2009 Entry Draft… Penguin Prediction 1st and 2nd round

The 2009 Entry Draft is this Friday and Saturday from the Bell Centre.

There are what seems to be a record number of detailed projections available.  Now what’s totally hilarious about almost all of these publications and websites offering the latest scoop is that they are almost the same. And while most of these services cost a few pennies they are about the same as the lists that can be found at  Hockey’s Future: The Hockey Prospects Resource which is free.

The MOCK Drafts that take place are also pretty funny as most every one of these are performed by media-types and/or wannabe hockey-scout fans who read publication after publication and make picks based on a lot of things determined by somebody that they really don’t know.  BTW, I’m no different… but,

I like to keep that in the back of mind. Way in the back!

Some of these publications are for Fantasy hockey keeper leagues who draft players based on a different than NHL teams. For example, in these keeper leagues there is little value placed on defensive defensemen unless they can pile up PIM’s. The really good fantasy hockey leagues hold their draft prior the NHL to show how talented they are and while some of these people really know their stuff none of them have any idea who the right player is to draft.  But, like legends in their own minds – that doesn’t stop them!

So, let’s talk ‘real draft’… what’s going to happen with beloved Stanley Cup Champion, Flightless Birdies… at the draft table? 

First, I think most of us agree that Satan, Sykora, and most likely Guerin and possibly even Fedotenko are on their way out unless some miracle acceptance of low-pay is on the horizon.

When you combine the salary cap with the Entry Draft  it’s easy to see that the rate the blue-chip teenagers are being  jettisoned into the NHL as a less expensive cheap alternative to experienced players has increased tremendously.  There are less and less first round picks being traded as teams are catching-on to this economical gold mine. History shows that most first-round picks go on to play in the NHL in some capacity. What used to be first-round picks being exchanged during the Trade Deadline have now changed to more 2nd and 3rd round picks.

Back to what the Penguins do in this draft (I got off on a bit of a tangent there)…  Both Malkin and Crosby need scoring wingers. We have Tangradi, Jeffery and Cuputi and they may be ready, a year away, or lifer AHL players. We will have a much better idea how far away they are at this camp.

I believe what we can assume is that the Penguins priority is speed. Disco DAN has an aggressive system and to perform in it you must be fast.  And, although you can make someone faster – you can’t teach speed.

My choice based solely on reading way too many publications will come down to the best athlete available who coincidentally will be the fastest forward who is also a finisher at the 30th spot.

If  LW, Chris Kreider floats through to 30th I think he is our pick.  Could be one of the fastest in the draft but is playing HS with another year of eligbility there. 

A sleeper out there is LW, Erik Haula, a Finn who played last season with Shattuck-St. Mary’s.   

In the 2nd round I think they make a move on a goalie and while goalies are risky, we need to start building a base of them. I’m going with Edward Pasquale  who played with Saginaw 

or a late blooming, Mikko Koskinen, another Finn (who is 6’-7) and played for Espoo. 

Other than that… picking 30th is really great, isn’t it!  Let’s do that again next year.   Keep this in mind: The only difference in the draft between picking first and last is the difference between the 1st and the 210th pick. In all other rounds the 30th picks before the 31st… the 60th before the 61st… and so on.

It’s Good to Be the King!

 

This is DR Hook… carry on