2007 NHL Entry Draft Logistics

**Just a healthy reminder that the timing of this year's entry draft has been changed to Friday night/Saturday morning**

--2007 NHL Entry Draft--
Nationwide Arena, Columbus

Round 1 – Friday, June 22
beginning at 7 pm, ET (VERSUS, TSN, RDS, NHL Radio, NHL.com audio stream)

Rounds 2 through 7 – Saturday, June 23
beginning at 10 am, ET (NHL Network, NHL.com video stream)

Power Play Plante

Alex Plante
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Defense
League: WHL
Team: Calgary Hitmen
Height: 6'5''
Weight: 220
Shoots: Right
*****
Scouting Report: Big man on defense is a very mystifying prospect from the backend...at six-foot-five you expect a big shutdown, physically punishing defenseman but that is not the case…if anything, is a power play specialist…is a slick passer and opportunistic shooter with the man advantage…has impressive hands and is able to make surprisingly nice moves standing still and also in flight…not sure he has a natural feel for the game…has very good stats and measurables but is a product of being able to handle less talented and developed junior players…is a peculiar skater…legs flail out to sides in a way that makes him seem like a poor skater…possesses subpar acceleration, surprisingly good agility and mobility, and just average straight line skating and speed…lags a bit skating backwards and has trouble containing smaller, shiftier forwards on the attack…has top-end potential as a similar player to Minnesota’s Kurtis Foster.
*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats
*****
58 games 8 goals 30 assists 38 points +18 81 PIM
*****
2007 Playoff Stats
*****
13 games 5 goals 6 assists 11 points +/-0 14 PIM
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: DraftBuzz forecasts Plante as a second-fourth rounder, as Plante continued to find his way onto the scoresheet in the playoffs. Not our type of player- we have him ranked in the 60-80 range- but nonetheless a big man who can man the point like he does and score at an impressive clip will garner serious attention.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.whl.ca)

Big Mac-Kenzie

Drew MacKenzie
*****
Country: USA
Position: Defense
League: USHS
Team: Taft
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 200
*****
Scouting Report: Impact defenseman is a cornerstone defenseman for Taft .. big, rangy, and mobile .. light on his skates and is very swift .. adds a dimension to his defending with above average skating backwards .. has head on a swivel and surveys the play with great anticipation .. one of the few players who consistently displayed a pulse in many sleepwalker games .. showed a real nasty side and roughed up a couple of forwards in the corners .. seems to be on another level than teammates as passes were routinely missed and went untouched .. is a quick thinker and always makes the right decision with the puck .. is confident carrying the puck up the ice .. will get to the opponent’s blue line and pass, dump in .. always chooses the smart, low risk play which is commendable at this stage .. has committed to the University of Vermont (2008) after also considering Dartmouth, UMass, and the University of New Hampshire .. MacKenzie is a defenseman whose prospect value has the potential to take off.
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: DraftBuzz projects MacKenzie to be a third-fourth round selection of a team who has the time to wait for him to develop in the NCAA.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.uvm.edu)

Boston Bound Bonino

Nick Bonino

*****

Country: USA

Position: Center/Winger

League: USHS

Team: Avon Old Farms

Height: 6'1''

Weight: 180

Shoots: Left

*****

Scouting Report: BU recruit is an enigma with subpar skating but superb offensive tools .. seems to always find his way onto score sheets .. is downright dangerous in the offensive zone and makes his presence known with a lethal release .. is a scary winger on the power play when he sets up at the hash marks .. owns a potent selection of shots and an impressive willingness to fire at any time .. played on the power play with Cam Atkinson and Chris Wieland .. has undeniable instincts as puck seems to follow him .. shows quick hands and can process plays under pressure .. has deceptive speed with the puck on his stick as he changes speeds frequently on the attack .. shields the puck well .. lacks foot speed and therefore sometimes struggles to win battles and races to loose pucks, however he does compete hard .. not a liability in the defensive zone but must try harder than peers in order to offset substandard skating .. lumbering sniper will do fine at collegiate level as long as he shows improvement in speed, agility, and acceleration…will surely attract teams in the middle of the draft and is a potential steal down the road with proper development.

