Scout
06-11-2006, 10:31 AM
I don't see where this was posted so i will post it now. On the USA website the RedLine report did a mock draft for the N.H.L. draft. Here it is:
Found it interesting
2006 NHL mock draft
2006 NHL DRAFT PRIMER
The following mock draft comes from a Red Line Report scouting source.
This mock draft has a number of differences from Red Line's own value board. The purpose of Red Line Report is to be a pure scouting service, and ultimately rank prospects in the order we would select the available players if we lived in a vacuum where "needs" and other outside forces never entered the equation.
The purpose of mock drafts, on the other hand, is vastly different. The mock draft represents nothing more than a fun exercise in educated guesswork as to what we think might actually happen on Draft Day.
1. St. Louis: Erik Johnson. The Blues have never been able to adequately replace Chris Pronger. So they take the best defensive prospect to come along since Pronger was drafted 13 years ago. Defensive stud will run their power play and log 28 minutes a night.
2. Pittsburgh: Phil Kessel. Pens add another young offensive star in Kessel, though Johnson is what they really need. Best pure sniper in the draft should be deadly paired with either Crosby or Malkin. His speed will back off defenders and create more room for his linemates.
3. Chicago: Jonathan Toews. 'Hawks get an outstanding two-way player who actually had more goals than Kessel as a freshman. They jump at the chance to add a skilled center, especially with concerns about Tuomo Ruutu's health.
4. Washington: Jordan Staal. The Caps count themselves lucky when Staal falls to them at No. 4. Staal will be thrilled to center goal-scoring machine Ovechkin for the next 10-12 years. He provides the Caps with a skilled forward who also has some grit, and if he progresses like his brothers, he'll be a steal.
5. Boston: Nicklas Backstrom. The Bruins need a top young offensive talent after trading away Thornton and Samsonov. Backstrom gives the Bs another skilled playmaker to go with Bergeron and Boyes and could be ready as soon as this coming season. He'll be a major part of the rebuilding in Boston.
6. Columbus: Peter Mueller. The Blue Jackets could have used a top-end defender here, but with no D-man who fits the bill they happily take Mueller. He gives them a big playmaking center to feed Rick Nash and just as importantly, a young player who is solid in his own zone. After having Brulé inexplicably fall to them last year at No. 6, they're happy to see lightning strike twice in the six hole.
7. Islanders: Derrick Brassard. The Islanders have some good second- and third-line centers in the system, but they need a guy with first-line potential. Brassard has the top-end offensive talent this organization lacks.
8. Phoenix: Jiri Tlusty. Goal-sniping winger fits right in with the last few first-rounders the club has taken. The difference is that Tlusty has proven himself against the highest levels of competition.
9. Minnesota: Kyle Okposo. The Wild are thrilled to get the home-state boy who has both offensive skill and an edge to his game. Okposo can ride shotgun for Benoit Pouliot in the future. He'll be a favorite of both Jacques Lemaire and fans alike.
10. Florida: Chris Summers. The Panthers surprise many by grabbing the smooth-skating Summers this early. Summers is tough mentally (a must on any Mike Keenan team) and plays a solid two-way game. The Panthers can use his versatility.
11. Los Angeles: Michael Frolik. In what seems like a yearly tradition, the Kings get a skilled forward who falls to them at No. 11. Frolik had a rough year but the Kings correctly believe he's capable of more than he has shown lately.
12. Atlanta: Bryan Little. Atlanta sees Little as the eventual replacement for Marc Savard on Ilya Kovalchuk's line and grab him for that reason. His hockey sense and passing skills make him the perfect match for the Russian star.
13. Toronto: Ty Wishart. The Leafs have a serious shortage of defensemen in their system and Wishart gives them a top shutdown guy for the future. He isn't flashy, but will take the body and is positionally sound — both rarities on the Leafs' blue line.
14. Vancouver: James Sheppard. Vancouver was hoping to get a forward with a mix of skill and grit, and they are thrilled Sheppard is still on the board.
15. Tampa Bay: Jonathan Bernier. The Lightning have a deep group of defensive prospects but are lacking in net, so they make Bernier the top goaltending selection. He gives them a guy who has played internationally for Canada and has shown he can handle pressure.
16. Montreal: Eric Gryba. Gryba gives the Habs a legitimately tough defender with huge long-term upside and projectability. He's a good fit, even if No. 16 is a bit higher than most thought he would go.
17. Minnesota (from Edmonton in the Dwayne Roloson trade): Patrik Berglund. The Wild add another big forward with offensive skill and hope Lemaire can get him to play with the intensity he's missing.
18. Colorado: Mike Forney. The Avs need to reload offensively and Forney gives them a skilled player with size on the wing. Little-seen high schooler could prove to be a steal at No. 17.
19. Anaheim: Bobby Sanguinetti. After passing on the top defender in last year's draft, the Ducks decide to grab one of the more skilled blue-liners in this draft. Oddly, he's their second straight top choice from New Jersey, following Bobby Ryan last year. Anaheim has a number of tough D-men they can pair him with to help hide his total lack of a physical game.
