Denson from Bangin Panger takes a look at free agency for the defending Stanley Cup champs

You can check out Denson's fine work at Bangin Panger as well as his Pens-related blog, "Pens are Mightier."

Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Pretty sure this one goes without saying for most Pens fans…but for f’s sake do not, under any circumstance, bring back Miroslav…Shitan…heyooo. Such a useless piece of shit. Scored a couple big goals in the Carolina series this post season, but that doesn’t excuse his awfulness the rest of the season. Give him credit for how he handled the minors situation and for getting a “second” chance…but he doesn’t mesh with the rest of the players in the locker room, he’s lazy, and he’s every other stereotypical thing anyone has ever said about him…just plain poop. Let him go to the NEW New York Islanders…the city where players go to let their careers die…Atlanta.

Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances

I’m not sure my soul could be crushed more than it was last year when Hossa went running for the hills to play for the eventual 2009 Stanley Cup Champions (snarrkkkk) but I’ll try to offer something. Not that enough hasn’t already happened to make me think Atlantic Division hockey is going to be awesome next season (Pronger and Tavares) but now the talk that the Rangers could offer the farm for Danny Heatley has me ready to throw up. I already hate the prick enough as it is, no need to see him even more often in the regular season. It’s going to be a tough task for the Pens to repeat next year, as Philly has already drastically improved on defense and caused me to have nightmares of Crosby being concussed 40987543987435 times next season…but if, God forbid, the Rangers land Heatley then the Atlantic Division could turn into a 4-way race.

Five Hole Fanatics/Matchsticks & Gasolines' Kent shares (pre-Bouwmeester signing) Flames FA thoughts

H/T to Vance from Bangin Panger for another great PhotoShop

Please keep in mind Kent sent me this post before it was announced that Jay Boumweester signed a big contract with the Calgary Flames. Congrats to Kent and Calgary fans for that; good luck to Sutter as he tries to make some kind of sense of the team's cap situation.

Anyway, as always, we thank Kent for his considerable loyalty and generosity to CLS. Make sure to follow both Five Hole Fanatics (for the number cruncher in you) and Matchsticks & Gasoline (for the Flames information). Thanks, Kent!

1.) Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Todd Bertuzzi. And it's not because he's a violent criminal (this time). It's because he's an ineffective hockey player. His stats line may look alright from last year, but he was, for very long stretches, the worst player in the Flames top 9 forwards. Lazy and penalty-prone, Bertuzzi also favored the excessively fancy play to the right one. I dubbed him "sore thumb" for the manner in which he stuck out during amongst the Flames top 6 forwards. His inappropriate use of back-hand passes became a punchline in Flame circles. He's big, but he plays like a man who's had numerous back surgeries. He's also injury prone. His offensive totals from this past season are almost totally based on Keenan feeding him lots of ice time and good line mates.

If the Flames re-sign Bertuzzi, I may have to turn in my fan card.

2.) Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

I would hate to see Marian Hossa land in Edmonton or Vancouver. He's easily one of the best two-way forwards in the league and he instantly makes any team he's on better.

Storming the Crease decides who should NOT team up with Ovie

Rob from Storming the Crease has been a long-time contributor to Cycle like the Sedins, providing us with deep, interesting takes on the Washington Capitals. He's been one of the busier bloggers during free agent time, writing three fantastic posts on Caps UFAs today alone. Make sure to follow his Caps-related pursuits.

They should be an interesting team to watch for the next decade (or however long Alex Ovechkin's contract is).

Raise your hands if you were the only guy in DC with a lower approval rating than George W.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Michael Nylander. The problem is that Nyls is signed for another two years and has a contract that epitomizes dead weight. GMGM has tried everything to get rid of this guy, who right now is a $5.5 million scratch (at least for the playoffs). Granted, there's still a little more than three months until the season starts, but Nylander stands out more than just about anybody.

(If you get the sense that I pick on Nylander at every opportunity, you're right. But he's really dead weight at this point. Seriously, I'd rather have an AHL player on the team than this guy. The Caps should have let him be Edmonton's problem when they had the chance.)

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

It would be AWESOME if the New York Rangers and/or Philadelphia Flyers continued their free-spending ways. Oh wait, that happened already with the Flyers totally overpaying for an aging Chris Pronger. GM George McPhee thankfully wasn't baited into another bad deal (see Jagr, Jaromir) and passed on trading for a good player, albeit one who is past his prime.

Barry Melrose Rocks tells us if the winds of change will affect the Carolina Hurricanes

You'd think that we'd hate all other NHL blogs, but the truth is that we pretty much enjoy all of them. One of the best general NHL blogs out there is the magnificently named Barry Melrose Rocks and we're glad to have them contribute to CLS for the first time.

Dave McBrayer writes for BMR as well as his Hurricanes-related blog Carolina on Ice. Make sure to follow both blogs and enjoy his slightly different take on the Hurricanes free agent situations.

The Hurricanes have only two UFAs: Erik Cole and Chad LaRose.

Am I the only one to rock the "Every LaRose has its thorn" pun? Probably.

It won't chafe my ass to see Erik Cole walk:
Erik Cole was traded for Joni Pitkanen this time last year but the Canes were teh suck without him so they brought him back. He was good, then crappy again - consistency and his lack thereof were one of the reasons why he was traded in the first place. If he can come back at a reasonable salary (say 2 years, 2.75mil/per) - awesome. But he's always been a beast to try and get re-signed, so perhaps Jimmy Rutherford has had enough of Cole getting the upper hand in negotiations. The whole "deciding not to show up or score a goal" in the playoffs certainly didn't help him if he's leveraging for a paperstack anywhere close to his prior $4mil/per contract.

I may die / cancel my season tickets / cry into my pillow if they can't re-sign LaRose:
Chad LaRose deserves so much more than the $875,000 he got last year. He was an RFA last year and Rutherford low-balled him due to claims that LaRose was their pencilled "4th line player" with a 1 year deal. He had a career season with 19 goals and 12 assists. Now he can't come to terms with the Canes as they most likely are trying to NOT pay him anywhere close to what he could get on the open market.

You won't find #59 on any prized free agent lists this summer, but there are plenty of clubs that would love to have a passionate, hard working player like Chad LaRose.

Free Agent I wouldn't mind seeing in the red and black: Mike Knuble
David Lee introduced the rumor to me. No way it happens though (please happen!).

Moves Burke should avoid on Wednesday, according to Pension Plan Puppets

Please note: Just wanted to inform anyone who hasn't heard yet that the Rangers somehow hypnotized Bob Gainey into taking Scott Gomez's horrific contract off the books.

