|
|
|
Menu
Draft
History Draft Profiles
'01 Draft Central
NYI Database News
//// //// //// //// |
Islanders 2007 Picks (Updated 6/13/07) 3rd Round - 62nd OR 63rd overall = Total: 5 Selections Picks Lost: * traded to Edmonton as part of the Ryan
Smyth deal = conditional if Islanders decide to take PHI's third round pick as part
of Zhitnik deal (or 2008 2nd rounder); ADDITION: I've seen this
documented in two places so it must have some validity. Apparently, the
Flyers have the right to swap their third round pick with Phoenix at
#63(don't ask me how they got it as I have been trying to research it
without success). Why they would do this for one slot I don't know. The
63rd pick right now is actually owned by Boston. But if the Flyers swap
then Boston would get Phoenix's third round pick in 2008 instead. Of
course this only matters if the Islanders decide to take the Flyers third
rounder. ^ traded to Dallas as part of Niinimaa for Erskine deal
From THN: In a best-case scenario, Mark Katic will develop the way Keith Ballard did and become a reliable NHL defenseman. In a worst-case scenario, he'll never play a game in the big leagues. And scouts seem pretty much split down the middle on their projections for him between the former and the latter. Katic is another small, skilled defenseman in a draft where there is plenty of them available. He's a very good skater who passes the puck well and can quarterback the power play, but often has trouble handling opposing physical forwards down low. After receiving rave reviews early in the season, Katic went on a downward spiral in the eyes of some scouts. "He just seemed to go backward as the season went on," one scout said. "I'm not sure that he's good enough for his size." islesinfo.com comment: I was looking at Katic alot early on in the 2006-07 season. He is probably one of the three best, fastest skaters in the draft along with Bill Sweatt and Stefan Legein. The Hockey News projects Katic as an offensive defenseman. The knock on him is he often gets caught out of postion trying to rush the puck, much like Bryan Berard use to do with the Islanders. So sometimes he tries to do too much and spends too much time trying to get back into the play. But hopefully he will improve for the Islanders sake because they can't afford Katic to be a miss prospect like THN says he could turn out to be. He only scored 5 goals in each of the last two seasons with Sarnia, so he should take a larger role for a power play quarterback in 2007-08. Hopefully he will go on to become one of the top scoring defensemen in the OHL starting next season. To be honest though, I compare him a lot to Chris Campoli. And the book is still out on Campoli's potential. Islanders Ontario Scout Tim MacLean: I first saw Mark Katic this summer at the Canadian Under-18 camp. He was a really dynamic skater. Then I saw him most of the season with Sarnia as the year went on. Mark has good offensive ability and moves the puck up the ice as well. He's small but not scared to work the body. When I met him in person, he was a very nice kid. Mark is a quiet young man, but he is a quality individual. (from nyi.com) Islanders Assistant GM & Director of Amateur Scouting Ryan Jankowski: Despite being undersized, Mark is a defenseman made for the new NHL. His vision and puck ability are high end. He has good awareness and has smart playmaking ability. Mark's forte is to control the game on the rush. He is a talented puck distributor on the power play. (from nyi.com) CSB: Central Scouting Report: A skilled offensive defenseman… is an excellent, elusive skater with great agility and lateral movement… passes hard and accurately…not afraid to battle on the boards…has a good wrist shot, but does not shoot often enough. Hockey Profile: Participated in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game for Team White… was a member of Team OHL for the Canada-Russia Challenge in 2006…named to the OHL All-Rookie Team in 2005-06… selected to the All-Star team at the Under-17 Junior World Cup in 2006… played for Team Ontario at the 2006 Under-17 World Championships… selected second overall by Sarnia in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection. Personal Profile: If he had the chance to have dinner with any three people he would invite: Bobby Orr – “he is the best defenseman ever", Toronto Maple Leafs’ legend Bill Barilko “he’s from my home town” and his grandpa – “to see what he was like because I never had the chance to talk to him”… most memorable hockey game: winning the gold medal at the Under-18 Championships – “it was the biggest game of my life and we came through”… most memorable hockey game watched: 2005 World Junior Championship gold-medal game – “it was the first gold that Canada won at the World Juniors that I would have been old enough to remember”… admires the late Terry Fox because “what he has done for cancer research is incredible”… credits his dad for having the most influence on his career because of his support and dedication as well as for always making an outdoor rink… patterns his game after Colorado’s John-Michael Liles and the Buffalo’s Brian Campbell because “they are small defensemen with skill”… always putting the right side of his equipment on first is part of his pre-game superstitions… favorites include: “slap shot low blocker” (shootout move), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL team), Scott Niedermayer (NHL player), Toby Keith (country singer), Invincible (movie), One Tree Hill (TV show), Owen Wilson (actor) and NHL 2007 (video game). Red Line Report's Kyle Woodlief: “For
me, Katic is the best-skating and best-passing defenseman in the draft. If
he were bigger, he’d certainly be a top-10 guy. He’s maybe barely 5-10
and 182 lbs,” Woodlief said. “Five years ago, he wouldn’t have even
been considered for first-round status. The skating ability and passing
ability helps him overcome concerns. I think he is going to go somewhere
in that range – 20-25 – even though we have him ranked a bit higher. ISS: Skill: Has great feet, quick, smooth and agile, tremendous skater- very tough to beat off the rush- Very good puck skills and hockey sense. Scouting Report: Katic has seen a steady decline in our rankings throughout the year. His size and strength deficiencies have been very evident when in physical battles and when defending in his own end without the puck. His tremendous puck smarts and skating skills give you a lot to like about his game, so it’s hard not to like this undersized prospect. With the addition of the veteran and offensively skilled defencemen, Ryan Wilson, the offense coming from Sarnia’s back end was spread out more and may have cut into Katic’s offensive production this year. Drafting Katic may be a little bit risky with his glaring physical deficiencies in mind, but there’s also a chance it may turn out being a smart pick with the new rules in mind. NHL Potential: A smooth skating, puck-moving d-man, PP specialist. Style compares to: Brian Campbell Report Card Red Line Report: Ranked 15th. Stated Katic is the best puck moving defenseman in the draft.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Mark Katic full profile
CSB: Ranking 145th Final Islanders Director of Pro Scouting & USHL Scout Ken Morrow: In two of the games I saw Jason, he had hat tricks, so he has some goal scoring ability. He was a very smart player and good around the net. What I liked best about Jason was that he came on at the end of the season, and consistently got better as the season progressed. Scouting the amateurs is a whole different ballgame than watching the pros. These are guys, who we might not see play for the Islanders for another five or six years, but this kid stuck out in my mind. (from nyi.com) Islanders Minnesota Scout Jim Hillman: Jason has deceiving speed and is good around the net. He takes advantage of his opportunities because of his quick hands. I got a chance to see him play with Lincoln of the USHL and he was effective at winning the one-on-one battles at both ends of the ice. I didn't expect him to be available this late in the draft. (from nyi.com) ISS: Draft Notes: Jason Gregoire - This smooth skating LW showed he is a good skater and has some good puck skills. Has a nice touch around the net. Notes: Scored 4 goals in 4 playoff games with Lincoln in 2007. - Winnipeg Sun: "I've talked to three teams," Gregoire said yesterday (June 20th). "Obviously they aren't going to tell me if they are going to draft me or not, but I am hearing good things." Those three teams include the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens. - Teammate Colby Cohen of the Lincoln