20. San Jose: Nigel Williams. The Sharks are always willing to be daring at the draft, so they go with the biggest upside prospect left in Williams. He has the potential to be a top pairing rearguard if he develops and the Sharks can afford to be patient.
21. Rangers: Chris Stewart. The Rangers have a ton of skilled players but desperately need a power forward. Stewart gives them the size, grit and work ethic they need up front.
22. Philadelphia: Mark Mitera. The Flyers are happy to get the huge stay-at-home banger who gives them another gritty player for the future. Should look good paired with Pitkanen in five years.
23. Washington (from Nashville in the Brendan Witt trade): Artem Anisimov. Caps take the first huge gamble of the draft and take the big, skilled Russian forward. If the transfer agreement is cleared up, this will be a great pick. If not, it's a waste.
24. Buffalo: Ivan Vishnevsky. The Sabers showed in the playoffs they are deep in sound, steady blue-liners, but they could really use a dynamic game-breaker and PP quarterback specialist. This is the guy who fits that description.
25. New Jersey: Ben Maxwell. One of the most skilled forwards in the draft is a perfect Devils type long-term project. They roll the dice that he will buy into the hard-working system they demand.
26. Calgary: Ryan White. This pick makes almost too much sense: a gritty guy who plays for the hometown Hitmen. Perfect Sutter style of hard-working, two-way player with some offensive ability.
27. Dallas: Joe Palmer. Good-sized American goalie with international experience. Just what the Stars seem to like.
28. Ottawa: Dennis Persson. They could use some grit as usual, but decide to go with the smooth defender at this point. Will look good on the power play down the road.
29. Detroit: Leland Irving. The Wings need a goaltender for the future and are happy to grab Irving this late. He has good mental toughness, which is a must for any netminder in Detroit.
30. St. Louis (from Carolina in the Doug Weight trade): Michael Grabner. The Blues follow up the Johnson pick by grabbing ultra-fast goal scorer Michael Grabner to fill another void. He seems perfect for the new NHL.
Wild card I: Jan-Mikael Juutilainen (Jokerit, Finland). Some teams really went gaga over his performance at the World U-18s, and frankly at RLR we don't disagree. He could climb up the ladder.
Wild card II: David Fischer (Apple Valley H.S.). Some teams are really intrigued by the offensive potential and upside of a 6-3 defenseman who plays more like a center. He's a strong candidate to slip into the bottom of the first round.
Posted 6/8/2006 5:12 PM ET
Found it interesting
2006 NHL mock draft
2006 NHL DRAFT PRIMER
The following mock draft comes from a Red Line Report scouting source.
This mock draft has a number of differences from Red Line's own value board. The purpose of Red Line Report is to be a pure scouting service, and ultimately rank prospects in the order we would select the available players if we lived in a vacuum where "needs" and other outside forces never entered the equation.
The purpose of mock drafts, on the other hand, is vastly different. The mock draft represents nothing more than a fun exercise in educated guesswork as to what we think might actually happen on Draft Day.
1. St. Louis: Erik Johnson. The Blues have never been able to adequately replace Chris Pronger. So they take the best defensive prospect to come along since Pronger was drafted 13 years ago. Defensive stud will run their power play and log 28 minutes a night.
2. Pittsburgh: Phil Kessel. Pens add another young offensive star in Kessel, though Johnson is what they really need. Best pure sniper in the draft should be deadly paired with either Crosby or Malkin. His speed will back off defenders and create more room for his linemates.
3. Chicago: Jonathan Toews. 'Hawks get an outstanding two-way player who actually had more goals than Kessel as a freshman. They jump at the chance to add a skilled center, especially with concerns about Tuomo Ruutu's health.
4. Washington: Jordan Staal. The Caps count themselves lucky when Staal falls to them at No. 4. Staal will be thrilled to center goal-scoring machine Ovechkin for the next 10-12 years. He provides the Caps with a skilled forward who also has some grit, and if he progresses like his brothers, he'll be a steal.
5. Boston: Nicklas Backstrom. The Bruins need a top young offensive talent after trading away Thornton and Samsonov. Backstrom gives the Bs another skilled playmaker to go with Bergeron and Boyes and could be ready as soon as this coming season. He'll be a major part of the rebuilding in Boston.
6. Columbus: Peter Mueller. The Blue Jackets could have used a top-end defender here, but with no D-man who fits the bill they happily take Mueller. He gives them a big playmaking center to feed Rick Nash and just as importantly, a young player who is solid in his own zone. After having Brulé inexplicably fall to them last year at No. 6, they're happy to see lightning strike twice in the six hole.
7. Islanders: Derrick Brassard. The Islanders have some good second- and third-line centers in the system, but they need a guy with first-line potential. Brassard has the top-end offensive talent this organization lacks.
