PDA

View Full Version : Gillies feels the draft



nivek_wahs
06-22-2007, 09:00 AM
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=7722a245-47cc-4b69-b6df-6476374f9e70&k=41008

Gillies feels the draft
Blades' forward expected to be first-round pick in today's NHL draft

Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, June 22, 2007

Saskatoon Blades forward Colton Gillies hasn't had to pick up the tab in a while.

Leading up to today's NHL entry draft in Columbus, the smooth-skating centre has had no shortage of dinner invitations. His suitors have included some of the most powerful men in hockey, including Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe.

"Mr. Lowe was awesome to meet and it was a good interview," said Gillies, who had lunch with Lowe during the recent Memorial Cup tournament in Vancouver. "We had a good talk. That was pretty exciting."

NHL talent hawks have been following the affable teenager since last September. After one regular-season game in Vancouver, Gillies was summoned to meet with Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi. The attention intensified late last month when Gillies was interviewed by 26 of 30 NHL teams at a draft combine in Toronto.

After all of the poking and prodding, many scouts peg Gillies as a first-round commodity. Teams will make their first-round selections tonight, while the remainder of the draft runs Saturday.

"Whatever happens, happens," said Gillies. "I'm just honoured to be in this situation right now."

The NHL's Central Scouting Service ranks Gillies 30th among skaters who played in North America last season. However, many observers place his stock far higher.

International Scouting Services ranks him 12th overall, while The Hockey News places him 13th. TSN pundit Bob McKenzie ranks Gillies 18th.

"It's still hard to believe and hard to grasp," said Gillies, who's heading to the draft with his older brother, Nate.

Blades centre Justin McCrae is also likely to hear his name called this weekend. Central Scouting ranks him 71st among North American skaters.

"There's been lots of interest in both of them," Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken said of Gillies and McCrae. "With drafts, you have to wait to see how things unfold, but in my opinion, both will get drafted and they'll be drafted before the third round."

The Blades were shut out at last year's draft in Vancouver. A year earlier, the San Jose Sharks picked Devin Setoguchi eighth overall -- the highest any Blade had been drafted since the Quebec Nordiques snared Wade Belak 12th overall in 1994.

While Gillies will be in Columbus tonight, McCrae plans to watch the proceedings from his home in Cochrane, Alta.

"I'm pretty excited to get it over with and kind of move on," said McCrae. "We'll just see what happens when the time comes."

The dependable two-way centre got off to a slow start last season, but McCrae's offensive production came around and his leadership abilities have never been questioned. Gillies is being groomed for a similar leadership role with the Blades.

"Those are two young guys that we're building our team around," said Molleken, a former NHL coach with Chicago, San Jose and Pittsburgh. "They'll both be good players at the NHL level, simply because of their character and their commitment."

cwolfe@sp.canwest.com

- - -

SASKATOON BLADES AND AREA PLAYERS WHO ARE RANKED BY THE NHL'S CENTRAL SCOUTING SERVICE

(rankings do not include players who played last season in Europe):

NORTH AMERICAN

SKATERS:

30. Colton Gillies, C, Saskatoon Blades, Surrey, B.C.

71. Justin McCrae, C, Saskatoon Blades, Cochrane, Alta.

98. Jordan Knackstedt, RW, Moose Jaw Warriors, Saskatoon

104. Dwight King, C, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Meadow Lake

117. Brett Leffler, RW, Regina Pats, Wynyard

193. Matt Robertson, C, Prince Albert Raiders, Prince Albert

NORTH AMERICAN

GOALTENDERS:

20. Justin Leclerc, G, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Saskatoon

- - -

PLAYERS BEAR WITH PRE-DRAFT QUESTION

When evaluating players, NHL scouts analyze everything from skating strides to body fat.

Then team psychologists get in players' heads.

"One question was really weird," said Saskatoon Blades centre Justin McCrae, who attended a recent draft combine in Toronto. "They asked: 'If you were hunting for a bear and you had a choice of how you'd kill it, would you use a knife, a gun or an ax?' "

McCrae has never shied away from mixing it up on the ice, but he knows when to pick his battles.

"I told them, 'I'm probably not going too close to a bear, so I'll probably use a gun.' "

McCrae said he's seen "lots and lots of bears" near his home of Cochrane, Alta., but he's never had to engage one.

--WOLFE




© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007