Stars when asked if he knows anyone he may be playing against one day in
the NHL: “Jason Gregoire for sure — he’s the total package, and
he’ll probably get drafted.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Jason Gregoire full profile
From THN: Gratchev was born in Russia, but played all his youth hockey in the United States and is now playing in the Quebec League. Scouts like the skill and gumption of Gratchev, who missed being draft eligible last year by 11 days. "He's a fireball," a scout said. "He's not a great skater, but he's quick from the faceoff circle to the net." Islanders QMJHL Scout Mario Saraceno: Max was originally drafted by Quebec of the QMJHL, but was traded to Rimouski. He's a high-energy and intense player, who can play on either wing. He's a guy with flare. Max is a player who never takes a shift off and has good skating ability. He's someone who would play well under Ted Nolan. He developed a good scoring touch this year. Max is effective on the power play, but can also kill penalties. We're all very happy we got him. I can see him one day suiting up for the Islanders. (from nyi.com) CSB: Central Scouting Report: A hard working forward with a good two-way game… has good speed and creates chances with his tenacity… carries the puck with confidence and has quick feet… needs to make better decisions with his passes and improve his on-ice awareness. Personal Profile: Nickname is Gratch… wears #93 because he arrived in America in 1993… admires his dad and credits him for having the most influence on his career because he has taught him everything… patterns his game after his favorite player, Buffalo’s Maxim Afinogenov – “he’s fast, skilled and is a scorer”… taking a nap and a walk are part of his pre-game rituals… most memorable hockey game played: 2006 Canada-Russia Challenge with the QMJHL “because it was a big rivalry”… most memorable hockey game watched: 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union… if he had the chance to have dinner with any three people he would invite: his childhood idol Sergei Fedorov, actor Jim Carey and former NFL coach Vince Lombardi “because he had a great passion for winning”… favorites include: Buffalo Sabres (NHL team), “fake shot and deke” (shootout move), NHL 2007 (video game), Prison Break (TV show),West Side Story (movie), Jim Carey (actor) and Metallica (group). ISS: Skill: Excellent puck skills - Strong on PP / PK - Reads the game well - Dangerous player in offensive zone - Quick release. Scouting Report: Highly skilled winger, with extremely good offensive instructs. He seems to be a step ahead with his vision/decision making which gives him a good passing game. Has a tremendous nose for the net. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level. His size, strength and d-zone play are still areas of concern. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level. NHL Potential: 2nd Line scoring Winger; quick feet and hands make him dangerous around net. Style compares to: Ales Kotalik.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Max Gratchev full profile
Saturday, 6/23/07 Final Update, 3:30 pm: Well, it was an interesting draft as usual. A bit of a quiet draft overall for the New York Islanders. Unlike last year when they turned 8 picks into 13, the Islanders were unable to pull off any moved Friday night or Saturday and came away with the 5 selections they were originally scheduled to take. If I have to give the Islanders an overall grade I would have to go with a B- for now. That could change after I think about it for a while because right now I am thinking B- at best and it may be a stretch. I want to like the pick of Mark Katic. I followed him earlier in the year and was excited about his progress. But as the year went on talk started to surface that he wasn't very good defensively. He's clearly an offensive defensive and as already discussed his speed is rivaled by only a few others in this draft. So with the NHL becoming more of a speed game that will be an asset. Yet he needs a lot of work in his own end and is prone to making mistakes. I also like the pick of Blake Kessel, Phil's brother, in the sixth round. I mentioned him in the bloodlines section of the islesinfo.com draft preview. He's slated to attend the University of New Hampshire in 2008, where he will probably play with second overall pick James vanRiemsdyk. Kessel put up some great offensive numbers with Waterloo in the USHL last season and he should dominate with another season in Waterloo. Another offensive defenseman for the Islanders. As for the other picks we will have to wait and see. Maxim Gratchev is an intriguing pick since the Russian has played the majority of his hockey all in the United States. He was described by Islanders scout Mario Saraceno as a Ted Nolan type of player. So that will be something to watch for. Jason Gregoire can be described as a good two way player. According to Islanders pro scout Ken Morrow, Gregoire is a potential goal scorer, while other accounts has him as a solid two way forward. Hopefully at least one of these two picks will pan out. The Islanders took a flyer on Simon Lacroix of Shawinigan in the QMJHL. Mario Saraceno had a good influence on this draft compared to seasons past. Lacroix is the third offensive defenseman the Islanders took in the draft. If he continues to develop correctly the Islanders will be hoping he is among the leagues top d-men scorers in the next two years. I thought perhaps the Islanders would select James Marcou of Kings Park perhaps in the 7th round but instead they went with Lacroix. Unfortunately though for Marcou, he once again was passed over in the draft for the second year in a row. Perhaps the Islanders will extend an invitation to Marcou for their Rookie Camp coming up next week. His bet bet is to hope someone gives him a shot through free agency. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 1:05 pm: The Dallas Stars selected C Ondrej Roman with pick #136 in the 5th round. They acquired this pick from the Islanders in the Niinimaa/Erskine trade. St. Louis just took tough D-man Anthony Peluso. They are having a great draft. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 11:05 pm: The Islanders just selected D Mark Katic with the #62 pick, first pick of the third round. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 11:00 pm: With the #46 pick overall, the pick the Islanders traded to Washington for Richard Zednik, the Capitals selected USDP D Ted Ruth. USHL #1 pick D Will Weber went #53 to Columbus. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 10:45 pm: St. Louis is wiping up in this draft. They just selected RW Aaron Palushaj, a high scoring winger from the USHL. Stefan Legein went #37 to Columbus. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 10:35 pm: D Kevin Marshall just went #41 overall to Philadelphia. Another ver good pick by them and possibly disappointing for the Islanders that he didn't slip. Speedy Bill Sweat went to Chicago at #38. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 10:25 pm: Four of the first 5 picks in the second round were d-men. So teams are starting to snatch up all the defensemen. Hopefully somebody good will drop to the Islanders. PHX just took Joel Gistedt #36 overall, the first goaltender taken in the draft. Saturday, 6/23/07 Update, 10:05 pm: Rounds #2-7 is about to begin. Stayed tuned for the Islanders picks, covered here in depth on islesinfo.com. End of First Round islesinfo.com Preview: Short But Sweet: Well, the first round is over and a lot of good players are off the boards. BUT, there still are some good players left to be had. The problem? There's still another round, another 30 picks, before the Islanders select. So that's another round of good players to be taken off the boards once the Islanders show up for pick #62. Obviously, the Islanders will probably be looking to fill some holes on defense for the future. Here is islesinf.com's rankings of who the Islanders should look at: D Tommy Cross - a 6'3" and 195 lbs.