8. Phoenix: Jiri Tlusty. Goal-sniping winger fits right in with the last few first-rounders the club has taken. The difference is that Tlusty has proven himself against the highest levels of competition.
9. Minnesota: Kyle Okposo. The Wild are thrilled to get the home-state boy who has both offensive skill and an edge to his game. Okposo can ride shotgun for Benoit Pouliot in the future. He'll be a favorite of both Jacques Lemaire and fans alike.
10. Florida: Chris Summers. The Panthers surprise many by grabbing the smooth-skating Summers this early. Summers is tough mentally (a must on any Mike Keenan team) and plays a solid two-way game. The Panthers can use his versatility.
11. Los Angeles: Michael Frolik. In what seems like a yearly tradition, the Kings get a skilled forward who falls to them at No. 11. Frolik had a rough year but the Kings correctly believe he's capable of more than he has shown lately.
12. Atlanta: Bryan Little. Atlanta sees Little as the eventual replacement for Marc Savard on Ilya Kovalchuk's line and grab him for that reason. His hockey sense and passing skills make him the perfect match for the Russian star.
13. Toronto: Ty Wishart. The Leafs have a serious shortage of defensemen in their system and Wishart gives them a top shutdown guy for the future. He isn't flashy, but will take the body and is positionally sound — both rarities on the Leafs' blue line.
14. Vancouver: James Sheppard. Vancouver was hoping to get a forward with a mix of skill and grit, and they are thrilled Sheppard is still on the board.
15. Tampa Bay: Jonathan Bernier. The Lightning have a deep group of defensive prospects but are lacking in net, so they make Bernier the top goaltending selection. He gives them a guy who has played internationally for Canada and has shown he can handle pressure.
16. Montreal: Eric Gryba. Gryba gives the Habs a legitimately tough defender with huge long-term upside and projectability. He's a good fit, even if No. 16 is a bit higher than most thought he would go.
17. Minnesota (from Edmonton in the Dwayne Roloson trade): Patrik Berglund. The Wild add another big forward with offensive skill and hope Lemaire can get him to play with the intensity he's missing.
18. Colorado: Mike Forney. The Avs need to reload offensively and Forney gives them a skilled player with size on the wing. Little-seen high schooler could prove to be a steal at No. 17.
19. Anaheim: Bobby Sanguinetti. After passing on the top defender in last year's draft, the Ducks decide to grab one of the more skilled blue-liners in this draft. Oddly, he's their second straight top choice from New Jersey, following Bobby Ryan last year. Anaheim has a number of tough D-men they can pair him with to help hide his total lack of a physical game.
20. San Jose: Nigel Williams. The Sharks are always willing to be daring at the draft, so they go with the biggest upside prospect left in Williams. He has the potential to be a top pairing rearguard if he develops and the Sharks can afford to be patient.
21. Rangers: Chris Stewart. The Rangers have a ton of skilled players but desperately need a power forward. Stewart gives them the size, grit and work ethic they need up front.
22. Philadelphia: Mark Mitera. The Flyers are happy to get the huge stay-at-home banger who gives them another gritty player for the future. Should look good paired with Pitkanen in five years.
23. Washington (from Nashville in the Brendan Witt trade): Artem Anisimov. Caps take the first huge gamble of the draft and take the big, skilled Russian forward. If the transfer agreement is cleared up, this will be a great pick. If not, it's a waste.
24. Buffalo: Ivan Vishnevsky. The Sabers showed in the playoffs they are deep in sound, steady blue-liners, but they could really use a dynamic game-breaker and PP quarterback specialist. This is the guy who fits that description.
25. New Jersey: Ben Maxwell. One of the most skilled forwards in the draft is a perfect Devils type long-term project. They roll the dice that he will buy into the hard-working system they demand.
26. Calgary: Ryan White. This pick makes almost too much sense: a gritty guy who plays for the hometown Hitmen. Perfect Sutter style of hard-working, two-way player with some offensive ability.
27. Dallas: Joe Palmer. Good-sized American goalie with international experience. Just what the Stars seem to like.
28. Ottawa: Dennis Persson. They could use some grit as usual, but decide to go with the smooth defender at this point. Will look good on the power play down the road.
29. Detroit: Leland Irving. The Wings need a goaltender for the future and are happy to grab Irving this late. He has good mental toughness, which is a must for any netminder in Detroit.
30. St. Louis (from Carolina in the Doug Weight trade): Michael Grabner. The Blues follow up the Johnson pick by grabbing ultra-fast goal scorer Michael Grabner to fill another void. He seems perfect for the new NHL.
Wild card I: Jan-Mikael Juutilainen (Jokerit, Finland). Some teams really went gaga over his performance at the World U-18s, and frankly at RLR we don't disagree. He could climb up the ladder.
Wild card II: David Fischer (Apple Valley H.S.). Some teams are really intrigued by the offensive potential and upside of a 6-3 defenseman who plays more like a center. He's a strong candidate to slip into the bottom of the first round.
Posted 6/8/2006 5:12 PM ET