The final CSS rankings for the draft came out today and Kyle Turris from BC Tier II hockey has claimed the #1 spot.

I'm pretty surprised (not shocked though since I read this blog post a while back) at the drop that Esposito took. From #1 to #8, that's pretty brutal...

Not sure how many Euros will end up being picked up in the first round, but now that the Sens are guaranteed to draft in the bottom 8, I wouldn't mind seeing them pick up Logan Couture. Many centers that played under Brian Kilrea for the 67's have ended up as decent NHLers (Peca, McAuley, Bell off the top of my head). Haven't seen the kid play live, but I've heard lots of good stuff about him. Not sure he'll still be available when our pick comes around though.

My guess is that the way the actual draft will go down will be quite different than these rankings............(little voice in the back of my head...No s**t Sherlock, that's what always happens !)

in my opinion couture will be gone by 12. the guy has been struggling with mono for 3 months this year but that isnt the kind of ailment which is likely to reoccuring as far as i know, unlike a trick hip or dodgy groin.

the rankings this year are crazy. iss, csb, redline and mckeens all have totally different opinions of who should go where. it wouldnt surprise me if gm's end up pulling names out of a hat come the end of june. one thing that seems to be obvious to me is that teams will be drafting a lot more for need this year as bpa won't be clear cut at all. aside from the top 5 maybe.

personally, i think it'll be:

Kane
Turris
Voracek
Cherapanov
Alzner

though van riemsdyke could go anywhere upto 2 too.

Chicago doesn't know who they want, and will very likely trade the pick.....

...to Montreal.

mmm Pat Kane in a habs jersey.... suhhweet.

Gainey is definitely looking to move up. I'm thinking he wants to move up to get Esposito.

Say it ain't so....

With this draft class of unsure things, who's really going to give up that much for the #1 overall when you could get a similarly talented player (for all anyone really knows) with the #12 or 15 pick?

I see Chicago's POV, but it would be foolish to trade out of the top 10 for anything Montreal would be willing to give up (ie - Samsonov, Kovalev, pick package, etc). Better to guarantee you'll get the player you want, especially with all the talent they have on the way up already.

At this point I do not even think Gainey has to move up to get Esposito.

Gruven, you hear anything about what LA is thinking with the fourth pick?

I'd agree with that, Espo's fallen a long way.

I'd have to think that LA's wet dream would be to get their hands on Cherepanov, but I don't think he'll fall past Phoenix, personally.

In my view, if the draft order holds the same as it stands today, the top five will be:

1. Chicago - Patrick Kane
2. Philadelphia - Jakub Voracek
3. Phoenix - Alexei Cherepanov
4. LA - Kyle Turris
5. Washington - Sam Gagner or one of the top D-men (Ellerby or Alzner), depending on which direction they go.

That would be a mistake IMHO. There has always been a lot of hype surrounding Esposito, but for all the hype, it seems there are as many naysayers about his character.

When I think back about the way he came into the QMJHL, I'm not sure I'll ever have a lot of respect for that kid. His agent (his dad I believe, but I may be mistaken), told everybody that he was heading to the NCAA, but he had a secret deal with Patrick Roy that he'd only play for the Quebec Remparts. He would have been an automatic #1 pick in the midget draft, but Quebec got him at like the #13 spot cause everybody thought he was going to play in the NCAA. Whatever, sleazy move, I have no choice but associating it in my mind with the shenanigans Lindros pulled back when the Nordiques drafted him. (Serge, I have a feeling that you have an opinion here, and if you do, pray tell, you might get me on tilt tonight...)

But, back to my first thought, if the Habs want to move up to get the #1 pick and Kane, that would be a very good move, again IMHO. Now, is there a deal to be worked out, I don't know, there are a lot of options. There is no untouchable on the Habs roster (OK maybe Begin, but that's it, I'm not kidding...pretty much every Habs fan I know wouldn't mind seeing anyone else traded away). Chicago definitely needs a few top 6 forwards so I'd say Kovalav, Bonk and Montreal's 1st rounder going to Chicago for the #1 pick. My 2 cents...