d-man who will play in the USHL next year and attend BC in 2008-09. As far as forwards, alot of the players I mentioned in my draft preview prediction are still on the board. If the Islanders look to take a forward or move up and take one, they may go for one of the following: LW Bill Sweatt - the fastest player in
the draft. The American's offensive potential may be a question mark
though. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 9:45 pm: In news of the clueless, Chris Botta, the Islanders summer soapbox chimer, just stated on nyi.com that Bob MacKenzie had a scoop that Jason Blake was suppose to go to Anaheim for the #16 pick overall at the trade deadline. This has become pretty common knowledge over the last couple of months. ... The St. Louis Blues just selected David Perron. The Blues just selected a future star. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 9:35 pm: Pittsburgh just added Angelo Esposito, a kid who was ranked #1 before the season started. Esposito goes to a team that already has Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Whitney and Fleury. If that team doesn't win the Cup in the next few years we will be shocked and also very disappointed if they do. Yes, they are young but wow....stockpiled with top end young talent. ... Edmonton gets two great picks in Gagner and Plante, but Riley Nash when Jonathon Blum is still out there? I don't know. ... Good pick by Montreal with Pacioretty. Totally surprised they have gone so American is recent drafts. I thought for sure they would select Perron. I wish the Islanders could trade up for Perron. I think he's going to be a star. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 9:15 pm: The Anaheim Ducks selected C Logan MacMillan #19 overall. Congrats to the nephew of Billy MacMillan. All three Islander related kids are now gone: Sutter to Carolina, Gillies to Minnesota and MacMillan to Anaheim. On a side note, how did the Hockey News miss Ian Cole in their top 100 rankings? Still shocked Esposito and David Perron are still out there. Montreal will still probably get one of them at pick #23. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 9:02 pm: Disappointing to see the Rangers get Cherepanov. Hopefully this kid will not turn out to be the dynamic player some project him to be. Sorry to put the hex on the kid. But a big question mark on him is his work ethic. The Rangers have taken chances on similar players in the past and they didn't pan out. As for the Islanders it's disappointing they haven't been able to trade up. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:57 pm: Colton Gillies just went to the Minnesota Wild, who traded up three spots with Anaheim. Bob MacKenzie just stated Colton was the second cousin of Clark Gillies, but from all the research we've done, Colton is Clark's nephew. But anyway, congrats to Colton Gillies. By the way, the Islanders would have had this pick from Anaheim had they traded Jason Blake to the Ducks at the NHL trade deadline. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:50 pm: With the #15 pick overall that Edmonton gained from the Islanders in the Ryan Smyth deal, the Oilers selected D Alex Plante. So for Smyth the Islanders gave up Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson and 6'3", 225 lbs. Plante. A great pick for them. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:45 pm: Colorado just took New Rochelle's D Kevin Shattenkirk. Congrats to him. A very good pick by the Avalanche. Could Alexei Cherepanov slip to #62?? hehe Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:40 pm: St. Louis just selected LW Lars Eller who becomes the highest selected Dane in NHL Draft history. Eller is a very good sleeper pick. With the success of Frans Nielsen on the Island this year, scouts are starting to realize the talent in Denmark. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:35 pm: Montreal passed on the French players Esposito and Perron for an American from Minnesota, D Ryan McDonagh. Coming up soon should be Colton Gillies. Alexei Cherepanov has taken a huge slip. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:30 pm: Brandon Sutter went #11 to Carolina. Congrats to him and Brent Sutter. He must be very proud of Brandon who continues the Sutter legacy. Just a shame he won't wear the Orange and Blue like his dad. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:25 pm: If Brandon Sutter goes to Montreal, since Carolina is rumored to be taking Angelo Esposito, won't that just be sickening? Sutter, Komisarek and Higgins on the Canadiens? Unbelievable. Montreal may stay French though and go with David Perron. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 8:15 pm: Looks like we have a trade coming up for the #9 pick. San Jose will receive it from the St. Louis Blues. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 7:45 pm: LA just pulled off a shocker by taking Thomas Hickey #4 overall, the first defenseman taken in the draft over Karl Alzner. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 7:35 pm: First three picks have gone as expected: Patrick Kane #1 to Chicago, James vanRiemsdyk to Philadelphia, and Kyle Turris to Phoenix. Friday, 6/22/07 Update, 7:05 pm: The 2007 NHL Entry Draft is about to get underway. Remember to keep checking back to islesinfo.com for the best Islanders draft coverage on the web. The Islanders as we all know by now do not have a first round pick. The first 14 picks will be listed on the main page. If anything goes down like a deal involving the Islanders it will be covered here as well. I will post views and thoughts as the night goes on if something significant happens. Have fun watching the draft! Thursday, 6/21/07 Update, 10:20 pm: The Islanders official website has stated that their first pick in the draft will be either #62 or #63, which proves that they are obviously planning to take the Philadelphia Flyers third round pick they acquired in the Zhitnik deal. - If there are no trades made and the Islanders only take 5 players, it will be the least amount of players the Islanders have ever taken in an NHL Draft. In 1976 the Islanders took 6 players total. D Ken Morrow was taken in the fourth round, 68th overall.
Later in the summer, Islanders owner Charles Wang fired Smith and replaced him with backup goaltender Garth Snow. Now overseeing his first full draft, Snow (the Islanders third GM in as many years), along with Islanders pro scout Tony Feltrin and assistant GM Ryan Jankowski (who also holds the position of head of amateur scouting) will be heavily counted on to find the Islanders a gem with the few picks they still possess. After a bevy of trade deadline moves, the Islanders find themselves at the moment having to wait until the third round to make their first selection. In their 35 year history, only once before (2001) have the Islanders not possessed a first round pick. Unless they can pull off a deal to move up, gauging what the Islanders may do in the third round would be extremely difficult. But that won't stop islesinfo.com from attempting to do just that! The NHL just recently conducted their draft combine from May 29th to June 2nd where scouts and league GM's put the prospects through rigorous physical tests and interviews to find out what type of person the player is. This is a very important process because we all know the heart and mental makeup a player possesses goes a long way in determining what type of player he'll be on the ice. The Islanders first pick if they don't move up will most likely be around #75. But there is a possibility that Snow and crew will decide to exercise an option to take the Philadelphia Flyers third round pick, #62, as part of the Alexei Zhitnik deal. If not, the pick will become a 2008 second rounder. islesinfo.com predicts that the Islanders WILL in fact use the extra pick THIS year. The decision to do so will be based on the fact that it is most teams' philosophy that you want to maximize your scouts hard work over the course of the season as much as possible. With the Flyers holding a ton of cap room entering this summer, it's highly unlikely they will be as bad in 2007-08 as they were this past season. If they improve to at least middle of the pack, then that pick would only be about 15 slots better in 2008 than the current #62 this year. * Be sure to check back often to Draft Central as islesinfo.com will probably add to the draft preview as the draft draws closer. The Top End Talent The 2007 Draft is many ways is not much different from the 2006 Draft in that it is considered to be a top heavy draft. Unfortunately, these drafts are often dubbed as "weak", but as islesinfo.com likes to point out every year, there are always good players to be found. There are many players who will be taken in the later rounds who, with the right development, will have prosperous NHL careers. The consensus is that there are 3 players this year who have separated themselves from the pack. That is the biggest reason why experts often categorize a draft as weak, because they are basically looking at the quantity of players at the top end of the draft, followed by everybody