Draft Reviews

[gopenguins]

Just curious, as we were all PMing these to Steve to post on the league website and hardly any of these were seen, should we re-post them here on the forum, or send them on to Ryan to add to the new website? Steve teased us by adding links to pages that did not exist.

[Andrew]

Hmm.. I'll have to hunt that down then. Sorry Jesse, but if I have to write it over again then it's going to be really half-assed.

[Derrick - Senators]

id say we should post them on the site for now since the new site will be pretty basic for starters. in time however, they will be added to that as part of the "archives." so for now, we will just sticky a thread and post them for all to see. (assuming everyone still has theirs.)

[gopenguins]

Well, here is my review of the Sens again, though it was one of the couple that did actually get posted so it might be old news. Still, it belongs in this thread...

Ottawa Senators Draft Card

C- Datsyuk, Arnott, Kopitar, J. Williams
LW- Ovechkin, Semin, Schremp, M. Bell
RW- Selanne, St. Louis, Eaves, G. Murray
D- Lidstrom, Zidlicky, S.Souray
F - D. Penner

G- M. Brodeur, C. Huet, J.S. Giguere

Ottawa has had a successful draft for sure. New GM Derrick has gone for an intriguing blend of experience, youth and performance at almost every position on offense, but on defense, went for proven established stars.It is hard to argue with any of the picks, and with the exception of only drafting three defensemen, this roster looks set to compete for this season and beyond. If a couple of his players do not play this year, the championship might be out of reach, but when they are all playing, Derrick can ice a team to skate with the best of them. Here's a positional summary.

C - Datsyuk, Arnott, Kopitar, J. Williams

A really nice unit here, with Kopitar being the only unproven player here. He is projected to be a great NHLer but whether he can impress the new regime in Los Angeles and unseat some of the vets clogging up the top two lines remains to be seen. Thankfully Datysuk knows how to score in the regular season, so its reasonable to expect big numbers from him.

Both Arnott and Williams had stellar years, piling up points on two of the NHLs hottest regular season teams. Arnott also brings grit and PIMs, making him an ideal fantasy player. The only question marks on these two are whether they can repeat last year's effort. Arnott might be with a new team, which may be why he slid a little. Of course, sometimes a change in scenery can ignite a career (Kovalev from NY to Pitt) or stunt it (O'Neill from Car to Tor).

Overall grade: B+ (if Kopitar plays to the level expected, or Semin lights it up as a C, its a A/A-)

RW- Selanne, St. Louis, Eaves, G. Murray

A bunch of skilled vets here, along with an injection of youth in the shape of Eaves. In Selanne, Derrick has a proven goal scorer, and a bona fide leader of his team. After a slump in form, Selanne really rebounded when back with the Ducks, piling up the points. It's reasonable to expect more of the same as that Ducks team matures and improves. Murray is getting old, but he still knows how to find the twine. A real good roster player who knows what it takes to score, he represented great value when Ottawa took him.

St. Louis had a solid campaign, but more is expected of him, and there is no reason why he shouldn't rebound considering the skill level Tampa has surrounding him. Talk of him being dealt last year may have had an impact on his game. Perhaps a change of scenery will work for him? Finally, but not leastly, there's Eaves. Burst onto the scene last year, his hustle, energy and skillset surprised many fans who did not know much about him. Playing for Ottawa, he took his opportunity to shine, and should have ensured he's seen the last of Binghampton. Eaves can play on all lines, but for Derrick's sake, he hopes Eaves secures a spot on the top two lines.

Overall Grade: A- (only because Eaves might not be a top six winger and thus not ideally the best for fantasy purposes)

LW - Ovechkin, Semin, Schremp, M. Bell

Definitely the plan is to inflict some Capital Punishment at LW. Semin likely will end up at center, which may hurt this position depth but definitely will add to the burgeoning ranks at C. He is anticipated in Washington next year and should link up with rookie phenom and number one overall pick Ovechkin in what many feel will be a potent combination. Semin has talent, and the hockey world knows that Ovechkin has all word talent. There is a lot of youth at this position, and the two Capitals should help each other in posting some slick numbers next year and for many years after.

In Schremp, Ottawa has themselves another potential starlet. Edmonton's success this year has all been without the talented playmaker, so adding him to what they already have should make the Oilers one scary team. For a player like Schremp, you would make room on the top two lines, assuming he can reproduce the form he's shown at all other levels. Bell was a nice find in the later rounds. Young, powerful and with scoring upside, Bell should do nicely. The only thing potentially hampering his output is the fact Chicago are lacking skilled teammates for him, so he will have to graft hard for points. Still, his upside is high. Penner projects as a LW and a C, and he potentially looks like becoming a major factor for the Ducks. I'll throw him in here as a LW. Powerful, strong and with a scoring touch, he could become a fantasy monster. A very versatile player, he will be an ideal roster filler for fantasy teams, as long as he remains in the NHL and keeps producing.

Overall Grade: A- (Ovechkin almost gets him this grade alone. I think Semin may play C, and there's no guarantee Schremp will be in the NHL next year).

