Round 1 1. Atlanta 2. NY Islanders 3. Tampa Bay 4. Florida 5. Anaheim 6. Minnesota 7. Montreal 8. Columbus 9. Chicago 10. NY Rangers 11. Calgary 12. Nashville 13. Boston * 14. Phoenix 15. Carolina 16. Vancouver 17. Toronto 18. Los Angeles 19. Edmonton * 20. San Jose 21. Pittsburgh 22. Buffalo 23. Philadelphia 24. New Jersey (from STL) 25. Montreal (from WSH) 26. Dallas 27. Ottawa 28. New Jersey 29. Chicago (from DET) 30. Los Angeles (from COL)* Picks 13 and 19 – Edmonton has the option to switch first-round picks with Boston in the 2001 or 2002 Entry Draft.
Round 2 31. Phoenix (from NYI-T.B.) 32. Buffalo (from T.B.) 33. Nashville (from ATL-VAN) 34. Florida 35. Anaheim 36. Minnesota 37. Montreal 38. Columbus 39. Toronto (from CHI) 40. NY Rangers 41. Phoenix (from CGY -ANA) 42. Nashville 43. Edmonton (from BOS) 44. Florida (from PHX) 45. Phoenix 46. Carolina 47. Tampa Bay (from VAN) 48. Florida (from VAN) 49. Los Angeles (from TOR) 50. Buffalo 51. Los Angeles 52. Edmonton 53. Columbus (from SJ-MTL) 54. Pittsburgh 55. Buffalo 56. Philadelphia 57. St. Louis 58. Washington 59. Chicago (from DAL) 60. Ottawa 61. Washington (from NJ-MTL) 62. Detroit 63. ColoradoRound 2 Compensatory Pick Notes
· Pick 45 assigned to Phoenix for club not signing 1999 first-round draft pick Scott Kelman.
· Pick 48 assigned to Vancouver for loss of Group III player Mark Messier.
· Pick 50 assigned to Buffalo for club not signing 1999 first-round draft pick Barrett Heisten.
Round 1
1. Atlanta- Ilya Kovalchuk, LW The ultimate no-brainer pick since Eris Lindros in 1991. While the Thrashers would love to have added a center or a goaltender, the obvious choice for the top pick is Kovalchuk. The Thrashers needs are large and at all positions due to the fact that they are only a two year old franchise. Kovalchuk’s speed combined with Heatley’s strength and power will provide the Thrasher’s with two top-notch number 1 line wingers. Now if only they can get Stefan to remember how to play center.
2. New York Islanders- Stephan Weiss, C “Mad Mike” is at it again. With Spezza still available, expect the unexpected from the Islander chief. Milbury will be impressed with the playoff performance that Weiss had against Spezza in the second round of the OHL Playoffs. Combine that with Weiss’s character and scoring ability which was greatly under-rated this year with a short-staffed Plymouth team. He will be a great second line center.
3. Tampa Bay- Alexander Svitov, C This is the guy that Dudley is said to have had his eyes on since March. He would be a good compliment to Lecavalier. One scout called him a “Bobby Holik” type player. Someone that will park himself in front of the net and bang for loose pucks is something that the Lightning have needed for a long time and maybe as soon as the 2002-2003 season Svitov can be plying his trade in T-Bay.
4. Florida- Jason Spezza, C Florida wants a defenseman badly, but at this pick it is to early in the draft for a D-man. When Spezza falls into their lap they are elated. Spezza will provide Florida with another scorer. Given how awful Florida scored goals behind Pavel Bure and that second line forward Ray Whitney was dealt at the deadline, look for Spezza to have every opportunity to step straight into a top two line position next year.
5. Anaheim- Stanislav Chistov, RW Anaheim was bitterly disappointed when Weiss was picked, as he would have been the ideal front-line center that the Ducks have been desperate for since 1993. Still, Chistov is no down-grade. Arguably the best player in the draft talent wise, the diminutive winger will be an outright steal at number 5.
6. Minnesota- Dan Blackburn, G The first goalie to be selected, Blackburn will give the Wild a future budding star. Following the led of Nashville to draft a talented winger in their first year followed by a goalie in the second year, Minnesota sets themselves up beautifully in the crease with Fernandez and Blackburn in the nets for 10 years.