else. The three potential stars this year are: LW Pat Kane, RW Kyle Turris, and LW James vanRiemsdyk. The Chicago Blackhawks, thanks to the NHL lottery, moved up from the 5th overall selection to #1 overall and all signs are currently pointing to them targeting Kane (62 goals, 145 points in 58 OHL games played; playoff leading 31 points in 16 games) as their top selection. The Flyers will be picking second and taking a hard look at vanRiemsdyk, followed by the Phoenix Coyotes at the third selection with the possibility of Turris. islesinfo.com has been big fans of Pat Kane. If Chicago takes him Kane will soon become one of the best one-two punches in the NHL along with Jonathan Toews. vanRiemsdyk, the top rated American, has raw size and skill that will probably fit in well with the Flyers style of game. Turris, even though he played tier II hockey with the Burnaby Express of the BCHL (66 goals, 121 points in 53 games) is a speedy dynamic player with a great shot. He's a bit thin which recently prompted Flyers scout Paul Holmgren to state Turris looked like he wasn't wearing any equipment, even when he was. Turris will follow in the footsteps next season of Dany Heatley and attend the University of Wisconsin. If islesinfo.com had to make a prediction, Turris most likely will have the most flair and excitement factor of any other player available. Close behind the top three are two intriguing Europeans: RW Jakub Voracek and RW Alexei Cherepanov. Voracek played for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads last season and wowed many onlookers with his playmaking ability. But many scouts have questioned his consistency and ability to put the puck in the net after he scored 23 goals and 63 assists in 59 games played to lead all rookies in the 'Q'. As for Cherepanov, he is liked by many, but for others he brings up red flags. Cherepanov is a streaky player who definitely can put the puck in the net. But as with Voracek, consistency has been a major knock with Cherepanov. A team possibly looking to take a gamble, like Los Angeles perhaps, may be willing to draft Cherepanov at #5. He did break Pavel Bure's rookie goal scoring record in the Russian League this year(18 goals) playing alongside men. The top defenseman available is Karl Alzner, who plays an even game all around. A very good comparison could be Chris Phillips of the Ottawa Senators. Not very flashy, but always gets the job done. Behind Alzner are a group of very capable d-men: Keaton Ellerby of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, Ian Cole of the U.S. Development program, and high-schooler Ryan McDonagh who is a multiple sport athlete (baseball) in Minnesota. McDonagh was named Mr. Hockey in Minnesota this year, but he will attend Wisconsin next year along with Turris.
With the Islanders waiting until the third round, and holding at most 5 picks between rounds three and seven, it becomes very difficult to assess what the team drafting needs are. Most of the players they select could be at least 2-3-4 years away from turning pro. Plus, there may not be one particular pressing need, as the Islanders could probably use organizational depth at every position. But to sum up their needs the Islanders should look at in this order: 1) defensive depth, 2) fast, skilled forwards that can produce offensively, 3) possibly a goaltending prospect who could step into Bridgeport next season. The Islanders currently have a good crop of offensive players throughout their system. But the strain last season put on Sean Hill and Brendan Witt, along with the injury to Radek Martinek is proof that the Islanders could use some immediate help on the blueline. That probably won't be addressed through the draft as most eligible's are long away from playing in the NHL. Even with the Islanders recent signings of Dustin Kohn and Andrew MacDonald, their number one focus will be adding to their future defensive depth for the next wave. Here are the top rated #62/63 & #76 prospects by the independent scouting services: #62 or #63 #76
Rally Round the Family... If you follow islesinfo.com's season long watch on the 2007 draft hopefuls you probably already have heard of the following players, but here's a little more information: Every year we take a look at the family related players up for the draft. As profiled in islesinfo.com's teaser preview last month, there are a few Islander bloodlines who will be topics of discussion come June 22nd. Both rated as potential first round picks, C Colton Gillies and C/RW Brandon Sutter continue to carry the torch as descendants of Islander greats. Gillies, the nephew of Hall of Famer Clark Gillies, possesses much of the size his uncle had. But Colton has yet to put all his skills together and still could be classified as a project type of player. Brandon Sutter, the son of former Islander captain Brent, played the last two years with the WHL's Red Deer Rebels while under the tutelage of his father. A very good skater, Brandon will most likely develop nicely into a good two way player, just like his dad. He's a prototypical Sutter. Look for them both to go somewhere in the middle of the first round. Also brought up last month was 6'1" 172 lbs. C Logan MacMillan, the nephew of Bill MacMillan, the former Islander of the 1970's who served as an assistant coach under Al Arbour in 1980, the year of the Islanders first Stanley Cup Championship. Logan's father is Bob MacMillan played over 10 years in the NHL in the late 70's and early 80's. Logan rose up the draft charts this season with his ability to play at both ends of the ice. By seasons end many believed he could very well be one of the best two way players in the QMJHL. Scouts were not just coming to see Voracek at Halifax games anymore. They were coming to watch MacMillan play as well and he did not disappoint. He will most likely be a very solid second round pick and early rumors are the Los Angeles Kings are very high on him. Of course, there are many more relations up for the draft this year. Leading off the way is C/W Sam Gagner, son of former North Star Dave Gagner. While his father was a very consistent offensive player, Sam has some extra tricks in his bag of skills and he probably won't last past the top ten picks. LW Justin Vaive of the U.S. Development program is a big hockey player at 6'4" and 210 pounds, just like his father Rick was in the 1980's. But Justin may suffer much the same criticism his father did and that revolves largely around his skating. Look for him to go late in the draft on day two along with LW Justin Courtnall, a teammate of Kyle Turris' with Burnaby of the BCHL. Son of the former Canuck Geoff Courtnall, Justin is nothing like his father and uncle Russ who were both skinny players. Justin clocks in at 6'3" and 185 lbs. Sniper C Maxime Tanguay, the younger brother of Alex, is another intriguing player who could go anywhere in the second or third round. Two more brother acts of mention: D Blake Kessel of Waterloo in the USHL and D Michael Biega of Salisbury HS. Having played a different position, Blake Kessel thankfully won't ever have to really live up to the expectation of his brother Phil who was a top 10 pick in 2006. Both Kessel and Biega, brother of Sabres' prospect Alex, are being touted as solid project d-men and both could be around in the third round if the Islanders are looking to fill some depth at the defensive position. Another possibility is W Calle Ridderwall. A smallish (5'11", 165 lbs), yet speedy player Ridderwall is the brother of the Islanders 2006 sixth round pick G Stefan Ridderwall. Calle has played in the USHL and he's a highly touted offensive player. Look for him to be one of the best rookies in the nation when he joins Notre Dame for the 2007-08 season. To round out the relations: Keaton Ellerby is a cousin of Shane Doan and Carey Price, Brendan Brickley is related to former NHL'er Andy Brickley, and Brad Malone of the USHL is the son of Jim, nephew of Greg and cousin of Pittsburgh's Ryan Malone (who had the Islanders number last season). He will attend the Univ. of North Dakota next fall. There are actually two brothers available in this draft, the Bashkirov brothers. LW Ruslan Bashkirov and RW Roman Bashkirov both played in North America for the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts last season. Ruslan is rated higher, around the second round, at 5'11" and 186 lbs. His brother Roman is rated lower, more like mid-draft due to his smaller frame of 5'9" and 165 lbs. There are a few players as well who have either been passed over in previous drafts or not rated for this, their first year of eligibility which an NHL team could take a flyer on late in the draft. Most notable is D Lyon Messier, the son of Mark Messier. Lyon is considered a hard hitting, bruising defenseman in the NAHL. Also keep an eye out for Ted Nolan's son C Jordan Nolan, who plays for Windsor of the OHL. He wasn't rated, but the Islanders might take a chance on him since they also invited Brandon Nolan to play in Bridgeport last season. C Marcus Carroll, son of former Islander Billy Carroll, is also eligible as a player for the OHL's Owen Sound Attack.