D- Lidstrom, Zidlicky, S.Souray

Defense wins championships, and Derrick seems to have laid the groundwork for that. He only has the 3 right now, but whoever he adds will be hard pressed to raise the overall grade, as these three project to be top notch. Age is a little concern, but Derrick has the opportunity to address this during the farm and prospect draft. What he has now is proven veteran talent who can D up, and score to boot. Lidstrom is the best defensemen in the NHL, though there are a few young guns emerging to try to surplant him. Still, he doesn't look like he plans on letting youth take his title just yet, piling up yet more points. His output would lead a lot of teams and many a scoring winger would love to match even Lidstrom's weakest season (of which he rarely has one).

Zidlicky also knows how to rack up points, and he figures to be up there in scoring for defensemen year after year. He is playing for a great team, and there's no reason to believe he will not pile up big numbers every season provided he remains healthy. Souray is not quite as explosive offensively as his two teammates, but he does contribute. He also adds grit and experience. He did not have his best year last year, but when on his game, he can light it up.

Overall Grade: A. Whoever is iced as the 4th defenceman will be hard pushed to improve on what is already here. Lidstrom is a perrenial all star and one of the best ever at his position.

G- M. Brodeur, C. Huet, J.S. Giguere

An interesting mix here, with a veteran workhorse, a surprise package, and a fallen star. Brodeur is the workhorse and knows how to win. Even after a sub-par start to a season last year, he rebounded magnificently to post up very respectable numbers. He has shown no signs of tiring, but possibly in the next year or two, the Devils will have to consider giving him some nights off to keep him sharp and rested.

Huet is the surprise package. Not expected to see much icetime behind Theodore, he got the opportunity when Theodore struggled, and made the most of his chance. He quickly won over the fans with his performances, and established himself as the number one choice. Theodore ended up getting dealt. It remains to be seen if Huet was an anomoly or if he is just emerging late as a boda fide starter. However, with Carey Price not being ready, the Canadiens do not have any other serious contenders other than Aebischer, and the fans have made it pretty clear who they support.

Gigeure is the fallen star. He actually still had a really solid campaign, but the fact he lost his job in the playoffs to his backup certainly impacted his draft status. He got picked well after his backup, but may well end up being the better pick. Value-wise, he was a great pick as he should start somewhere, whether it be in Anaheim, or perhaps in Detroit. Derrick's astute pick left a few other GMs cursing their bad luck at just missing out. Gigeure's play could have everyone cursing at not drafting him higher.

Overall Grade: A. Huet is still a bit of a wildcard, but in Brodeur and Gigeure, the position is in great hands. There are a lot of good young goalies still available for Derrick to add to his farm team.

Overall Team Grade: A. Derrick did a great job in the draft, and has managed to add youth to every forward position to go with proven talent. If everyone plays in the NHL lnext year and to their expected level, this is going to be a contending team.

[patriot0103]

andrew1125 said:

Hmm.. I'll have to hunt that down then. Sorry Jesse, but if I have to write it over again then it's going to be really half-assed.

haha, its all good, honestly I still have to write yours. Hell can partners agree to skip it? lol

Nah, I don't wanna ruin the idea, I'll write one up.

[Andrew]

Buffalo Sabres - Draft Review

Centers: Malkin, Carter, Parise, Steen, Forsberg, Higgins, Zapragan

With only a quick glance at Jesse’s C’s, anyone could tell you that these C’s are going to cause some serious damage. With news of Forsberg’s return early in the season, Jesse’s questionable late pick turned out to be the steal of the draft. This group has a downside, as there are a number of “what-ifs” specifically involving Malkin coming to play this season and Forsberg being made of glass. However, I would say Carter, Steen, and Higgins are headed for big success in the near future. Parise and Zapragan have high ceilings but I am not as certain regarding those two.

Grade: A

Malkin’s complications regarding playing in the NHL, combined with the Forsberg injury-proneness hold me back from the A+. Furthermore, Steen and Higgins could be seeing some eligibility changes, so the C department won’t be quite as populated. Still, great job with the C’s.

Right Wingers: Gaborik, Perry, Knuble, Perezhogin

Much like his C’s, he made an early selection for an elite talent (2nd round Gaborik) and then made another late selection, taking Knuble 188th overall. Again, with Forsberg starting the season Knuble’s stock rises considerably. Seems like there’s no love for Flyers in this league. Then there’s the one and only Corey Perry who is doing fine in Anaheim and will only improve.

Grade: A-

Right wing tends to be a hard position to fill in my experience, and Jesse’s draft position and strategy allowed him to take one of the game’s top RW in the second round. Perry and Perezhogin will only get better, but as for next season they won’t be huge stars, and it’s questionable who will be worth a keeper slot at the end of the season.