7. Montreal- Mike Komisarek, D The highest selected defensemen in this years draft, Komisarek is a beast. While his offensive upside is apparently limited, Mike has all the other tools needed to be a dominate defenseman for 15 years. First, he’s 6-4, 225lbs. Second, he’s very mobile, being compared by some to Jeff Jillson. Some even say that Mike is father along in his career then Jeff Jillson was at the same age. Montreal is lacking in top four D-men with size and aggressiveness. Mike fills this hole quite well.
8. Columbus- Fredrik Sjostrom, RW Looking for a skilled, goal-scoring winger, the Blue Jackets selected Sjostrom. He is a very talented player who will still need some filling out, but has the potential to be a dynamic player if he can put some more grit in his game.
9. Chicago- Colby Armstrong, RW I know, I know. Mike Smith DOESN’T pick a European? It’s true. Chicago has talented players (Amonte, Zhamnov, Daze, Mironov), but no leadership. When Steve Sullivan is your inspirational leader, you have problems. Armstrong should help in this area as he is described as a Darcy Tucker like player who really endears himself to his teammates. He may not be the most talented player, but he has the heart and desire that the Blackhawks need.
10. New York Rangers- Pascal Leclaire, G The Rangers need help at all positions in the future, but the goal is the biggest problem. Leclaire is a bit of a wild card this year due to a plethora of injuries and loosing his starting role come playoff time. However, the potential of this young netminder is unlimited. With Richter and Hebert close to the end of their careers and no heir apparent for the number 1 job, Leclaire puts to rest some concerns of Sather’s
11. Calgary- R.J. Umberger, C The Flames are in desperate need of scoring and size up front and Umberger has the potential to be a premier power forward. With his size and strength, Umberger will be able to put the points on the board and also help his linemates due the same due to his work ethic in the corners and along the boards.
12. Nashville- Dan Hamhuis, D Nashville has quantity but not quality on the blueline. Hamhuis solves that problem. The best offensive defenseman in the draft will be a future powerplay quarterback. Basically, Hamhuis is a player who is similar to Scott Neidermayer, just a notch below him in most aspects. Still, with his offensive talent, he will be a future all-star hopeful and someone who should help Nashville’s enigmatic offense.
13. Edmonton- Mikko Koivu, C This pick is assuming Edmonton will switch picks with Boston, which is an almost certain proposition. Edmonton would have loved to get Blackburn or Leclaire, but once they were gone they opted for the skilled Koivu. Koivu will give them a skilled center, something they will need if Weight forces a trade in the near future.
14. Phoenix- Carlo Colaiacovo, D An offensive defensemen is high on the Coyotes draft priorities and Carlo is the best one left. The fact that his stock has risen dramatically in the past two months doesn’t hurt either. If Carlo can improve his numbers so that they are more in line with his skill level, look out, the Coyotes will have a real gem.
15. Carolina- Mark Popovic, D Carolina has no real defensive prospects coming up in the future that appear able to take over a top four position. With Tanabe, Popovic will help make the Canes powerplay very mobile and potent. Also, Popovic is reliable in his own end.
16. Vancouver- Tuomo Ruutu, C Once Vancouver acquired Alex Auld, they shored up their most glaring weakness; goaltending. Ruutu represents the best player available and Burke has a habit of truly picking the best overall. Ruutu will be a solid second line center, though Vancouver has players with that potential coming out the ying yang. It will be interesting to see what happens to this pick or Ruutu if they do select him.
17. Toronto- Chuck Kobasew, RW Toronto needs forwards to replace the aging corps that is in place now. Kobasew will bring a goal scorers touch to the top two lines in the future. Kobasew has the ability to come up big in big games. Given Toronto’s implosion in the final two games against New Jersey in the playoffs, they could really use that ability.
18. Los Angeles- Igor Knyazev, D The Kings like this young blueliners aggressiveness, leadership, and all-round steady game. With Miller and Norstrom pushing 30, it’s time to add a future D-man to replace them 5 years down the road. This potential future captain will do nicely.
