Early draft day winners?

[joel]

[tiger]

you were last year's winner, of course you're still a contender for this year.

The only way you wouldn't be a contender is if you traded your team with Keian's...oh wait...almost happened.

[joel]

the stars somewhat aligned for my team last year, with injuries for wats, bad luck with goalie picks with your team.

and i got some good luck capitalizing on hot streaks for subbing players when my starters got injured too.

it definitely made things interest to start when elle and tys were leading in the first week and i was spending the first week in the bottom five though. lots of ups and downs last year.

i really can't wait for the start of this season.

I am still really eager to see what players make their respective NHL squads too and see how the draft pans out in the "shorter" term.

preseason has been pretty interesting as players are trying to impress management.

[Duncan]

i'm not sure if it's because i'm paying more attention to the youth this year, but it seems like coaches are having a deeper look at their youths this year than in years past. I know for sure AV is giving the kids more of a chance to prove themselves this year. anyone else notice this?

[joel]

i think most of the preseason "looks" for young players is more about their development then them actually getting a roster spot. Most teams will only have 1-3 spots actually available for a prospect to win. And the majority of those spots are typically in the bottom 6 fowards or bottom d pairings.

guys are also auditioning, to determine which of them may be first callups throughout the season. full vet lineups are almost always reserved for the last 2-3 preseason games. At that point most teams will have their rosters cut down to around 25 if not 22 already.

[tyson]

[tiger]

inside voice! inside voice!!

[Duncan]

i think there are actually a few playing guys who can put up some decent points for contending teams... if tys didn't remind joel about grabo, he could've picked up some other point producing vets who were (and still are) out there to be picked up...

[tiger]

um...maybe not b/c it was his 2nd pick in the waiver and he only had 1 more waiver pick left and ended picking Salak. Since there were only 4 more guys to make waiver picks, he would have had to remember Grabo in the next 5 minutes, if he picked Salak with the 2nd waiver pick instead. Plus Joel was specifically looking for a backup center. Not many #1 centers left. Plus it seemed like he was focussing on prospects at the time.

[joel]

I was going to pick Salak first and then look for the backup C with the last pick. I would have gone back to my list and seen grabo and still selected him if available.

When tys mentioned grabo and reminded me he was still available, I was thinking I should reverse my order as grabo was #1 on my depth C list and wasn't sure if Jai or Keian would have targeted him the next round. I thought I had a better chance to land Salak after still.

Had grabo been gone I'd have probably gone with peverly. The difference which could be relatively minor seeing as this is still just a depth pick. There's a chance that grabo doesn't hit my line-up.

this is much different than the byfug situation that could have possible won you the championship last year. grabo won't win anyone any championships.

[jeSteR]

You are correct.. Grabo was on my list and I would have taken him had you not.

[Duncan]

So here's an update of the top 10 draftees in 2011 so far:

1. RNH - Stays with Oil 11-5-6-11 plus 4... last oiler to go 11 in the first 11 games was gretz... nuff said
2. Landeskog - Stays with Col 11-4-3-7 plus 3 (not to mention 2nd behind McLeod in hits, and 1st in shots on goal for the avs)
3. Huberdeau - Signs a contract but gets sent back to Jrs with the last round of cuts. 10-7-15-22 on the Sea Dogs. Over 2 ppg pace
4. Larsson - Lou says he'll stay but is 9-0-0-0 and minus 4 so far this season.
5. Strome - Same with Huberdeau, gets sent back to Jrs during final cuts and is 8-6-5-11 on the Ice Dogs
6. Zibanejad - Plays 9 games, and gets sent back to Djurgardens. was 9-0-1-1 and minus 3 over that period.
7. Scheifele - Plays 7 games and gets sent back to Jrs. was 7-1-0-1 on the Peg after a stellar preseason. Tearing it up in the O right now with the Colts. 3-2-6-8
8. Couturier - Sticks with the team and is 11-2-2-4 and plus 5 playing 2nd/3rd line minutes
9. Hamilton - Sent back to Jrs and is putting up a monster season so far on the Ice Dogs with 14-7-16-23.
10. Brodin - just to round out the top 10, but Brodin doesn't seem to be getting much of a chance as an 18 yr old on a veteran team in the SEL. He's 17-0-2-2

Personally, i think Larsson isn't ready for NHL action, but the devils are so thin on their backend...

[joel]

Larsson is NHL ready. He is second only to Kovie on that team for average ice time. He's already spent 2 full years playing with men in Sweden. Being NHL ready is not about how many points you can put up.

[Duncan]

i didn't really make any connection between pts and nhl ready. it's just that from what i've seen and read, he seems like he could use some seasoning.. but then again, i haven't seen a whole lot. and also, if a guy like bieksa can play in the nhl and make 4.5mil/yr, i guess anyone can play in the nhl lol

[joel]

Yea i just meant his 9-0-0-0 -4 is not really as telling as his 23 minutes a game he keeps getting. I am not sure what sources indicate that he's not ready, but the 23 minutes average tells me he is ready. From most the scouting reports i read in the summer, he and landeskog were considered the most nhl rdy picks from this past draft as well.

His best strengths by scouts were in regards to his poise, both with and without the puck. Physically he could still fill out a bit more. Regarding his production he may never produce big or he may take a year or two to get there like most D. I think that's still up in the air, but I think he'll be full time (playing a top 4 Drole) in the NHL for the next 10-15 years.