*****

Draft Day Status/Projection: Bonino is a hard draft eligible to get a read on because teams may be turned off by his skating. DraftBuzz feels he could be selected as soon as late third round based on his offensive instincts and hands, but a more likely projection is anywhere from the 4th to the 6th round.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.bu.edu)

Draft Rumors: PHO/NYR Swap?

**Imminent Deal?**

"The Coyotes have a new owner, a perennial losing record and a top draft
pick next month in Columbus. There have been rumblings that the Rangers
might consider packaging Al Montoya, Petr Prucha and a pick/prospect for the
Yotes' spot, which could turn into Kyle Turris or Pat Kane. Neither will be
Sidney Crosby, but the talent thins out after No. 7, supposedly. Makes some
sense. "

*****

DraftBuzz Commentary: The New York Rangers are starving for an
elite young forward, either through the draft or trade, and do have assets to
burn as Zipay notes. Henrik Lundqvist has stolen NY's heart, and the
organization may be best off utilizing Montoya as a valuable trade chip. Prucha
is a young forward who has put up good numbers, and "has more guts than a
slaughterhouse," according to Head Coach Tom Renney, but he is not
irreplaceable. Phoenix has some good young stars on the horizon such as the
slick Peter Mueller, towering Martin Hanzal, and high potential Blake Wheeler,
and could stand add more advanced youth such as Prucha and Montoya. However,
some in CoyoteLand still cite the need for another gamebreaking forward
prospect, so they could be just as content standing pat. In all, this is a
"rumbling" with wobbly legs to begin with, but it's great opportunity to
prospect potential avenues for deals on June 22nd.

One Sharp Blade

Colton Gillies
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Center/Defense
League: WHL
Team: Saskatoon Blades
Height: 6'4''
Weight: 182
Shoots: Left
*****
Scouting Report: Saskatoon’s young Colt is an impressive, towering centerman with elite skating ability… the ease with which he skates is a pure joy to watch … smooth accelerator with powerful crossovers … can blow by guys with straight line speed and can rotate from forwards to backwards at the drop of a hat … plays in all situations: 5 on 5, PK, and PP … already wears an A … is able to make plays on the penalty kill with agility, reach, and hustle … is a burgeoning threat on the rush … looks like a human freight train when dumping/banking the puck and chasing … owns a quick release that is not the most accurate or well placed … has good offensive sense and anticipation when the puck is on his stick … has fairly soft hands, receives passes well, and can stickhandle … adept at processing defender’s gap control and knows when to get rid of the puck … as a result makes some pretty passes from time to time … loves contact and finishes every check hard … is great along the boards with good puck protection and has the acceleration to roll out quickly for an offensive breakout/chance…could stand to think the game a hair quicker as he tends to chase the play a little too often … did not look comfortable or meshed with his linemates, which may have skewed his stats some … needs to be more consistent in driving to the net …can play defense as well, which shows attractive versatility … Gillies is a tantalizing blend of many talents who needs to show a little more confidence and ability to control the game.

*****

2006-2007 Regular Season Stats

*****

65 games 13 goals 17 assists 30 points -20 148 PIM
*****

WJC U18 - Team Canada

*****

6 games 2 goals 1 assist 3 points +3 10 PIM
*****

Draft Day Status/Projection: Gillies is a the ultimate draft day project. Because of his versatility, we would say a team has multiple shots at making Gillies a pro. He could make it as an energy line checker, top six power forward, or punishing second-third pairing defenseman. DraftBuzz has him ranked 17th and thinks he is a good bet to get drafted anywhere from 10th overall to 25th overall.