19. Boston- Alexander Polushin, RW The need for size on the wings prompts Boston to pick this talented, but inconsistent winger. If his work ethic ever kicks in, Polushin has the ability to be a number 1 line winger. The biggest question right now will be; can O’Connell sign him?
20. San Jose- Jeff Woywitka, D The Sharks would like to add another blue-chip defenseman to there pipeline now that Jillson appears likely to be wearing a teal uniform next year. Woywitka is the most consistent defenseman left and will be a steady influence in the near future.
21. Pittsburgh- Lukas Krajicek, D The Pens are looking to add an offensive blueliner to the future mix and Krajicek is likely the most skilled one left. Krajicek might not have much size or strength, which might effect his icetime in the NHL, but his skill level is high, something the Pens need on the powerplay.
22. Buffalo- Tim Gleason, D Buffalo looks to ensure it’s future along the blueline with Gleason. Though Buffalo seems to be set for the near future on the blueline, Gleason should erase any long-term doubt as well. Some question his smarts, but Buffalo has a good track record with prospects and should be able to get him on the right path.
23. Philadelphia- David Steckel, C With a pick that could turn out to be reminiscent of Michael Rupp, Philly picks Steckel. Steckel has some untapped potential, the question is, can it be tapped. Still, if he can improve his skating, Steckel will make it as at least a third line checker/enforcer. Clarke loves guys his size (6’5, 200lbs.) and will be pleased to get him.
24. New Jersey- Jiri Novotny, C Though New Jersey would like a goalie, there are none available this high in the draft. Novotny will help supply size and good work ethic to an organization that thrives on such qualities. Possibly the heir apparent to Bobby Holik.
25. Montreal- Ales Hemsky, RW After adding some strength on the blueline in Mike Komisarek, Montreal addresses their glaring lack of scoring by getting the Martin Havlat of this years draft. Hemsky might need to add some weight to be successful, but at 25th, he could be a real steal.
26. Andrei Medvedev, G Surprising everyone, Dallas announces the third first round goalie in this years draft. Medvedev has a notion for being quirky and a potential trouble maker, but Dallas, after Belfour, know all about how to handle this. If he gets his act together, he has the ability to be a game-stealer.
27. Ottawa- Doug Lynch, D Ottawa looks to add to their stable of up-and-coming blueliners with the selection of Lynch. At 6’3, 205lbs, many people say he can be another Mark Tinordi. Considering the way the Sens were getting pushed around in their own zone in the playoffs by the larger Maple Leafs forwards, they could use his size and strength.
28. New Jersey- Duncan Milroy, RW Picking the best of what’s left, New Jersey adds a playmaking forward. Milroy has the ability to make those around him better and could be this years Scott Gomez. Milroy should be a solid NHLer who, if he can overcome his size deficiency, could be a number 1 line forward.
29. Chicago- Jay Harrison, D I know, TWO picks and NO Russians by Smith? I guess pigs fly after all huh? Harrison continues to help to overcome the leadership void in the Blackhawk organization. If Harrison can overcome his nasty habit of making terrible plays with the puck at times, he could be a real solid blueliner, much like a young Ken Daneyko.
30. Los Angeles- Marcel Goc, C A potential draft day steal, Goc could develop into a top line pivot. He has probably played against the most former NHLers of all the prospects in this years draft and that will serve him well in the future. He already has a headstart on most prospects when it comes to being NHL-ready.
Round 2
31. Phoenix- Tim Jackman, RW A potential future Shane Doan, Jackman has the ability to be an aggressive second line forward who can do a little bit of everything; score, hit, do the dirty work down low, backcheck, etc. Some wonder about his intensity, but Gretzky and Co. could be the coaxing he needs.
32. Buffalo- Fedor Tyutin, D As the old saying goes, you can never have to many defensemen. Buffalo will test that with the selection of yet another blueliner. Tyutin is a very aggressive D-man who should be a good crease clearer in the future for the Sabres.