Pension Plan Puppets is truly one of the great Toronto Maple Leafs blogs. Check out their work as they sport more blogging talent (by far) than the Leafs provide hockey talent. Also, they did a podcast with our buddies at Hockee Night that you should check out as well.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

There has only really been one player on the Leafs that made me physically ill to have to watch play, Bryan Marchment, and this summer the Leafs have been linked with TWO of them: Chris Neil and Mike Komisarek.

The former is best known in league circles for being really tough as long as linesmen are within arm's reach. Before some whiny senators fan mentions his fight against Luke Schenn we'll see how things go when it's not the rookie's first fight and the stupid stretchy jersey sleeve didn't catch on his arm. Not that Neil will chance it.

Komisarek is overrated as a defensive defenceman, he almost matches Neil for cowardice, and hits late every.single.time. Plus he still has the stink of the Habs on him and any aura that he might have had has been completely dashed by repeated decimations at the hands of Milan Lucic. The cheap crosscheck that should have resulted in at least a 10 game suspension just showed how yellow he is.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

I don't really hate too many teams that much since the Leafs haven't been to the playoffs in a while. Anything the Habs and senators do will likely just elicit a laugh as one has no cap space to address their needs and the other can't even attract players with truck loads of cash.

Having said that, if the Canucks sign the Sedins (which should put Gillis on the road to getting canned if he doesn't) AND a defenceman that can make a pass further than five feet then I'll be pissed. Luongo struggled but he'll bounce back and if they have a defenceman that doesn't clam up when they see a forechecker that might alleviate a lot of pressure on the backend.

Kontos and Kelly share LA Kings free agent perspective

An x-ray of Marian Gaborik's groin

First, we have our own contributor/founder of The Royal Half Chris Kontos on the Kings:

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Gaborik. Just say no, Dean Lombardi. Even to a 1 year contract. I've lived through Jason Allison... I've lived through Ziggy Palffy... I've lived through Pavol Demitra. There is no way in hell I want to have another highly skilled offensive player come to the Kings, get excited about the offense he is creating and then watch said player's body fall apart like peanut brittle. Although Gaborik does have some sick stats... when he is playing (on a mainly defensive-minded team.)

(Note: the columns are for: season - GP - Goals - Assists - Points - and plus minus)

2005–06			65	38	28	66	64	+6
2006–07			48	30	27	57	40	+12
2007–08			77	42	41	83	63	+17
2008–09			17	13	10	23	2	+3

Signing Gaborik would show that the Kings have yet to really make that big step forward. It would mean that they missed out on the Hossa sweepstakes and continue the struggle of bringing high level free agents to Los Angeles (like going from Drury and Chara to..... Tom Preissing?)

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

If Dany Heatley or Vinny Lecavalier end up on some combination of the Ducks, Sharks, Stars or Coyotes. Especially Heatley... I know that Lombardi has concerns about his attitude and that this trade is probably as dead as your pick of McMahon, Fawcett or Jackson... but man, Heatley, Kopitar and Williams would be a great line.

***

And now, the infamous Rudy Kelly of Battle of California:

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Ryan Smyth. He's a potential for movement since the Avalanche are going to be about as competitive as James O'Brien at the Playboy Mansion but I despise him with every fabric of my being. I hate him. I'd rather see my own birth from the doctor's perspective than have Ryan Smyth in a Kings' jersey. Also, I don't particularly like Mike Cammalleri and wouldn't want to be the idiot team that pays him $6 million dollars to shoot from his knees.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

If the Ducks get Sammy Pahlsson back I will be crushed. Earl will never shut the fuck up about how great he is and how much he loves the guy. I just want him to fall in love with someone closer, someone who would never leave him: me. WIth Pahlsson gone I can finally make my move, especially now that I have girl-approved hair. I'm cosmopolitan!

And I guess in a way the Kings are my nemesis since they hold sway over my heart, so I'll just say that they're not going to get anyone and Lombardi is going to half-ass some remark about boxes and I will be suicidal before talking myself into the Kings going to the playoffs on the backs of Oscar Moller and Ted Purcell. *Sigh

Vance from Bangin Panger wants at least one Sedin to cycle in Buffalo

Every contribution is special and snowflake-like, but it always brightens our day when someone takes the time to throw in a Photoshop for good measure. Our buddy Vance did just that.

We have his partner in crime Denson from Bangin Panger providing some Penguins thoughts later today. You can also check out Vance's other Buffalo Sabres-related views at his new Sabres blog, Double Edged Sabres.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Daniel Sedin, but I want Henrik. But is Henrik Henrik without Daniel? If separating Henrik from Daniel makes Henrik turn into [insert overpaid pivot here] than can Buffalo not only afford (of course they can't) but be willing to cope with such an unmitigated disaster? We've already got our soft LW in Vanek, we don't need Daniel. Oh but Henrik, how I covet thee. If you rode into town on an iconic American Bison, Sabre held high, oh the joy it would bring.

Click to enlarge. No, seriously, you should.

Daniel? Sorry, only one ginger allowed. (Editor's Note: this is generally a good policy.)

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Anybody worth anything signing with the Penguins. Don't you realize you still have to live in Pittsburgh? Sheesh. Pissin' me off.

But in reality, I absolutely hope Bryan Murray gets fleeced by the team that eventually takes Heatley off their hands. Even if Spezza is the Sabre killer, Heatley needs out of our division, for Wyshynksi's book, driving lessons, and 17 dollars.

Litter Box Cats dictates which free agents would be odorous

Pictured: Tomas Vokoun with David Booth (right)

You may know Whale4Ever as the recently crowned blogging Calder trophy winner. While Florida Panthers fans may be bummed that Jay Bouwmeester is on his way out, we asked Litter Box Cats which moves the Panthers should avoid.

Make sure you check out Litter Box Cats in all their Panther-tastic glory.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Marian Gaborik, given his injury history. He'll continue to make waaaay too many bones for the potential return on the investment. Martin Havlat can be lumped in here as well. The Panthers don't need any more "projects" (Nathan Horton? Rusty Olesz?). Gabby was rumored to be coming to Sunrise last fall; fans were thankful it didn't come to pass. He may never miss another minute of action for the rest of his career, but who's got faith in that balsa-wood groin? If you've just got to sign him, it had better be for pennies on the dollars he's used to making.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Tampa Bay dealing Vinny Lecavalier, thereby re-stocking their cupboard and turning around overnight. We're not in Quebec-trading-Lindros territory, but awfully close. Then again, it's the Lightning. Sadly for their fans, they'll engineer a way - by committee - to screw it up.