Left Wingers: Tanguay, Frolov, Morrow

A little short in the LW department, but there is a possibility that Steen’s eligibility could change as he played most of the season as the top line LW. This is an interesting mix of LW; each on of these guys brings a certain thought immediately to my mind. First off, Tanguay: “Iginla”. We all expect big things in Calgary, although a defensively minded team for the past few years now, everyone is expecting that the change of scenery will not hurt Tanguay’s numbers. Second, Frolov: “Unreliable”. Looking at last season, Frolov went through stretches where he would produce and then do nothing for a few games. With Demitra now gone, Frolov’s play should take a hit, but his youth is something that all owners like about him. And last, Morrow: “PIM”. Although that’s not the only thing he brings to the table, he is the most valuable forward in this department, possibly with the exception of one loudmouthed former King if he signs.

Grade: B

The left wings look good, but considering all of the great left wingers in the league, this bunch looks average. Morrow’s PIM numbers should have a big say in that category which makes him very reliable. These guys have a high upside, but I am not entirely optimistic about them.

Defense: Jack Johnson, Cam Barker

Grade: C

Two defensemen aren’t going to cut it. It is usually a good idea to draft your forwards first unless you see something special so I won’t criticize this decision. Jesse will redeem this grade with some sleeper prospect picks and players from the free agent pool.

Goaltenders: Fleury, Toivonen, Aebischer, Montoya

Not a bad mix here. Fleury was a good pick at 40th overall but I wouldn’t rely on him for anything more than .900 SV% 3.00 GAA in Pittsburgh. Once that team gets their game together, he’ll be much more valuable than the 40th overall pick, but for the time being he’ll be holding back the fantasy team I believe. Toivonen was a good pickup with the recent changes and the Raycroft trade. He should be a fantastic goalie, worthy of being the starting goalie on many fantasy teams. Aebischer’s playing time will be minimal, but after signing a 2 million dollar contract, I would assume that he will be traded.. or even a tandem goalie if Huet makes a mistake. Montoya is a great prospect, a good pick at 173rd, but he won’t see any ice time behind Lundqvist and Weekes.

Grade: B

If Pittsburgh can turn around their game anytime soon, change this rating to an A and I would have no argument. If Thomas reappears in Boston and plays like he does, then I could see Toivonen’s time getting cut down eventually, but he will certainly be the starter at the beginning of the season and a damn good one. These goalies are average to me at this point though, since Fleury isn’t quite a superstar at this point due to the Penguins’ defensive troubles.

Overall Team Grade: B+

I worry that this team isn’t quite balanced at this point, and there are a number of players I feel will not reach their potential. But if Malkin plays in the NHL, Fleury’s squad musters up some wins, Frolov surprises me, and Parise and Perry have a good year, then Jesse’s in great shape. A pair of good FA Dmen to complete his team would bump the grade up as well. As you can see I’m hard to please, the glass is always half empty.

[bengoavs]

G: Overall grade C.

Luongo: A, Probably the best and most talented goalie in the league. Playing on an improving Cats team shouldn't hurt either. Tons of games started every season. Great pick which could even prove smarter than taking Kiprusoff.

Cloutier: D, There's some sleeper potential in here, even though Danny is not a favorite to be the Nucks' starter next season. Even if he does get the 1st guy job, he never was a top goalie, and wouldn't emerge as one.

If Dan isn't the starter there is some serious problem here.

C: Overall grade B

How can you spot an undercover sabers fan? Here's how.
Briere: A-, Roy: C+, Connolly: B-, I'd never take three C's from one team but that could prove as an effective strategy. The Sabers were the most line balanced team and those 3 got some talent in hand.

Horcoff: B-, the talentmeter doesn't get too high here as I see it. Most of his goals come from physical play which is good, but not sure the assists will keep coming. The number 1 Oil C spot might get out of reach. Robbie Schremp is in the house.

Rolston: B+, can't hide my love for this guy. X-Avs always have a place in my heart (unless they sucked). With no relation to my team, Rollie is just great. A little old tho.

Brindamour, Pisani: D, I don't see this duo getting too productive. Maybe it's just me.

LW: Overall grade A-

Elias: A-, No more hepipatermis or however you call that. He's healthy and he's one of the best LW in the league.

Gagne: A-, some relate his breakout season to a guy called Forsberg. With Peter half dead, look for a decrease in his production, which will still be respectable.

Tkachuk: B-, A Mcdonald's free season, with some milk to keep the bones intact, can get you a very good power forword like we seen for about 10 games this year.

Malone, Kunitz: D, Some potential in here. Instant profit if they play on scoring lines.

RW: Overall grade C+

Bertuzzi: B-, big Bert is in a slump for two seasons now, after showing everyone that he's a top 5 forward and a top 1 murderer. He can still bounce back to top form, but it'll probably require a plane out of Vancouver.

Sullivan: B, 666 games played. Watch out. Still a good pick.

Kotalik: C-, good enough as a third RW, but nothing better than that.

D: Overall grade B-

Quality over quantity was the formula here. Visnovsky: A-, a very mobile high scoring defenseman who tends to be streaky, and Timonen: B, who can be defined the same, are not enough to give a full solid defense.

Overall Team Grade: B

I wouldn't get too confident before facing this team, but won't wet my pants either. I think the key guys are Cloutier (If he can get the starter job) Gagne and Horcoff (If they can stay productive without their linemates) Tkachuk (If he can stay healthy and in shape!).