33. Nashville- Igor Pohanka, C Injuries and an awful team limited Pohanka’s effectiveness this season. He missed the Top Prospects game, but those who seen him play in Prince Albert saw a skilled forward who on most other teams would have added another 15 points onto his total of only 49. He has skill and isn’t afraid to try and make things happen.
34. Florida- Brendan Bell, D Florida is in need of some blueliners to replenish a soon-to-be depleted blueline corps. Age is starting to become a factor. Bell will provide a PP quarterback for Bure and Co. for the next 15 years. Given how Svehla is playing, this is a great selection.
35. Anaheim- Timofei Shishkanov, LW The Ducks decide to take a chance on the talented, but potential trouble making winger. Shishkanov has all the skill needed to go in the top half of the first round. What has held him back is the fact he only seems to show up for the games that will help his draft rankings and not for games for his regular club in Russia. Boom or bust pick.
36. Minnesota- Kiel McLeod, C Minnesota grabs a potential top line pivot here. Kiel has the scoring ability and smarts to be a huge top line center. The drawback is his skating, but he will have two more years of junior to overcome this and with some work, he should be able to.
37. Montreal- Matthew Spiller, D Montreal continues restructuring a blueline full of soft players (not including Souray). Spiller will not lead your team offensively, but he will ram his man through the boards. His skating is also a strength to his game and that will help him to adjust to the NHL.
38. Columbus- Aaron Johnson, D Columbus is thin for blueline prospects after Klesla. Johnson will be like a poor man’s Klesla. He can hit, score, make a good clearing pass and take his man out of the play very effectively. If he improves his foot speed, he will be a great pick up.
39. Toronto- Kyle Wanvig, RW Why trade for him if you can get him for free? That is the question Quinn will ask himself when Wanvig is still on the board at 39. Wanvig is streaky at times, but when his game is on, he is one of the most effective power forwards in all of juniors. Given that a contract was in place with Wanvig before the whole broken fax machine fiasco came on signing deadline day (June 1st), it shouldn’t be to hard to get Wanvig inked and ready for training camp.
40. New York Rangers- Alexander Perezhogin, LW A winger with a lefthanded shot is something that Sather will be happy to get in Perezhogin. He won’t be a top-line forward, but he has a chance to be an effective two way forward with good agility and puck handling.
41. Phoenix- Michael Garnett, G With Burke getting older and the lack of faith in Ptrick Desrochers, Garnett becomes the heir apparent to number 1 role. It’s hard to say if Garnett has number 1 potential or not, though next season should help as he will be given a real test playing for the struggling Saskatoon Blades.
42. Nashville- Garth Murray, RW Murray shone at the Memorial Cup and seen his draft stock rise. He proved himself to be a tough, physical forward who can drive the net hard. Also, his desire to take on all oncomers appealed to the Nashville brass.
43. Edmonton- Yared Hagos, C Hagos is not the typical high-flying speedster that the Oilers usually go for, but he still can bring a ton of skill to the table. He’s a potential second line scoring winger with decent size. If Edmonton can improve his skating, he could be a huge bargain at 43rd.
44. Florida- Nathan Paetsch, D Paetsch will compliment Bell down the road as a strong one-two offensive punch from the blueline for the Panthers. Paetsch is an excellent passer who needs to work on the defensive aspects of the game.
45. Phoenix-Brent MacLellan, D MacLellan will bring a good physical presence to the Coyotes to help Colaiacovo develop his offensive game. It’s not known if he has the smarts to be dominate physically at the NHL level, but at 45, he’s worth a look.
46. Carolina- Jason Bacashihua, G Needing a heir apparent to Irbe, and not sure if Pelletier can do the job, Carolina go for some insurance with “Cash”. While Bacashihua is a wild card due to playing only against junior opponents, he is still highly regarded.
47. Tampa Bay- Tomas Duba, G Duba is another darkhorse goalie. He virtually came out of nowhere to unseat Medvedev as the top ranked European goalie according to CSS. Once Weekes gets moved, Tampa Bay will need a backup for Khabibulin. Duba is the man for the job.
48. Florida- Vladimir Korsunov, D Florida will add another defensemen with this young Russian rearguard. He is a bit of a gamble do to his lack of strength, but he has the size to fill out and improve in that area, making him a potential top four defensemen.
