There’s just something about draft day. I can’t really explain it, but it’s just an exciting event. I love watching the players’ reactions when they’re called to the podium, and it’s always fun to read all the posturing, and of course, the wheeling and dealing.
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft is almost certain to go down in infamy. Between Steven Stamkos’ potential, the overall depth of the draft pool, and significant trades dramatically altering the NHL landscape, this draft had it all.
We all know about Stamkos by now, and we all knew he was going to be selected first overall. I am not a fan at all of the way the Lightning organization is run, and I have no faith at all in their ability to foster the growth in Stamkos the hockey world is hoping to see. Time and again we’ve seen it in sports: a young player with great potential ends up in a bad situation, and the potential is lost.
Now, this is in no way intended to question Stamkos’ abilities. Having watched him a little, and having read about him, he seems to have the focus and the drive, and all the unquantifiables you want in a first-overall selection. This is entirely a damnation of the Lightning. Hell, they don’t even have a coach for this kid yet.
Moving along, because the draft was too exciting this year to focus on just Tampa Bay, at some point Nicklas Lidstrom is going to hit the back nine. It just has to happen. And when that time comes, the four young men selected after Stamkos will likely be ready to battle one another for a decade’s worth of Norris Trophies.
There is no questioning the potential for greatness Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, Alex Pietrangelo and Luke Schenn have. In a year without a clear-cut number one, the posturing to get at these four guys would have been incredible. Each is a “spice-to-taste” kind of player. They all bring different styles and different development needs, but there’s almost no doubt all four players will be stars for a long time.
By adding Doughty to a mix that already included Tom Preissing and Jack Johnson, and strong veterans like Rob Blake and Jon Klemm, the Kings will be looking to take enormous steps forward in the next few seasons. In Doughty and Johnson, the Kings may have the best young defensive pairing in the league. More on L.A. in a minute.
The Atlanta Thrashers hope by adding Bogosian they can begin to make up for a big mistake at the 2007 trading deadline. That mistake, of course, was dealing away Braydon Coburn only to watch him finally blossom with the Philadelphia Flyers this past season. Bogosian is seen by some as a project, but after watching Coburn languish in the minors before eventually giving up on him, it’s hard to imagine Atlanta makes the same mistake with Bogosian. Alongside their young core of Tobias Enstrom, Garnet Exelby, Steve McCarthy, Bogosian should be a good fit, and could be the missing piece they need to make a leap (either Bogosian or an experienced defense coach).
In St. Louis, they have an issue with the idea of Doughty and Johnson being the best young defensive duo in the league. The Blues selected Alex Pietrangelo to team with Erik Johnson, and give the Kings’ pair a run. Pietrangelo draws many comparisons to Doughty, but plays with less flash, and absolutely has all the tools.
Making their best move since trading for Mats Sundin, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a deal with the Islanders to move up and grabbed Luke Schenn with the number five pick. Schenn in a physical force and an absolute terror to play against. He hit everything that came into the Canadian end during the World Juniors, and should transition very easily into the pro ranks.
Chicago may have the steal of the draft in Kyle Beach. Off-ice issues hurt Beach’s stock, otherwise many regard him as the most talented player in the draft. In Chicago, with the Wirtz’s new direction, and with strong leaders like Dave Tallon and Dennis Savard, Beach should be in very good hands.
Not content to draft just their powerplay quarterback of the future, the Kings also went for their shot-blocking, PIM-leading, penalty-killing leader of the future, selecting Colten Teubert with their second pick of the first round. Teubert doesn’t project in the same class the other four do, but he’s the kind of guy you can’t win without.
Ottawa went way off the board with the 15th pick, selecting Erik Karlsson of Frolunda. The tiny Swede debuted on ISS’s rankings in May, and shot up teams’ draft boards like a draft day version of Fabian Brunnstrom. It says here Ray Emery will be back with Ottawa before Karlsson makes any kind of impact.
Speaking of off the board, hello Boston! The Bruins swung for the fences drafting Joe Colborne out of the Alberta Junior League. He was by far the league’s most talented player this season, and has appeared on most draft lists as a second rounder, or very late in the first round. At 6’5” Colborne could team with Milan Lucic in an imposing lineup.
In the end, International Scouting Services and the NHL’s Central Scouting nearly picked all 30 first rounders correctly, and nearly did so in the correct order. This draft appears to be rife with talent, and looking back in three, five, 10 or 20 years’ time, should be very fun.
Stay tuned for thoughts on the major draft-day trades.
Title image stolen from this brilliant John Buccigross column
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