*****

(photo courtesy of Gord Waldner, The StarPhoenix)

The Americans Department of Defense

Juraj Valach
*****
Country: Slovakia
Position: Defense
League: WHL
Team: Tri-City Americans
Height: 6'6''
Weight: 210
Shoots: Right
*****
Scouting Report: Six-foot-six towering Slovakian blue liner has turned into the American’s go to rearguard…appears smaller than listed size because of bent over skating style…owns long, powerful strides where he gracefully covers a lot of ice…loves to lead the rush and sustain offensive zone pressure, which is usually uncharacteristic of a guy his size…because of his swift skating, he can press as he has the ability to race back and catch opponents… right-handed shot is an impressive point man…can unleash any type of shot with great power…biggest downside is he lacks a physical edge and can be too passive at times… does have some agility problems and difficulty turning…may be overzealous at times…got burned after stepping up in the neutral zone attempting a takeaway…prone to minor lapses in defensive awareness from time to time...occasionally drops his assignments and leaves forwards alone in front of the net for slam dunk rebound goals…will be a scary blue liner if he adds strength and bite…this competent and mobile blue liner oozes confidence and is sure of himself when the puck on his stick…an intriguing 2007 draft talent from the backend.
*****

2006-2007 Regular Season Stats
*****
58 games 7 goals 23 assists 30 points +11 75 PIM
*****
2007 Playoff Stats
*****
6 games 1 goal 1 assist 2 points -1 12 PIM
*****
WJC '07 - Team Slovakia
6 games 0 goals 0 assists 0 points -1 8 PIM
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: Valach is blessed with great raw talents and sky high potential. DraftBuzz feels he is worthy of a pick in the 30-50 range. However, big defensemen tend to get plucked fast and furious so the last few picks in the first round are not exactly off limits.

(photo courtesy of www.amshockey.com)

Smooth Operator: Coast to Coast

Karl Alzner
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Defense
League: WHL
Team: Calgary Hitmen
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210
Shoots: Left
*****
Scouting Report: Ultra-smooth defenseman hails from Burnaby and naturally lists Duck Scott Niedermayer as hockey hero…stands a tall six-foot-two and carries a solid 200+…hockey sense and instincts define the good players from the great and he has those qualities in spades…certainly has a great mind for the game…an all-compass skater whose skating is light and relaxed…has an active stick when shadowing a forward where he clogs lanes and breaks up plays…positionally sound rearguard…a calm guy who plays with ice water in his veins…an absolute staple on the Hitman blueline…does lack the edge that you would like to see from a top defenseman prospect…is not shy about initiating contact but it is obvious that he prefer/relies on smart, positional defense instead…does everything above average…logs a ton of minutes and has earned the confidence of coach Kisio…executes tape-to-tape outlets and smart chip outs…can thread any type of pass in any type of position…pinches effectively in the offensive zone…is a respectable point man on power play…could stand to reduce power play giveaways resulting from poorly timed passes…lack of physical game could be misconstrued as being passive and not competitive…the best overall defenseman in the draft.
*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats
*****
63 games 8 goals 39 assists 47 points +16 32 PIM
*****
2007 Playoff Stats
*****
18 games 1 goal 12 assists 13 points -3 4 PIM
*****
WJC '07 - Team Canada (Limited Icetime)
*****
6 games 0 goals 1 assist 1 point +1 2 PIM
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: DraftBuzz feels Alzner is a sure bet for the top seven, and ranks him number five after the Big Four. Possible destinations for Alzner include LA at number four, and the most likely of all, Edmonton at six.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.tsn.ca)

Behind The Scenes Look At The 2006 NHL Entry Draft

Here are four enjoyable installments detailing the events leading up to the draft for the Washington Capital's and GM George McPhee. Watch the phone calls, the interviews, the poker faces, and Alex Ovechkin's imminent selection of playmaker Niklas Backstrom!