49. Los Angeles- Derek Roy, C Los Angeles adds another character player in Roy. Though only 5-8, Roy plays a very energetic two-way game. In a best case scenario, Roy can be a Theo Fleury. In a worst case scenario, he’s Ian Laparriere.
50. Buffalo- Andrei Taratukhin, C Trying to improve an offense that is average at best, Buffalo makes this talented center their first forward selection of the draft. He’s smart, competative, plays in traffic, and is very aware defensively. These traits will have him in Buffalo at some point down the road.
51. Los Angeles Kings- Jens Karlsson, RW. Though the Kings were looking at other players with this pick, Karlsson was just to good to pass on again. Though he has seen his stock fall drastically since last year at this time, he still has the potential to be a dominate force in the NHL. If he could only learn to use his size better.
52. Edmonton- Eddie Caron, C After passing on him at 43 for Hagos, Edmonton is pleased to see Caron still available at 52. Caron has good size at 6-2, 214lbs, but average foot speed and a questionably understanding of the game. Playing on the speedy Oilers under the very knowledgable Lowe and MacTavish should cure those problems.
53. Columbus- Cory Stillman, C The Blue Jackets look to add a center to play with Sjostrom in the future and do that by adding Stillman. Stillman has good size and if he improves his intensity, he can be a very talented player on a game in, game out basis.
54. Pittsburgh- Jay McClement, C Pittsburgh is in need of some players who will go into the corners and do some hard-nosed digging. McClement is at his bet in these situations. He has the potential to put up good numbers, but even in a worst case scenario, McClement will be a solid addition to Pittsburgh’s third line.
55. Buffalo- Tomas Malec, D Malec will join Gleason and Campbell as the teams future offensive blueliners. Potentially the fastest rising player in the draft, Malec can be a future PP quarterback, something Buffalo desperately needs.
56. Philadelphia- Jordin Tootoo, RW In an effort to add more two-way minded players to the system, Clarke selects the Tazmanian Devil of the draft in Tootoo. Tootoo’s offensive game has improved greatly this year and combined with has hitting game, he could be a poor man’s Mike Peca.
57. St. Louis- Adam Munro, G The only real long-term need in St.Louis is a goalie. After Turek and Johnson, the Blues are thin. Turek is seeming to not be the answer in the playoffs that the Blues need and could be shipped out soon. If so, Munro will be needed to strengthen the depth chart and become the heir apparent to Johnson.
58. Washington- Shaone Morrisonn, D Looking to add to the likes of Cutta and Yonkman, Washington will select yet another WHL D-man to help out the future stocks along the blueline. Morrisonn has nice size and good mobility. Potential for some offense lies in this young man’s stick.
59. Chicago- Drew Fata, D Adding to it’s future blueline corps of Harrison and McCarthy, the Blackhawks figure to have one of the brightest young bluelines in three or four years. Fata is the type of defenseman who is good at everything, though great at nothing.
60. Ottawa- Colt King, LW Adding a big banging winger who can score is just right up the Sens alley. King is a somewhat risky pick as it is unclear what his offensive upside is, but he could be another Kyle Wanvig. At the very least, he should be a strong third line player with size.
61. Washington- Greg Watson, C A strong showing at the Top Prospects Game (he was the MVP) helped his stock, but since then, Watson has been very up and down. He can be a second line scorer who can put the puck in the net, but he must learn to play with more confidence and not squeeze the stick so tight, like he has the tendency to do when things are not going well.
62. Detroit- Mike Cammalleri, C Despite his small frame, Cammalleri has the chance to be an excellent offensive force in the NHL. He has shown that he can fight through checks to get to the net and that he can play with the puck like it’s on a string. It will be interesting to see if this also goes in the NHL.
63. Colorado- Drew MacIntyre, G Looking to add another goaltender to their depth charts in preparation for the eventual depart of Roy (weather through free agency or retirement), MacIntyre has the skills and attitude to eventually be a potential number 1 netminder in the league. Given how little is behind Roy and Aebischer, MacIntyre will have plenty of opportunities to develop into the number 1 job.