Flyers Goal Scored By talks about who they'd rather not see in orange

Obviously, by now, you know that the Philadelphia Flyers made what might be their biggest splash of the off-season already by landing Chris Pronger in a mammoth trade with Anaheim. That being said, we still dropped Flyers Goal Scored By a line to see how they felt about what Philadelphia should not do on Wednesday.

Enjoy their take and make sure to check out their great Flyers blog.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Over the past few years I've been repulsed by a couple signings the Flyers have made. But in the end I always end up kind of liking even those guys I used to hate after they put on a Flyers sweater. What a fickle past-time, eh? But if the Flyers acquire that p.o.s. Hal Gill in a misguided attempt to "make our defense tougher" I'll spit on my computer screen just to let the Flyers know how much I detest the signing.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Jay Bouwmeester, hands down - Hopefully Calgary can lock him down, but if J-Bo signs with a team in the Eastern Conference I'll vomit. If it's with a team in the Atlantic Division I'll poo. If it's with the Rangers or Penguins I'll have both ends.

Elise from 18568 Reasons Why talks Gaborik and the Minnesota Wild's Free Agent situation

We've been critical of Marian Gaborik ("Can't spell Gaborik without IR") before but there is one fan base that must face a lot of mixed emotions about the talented Slovak who is in a constant state of repair. That would be Minnesota Wild fans.

To take the temperature of those fine funny accented folks, we asked our pal Elise from 18568 Reasons Why to share her thoughts on what might happen for the Wild on Wednesday. Make sure to follow her blog as the rumors turn to reality or lies.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Benoit Pouliot (Wild RFA). Unless he starts getting his act together and putting in the effort to become the very skilled scorer he was expected to be when the Wild drafted him fourth overall in 2005.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Marian Gaborik to the Vancouver Canucks. Last year it was Pavol Demitra to the division rival Nucks (of course getting a tour from the team captain, a prior relationship with the GM, and agreeing to a contract way before free agency isn't tampering!) and this year, with the rumor of a purchased house, it's supposedly Gaby and his newly repaired hip/groin (maybe he just really, really likes the scenery in BC? wanted to be comfortable up there since Minnesota plays Vancouver so often? or maybe he just can't stand being separated from his bff Pavol). Anyway, after everything the Wild has done and given up for Gaby through his entire career (all with the Wild), for him to go to Vancouver would, to put it bluntly, suck.

Especially after spending quite a bit of his tenure in Minnesota complaining about the style of play and lack of offensive freedom. Minnesota may have been one of the more boring teams with the trap (pre-recent front office explosion, of course), but Vancouver wasn't much better. If Gaby would like a change of scenery, I would suggest a more drastic one; like an Eastern Conference team (hey Gabs, I hear Jacques might be coaching the Devils, fun times in NJ eh).

Laura of Wazzupwitchu covers the Blues and Thrashers Free Agent thoughts

Big thanks to Laura from Wazzupwitchu for being two team bloggers in one. Make sure to check out her spirited Blues-Thrashers blogging.

First, Laura's thoughts on the Blues:

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Danny. Freaking. Heatley. I'm sick and tired of seeing the Blues mentioned in trade rumors for him... and I really don't care for the fact that Perron is constantly included in these rumors. We don't need to break up the young core of the team, and Heatley, while good, is a pure goal scorer with no real oomph for playmaking (he floats a lot) and he's not great defensively. Heater's already been on one of my teams, he doesn't need to be on the other one.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Wait... hm... Detroit signing Hossa would make them a tougher team, but considering that Roman Polak almost broke him, I'm not concerned about his impact on the Blues. The Central's pretty stacked as it is - even Nashville and Columbus put up a fight every year. It doesn't boil down to what they get, it comes down to what the Blues do. Their success or failure is in their hands.

And then, her thoughts on the Atlanta Thrashers:

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

Any former NY Ranger that their fans always want to try to dump on us, either in a Kovy trade or just in general. NYC uses Jersey to dump their trash. They need to stick with that.

A lot of people are paranoid that Dapper Don will pick up Chelios. I think that comes from last year and us picking up Schneider from the Ducks last year. We're moving towards youth, and there's not a market for chili in Atlanta. We should be safe.

Another rumor that went around after someone saw Waddell at a Wild game was the acquisition of Gaborik. If he's healthy all season and doesn't act like Madonna when she's told she can't adopt that little African baby that she wanted, then he's golden. But my money is on a failed trip to Africa and a trip to the ER. Please, don't.

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

Tampa Bay to getting decent ownership who don't need couples therapy and to find at least 7 defensemen to stick with the entire year would be horrible for the whole Southeast Division. I mean, that's at least 4 sure fire intra-conference wins a season gone with the wind. *poof*

The Last Person the Couch Tarts would want to see ...

Most bloggers will break down why Move "A" and Move "B" would improve his or her team's chances of success. But at CLS, we insist on being "different" by putting on black nail polish and asking odd questions.

Instead of focusing on positivity, we asked each blogger to name a player they'd hate to see their team add and also a player whose addition to a rival would just spoil their milk.

First up are the lovable Couch Tarts: frequent contributors to the blog, creators of adorable hockey related doodles and experts on the San Jose Sharks. Indian burns all around for those who ignore their blogging.

1. Which player, for the love of God, do you NOT want to see in your team's sweater in the 09-10 season?

PRONGER! Do you know how happy we were when he went east? DW had the hots for him, and while we can't ignore his skills as a player, no way in hell would we want former alternate captain elbows on the Sharks. Thank you Bob Murray for not wanting to move him within the division. Can you imagine regularly booing one of you own players? Ugh!

2. Conversely, pick a potential move by another team that would just crush your soul/favorite team's chances.

If the Ducks or Kings got the Sedins, we'd cry ourselves to sleep every night until next June. Swedish Wonder Twin powers activate! Power of...massive cap hit!

Actually, if signing them means that the Ducks/Kings can only afford to put the twins on the ice with some third rate untested goalie, we're all for it. Three guys total on the ice for the opposition? How could we lose!


Yours from the Couch,

The Couch Tarts

Is the Atlantic now the best division in the NHL?

So, with the draft behind us and our free agency coverage ready to begin tomorrow, we don't have much time for general NHL meandering. But with the mammoth Chris Pronger trade and John Tavares going to the New York Islanders, we couldn't help but wonder:

Is the Atlantic Division now primed to become the best division in the entire league?

Let's look at the "Pros" for such an argument.

1. Everything the Penguins bring to the table

It never hurts to have the reigning Stanley Cup champions in your division, especially since they're obviously not a flash in the pan after going to two SCFs in a row. They might not always be great in the regular season, but it's hard to deny their heart, hustle and talent.