1/4. Washington Caps: Under Construction, 2006 Entry Draft

2/4. Washington Caps: Under Construction, 2006 Entry Draft

3/4. Washington Caps: Under Construction, 2006 Entry Draft

4/4. Washington Caps: Under Construction, 2006 Entry Draft

Draft Faller: CHILLY Quebec

Angelo Esposito
*****
Country: Canada
Position: Center
League: QMJHL
Team: Quebec Remparts
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 180
Shoots: Left
*****
The Skinny: The Montreal native once thought to be the 2007 draft leader last year has now played himself out of that race and possibly even a top 10-15 selection. Exit: the youthful, exuberant, ultraskilled Canadian, optimistically vying for the 2007 #1 spot. Enter: the overhyped, lazy, failed-to-bring-it Canadian, now watching his stock fall down the draft ranking ladder. The talent is still there, but for a player to continue to challenge for the top selection he must expand his portfolio. Was it too much hype? Possibly. Does Esposito have a bad attitude? No. Part of Esposito's reduced production stems from the loss of shotgun winger Alex Radulov. When Radulov moved on to the AHL and then the NHL, Esposito surely lost a talented linemate, which makes us believe there may have been some stat inflation. But, DraftBuzz also believes he neglected to improve and heighten the rest of his game. We all know his offensive gifts are plenty. He’s a fast skater with a bowlegged stride, and as a result is a threat on the rush with his speed and arsenal of moves. Esposito has confidence in his ability to rush the puck and lead his team into the offensive zone. And he is a factor in all three zones because of his speed. With all this speed, however, comes the foremost concern we have. Most of his areas needing improvement all boil down to one thing: hockey sense. Esposito skates around the play and makes us question his hockey IQ and anticipation. He routinely has to play catch up in his own zone, and he does not exhibit the respected hockey savvy a player like Sam Gagner does. Similarly, Esposito rarely elects to take the safe play and almost always tries to beat defenders either wide with his speed or dekes with many attempts failing and turned up ice for odd man rushes. He is a liability in his own zone, as he is a visible step behind the play and is vulnerable to taking unnecessary penalties as a result. The potential is there for this recently much maligned prospect, but there is concern that Esposito's drawbacks go deeper than just quantified, trainable skills.
*****
2006-2007 Regular Season Stats
*****
60 games 27 goals 52 assists 79 points +9 63 PIM
*****
WJC U18 '07 - Team Canada
*****
6 games 3 goals 3 assists 6 points +3 0 PIM
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: Esposito is a love 'em or hate 'em type of prospect. Even though we are not fans of his game, DraftBuzz is cognizant of the fact that teams do like his upside and are willing to accept his flaws for now. So, it would not be surprising to see a team nab Esposito in the 11-20 range.

(photo courtesy of getty images)

Draft Riser: Hot DANE!

Lars Eller
*****
Country: Denmark
Position: Center
League: J20 SuperElit
Team: Vastra Frolunda HC Indians
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 198
Shoots: Left
*****
The Skinny: The best Danish prospect available for this year's draft has really skyrocketed up many scouts lists the second half of the season and has all but solidifed himself a spot in the top 20. Eller is a player who is technically very sound; he is a quick skater, owns both a hard and accurate slapshot and wristshot, and is a great stickhandler equipped with the above average vision needed to be a playmaker. Above all, he is a mature, two-way player. He has progressed on a steep development curve, one that started as soon as he came into this season with added size and strength. The most impressive feat in Eller's meteoric rise, according to DraftBuzz, is the quality of the competition he had to first prove he could hang with and then later surpass. Aside from Mikael Backlund, Eller seemingly had to deal with the rest of Sweden's notable draft eligible's stealing the spotlight, having outstanding teammates such as Simon Hjalmarsson, Joakim Andersson, and Jens Hellgren. To go from afterthought in scouts eyes to hot prospect in such a short period of time is remarkable. Although Eller's main weakness is his unselfishness as he often passes up open shots, the second year player for the HC Indians went on to be the team's biggest threat on the powerplay leading the team with 6 goals. Lars Eller is most definately on the prospect fast track, as he is widely considered one of the few young J20 candidates to move up to the Swedish Elites next year. With Denmark earning a promotion in the WJC for 2007-2008, Eller will also be given a chance to match his talent up against other junior stars on the biggest international stage.
*****
2006/2007 Regular Season Stats:
*****
39 games 18 goals 37 assists 55 points +22 58 PIM
*****
WJC18 d1 '07 - Team Denmark
*****
5 games 3 goals 7 assists 10 points +5 6 PIM
*****
WJC d1 '07 - Team Denmark
*****
5 games 2 goals 5 assists 7 points +6 16 PIM
*****
Draft Day Status/Projection: Top 20 is a conservative prediction based on the hype, but it's not farfetched to believe a team in the 8-14 range may gamble on Eller's unique upside and select the rising Dane after the draft's first tier of talent's.

*****

(photo courtesy of www.ishockey.dk)