Official NHL thread?

[Recon]

Yea, 1st round picks... in particular late 1st round picks can easily be washouts. This league is hard as hell to draft for. I for one have never minded giving up picks to get a player like that.

Funny the wings dont seem to have a problem picking up talent with the VERY LAST DRAFT PICK

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Funny the wings dont seem to have a problem picking up talent with the VERY LAST DRAFT PICK

The Wings are exceptionally good at drafting. Seem to find hidden gems like Zetterberg and Datsyuk later in the draft.

I think that they are more the exception, and not the rule.

It's possible as well that they groom their draft picks better than others.

Some teams feel like they need to throw their draft picks to the wolves immediately after the draft. Put them in the NHL maybe before they are ready.

Sometimes to justify massive salaries and expectations from a early pick, sometimes to try to rescue a floudering team. For whatever reason.

But I think that in hockey, maybe more than any other sport... that confidence if everything. If you send an 18 year old player... who isn't even finished developing physically yet... to complete with grown men in their prime... I think that often that is a setup for failure. Failure that ultimately destroys confidence.

Look at your Daniel Cleary for example. I think that he was drafted at 16 years old by Chicago. He was regarded as a phenom who would be either a boom or a bust. He was started I think in his 1st year and wasn't ready for the challenge. Got traded to Edmonton very soon after. Didn't dazzle there either. Almost had a destroyed career before Detroit gave him one last chance. Has never really matured into the player that it was hoped that he'd be... but didn't fizzle out either. Has turned into a decent player for Detroit.

In Chris Pronger's first few years in Hartford, was widely regarded as a "bust". The guy was like 6'6" and 180lbs. He hadn't nearly finished "filling out" yet and was easily muscled off the puck by other developed players. It's testimony to his mental toughness that he was able to overcome that "schooling" at a young age and was able to retain his confidence by the time that he had "filled out" to about 220lbs.

But for every talented young player like Pronger, or Cleary that get thrown in right from the draft, it seems liike there is 10 who never regain their confidence. Their talent hasn't gone anywhere... they are still very young... and in their physical prime when their NHL career is effectively done. They have simply lost their mental confidence at that point.

I think that with the vast majority of young, hot draft prospects... that they need a few more "growing" years in the minors before they should get limited time in the NHL.

The guys like Ovechkin, Crosby, and Dourtey (Kings) who are able to go immediately from the draft to the NHL are the exception... not the rule. For every one of them, you get ten guys who washout.

[Recon]

thats why I always tell people on any given night our Grand Rapids Griffins can probably beat 50% of the NHL.

[r'aggro]

Totally agreed, SMH. The pressure to succeed and the difference in size between these skinny kids and fully grown nhl'ers can break them. In fact it always amazes me when guys like Patrick Kane succeed right from the start.

I mean, usually these top picks are taken by floundering teams and expected to come in and rescue the franchise somehow; either by winning more games or even getting the team a new building to play in, like Tavares or Corsby or Lindros. That's just insane pressure to put on a teenager.

This is especially true of goalies and defensemen...they usually don't come into their own until their mid-20's.

[r'aggro]

Twas the night before Christmas.

Mackenzie has Heatley headed to EDM. Like it Spanky? Read that Ottawa gets Penner, Cogliano and Smid in return. That's cool, the Oilers were starving for a star player.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Mackenzie has Heatley headed to EDM. Like it Spanky? Read that Ottawa gets Penner, Cogliano and Smid in return. That's cool, the Oilers were starving for a star player.

WOW!

Had heard that Edm was talking with Ott about Heatley, but didn't think much of it. Hear stuff like that all the time.

But I just saw that Heatley has nixed the deal by refusing to waive his "no trade" clause. If that's the case, Edmonton can do without a diva player.

Heatley is an amazing player. He's the type of star player that Edmonton could use.

But if that trade happens, Edm is giving up quite a bit of potential.

Penner I'd be ok with trading. He hasn't met Edm expectations, and is the softest 245lb player in the game. His production hasn't been too far off what it was in Anaheim... but he wasn't making $4.5 million there either. He showed up to Edm overweight I guess, and MacTavish made it known to the public last year. Properly motivated, I think that he can be a lot better. But you can say that about a lot of players in the NHL.

Cogliano has potential for a great future. Good rookie year, and 18 goals last year as a 2nd year player. Speed to burn. He's the player of the three that I'd LEAST like to see Edm give up.

Smid is ok. A very young defenseman who still has growing years ahead of him. Won't hit his full potential for another 5 years or so I think. He was a 9th overall pick... but I don't know that he has the potential that I think that Cogliano has.

Heatley is a great player. But his seemingly diva attitude combined with Edm giving up what I think is a lot makes me question this trade.

[Recon]

yawn wake me when the playoffs start =)......i know i know I'm spoiled

[r'aggro]

There are always ways for a team to improve. For example, your Wings might want to look at signing a top line winger to replace the 40-goal scorer that just went to your arch-rival.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

Dang!

Hawks will be deadly if they can sign Havlat too!

Was overjoyed about the Oil getting the Bulin Wall. Goaltending was probably their weakest position, and Rolosson ain't getting any younger. Not that 'Bulin is either. 4 mill a year ain't bad either. Get rid of Penner, and he's paid for with change to spare.

[dyne]

We let Bulin AND Havlat go and tried to fill Marty's spot with Madden. I am NOT excited about Huet being our #1. He's stellar at times but inconsistent at best. He needs to stop dropping on every shot.

Hossa is a non-factor for me. I have a feeling if he doesn't get injured he'll be non-productive. I'd love to be wrong on both accounts but it always happens with long term contract guys. Also, if we don't pick up where we left off in the win category in the first two months heads will certainly be rolling. The roar was back but can and will leave as soon as the team doesn't mesh like last year.

[Spank_Me_Hard]

We let Bulin AND Havlat go and tried to fill Marty's spot with Madden.

Hope that Havlat enjoys not being able to practice his offensive creativity for the Wild.

Why a scorer like Havlat chooses to go there is beyond me. And they got him for pretty cheap too.

He'll be stifled and frustrated in the overly defensive system there.

I have a feeling if he doesn't get injured he'll be non-productive.

You could be right.

Guys who sign for massive contracts often dog it for a few years... only to turn it on when they are nearing the end of their contract.

The good news is that he shouldn't be able to do that as his contract will end when he is 42 and is far out of his prime.

And... he signed the big deal with Detroit last year and didn't dog it for them. Mind you, it was only a one year deal... so I guess that he really couldn't afford to dog it.

[r'aggro]

Hossa will put up his points.

A more pressing concern for CHI is to figure out how they are going to be able to afford Kane Toews Keith Seabrooke in a year or two. That Campbell contract is going to haunt them big time.

As far as Huet goes, ya he's no Khabi but perhaps Chicago's management feels that Neimi or Crawford is ready to step up and assume the starter role sooner than later.

[Recon]

I'm not all that worried about hossa....was he a great player yes, will his leaving hurt the wings alot..nope..

Im hoping the wings can score one of hte young defensemen chicago wont be able to afford.

[r'aggro]

I'm thinking Cam Barker will be the odd man out in that situation, but Campbell's contract is such a lodestone that they may have to give up Seabrooke instead. Not to mention, there might be some offer sheets in store for them.

The nerve of Heatley. I can't believe he would demand a trade and then hurt the Sens by rejecting it. He's going to get boo'ed anywhere he ends up.

[dyne]

I will kill if Seabrook leaves. I also have much more faith in Crawford. Every time he's played he's done really well, especially while subbing in during the Detroit series.