2. All kinds of elite talent, most of it young

Pronger gives this division the one thing it truly lacked: an elite defenseman (with all due respect to Sergei Gonchar). Pittsburgh features two of the three best forwards in the league. New Jersey saw Zach Parise jump to an elite level and also employs a goalie with more wins than any in NHL history.

Along with Parise and Pittsburgh's dynamic duo, the Flyers have Mike Richards and Jeff Carter while the Islanders even landed a blue chip in Tavares.

3. Four quality teams

In addition to the Penguins, the Atlantic produced half of the Eastern Conference's playoff representatives with the Rangers, Flyers and Devils also making it to the postseason.

4. Enigmatic, but potentially outstanding goaltending

Every Atlantic division team has a goalie who could be somewhere between above average to outstanding. Obviously, one must assume that Brodeur is still an outstanding goalie but it goes beyond that.

Henrik Lundqvist consistently puts together borderline Vezina caliber seasons. Marc Andre Fleury was erratic at times in the postseason, but a lot of people will probably remember his save on Nicklas Lidstrom a long time after they forget about some of those awful goals he allowed against the Washington Capitals.

Even the question mark goalies have potential. Sure, Ray Emery is a head case who eats bugs and potentially consumes other harmful toxins in his free time, but let's not forget that he was often excellent in the Senators' run to a SCF berth. Say what you want about his lifetime contract, Rick Dipietro was once the future of American goaltending and might still have a chance to be a solid franchise goalie if he can get over his injury concerns.

***

Again, this is looking at the situation before what typically changes the league the most: July 1st. Still, it's interesting to ask: at this moment in time, did the Atlantic division leapfrog the Pacific and Central as the class of the NHL?

We'd love to hear what you think about that.

Quality and Quantity

Well, it appears that we've received every draft preview we could so let's wrap this thing up.

First: if you missed a post at some point (understandable since there are more than 20), every single one is linked on the "draft coverage" sidebar. Amazingly, there are two Edmonton Oilers contributions.

The only teams that went un-covered were the Sharks (didn't ask anyone because they barely have any draft picks this year), the Penguins, the Blues and the Blue Jackets. Considering all the bloggers who are on vacation (literally and/or figuratively), we'd say that this special was an overwhelming success.

We think that we have a fun idea for the free agent period, but we'll see how many people we can convince to come back a week after contributing such in-depth and amazing stuff. Big thanks to the bloggers and places that linked to the special itself.

Lastly, we're wondering: is there anything you'd like us to change about these big specials? Obviously, the posts came in at a barrage but at least it wasn't all in one day like our epic (and labor intensive) trade deadline stuff. But, enough of that, do you have any suggestions, valued readers?

Have a fun draft day and stick around this summer. We won't slow down for a while.

Strange Deadfellows double-team the Edmonton Oilers draft

My brain is made of mush now, so let's keep this simple: big thanks to "thickoil" and "raventalon40" for their contributions. They collectively run one of the remaining great blogs in the "oilogosphere" in Strange Deadfellows so make sure to check them out.

First, "thickoil":

1. What do you expect the Oilers to do with 10th pick? Talk about some of the prospects (who might realistically be available around that time) who you have your eyes on. Who would you like to see the Oilers draft?

After the main 7 go in the draft, the draft opens up more and the Oilers have a bunch of options. The Oilers could draft the best player possible (BPA), which could be someone like Ryan Ellis. Ellis, the 5'10'' 170 pound offensive defensemen may not be the most ideal choice for the Oilers. The Oilers currently have an abundance of offensive D-Men in the system (Petry, Chorney, Wild, etc.). Also going against Ellis is his small frame. With Tambellini and Quinn preaching a more physical style of game, Ellis isn't likely to play that style.

Personally from an Oilers perspective I would like either Scott Glennie or Zach Kassian. Though Kassian is predicted to go in the mid/late teens in most Fantasy Drafts, he is forged from the Milan Lucic mold of player and is easily one of the toughest players in the draft. (Ironically the Oilers gave Boston the draft pick that got them Lucic in the Samsonov-Reasoner deal in 2006). Glennie also is a player in the power forward mold, but isn't as tough as Kassian but had a larger statistical output. However the concern with Glennie is that he was on a line with Brayden Schenn, and the Oilers are all too familiar picking players with inflated stats due to being linemates of highly dominant players (cough, Pouliot playing with Crosby, cough).

2. Do you think the Oilers will make any draft day moves? If the Oilers had to move a pick to land, say Heatley, would it be worth it?

I think the Oilers will make a move though I don't think it will involve Heatley. I believe Heatley won't be moved till July 1st because of his 4 million dollar bonus that the receiving team would have to pay. However I would like the Oilers to possibly make a stab at maybe Jbo's rights and Florida's 14th Overall. This would allow us to grab Kassian. Supposedly Florida is asking only for a 1st round pick. If I was Tambo I offer our 10th and a mid-range prospect for Jbo's rights and the 14th.

3. Take us back for some of your favorite Oilers draft memories. Obviously, the Gretzky era probably contains many of those moments. Are there any other steals/bargains/etc that stand out?

The Oilers drafting was abysmal in the mid/late 90's and early 00's. The Oilers haven't really had much steals or bargains in the draft. Horcoff was picked 99th overall, which I guess would be probably one of the better bargains in the draft.

4. On the other hand, the Oilers have probably had their fair share of blunders. Talk about some of the more head-splitting/"what if?" moments.

What if we picked Getzlaf, Parise, Richards instead of Pouliot...The 2003 draft was easily one of our worst moments drafting. Of the 30 guys picked in the 1st round, roughly 25 are highly successful.

Also would be the 1995 draft, which was held in Edmonton, we had the 6th overall pick and at the time everyone thought we would grab Shane Doan. Right before the pick was made, the crowd was chanting "Doan, Doan, Doan". Instead the Oilers picked Steve Kelly who played an amazing 149 games for 21 points.

Some people like to point to the 2002 Draft where the Oilers got Jesse Niinimaki, but in my opinion that was a pretty terrible draft overall.

Soapbox Time:

Feel free to use this as a moment to get something off your chest. Talk about the future of the franchise, the underrated perks of living in Edmonton or whatever else.

The future of the Oilers looks good with Tambellini running the show and Quinn and Renney behind the bench. Quinn specifically likes hard-nosed hockey and that should allow the Oilers to get back to that blue-collared style of hockey that I love.

***

Finally, "raventalon40"

1. What do you expect the Oilers to do with 10th pick? Talk about some of the prospects (who might realistically be available around that time) who you have your eyes on. Who would you like to see the Oilers draft?

