With the playoffs over and the lockout looming, there's one last thing to do for the NHL...the annual entry draft. This year the only "can't miss" prospect is Russian forward Alexander Ovechkin. Everyone else is a crapshoot. Here's a preview of which teams have which picks...in the first 3 rounds. After that, there's really nobody worth drafting [except for the occasional Theo Fleury-type lucky break].
TEAM: Overall Pick [Round] ANAHEIM: 9[1],39[2],75[3] ATLANTA: 10[1],40[2],76[3] BOSTON: 64[2],94[3] BUFFALO: 13[1],43[2],71[3] CALGARY: 19[1] CAROLINA: 8[1],38[2],59[2],69[3],74[3] CHICAGO: 3[1],32[2],41[2],45[2],54[2],68[3] COLORADO: 21[1],55[2],72[3] COLUMBUS: 4[1],70[3],93[3],96[3],98[3] DALLAS: 20[1],34[2],56[2],86[3] DETROIT: 29[1]*,97[3] EDMONTON: 14[1],25[1],44[2],80[3] FLORIDA: 7[1],50[2],53[2],73[3] LOS ANGELES: 11[1],77[3] MINNESOTA: 12[1],42[2],78[3],79[3] MONTREAL: 18[1],84[3],95[3] NASHVILLE: 15[1],81[3] NEW JERSEY: 22[1],88[3] NY ISLANDERS: 16[1],47[2],82[3] NY RANGERS: 6[1],24[1],36[2],37[2],46[2],51[2], OTTAWA: 23[1],58[2],87[3],89[3] PHILADELPHIA: 92[3] PHOENIX: 5[1],35[2],57[2]60[2] PITTSBURGH: 2[1],31[2],61[2],67[3],85[3] ST. LOUIS: 17[1],49[2],83[3] SAN JOSE: 28[1],52[2],63[2],91[3] TAMPA BAY: 30[1],65[2] TORONTO: 90[3] VANCOUVER: 26[1] WASHINGTON: 1[1],27[1],33[2],62[2],66[3] *-Detroit sent a pick to Washington in the Robert Lang trade, so it's either this one or Detroit's second rounder next draft.
Expect Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto & Philadelphia to make deals with the Rangers, Penguins, Capitals & Blackhawks for picks.
The NHL Entry Draft goes June 26th & 27th in Raleigh, North Carolina.
(edited by Freeway420 on 20.6.04 1513) 2004 CALGARY FLAMES: 42-30-7-3 in 82 games for 94 points in the regular season 15-11 in 26 games in the playoffs 2004 Western Conference Champions
As somebody who's already has his picture taken with the Cup...and flirted with going to the draft in 2000, go for the picture and leave. Drafts are generally a lot of waiting, and nobody past the first round is really worth noting...unless you know somebody who could be drafted.
2004 CALGARY FLAMES: 42-30-7-3 in 82 games for 94 points in the regular season 15-11 in 26 games in the playoffs 2004 Western Conference Champions
You need to remember that In October a lot of bad teams look good and good teams look bad. The good players don't usually play a lot during the preseason so it takes a couple of weeks for them to get their games legs under them.