islesinfo.com always likes to focus on the homegrown talent, especially Long Island. Unfortunately, unlike in previous years, there are not many Long Island products eligible for the 2007 Draft. There is one possibility: C James Marcou of Waterloo in the USHL. The problem with Marcou? He's small. VERY small. At 5'8" and 150 lbs. there are not many teams in the NHL who are going to take a stab at a player that small. I don't care how much one believes the NHL has turned into a game of speed and skill, no one can last in the NHL, let alone pro at 150 pounds. NHL Central Scouting had Marcou, a former NY Bobcat from Kings Park, rated in their preliminary rankings back last November 2006 as a 'B' list prospect. By the mid-term rankings, he was nowhere to be found. The same goes for the final rankings last month. Marcou put up decent numbers in the USHL finishing tied for fourth in the league in scoring with 24 goals, 71 points in 58 games played. The former Team USA Under-17 member, and former teammate of Kyle Okposo & Rhett Rakhshani, will attend UMass-Amherst next fall. The 19 year old Marcou was passed over in the 2006 draft. He has stated in past interviews that his favorite team is the Islanders, favorite player is Martin St. Louis (another small player), and his mother use to cut former Islanders' captain Patrick Flatley's hair. A little birdy has informed islesinfo.com that the Islanders have given Marcou one of their psychological tests and he has garnered some interest from the Rangers as well. Team's will be looking at him in the late rounds. The list of New York state products is not much longer, but consists of some quality players. Leading off the pack is D Kevin Shattenkirk of New Rochelle, NY. Shattenkirk, at 5'11" and 193 lbs has decent size for a defenseman. He plays tough and is an excellent skater. His stock has risen remarkably since his performance at the World Under-18 Championships in April to the point where he most likely will go late in the first round and not in the second or third round as originally expected. RW Ryan Hayes of Syracuse, NY is projected as a mid-draft pick. At 5'9" and 175 pounds, Hayes is another smallish player making his mark with the U.S. Development program. When looking at his stats, some may compare him to Cy Young. In 2005-06, Hayes recorded 50 points in 51 games with the National Under-17 Team, 31 of those points were goals. He will attend Boston College in 2007-08. D Ryan McKiernan of White Plains, NY was ranked 210th by Central Scouting, which is the final pick of the draft. McKiernan plays for the New Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. Justin Vaive was born in Buffalo, NY, the same city his father played most of his career. RW Mike Cieslak of Penfield, NY was originally on Central Scouting's preliminary rankings as a 'B' list player, but like Marcou dropped out of the final rankings.
You may remember there were a slew of American born players taken in the 2006 draft. Well in 2007 there is no shortage of good U.S. players. We've already mentioned some top end players such as James vanRiemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan Hayes. But who else is available? 6'2" 182 lbs. W Mike Hoeffel is an Under-18 U.S. Team member who is highly ranked, but a nasty ACL injury suffered last season could see his draft status drop. He's still ranked as a first round pick but the injury could see him possibly drop into the second if enough teams become concerned with his injury. Other USDP players available are: D Ian Cole, D Ted Ruth, LW C.J. Severyn, C John Albert, D Joseph Lavin, C Matt Rust, RW Brennan Vargas, and future Minnesota Gopher D Cade Fairchild. LW Bill Sweatt should not be a player overlooked. One of the top players for Team USA at the 2007 World Junior Championship's, Sweatt is a spunky player that can flat out fly. If he does slip out of the first round he won't slip much farther than early second round. He's one of the go to players at Colorado College but scouts feel his offensive potential isn't that high at the pro level. Could develop into a great penalty killer. There are a ton of high school players available as in every year and to list them would just be to much. But one showing a ton of promise is 6'3" 212 pound D Ben Blood. Scheduled to attend one of the best college programs for developing NHL'ers in the University of North Dakota, Blood is a graduate of the program at Shattuck St. Mary's, the same high school where Kyle Okposo, Sidney Crosby and Zach Parise, to name a few, have practiced their skills. One of the leaders at Shattuck St. Mary's is former Islander J.P. Parise, their director of prospect evaluation. Look for Blood to go somewhere in the third or fourth round. The USHL is growing each year and becoming more and more a good development league for future college players. 6'1", 203 lbs LW Max Pacioretty of Sioux Falls is making some noise to possibly break the top 10. Another later round sleeper could be Des Moines RW Aaron Palushaj. Both Pacioretty and Palushaj will attend Michigan in 2007-08. 6'3", 213 pound D Nick Petrecki of Omaha was suppose to challenge Alzner for top defenseman in the draft a year ago, but the belief is that the future Boston College Eagle's draft status may have dropped playing in the USHL rather than the OHL, where he was drafted by Plymouth. Petrecki is known to be a punishing hitter. When looking at kids like Petrecki and Turris, playing in lower level leagues, it's proof positive how hard it is to rate some players because later down the road when you look back you can see how they should have been rated higher, but the level of hockey they played leading up to the draft stunted their ranking. Another USHL player of note is Des Moines' C Ben Ryan. The 5'11", 190 lbs. Ryan was recently invited to the 2007 U.S. National Evaluation Camp for the 2008 WJC's. Look for him to go someplace in the second round. Other players invited to the camp who have yet to be drafted: Cedar Rapid's G Kent Patterson, C Patrick White, Boston College's W Ben Smith, Dartmouth W T.J. Galiardi, 6'3", 207 lbs. C Eric Tangradi of Belleville(OHL), T.J. Brennan of St. John's(QMJHL), G Josh Unice of the U.S. Under-18 Team, and D Trent Palm of the U. of Minn-Duluth.
If you are a regular reader of islesinfo.com, you probably have picked up that we're not big European fans. Very few of them seem to ever pan out. That being said, D Radek Martinek happens to be one of our favorites. As for the draft, while everyone seems to be focusing on Cherepanov and Swedish C Mikael Backlund, one of the most underrated players available in the draft could be Denmark's C/W Lars Eller. Having played with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League last season, many scouts are raving about Eller's combination of size (6', 198 lbs), skating ability and stickhandling. The Islanders know first hand how good the Danes are getting having witnessed the play of Frans Nielsen for spurts during last season. Another Russian who could go somewhere in the middle of the first round is RW Maxim Mayorov. It will be interesting to see which Swede goes first, Backlund or Chilliwack's C Oscar Moller of the WHL, who possesses a great shot.