I’ve been keeping my eyes on about 3 players who are most likely to be available at the 10th position, assuming Tambellini doesn’t move up in the draft. Those 3 players are Scott Glennie, Dmitry Kulikov, and John Moore. I’m a firm believer that you always take the best player available before you address organization need by position.

Though the Oilers have an abundance of offensive defenseman in the minors, my vote would go to Dmitry Kulikov and here’s why: the Russian defenseman has played the North American game, he has the widest range of skills, and is described by many scouts to be the most complete defenseman in the draft. Some even rank him above OHL phenom Ryan Ellis. The best part is, most GMs believe that Kulikov is NHL ready – but whether he’s ready in the way that Drew Doughty was or Oscar Möller is yet to be seen. It wouldn’t matter if Kulikov had to spend a couple years in the AHL to hone his skill.

As for Scott Glennie, he comes out of the WHL which is a familiar league for the Oilers scouts. Some raise concerns on whether his “sidekick” role with regards to Brayden Schenn will have hurt his personal development and I say bollocks to that.

In reverse, I wonder how much of Schenn’s performance is inflated by Glennie’s own contributions? Whatever the case, the Wheat Kings have a tradition of producing players with skill and desire, with the likes of Ryan Stone (a current Oiler), Eric Fehr, and Matt Calvert. Glennie is a true western boy with good hockey sense and an ability to find himself or his linemates in the right position. Schenn or not, Glennie has the smarts and that’s half the battle when it comes to making the NHL.

John Moore hails from the USHL, a league that has produced mixed results for the Oilers in recent drafts, with the likes of Petry and Vandevelde emerging from the league. Vandevelde is beginning to emerge from a development snag in the Oilers system that saw the team split farm teams with the Pittsburgh Penguins; Petry is one of the top prospects in the system. There is not much evidence left to fairly proclaim that the USHL is an inferior league and all indications are that John Moore may or may not outperform current Oilers big D prospect Alex Plante, though Plante’s own development has been delayed by injury. Moore is praised for his skating, composure, and slick passing ability. He could be a future powerplay quarterback.

2. Do you think the Oilers will make any draft day moves? If the Oilers had to move a pick to land, say Heatley, would it be worth it?

I wouldn’t move the 10th overall pick to acquire Heatley. Ottawa GM Murray has had his hand forced and all indications are that he will have no choice but to accept less than market value for his elite sniper. Landing Heatley will still take more than your average Joe top 6 forward, but I wouldn’t expect the deal to be of the blockbuster proportion that graced the pages of the Tkachuk to Atlanta or Joe Thornton to San Jose deals.

In order to move the 10th overall pick to acquire Heatley, I would imagine the Oilers would also be getting a significant roster ready player in return, to even out the roster vaccum created by acquiring Heatley.

Overall, it’s simpler to just look elsewhere if Ottawa wants a 1st round pick for Heatley.

3. Take us back for some of your favorite Oilers draft memories. Obviously, the Gretzky era probably contains many of those moments. Is there any other steals/bargains/etc that stands out?

I would have to say that my favourite Oiler draft memory was when they took Andrew Cogliano as I was hoping all along that the Oilers would take him and it actually happened. I still hold out hope that Cogliano becomes a franchise Oiler.

A close second would be the Sam Gagner draft year. I had him pegged along with Jakub Voracek and felt they were relatively equal and it turned out great that Columbus GM Howson took him first because the former WJC and Russian Super Series star Gagner turned out to be the more NHL ready pick.

A memorable steal that comes to mind is Linus Omark in the 4th round but as it stands right now, he may never suit up in an Oiler uniform, so we’ll wait and see about that.

4. On the other hand, the Oilers have probably had their fair share of blunders. Talk about some of the more head-splitting/"what if?" moments.

I wouldn’t call picking Jani Rita or Alexei Mikhnov blunders as much as I would consider them failures in development, but history has judged them to be almost as bad as Jason Bonsignore or Jesse Niinimaaki. Rita never stood a fair chance against other prospects in the system but he did score a goal in his first NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings.

The biggest question mark that comes to mind is former Oiler defenseman Chris Hajt. The Oilers spent many good seasons developing this player to absolutely no avail. I remember reading countless reports on how good Hajt was and finding out eventually that Hajt was really nothing to write home about.

5. Soapbox Time: Feel free to use this as a moment to get something off your chest. Talk about the future of the franchise, the underrated perks of living in Edmonton or whatever else.

Living in Edmonton is great. The winter season is all excitement and hockey. The summer season is beautiful and the river valley is second to none in terms of civic parks. It is more than 10 times larger and more extensive than New York’s Central Park and that’s no small feat.

The franchise has always had a kind of undying loyalty aspect to it. There have been criticisms of the “Boys on the Bus” mentality of the Oilers, but it’s true what they say: an Oiler for life. Doug Weight, Boris Mironov, Jim Dowd, Ryan Smyth, Wayne Gretzky, Igor Ulanov: these and many more former Oilers have been quoted as remembering their Oiler years as their best in the NHL.

And that’s not insignificant, considering a few of these players have done pretty well for themselves elsewhere in the league.

The Oilers have had a rough few seasons with the departure of Pronger, Smyth, and Smith. When Oilers GM Tambellini talks about going back to what defined an Oiler as an Oiler, he talks about that undying loyalty. Oiler hockey is not necessarily what makes the rest of the NHL go around. We’re not about the Pat Lafontaines, or Brett Hulls, or the Pierre Turgeons. Certainly, the Oilers have had their own list of accomplished snipers in Craig Simpson, Jari Kurri, and Glenn Anderson. But the Oilers have always mixed skill with desire, grit, and sacrifice.

Ask Mark Messier. Ask Ken Linseman. Ask Ryan Smyth. Ask Jason Smith.

Desire, grit, and sacrifice. It’s an exciting time to be an Oiler fan.

Storming the Crease discusses the Washington Capitals draft scenario

Storming the Crease is yet another one of the most CLS-friendly blogs out there. Rob, the blog's faithful editor, was a reliable source of Capitals perspective in a mini-blog for the Pens-Caps series. Make sure to check out his great blog.

1. What direction do you expect Washington to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

GM George McPhee has done well with picking players either later in the first round or with subsequent selections. Granted, since the team wasn’t that good for a while, the Caps did benefit from some high selections such as Alex Ovechkin first overall in 2004.

The current Caps are all about winning the Cup now. That means the most drama emanating from the team’s table in Montreal will revolve around trades, specifically focusing on Michael Nylander and Jose Theodore. Both players seem to be headed out of town, assuming McPhee can swing a deal. It probably wouldn’t involve the team’s first-round pick, but you never know.

McPhee is great about keeping the proverbial cards close to his vest -- and this year is no different.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Capitals’ history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Washington fans will never forget?

