NHL Draft

[RPI-Fan]

WTF was Pittsburgh thinking?

Carolina had no reason to take Fleury (they've got Weekes), and Florida wouldn't have traded the pick if they wanted Fleury.

No wonder Pitt is in the fucking shitter. It's hard to feel bad for them when they make awful, awful moves like that.

Samuellson is a legit player (got to see a lot of him on MSG), and to give him up for no reason is redonculous.

Also, the ESPN coverage seems a bit lacking - no draft board, the vignettes on players just don't have a personal feel.

[Fidatelo]

Florida likely would have traded the pick to another team if it wasn't Pittsburgh. As for Samuelsson, he likely earns more than the league minimum, which is apparently too much for a Pittsburgh player these days...

[Draft Dodger]

Fidatelo beat me to the punch.

[Ragone]

And whats up with this

"The Pittsburgh Penguins would like to select"

Is it just a suggestion? And i'm waiting for this

"I would thank Nashville for their hospitality like every other gm, but i'll say what every other gm wanted to say and to be quite honest, this town sucks.."

and further more

"The New York Rangers would like to select Wayne Gretzky!"

[henry296]

A couple of points

1. The coverage really is the TSN coverage that ESPN is picking up.

2. The Penguins must have really wanted the goalie. There were other offers to move up to #1. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Flyers had made an offer that would have included Justin Williams and there #1 pick put Florida wanted to stay in the Top 3 and took the Penguins offer.

3. I am not a big fan of picking Fleury who want be ready for a couple of years. The Penguins really need goal skaters. The defense is awful and there really is nobody who can score without Lemieux on the ice. Hedberg and Caron are not that bad.

4. Fleury was far and away the best goalie in the draft. He had a 910 save percentage in Junior and was the goalie for the Canadian World Junio Championship team.

Todd

[Fidatelo]

I like what the Penguins did. They have pretty much dumped their entire team, except Lemieux and Straka, so no matter what they did this off-season they weren't going to be anything but a cellar-dweller anyways. They are clearly in survival mode, just planning to get through this season and hope that the CBA goes their way. Assuming a lockout of 1 or 2 years, they will be ready to re-enter the league with a team that is chock full of players on the verge of maturing, and now also a nice young goalie that can lead the team for a decade or more.

[bbor]

I'm pretty sure Carolina would have taken Fluery if he was on the board....Goalies are notoriesly slow to get to the NHL...Fluery is about 3-5 years away from making it..There fore...Weekes would not be in the picture at that time anymore.

[EagleFan]

The draft is today? I don't think I want to know what Bobby Clarke did this year. Somewhere in there he probably drafted a European player that he will place on a checking line (out of his element) and then trade because it didn't work out.

[SunDancer]

Go Sabres. Like that pick with Thomas.

They took Miller from Minnesota last year, or previous year. Think they'll come together to the pros?

[Draft Dodger]

Originally posted by EagleFan
The draft is today? I don't think I want to know what Bobby Clarke did this year. Somewhere in there he probably drafted a European player that he will place on a checking line (out of his element) and then trade because it didn't work out.

Hradek says:
Jeff Carter, C. The Flyers might have reached a bit by taking Carter at No. 11. The 6-3 center was ranked as the 27th North American skater by the league's Central Scouting Service, but the Flyers obviously saw something they liked. Remember, just a couple of years ago (1998), Philly stole Simon Gagne at No. 22. Did they make a similar heist? Not likely.

[Draft Dodger]

ps.
Bobby Clarke sucks.

[EagleFan]

Just heard on the radio on the way home. They picked up 4 freakin' centers today. A team that needs a defenseman that can bring the puck up ice and a goallie so they draft 4 people from the position that they already have too many of.

Hello!!!! Bobby!!!! Anyone In There!!!!

[condors]

Doesn't matter who clarke drafts as he will trade them away and overpay some 3rd liners and blame someone else when the team loses in the playoffs

[Cards4ever]

Originally posted by SunDancer
Go Sabres. Like that pick with Thomas.

They took Miller from Minnesota last year, or previous year. Think they'll come together to the pros?

Last year they took Ballard, a d-man that is not ready to go pro IMHO. He's a great offensive defenseman, but is sorely lacking in the defenesive skills to play D in the NHL. Vanek could be ready, but he enrolled in summer school, so, it will take a huge bonus to get him to jump this year. I would think it's possible to get both next year, but, Vanek will be there for sure next year.

[Cards4ever]

Dola

NJ got a bargain with Parise, I've watched him for a few years, and he just finished his freshman year of college. Zach has been on some kind of strength program, he looked good and he will be a excellent pro if he can add some muscle to all that speed and skill he has.

I see Ryan Potulny was drafted by Philly, we are excited to have him play for the Gophers, if he has one half of the mental strength of his brother, with his skill he should be damn good.
He was the playoff MVP for Lincoln in the USHL playoffs.


TB fans, I watched Smaby play for Shattuck, that kid makes my mouth water, a defenseman with excellent size and loves to hit, I wish he was also coming to the Gophers, but he is headed up to UND.

Stuart is a good pick for the Bruins, he had a great season at CC, but will probably need some more time before he is ready to play in the NHL.

[Tekneek]

Originally posted by condors
Doesn't matter who clarke drafts as he will trade them away and overpay some 3rd liners and blame someone else when the team loses in the playoffs

The only things that have kept the Flyers from winning the Stanley Cup for the past several years have been alternating battles with bad coaches and bad goalies...at least in Bobby Clarke's mind. Their failure is always followed by either bringing in a new goalie, running a goalie out of town, firing the head coach, or some combination of the above. I don't think there has been one off-season since Terry Murray's firing where one of the above did not happen (keep in mind, Terry Murray coached the Flyers into the Cup Finals that year, got fired, and the Flyers have not made it back since).

[Cards4ever]

Dallas took Gino Guyer, Mr Faceoff, in HS he was dominant as a faceoff guy. Had a good year as a freshman, excellent ice vision, good skater, excellent passer, if he continues to develop you've got a 5th round steal Sach.

[EagleFan]

Coaching the Flyers is a curse with Clarke around. Murray takes them to the finals and gets fired. Neilson gets diagnosed with cancer and gets pushed out the door. Baber goes from coach of the year to out the door thanks to Clarke's go over the coach's head theory of team unity.

I can still vividly picture the words coming out of Clarke's mouth about the Neilson situation. "the situation got complicated when Roger acquired cancer" Acquired it, I didn't know that was something that you traded for. Sorry, not making light of the Neilson situation, just that was one of the most insensitive statements that I had ever heard. Making it sound like this was somehow Roger's choise.

[sachmo71]

Originally posted by Cards4ever
Dallas took Gino Guyer, Mr Faceoff, in HS he was dominant as a faceoff guy. Had a good year as a freshman, excellent ice vision, good skater, excellent passer, if he continues to develop you've got a 5th round steal Sach.

I heart Cards. Your hockey knowledge is much appreciates.

So we've taken a face-off guy, a sniper, a thug, and a two way player this year. I wonder if Hicks is trying to build the team all over again?

[The Afoci]

Hey, I heard something on a sports station on the way to work about a player drafted who was abused bad by his dad, does anyone his name or where I can find the story?

[Karim]

That would be Patrick O'Sullivan. He has a restraining order in Canada against his father but not in the U.S. where he resides (he plays in Canada in the OHL for Mississauga).

[Karim]

Dola.

Here's the story:

http://msn.espn.go.com/nhl/draft2003...c/1571417.html