Just what the Islanders need right? Some good old fashion pests and toughness. One player who easily ranks in the pest category is RW Stefan Legein of the OHL's Mississauga Ice Dogs. Legein is considered one of the fastest players in the OHL. He also added a goal scorers touch to his game this past season. He very well could be gone by the end of the first round. So how bout some guys who can throw down? Well, possibly number one on the list this year is 6'2", 200 lbs. C/RW Akim Aliu. Recently dealt to the London Knights from the Sudbury Wolves, Aliu never backs down from a good fight. He has lost his fair share though as well. One of his biggest problems is his skating, which could use a lot of work. As an African American player, he reminds very much of Donald Brashear as he does have some offensive upside to his game. Here's a player who NEVER seems to lose a fight: D Anthony Peluso. At 6'3" and 222 pounds this kid throws haymakers and owns a huge wingspan that makes it almost impossible to hit him back. He played for a poor team last season with the OHL's Erie Otters. But anyone who drafts him in the late rounds will enjoy watching his unorthodox fighting style. Just do a youtube search on him and check out some of his battles. Some of Aliu's fights can be found as well.
D Scott Jackson of the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds holds the honor of being this years highest draft re-entry from the 2005 NHL Draft. Jackson, taken 37th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2005 Draft, was not signed by the Blues by the June 1st deadline. According to the Blues, Jackson had not developed the way they had hoped he would. Take into account that there is supposedly an NHL rule that each team is allowed no more than a total of 50 contracts a season. So St. Louis decided no on Jackson. C Chris Durand was the 52nd player taken overall out of the WHL by the Colorado Avalanche. Back in 2005, Durand was projected as a player with loads of character. Hopes were he would develop into a possible future second line player because of his offensive upside, sound defense, hard work, and even blend of size and speed. But over the last two years in junior his offensive production dropped off so much he wasn't signed by Colorado at the deadline. D T.J. Fast, taken 60th in 2005 by Los Angeles, also went unsigned. He began the season with the University of Denver, but left in January after sitting out due to missing classes. He later joined Tri-City of the WHL. One more WHL'er who went unsigned was G Kris Westblom, 65th overall by Minnesota. Westblom missed the second half of the 2006-07 season after a major knee injury(MCL). But before he went down he was notably carrying the Kelowna Rockets. He expects to fully recover and if he's not re-drafted, Westblom will become a free agent. He hopes to attend a camp in the fall, but expects to be back with Kelowna next season. Unsigned G Pier-Olivier Pelletier of the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs was taken 59th overall by Phoenix in 2005. A couple Europeans also went unsigned: D Vitaly Anikeyenko, 70th by Ottawa, and C Christofer Lofberg, 80th by Detroit. Anikeyenko, the first Russian selected, received mixed reviews two years ago. Some scouts liked his physical game for a European and his awareness in his own end. But others expected him to produce more, questioned his mobility and defensive game. There were a few others but these were the most notable. Most will re-enter the draft while a few will become free agents. If you have been following the Islanders, you may have heard that 2004 fourth round pick D Wes O'Neill may go unsigned, which could see him become an unrestricted free agent. The Islanders still hold his rights until August 15, 2007. In other NHL news, the Minnesota Wild relinquished rights to D A.J. Thelen, a 2004 first round pick, 12th overall. Religious fans of this site may remember Thelen was the islesinfo.com Islanders prediction pick for 16th overall in 2004. Instead the Islanders took LW Petteri Nokelainen. Thelen at 6'3" has had a share of problems in the past which forced him to leave Michigan State and joined the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. In late May he was a member of the Giants' Memorial Cup Championship. As a restricted free agent now he is drawing interest from some Western Canadian teams like Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
A couple of weeks back, Newsday writer Greg Logan mentioned in a piece that Islanders GM Garth Snow was on a scouting trip. No doubt he was most likely scouting the Memorial Cup Championships, the pinnacle of junior hockey. If he was there, he most likely saw a rising player among the draft rankings: LW David Perron. A rookie with the QMJHL's Lewiston Maineiacs, Perron was passed over in the 2006 NHL Draft. Obviously unhappy with that, Perron came out and had an excellent season with the Maineiacs, offensively leading them to the QMJHL Championship, which in process made the team the first U.S. based team to win the championship in that league. He finished the regular season with a rookie leading 39 goals in 70 games and was second in rookie scoring to Voracek with 83 points. Perron is a very shifty player and is not afraid to take the puck directly to the net. He's a very good skater and is currently rated by most scouting services as a mid-first round pick. islesinfo.com believes he has a chance to be a star in the NHL. I can't see the Montreal Canadiens passing on this French sensation with the #12 pick. Perron is not the only player for Lewiston getting looks. D Kevin Marshall was a nice compliment this season to Lewiston's top d-man Chad Denny. Marshall is a defenseman who likes to jump up into the play and he goes 100% at all times. He makes very good outlet passes. Look for him to go somewhere in the third or fourth round. The eventual Memorial Cup Champion Vancouver Giants got plenty of help from some draft eligible players as well. D Jonathon Blum (8-43-51 in 72 games) has been overlooked in favor of other defensemen like Alzner and Ellerby. But he has gained some valuable experience having been a part of a Giants team that went to the Memorial Cup in 2006 and won it all in 2007. Blum is listed at 160 pounds, which may also have hurt his standing, but at 6' he still has time to grow into his frame. RW Spencer Machacek is quickly rising on the draft charts because of some clutch goals he scored during the tournament. Probably the one player who really helped his draft standing in the tournament was Slovak RW Michal Repik. Formerly a player who many had high hopes a year or two ago as a high first round pick, Repik came to play in Vancouver's semifinal 8-1 win over Plymouth. He was named first star of the game with 2 goals, one the game winner, and added and assist for 3 points. In the Memorial Cup Final against Medicine Hat, Repik was named the second star after breaking a 1-1 tie in the third period and tallying the game winner for the second game in a row. He's a skilled, speed player at 5'10" and 180 pounds. His 16 assists and 26 points in 22 games played during the WHL playoffs led all scorers. G Tyson Sexsmith of the Vancouver Giants is one of the top rated goaltenders for the draft. But, it's quite possible there may not be a goaltender taken in the first round this year as the crop is considered not as strong. Plymouth G Jeremy Smith, possibly the top rated goaltender in the draft, went 23-6-1 record during the regular season, but was relegated to backup in the playoffs.
Next we profile some of the Rodney Dangerfield's of the 2007 NHL Draft. #1 foremost has to be C Zach Hamill of the Everett Silvertips. After leading the entire WHL in scoring in 2006-07 with 32 goals and 93 points in 69 games played, Hamill is only ranked 9th by Central Scouting and a mid-first round pick by most other services. Even though he led the "Dub" in scoring with the lowest point total in league history, scouts question Hamill's consistency, decisions away from the puck, skating and size at 5'10", 180 lbs. Though there are some who have compared his skill set to that of a former NHL'er Cory Stillman. C Angelo Esposito has slowly slipped from the consensus #1 overall selection before the season started, to now what looks like a mid-first round pick. While many scouts have expected more from Esposito, whoever drafts him still stands to gain a pretty safe offensive prospect. D Mark Katic was suppose to be a first round pick, but he slipped down the rankings in the second half of the season. Some scouts question his defensive zone play and he may be a bit of a project in his own end. He does have good offensive potential and is a very good skater. Sounds alot like Chris Campoli.