There’s little debate that the Caps’ all-time draft steal came in the 1990 draft: Peter Bondra, the franchise’s all-time leading goal-scorer, was selected in the eighth round, 156th overall. Bondra scored 472 goals in 14 seasons with the franchise.

Other late-round values include Richard Zednik (10th round, 249th overall in 1994) and Gaetan Duchesne (8th round, 152nd overall in 1981).

The busts started at the franchise’s beginning: Greg Joly, selected first overall in 1974, scored just 21 goals in nine NHL seasons. Other disappointments include 1995 first-rounder (17th overall) Brad Church (two NHL games played) and 1996 first-rounder (fourth overall) Alexandre Volchkov (three NHL games played).

Soapbox time: take this opportunity to discuss the Caps and/or NHL in general.

There’s no doubt the Caps are still steaming from the 6-2 game seven loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in this year’s playoffs. But in order for the Caps to follow the Pens’ path to a title, they need to do more than just stew. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.

That means the team needs to add an offensive-minded veteran center and a defensive-minded defenseman (or two). The Caps also need to become more consistent—which means no more nights off, no more 3-1 series deficits and no more thinking that “flipping the switch” when facing a deficit will earn them a Stanley Cup.

The Caps need to emulate the Pens and Detroit Red Wings in work ethic and determination. Adding new players will help, but the main source of the change has to come from the current roster.

Dual draft post: Canes Country and The Life and Times of a Caniac on the Hurricanes

(We had the bright idea to ask two Hurricanes bloggers to contribute and they both sent us something. Big thanks to both of them. For the sake of [moderate] brevity we'll do without extensive introductions this time.)

First, Canes Country:

1. What direction do you expect Carolina to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

GM Jim Rutherford has expressed a desire to go bigger. In recent drafts, they have selected smaller, more skilled players. (Zach Boychuk). The team needs bigger bodies and this might be the draft to do it.

In my opinion, I agree with him. The team definitely needs to get bigger. While he would be a gamble, Zach Budish is the type of player the teams needs.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Hurricanes history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Carolina fans will never forget?

High points included when the Canes drafted Eric Staal in 2003. I was able to attend the draft that year and Carolina management was ecstatic. They really felt they had a franchise type player with him. Another high point was when the draft was in Raleigh in 2004. The crowd was going nuts when the Canes traded up to draft Andrew Ladd, at the time the number one rated skater in North America. That was really a lot of fun.

Low points were first round selections of Igor Knyazev, (bust), Nikos Tselios, (bust), and the disappointment of how Jeff Heerema worked out after he was so highly rated.

I can't really think of a time that the Canes "stole" someone, other than perhaps Cam Ward when he was drafted at 25th in the first round in 2002. They were also extremely pleased that Zac Dalpe slipped to them in the second round last year. We will see how he works out.

***
Now, for Ashley from the Life and Times of a Caniac:

For some bizarre reason, I keep getting the NHL Draft confused with the NFL draft. I was beginning to think up a post about how the drafting strategy of trading down to get more picks and create competition between players at training camp has worked out well - but then I realized I was thinking of Packers GM Ted Thompson, and not Canes GM Jim Rutherford, because the last thing Rutherford does is collect picks - he tends to trade them away like they grow on trees.

So then, when I was trying to think of draft busts A.J. Hawk immediately came to mind, but then I was thinking that he hasn't really been a bust, just not yet living up to his potential, and I'd give him another year, especially with the change to a 3-4 defense... oh crap, there aren't linebackers in the sport I'm trying to talk about.

And I keep getting confused because in football your draft picks can come in and make an immediate impact, whereas in hockey you can draft a guy in the first round and he more than likely won't be ready to make the team for another year. So, really, the only way to judge the effectiveness of a draft is to look at who you drafted a few years down the road. Which, if you're a Canes fan, doesn't leave you with that much of a warm and fuzzy feeling...

1. What direction do you expect Carolina to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

As long as Rutherford gets somebody over 6 foot, I think I'll be happy. While short guys like LaRose, Walker, and Whitney seem to excel in Carolina, it would be really rather nice to get some size on our forwards. A regularly competentdefenseman with a physical edge would be nice too. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Rutherford drafts a goaltender - for a while he seemed bent on having a collection of them - and we could probably use a solid backup goaltender as it doesn't seem like Michael Leighton will work out long-term. In other words, size, physicality, and competence would be good on either side of the puck.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Hurricanes history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Carolina fans will never forget?

Has there ever been a "steal" for the Canes? If you peruse the draft history, there's not too many players from the later rounds that have succeeded in the NHL. I mean, I guess there's Wallin from the third round back in '00 and Cole from the third in '98, but beyond that the Canes' drafts haven't really panned out any steals (unless you count Eric Staal and Cam Ward, but as first round picks I tend to say that they're merely "living up to potential").

Groan-inducing moments? I don't have a specific one that occurred on draft day, but I can assure you that going over the past Canes' drafts definitely leaves you with some head-scratchers. Like, in 2001 the Canes picked Igor Knyazev over Tim Gleason. What? Jeff Heerema over Alex Tanguay? Huh? How is this stuff even possible? Maybe hindsight is 20/20 but beyond Staal and Ward I really don't see a lot that has come out of the draft for the Canes.

Soapbox time: take this opportunity to discuss the Canes and/or NHL in general.

I think it's awesome that the NHL changes the host city for the draft every year. It allows different fans to be able to see what happens on the draft floor, not just those in one metropolitan area. (And, yes, I am looking at the NFL, which has its draft in New York every year. Which means you listen to the Jets and Giants fans boo every draft pick every year.) When the draft was in Raleigh back in '04, it was a big party for the Caniac Nation. An opportunity for all of the fans to see not just their own upper management, but those of the other teams (standing ovation for Gretzky? Yes!), and an opportunity to see the next big stars of the NHL, when they're just regular people like us. There might be a lot of things that the NHL is doing wrong, but the moving draft caravan is certainly something that's a good way to open the game to fans in all parts of North America.

Four Habs Fans shares Montreal Canadiens draft thoughts

Four Habs Fans adheres to many of our favorite Internet traditions, throwing out equal parts clever, cruel and ... curvaceous. Don't be fooled by the random eye candy, though, because under that exterior is a core of fabulous hockey writing.

In traditional FHF fashion, their post is brief but blistering. Make sure to follow their work during an off-season that could change the Canadiens for a long time.

1. What direction do you expect the Canadiens to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

As always, no direction at all. Habs will take who they think the best player is at the position they draft. Alternatively, any American college defenseman will do.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Habs history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Montreal fans will never forget?