EDIT...doh, Bonk is an UFA...

"Secret deals" are quite common in the junior ranks.

Begin? LOL He's a very good role player for Montreal but I'd trade him before Latendresse or Plekanec or Kostitsyn or Higgins or etc...

And Esposito won't last until #12. I'm predicting he goes about 8th.

i really have no opinion..other than hoping the Leafs get someone decent at #13

Begin is the overwhelming fan favourite here. I woudn't trade the 4 you named either, but in a blockbuster deal, most Habs fans probably wouldn't mind letting one of those go...

And secret deals...yeah, concerning imports and marginal players, sure, but you rarely see this kind of deal involving top end talent.

No opinion on the Lindros / Nordiques saga ? That's what might get me on tilt...

I'm too young to remember it in detail, but I remember when he first came into the league. I got a Score hockey card of him sitting without a jersey on, with like all of the teams jerseys hanging behind him.

I also remember that I traded away his rookie card for a SJ logo card because it looked cool.

My Dad got mad at me, lol.

lol grade 2 (or 1 or 3 or whatever it was)

Pat Kane, Sam Gagner and Philip McRae were all going to play in the US until they were drafted and convinced to play for London.

To Philadelphia - Eric Lindros

To Quebec - Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextall (later traded for a pick that would be used on Adam Deadmarsh, who in turn was later traded for Rob Blake), Chris Simon, Mike Ricci (later traded to San Jose for the pick that brought Alex Tanguay), Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, a 1993 1st Round Pick (Jocelyn Thibeault, later part of a trade for Patrick Roy), a 1994 first round pick (ultimately used by Washington to select Nolan Baumgartner), and $15 million in cash.

Or more simply put:

To Philadelphia - Eric Lindros

To Quebec (Colorado) - The 1996 and 2001 Stanley Cups.

Excellent write up here.

That's not the story I meant.

Nordiques draft Eric Lindros #1 overall.

Eric Lindros refuses to ever sign for the Nordiques...daddy thought he was better than that...or whatever...

He made that abundantly clear well before the draft, and they took him anyway.

I think it worked out.

That part I don't remember too well.

But still, what a jackass. Nobody else has ever tried to pull that shit, in any major pro sport.

EDIT: Yes, I am starting to tilt...

BOOYA

HUH? Eli Manning did it 3 years ago, John Elway before him. I'm sure its happened in other sports too.

*cough* Eli Manning *cough* *cough*

*Edit* Dammit.

Well, nobody except for Mario Lemieux.

One of the really interesting things about that deal is that it was held up for quite some time and ALMSOT didn't go through because of a parent not wanting their son to go play in Quebec....

Think you know the story??? Thing again.....










AFTER all the hoopla about Carl and Bonnie Lindros not wanting Eric to play in Quebec, the deal was finally in place for Eric to go to Philly. And THEN..... an irate father made it clear that under NO circumstances would his son be going to Quebec. The player? Ryan Sittler. THe father? Darryl. The only difference between Lindros and Sittler was that Darryl did it quietly while the Lindros camp did it publicly. The trade was held up for a considerable time while they re-structured it to not include Flyer Sittler.....

HUH ??? Say what ?

EDIT: Sorry to bump your post gruven...that is some CRA-ZY s**t I just learned.

Back in June 1984 at the NHL entry draft session, Mario publicly refused to don the sweater of the Pittsburgh Penguins who had just made him their first pick. The reason? Young Mario was holding out to be the first top draft pick to be paid $1 million, and he and the Penguins had not been able to reach an agreement before draft day.

Mario was so childish/naive around draft time, and his junior years.

I read a bunch of the tribute books to him when he first retired, and I got that general feeling about his early years.

Scoring 133 goals (and 282 points) in 70 games, then a further 29-23=52 in 14 playoff games would give anyone a bit of "it's all about meeeeeeeee" syndrome, methinks.

One story I remember, when he wanted to pick his number for junior, he told his agent he wanted to wear 99 like Gretzky, but they told him to be unique, so he flipped it upside down to 66.

I just found that kinda funny.

FYP

Maybe some of that too.