C/LW Casey Pierro-Zabotel plays for Merritt in the BCHL and could turn out to be a steal for whoever drafts him. At 6'1", 205 lbs, he recorded 30 points in a 10 game stretch last season. Overall, he recorded 51 goals and 116 points in 55 games played. Yes, the BCHL is tier II hockey, but that kind of production should never be overlooked. Pierro-Zabotel could be the next best thing in that league up for the draft after Kyle Turris. Look for him to go in the third or fourth rounds. D Thomas Hickey, most likely a second round pick, put up similar number (9-41-50 in 68 games) with WHL's Seattle to Islanders prospect Dustin Kohn in Brandon. Whoever drafts Hickey will instantly have a solid defenseman to add to their organization. Add 6'5", 225 pound blueline monster D Alex Plante of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen to that list as well. Both these guys are in the second tier of good defensemen available. An addition to the relations category, Plante's father was a defenseman with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two games in 1984-85.
We don't know if it was former Islanders GM Neil Smith's brainstorm or Islanders head of scouting Tony Feltrin, but the Islanders utilized a draft strategy in 2006 that was very successful. Basically what the Islanders ultimately did was turn 8 draft picks into 13 total by the time the day was over. To start, the Islanders took one of two extra third round pick and traded it for two later picks. They did it again and before you know it the Islanders came away with four picks in the fourth round, two picks in the fifth round and three picks in the sixth round. Not too shabby. If a team sees certain players on the board and believes they can still drop down and get a player they want, this type of strategy could be one to take.
If the Islanders didn't trade the 15th pick overall to the Edmonton Oilers they could have come away with a pretty good prospect. So who will end up with the Oilers at that pick? Look for them to take one of the following: C Zach Hamill, C Colton Gillies (a Gillies on the Oilers?), LW Maxim Mayorov, D Nick Petrecki, D Alex Plante, D Jonathon Blum or D Kevin Shattenkirk. Hamill, Gillies, Plante and Blum are the highest bet since they all play junior in Western Canada. Swedish C Joakim Andersson and OHL Ottawa 67's C Logan Couture are also possibilities. Couture suffered from mononucleosis a year ago and some scouts feel he hasn't reached his potential yet as he once was touted to challenge for 1st overall.
With their third round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders will select.....a player, some player. Honestly folks, if I could predict who the Islanders will take in the third round, I'd quit my day job and move to Vegas. OK, ok.....I will give it a shot. But I will have to name a group of players instead of narrowing it down to one. As mentioned earlier, the Islanders will take the option on Philadelphia's 3rd round pick. That will give them a better chance of grabbing a quality player at #62 than #76 I believe. If they do, expect the Islanders to take a look at some of these players already mentioned in the preview: LW Casey Pierro-Zabotel, D Kevin Marshall, D Teddy Ruth, or RW Spencer Machacek. If they get lucky and someone slips, they may have an outside shot at speedy RW Stefan Legein, bruiser RW Akim Alui or Erie C Zach Torquato (who was traded this season for former Islander prospect Ryan O'Marra). If they get REALLY lucky, perhaps C Maxime Tanguay, C Logan MacMillan or LW Lars Eller slips into the third round. And if the Islanders can somehow trade up into the first round it would be a dream come true for them to nab possibly LW David Perron or C Zach Hamill. Of course there is the traditionalist part of me that would love to see at least one of C Colton Gillies, C Brandon Sutter or MacMillan end up in orange, white & blue. With the 75th pick, look for the Islanders to take a look at D Alex Grant, a big former first overall pick in the QMJHL. He hasn't quite reached his potential to the point where he is only rated as a mid-draft NHL pick. But he could be a late bloomer. D Mike Biega and C Mike Rust could be a wise choice as well. Keep an eye out also for D Will Weber, the #1 overall pick this year in the USHL draft by the Chicago Steel. Weber, rated #81 by the Redline Report, will attend Miami University in the fall of 2008. The GM of the Steel described Weber as "big, strong, mean and can skate," and he's quickly climbing up the ranks. Look for someone in the above list for #62 to perhaps drop down as well. I hope you enjoyed this years islesinfo.com draft preview. This years preview I think is the most in depth ever. - The 2007 islesinfo.com NHL Draft Preview was written by site owner Tom Mascioli
- Logan MacMillan is the nephew of Bill MacMillan, who played for the Islanders during the 1970's and also served as an assistant coach under Al Arbour in 1980 when the Islanders won their first Stanley Cup. Logan currently plays for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads. While most NHL scouts have focused on watching Jakub Voracek, one of the top prospects looking to go first overall, MacMillan has quietly become one of the best two-way forwards in the Quebec League, a league normally known for it's offense. As for Gillies and Sutter, they are both projected to be first round selections, most likely somewhere between the 10th and 20th selections. As of now, the Islanders won't be in line to nab either of the two since they do not currently hold a first round pick. In March, the Islanders dealt their first round pick to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a package in exchange for all star Ryan Smyth. That pick, now that the NHL season is complete, turns out to be the 15th pick overall. So it's quite possible Gillies or Sutter could find themselves a prospect of the Oilers. As for the Islanders, they also are without a second round pick, having also dealt that away at the March trade deadline to Washington in exchange for Richard Zednik. So the Islanders, barring any trades by GM Garth Snow, will not make a selection until the third round. It seems likely the Islanders pick will land somewhere between selections #70-80, but they also have the option of taking the Philadelphia Flyers third rounder in exchange for Alexei Zhitnik that could give the Islanders an extra third rounder somewhere around selection #60-65. That is where MacMillan comes in. Currently, the consensus on MacMillan is that he will be a second or third round pick. If he slips to the third round, he would make an excellent addition to the Islanders fold. Of course I'm not suggesting the Islanders should strictly draft on bloodlines alone. But MacMillan would certainly make a worthy pick for whoever selects him. There are plenty of other good players who will be available come the third round of the draft. The belief this year is that the 2007 draft is a weak draft. Yet, there will be some fine project players who will play in the NHL sometime down the road. If the Islanders decide they need to add some defensive depth, they may want to take a look at Kevin Shattenkirk. Hailing from New Rochelle, NY, Shattenkirk plays with a bit of an edge and he is currently one of the best players for Team USA's World Under-18 squad. Another possibility will be Ben Blood, a towering defenseman from Shattuck St. Mary's, a J.P. Parise run school program that seems to always produce quality players like Kyle Okposo, Zack Parise and Sidney Crosby to name a few. Of course the Islanders may be onlookers during the first round this year. The top pick overall seems to be a three horse race between wingers Kyle Turris of the BCHL's Burnaby Express, Patrick Kane of the OHL's London Knights and the QMJHL's Jakub Voracek. A few wild cards who could possibly crack into the top three are James van Riemsdyk of the U.S. NTDP U-18, Sam Gagner of the London Knights who has a boatload of offensive skill, and Zack Hamill of the WHL's Everett Silvertips who could be a real darkhorse. Two of the most interesting