You really can't beat Patrick Roy at 51st overall for a highlight. There is a three hundred-way tie for worst moment from all our first round stiffs - Lindsay Vallis, Doug Wickenheiser, José Charbonneau, Brent Bilodeau, David Wilkie, Terry Ryan, Eric Chouinard, Jason Ward, Alfie Turcotte, etc., etc., etc.

Soapbox time: take this opportunity to discuss the Canadiens and/or NHL in general.

Please enjoy fine Molson products. We need the cash to sign our UFA's.

Vancity Canuck talks about Vancouver's upcoming draft

Vancity Canuck is another great friend of the blog. Along with providing the Vancouver perspective quite frequently, they came through in a big way when the Canucks were in the playoffs.

Make sure to follow Vancity Canuck's work regarding Vancouver (and also the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Hockey Bay).

1. What direction do you expect Vancouver to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

Since we are picking at 22, I think we should really just pick the best player available at the position. The Canucks do need defensive prospects because our cupboards are looking pretty bare. Luc Bourdon was our best defensive prospect, but now the Canucks have no Top 4 D developing in Winnipeg.

I know, I know, not that Winnipeg team but isn't that logo bad ass?

My preference, would be a defenceman like John Moore, but that's crazy talk for him to drop to 22 right? Damn. More realistically I see the Canucks taking Ryan Ellis or Stefan Elliot if they are still available. Elliot is a BC kid, and unlike the other BC-born boy, with the last name of Ferraro, at least when you draft him, you don't also get his dad.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Canucks history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Vancouver fans will never forget?

Recently, a high moment of last year's draft was taking Cody Hodgson last year at 10th. More importantly, was the choice not the draft Kyle Beech (have fun with that Chicago). Other than drafting Trevor Linden, the Sedins, and more recently Kesler, the Canucks have not had success in their 'drafting abilities'. Nonis also like to trade away draft picks for players that no longer play for our team. What, you have to build a team through the draft? Nonis must have missed that lesson in GM school.

Kyle Beech-ed whale. G-g-get it?

Recent groan? Who is Patrick White and why didn't we draft David Perron instead of him.

Soapbox time: take this opportunity to discuss the Canucks and/or NHL in general.

Mike Gillis will have an interesting week in front of him. I can't say I envy him at all right now. The Canucks may end up having a similar look for next 5 or 6 years with the Sedins' and their cycling or if they aren't re-signed, the Canucks could look drastically different (cue the Luongo traders if no contract happens). I read today that Vancouver was on Heatley's wish list. Um, thanks but no thanks. And Gaborik in Vancouver? Can you imagine the two Slovaks (Demitra & Gaborik) playing together? Maybe they can chat about being BFF's as they both sit out on the IR together.

HockeeNight's Forklift provides Chicago Blackhawks draft thoughts

Unlike bloggers who must hide their identity because they have "jobs" and "reputations" I've decided to go by my name. Why? Well, because I'm vain. Oh and also because simply googling "James O'Brien" won't get you anywhere near my blog ... apparently there's about a million more successful people with my name.

Still, it's rare that people get to know me beyond snarky blog posts but the guys at Hockee Night invited me over for a podcast a few months ago. We had quite a time, discussing the Blackhawks and more important issues like Big Van Vader's man boobs.

ANYWAY, we've enjoyed Hockee Night thoroughly since then. Their weekly podcasts are a great way to follow the Blackhawks without all that tedious "reading" although they do provide plenty of good stuff on that front too. Make sure to check it out.

Thanks, guys!

1. What direction do you expect Chicago to go in with this year's draft? What's your preference?

The Hawks are drafting 28th in the first round - the latest they've ever gone in the first. When you pick this late, you're not going to find any sure-fire studs - the best you can hope for is someone who has a missing component that can attain. If there's a goal scorer available, chances are he's either lazy or chickenshit. If there's a "character" player out there, he probably can't shoot the puck into the ocean off a pier. There's no easy answers. All that is certain is, at the 28th pick, there's going to be some kid sitting in a very empty players' section, and he'll look like a guy strapped into an electric chair when the Governor calls.

Can you draft to need at 28? I guess you can - the Blackhawks' organization is pretty thin at defenseman, so a decent blueliner in the pipeline wouldn't be the worst thing inthe world. The Hawks are ass-deep in forwards, both in Junior and the minors. That would indicate where GM Dale Tallon (a former defenseman himself) would like to go.

However, the most sound strategy (and the Hawks have been decent at drafting lately) would be to just have a ranking of players who might be available, and take the best one who is left at 28. Whoever it is won't be able to help the Hawks immediately anyway, and who knows what a year or two can bring, as far as injuries, trades, and free agency goes.

2. Looking back, discuss some of the highest and lowest draft moments in Blackhawks history. What are some of the "steals" and groan-inducing moments that Chicago fans will never forget?

High moments? Probably the back-to-back drafting of Jonathan Toews (#3 overall in 2006) and Patrick Kane (#1 in 2007). These two will be the backbone of the organization for (hopefully) the next decade. As far as the biggest steals, two that are fairly ancient history spring to mind...in 1980 the Hawks took a sixth-rounder (120th overall) that may very well be my favorite Hawk not named Mikita...Steve Larmer. The man is still just the balls. Three years later, they took a goalie in the 10th round (199th overall) who had a far more distinguished career elsewhere than he ever did as a Blackhawk - Dominik Hasek. As far as groan inducing? Maybe The Great Adam Bennett (6th overall in 1989) - who went 4 spots before Bobby Holik or The Great Jimmy Waite (8th overall in 1978, 7 spots before Joe Sakic), although this is a shit-or-get-off-the-pot year for the 7th overall in 2005, Jack Skille.

Overall, this shouldn't be too compelling, since Tallon doesn't figure to trade up or down.

As much fun as it is to have a top 3 pick, and wonder which wunderkind will pose in a Hawks' sweater and cap, I prefer winning hockey and going out with my wife on draft night.

Kent of Five Hole Fanatics/Matchsticks & Gasoline provides Calgary Flames draft perspective

Kent is one of the earliest supporters of Cycle like the Sedins ... and certainly one of the most generous. Every time we've asked him to contribute something, he's come through.

So, naturally, we asked him to provide some Calgary Flames draft thoughts. Since we knew that Kent takes a deep (but still coherent to the Average Joe Stain Shirt in all of us) look at stats at Five Hole Fanatics, we thought we'd ask him a specific question before we got to the general stuff.

Make sure to follow Kent's work at Five Hole Fanatics as well as Matchsticks & Gasoline, the Calgary Flames blog at Sports Blog Nation.

