get him to lose some weight and gain a little quickness. They want him to shoot, he has 14 shots in 7 games this year and had 45 in 25 games last year. Percentage wise, he is well above most Hawk defenders (not shooting %, just shots compared to games). Bombs away!

David Bolland will be on the Hawks PP with Toews and Havlat within 2 years I garauntee it. Bolland will be on that team if for nothing else as a PP specialist.

The LA PP will probably be the best, followed closely by those Pitt kids.

The front 3 on that Washington PP will be quite good for sure, but having a real PP QB on the point really makes the PP go. Show me one good PP in the NHL without at least one super stud offensive D man. Don't bother looking because you won't find one.

New York Rangers

Err I don't really consider the 8th best PP to be an elite one, but I guess thats close.

the blindsides own michal rozsival man's the NYR point. the guy has become a good producer this season - 40 point guy. still has a little room for improvement too.