players in the draft are Russian Sniper Alexei Cherepanov and Quebec Ramparts Angelo Esposito. Interesting for different reasons though, as Cherepanov went from total obscurity to rising among the top ten eligible players following the WJC's. As for Esposito, he has slipped from being the #1 projected player last year, to someone who could fall anywhere from #5-20. The top rated defensemen are Karl Alzner of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen and Keaton Ellerby of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers. But there are a few others who could make some noise come draft day. Mark Katic of the OHL's Sarnia Sting has dropped on many scouts lists and could slip into the second round. In closing, this is not islesinfo.com's official prediction for the 2006 NHL Draft, just an early synopsis. I did this last year and decided to do it again just as a teaser. In about another month islesinfo.com will have it's full 2007 NHL Draft Preview with lots more in depth profiles, stats and predictions as usual (sometime during the first week of June). It will certainly be tough really to make a prediction this year since the Islanders won't have a pick until the third round. Still there will be plenty to cover. So keep checking back. - An early mock draft by Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com: The Opening Faceoff: 2007 Mock Draft
You Make the Call (added 5/2/07) As often happens with the NHL draft, many of the fans have never even seen these players play a game. Last year I produced alot of the videos myself. But with the recent boom of YouTube it doesn't make sense to do so. Here are some video clips (mostly links) of some of the top rated 2007 Draft eligible players: Kyle Turris (this clip is a BCHL feature with highlights and interview) Pat
Kane (scores a quick goal of the faceoff against St. Mikes) Jakub Voracek (a QMJHL exhibition goal) Sam
Gagner (London Knight goes end to end, puck through the legs &
scores) Zach
Hamill (a great 3-4 minute video done to an Incubus song) Angelo Esposito (scores vs. Moncton at the 2006 Memorial Cup Final - islesinfo.com video) Alexei
Cherepanov (highlights video) Lyon
Messier (Mark's son throws a big hit) Akim Aliu (enforcer who can also play) Torquato
& Palmieri (great pass by Palmieri) Thomas Hickey (Seattle WHL blue liner interview & highlights) T.J. Brennan (nifty shootout goal) Mario Kempe (a very skilled underrated player in the draft from the QMJHL) John Murray (goaltender stops Pat Kane in a shootout; note: Gagner scores on him in one of the vids above) Jeremie Dupont (U. of Neb-Omaha goaltender - check out this kids training workout) ISS Scouting has video of many of the top prospects: Shattenkirk, Gillies, Sutter & more. Official NHL Entry Draft Player Videos:
May 2, 2007 Update: The NHL Draft Lottery was held a few weeks ago. The Chicago Blackhawks moved up from 5th to 1st overall, pushing the Philadelphia Flyers back to 2nd overall. The Blackhawks should add a quality player to the fold and the future there could be much brighter than recent years especially with the soon addition of Jonathan Toews. The Islanders would have selected in a familiar 15th slot, but they dealt the pick to Edmonton for Ryan Smyth. So the Oilers will select 6th and 15th overall. The Islanders first pick, barring a trade, won't be until the third round. Current Draft Order (Lottery Teams) & Percentage chance of winning:
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft will take place
at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Saturday (first round) at 7pm EST &
Sunday (rounds 2-7) at 10 am EST, June 22-23. islesinfo.com note: Two ways to look at the previous results. Only twice has a team drafting lower than 5th won the lottery: 1995 & 1999. On the brighter side, only three times has the team that finished the season with the worst record retained the first pick: 1996, 1997 & 2006. May 2, 2007: The Chicago Blackhawks became the first team since the New York Islanders in 2000 to finish with the 5th worst record, win the draft lottery and move up to the 1st pick overall. Islanders Scouting Staff (per nyi.com with additions by islesinfo.com) Garth Snow - General Manager Ryan Jankowski - Assistant GM; Head of Amateur Scouting TONY FELTRIN – Jankowski's right and left-hand man at the draft table and one of the most respected amateur scouts in the game. Based in Vancouver, Feltrin focuses on the Northwest division and Western Hockey League when not taking in the big tournaments in Europe. KEN MORROW – Snow's top man on the pro side, the 4-time Cup winner also has some input at the draft because of his knowledge of the USHL. CHRIS O'SULLIVAN – An emerging voice on the staff, the New England-based former NHL dman covers a big chunk of the AHL and collegiate ranks while also taking in as many high school games as he can. ROB COWIE – Based in Phoenix, Cowie is all over the Pacific Division and keeps an eye on AHL teams west of the Mississippi. Former Los Angeles King in the mid 1990's. Played four years at Northeastern University and many years playing in Europe. JAD RAMSAY – Takes care of the Southeast Division while commuting from his Tampa home. Played four years at SUNY-Buffalo State as a defenseman from 1998-02. Son of Craig Ramsay, former assistant coach of Tampa Bay and longtime Buffalo Sabre. MARIO SARACENO – Continues the legacy of his dad Henri, who scouted Mike Bossy. Out of Montreal and well into his third decade with the Islanders, Mario scouts the pros in Eastern Canada and has input at the draft on kids from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. TOBY O'BRIEN – Works with Snow in stocking depth for Bridgeport, taking in every AHL and ECHL game in search of an unearthed gem. Prior to joining New York, O’Brien served as the General Manager/Alternate Governor for the ECHL’s Johnstown Chiefs, including three seasons as the team’s Head Coach (95-89-32) from 2002-2005. During the 2003-2004 season, he led the team to an all-time high 45 wins and was named as a coach for the ECHL All-Star game. O’Brien, as a player, was the first goaltender in Chiefs history and also in 1988 attended training camp with the New York Rangers. Also has served as a midget hockey coach in the Pittsburgh area and a goaltending coach for Team USA's Under-17 Team. VELLU KAUTONEN – Leads the European scouting staff, watching amateur draft prospects and also monitoring the development of Islanders prospects such as Stefan Ridderwall, Jesse Joensuu and Sean Bergenheim. Kautonen is joined by... ANDERS KALLUR – Sweden: the dynasty member turned longtime scout remains a major voice on draft prospects and free agents in Europe. KAREK PAVLIK – Czech Republic SERGEI RADCHENKO – Russia first-year scouts: TIM MacLEAN – Ontario (also scouts for Red Line Scouting Services) MARC LEBLANC – Maritimes JIM HILLMAN – Minnesota (formerly played at U. of Minnesota; coached 5+ years in the USHL) MATTHEW SMITH – New England (played in WHL & the Univ. of Wisconsin during early 1990's) AL MacPHERSON – Western Canada (also serves as Director of Player Personnel for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings since 1986) Islanders 2008 Picks 1st Round Total: 9 Selections * Acquired in Bergeron/Grebeshkov deal
(was a 3rd round pick; later became 2nd round pick for Allan Rourke + the
3rd)
2008 NHL Draft Preview: A Future Star
& Year of the D-man July 3, 2007: Now that the 2007 Draft is done, we look ahead to the 2008 NHL Draft which is to be held in Ottawa in June of 2008. With the next draft only 51 weeks away, let's take a look at the top players available: C Steven Stamkos: The early favorite to go #1 overall. As a rookie with the Sarnia Sting last year he recorded 40 goals and 92 points. Stamkos has game breaking speed and great offensive skill. He does everything at a high speed and often makes moves that leave scouts shaking their heads. Currently 6' and 170 lbs. Also plays gritty. D Drew Doughty: Often described as the complete package as a defenseman. Considered a power play | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