1. We've asked a lot of bloggers about their given teams' plans, but we've really enjoyed reading your statistical analysis-related works. So we thought we'd ask you: if you were a GM, which factors (intangible as well as statistical) would weigh most heavily for you when deciding on a prospect?

1.) In terms of statistical factors, a ton of good work has been done on this topic recently. Before we get to the more advanced material, I'll discuss the basic numbers stuff I personally look for:

a.) Contextually based offense. Like in the big leagues, a prospect whose output is based on favorable circumstances (good linemates, lots of PP time) is a red flag to me. For example, I wrote this recently about Carter Ashton in a draft preview:

...while he was leading goal scorer on his club, he was actually 5th in terms of total points (50) and 6th in terms of PPG pace (0.71). Of the top 10 scorers on the Hurricanes, Carter scored the most PP goals (10) and had the worst plus/minus (-5). Remmerde also notes that Ashton slumped in the second half of the season after being taken off a line with leading assist man and point getter Colton Sceviour. The downturn was a marked one and visible by glancing at the game-by-game results: from January - March, a period of 31 games, Ashton scored just 9 goals and was a cumulative -18. Yikes. That slump continued into the post season where he scored just 1 goal and 3 points in 11 games (and was a team worst -8).

Link here.

Time will tell if my misgivings about Ashton prove correct. Point is, stats can suggest which players are driving results and which ones are riding coattails.

b.) Year-over-year Progression. A more "macro" approach to prospect evaluation is looking at how a given player improves every year. While a year or two isn't a big issue for grown men, it can be significant for teenagers. In the CHL, a 16 year old rookie would be playing against 18, 19 and 20 year old guys for example. A kid who doesn't take a few steps forward every year is another red flag: his numbers should improve just by virtue of aging and playing in a league with markedly younger and more physically immature guys. In addition, every prospect aside from the odd phenom has to improve by several orders of magnitude in order to eventually make the big league - and he only has a limited "development window" before he ceases being a prospect. A guy who isn't moving in the right direction each season is bad news, right Angelo Esposito?

Now on to the advanced stuff. Oilers super blogger Lowetide had a good post recently on "NHLE" or NHL Equivalency ratings based on the stellar work of behindthenet.ca owner and operator Gabrieal Desjardins. Desjardins has created a method of converting a prospects junior stats to an equivalent output at the NHL level based on their age and what amateur league they played in. The methodology is a bit complicated, but basically it takes a players PPG (point per game) rate and multiplies it by a ratio to get the converted "expected" NHL output of the prospect in question.

Another Oilers blogger, Jonathan Willis, has started to look at the percentage of team offense to grade prospects. Basically, that means taking a kids point production in his draft season and dividing it by his club's goals for total. It's a simple calculation, but an elegant idea: it "corrects" for team circumstances and gives us an idea of the degree to which the guy contributed to his club's offensive totals. His initial investigations into this method are encouraging, with the percentage ranking outperforming scouts in the '98 and '00 drafts.

As far as tools and intangibles, I prefer prospects who can skate well and have high utility (can contribute in more than one area of the ice). I'm also not as enamored with big guys as most scouts and fans seem to be meaning I would have no qualms taking a little guy who performs over a big guy that "projects well".

2. Tell us about some of the steals and busts in Flames' drafting history.

Steals:

1.) Joe Nieuwendyk, 27th overall, 1985.

The Flames picked a lanky center from Cornell University who managed 21 goals and 45 points in 29 games during his Freshman year. He went on to score 51 goals in his rookie season in 87/88 and won the Calder trophy as the NHL's best rookie. He was a major part of the 1989 cup winning team and probably stands as one of the best Flames players and draft picks ever. The cherry on top is the fact that Nieuwendyk was dealt for a relatively unknown 11th overall pick named Jarome Iginla in 1995.

2.) Theoren Fleury, 166th overall, 1987.

Calgary scouts took a chance in the 8th round on a tiny, explosive dynamo who was ripping up the WHL at the time, but who was passed over by other teams due to "size concerns". Fleury scored a mind-boggling 61 goals and 129 points for the Moose Jaw Warriors in his draft season and followed it up with a 68 goals, 160 point performance the next year. At the NHL level, it only took Fleury 3 seasons to breach the 50 goal, 100 point mark. Over the course of his career with Calgary, he'd score 30+ goals and 70+ points 6 times (it would have been 7 save for the lock-out in 94). He had held the Flames Franchise record for goals scored (830) which was recently broken only this past season by the aforementioned Iginla.

3.) Brett Hull, 117th overall, 1984.

Although he played just 57 games as a Calgary Flame, the hall-of-famer stands indisuptibly as the best pure scorer ever chosen by the organization. In addition, his trade to the St. Louis Blues brought Doug Gilmour to town, setting the stage for the Flames Stanley Cup win in '89.

Busts:

1.) Trevor Kidd, 11th overall, 1990.

Tabbed as the future franchise goalie, Kidd was the first goaltender chosen in the 1990 entry draft. And while he did go on to have something of a decent if unspectacular 387 game career in the NHL, the real reason he's on this list is the second goalie picked that year (at 20th overall) by the New Jersey Devils was Martin Brodeur. For more than a decade afterward, the Flames franchise floundered and sunk, due in no small part to on-going problems in net. In contrast, The Devils (backed by one of greatest puck stoppers of all time) became an NHL super power.

2.) Daniel Tkaczuk, 6th overall, 1997.

Another reason the Flames stunk in the mid-90's was their woeful drafting record. Tkaczuk was a scoring winger out of the OHL that never managed to put things together at the next level, partially due to concussion issues. By taking him 6th overall, the Flames left Sergei Samsonov (8th), Marian Hossa (12th), Scott Hannan (23rd) and Brendan Morrow on the table.

3.) Rico Fata, 6th overall, 1998.

Another high value pick, another big whiff. A swift skating winger out of the OHL, Fata had a single good year as a Junior - his draft year (98) where he put up 43 goals and 76 points. The fact that he was an 11 and 19 goal scorer the previous two seasons (and was only the 4th highest scorer on the club during the year in question) should have been a tip-off to the hapless Flames scouts at the time, but alas. Fata bounced around the NHL for several years, cobbling together a 230 game career somehow, but never really made a dent to any significant degree. By taking Fata 6th, the Flames missed out on Manny Malholtra (7th), Nik Antropov (10th), Alex Tanguay (12th), Martin Skoula (17th), Robyn Regehr (19th), Simon Gagne (22nd) and Scott Gomez (30th). Luckily the org was able to save this draft year by moving Theoren Fleury for a yet un-tested Robyn Regehr in 1999. As for Fata, his name remains a punchline in Flames fan circles to this day.