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Time Capsule: A Look Back at the 2000 Draft Part II of III
Written by: Geoffrey Ussery on 03/02/2003 
In the first article of the series, the Stars' first five selections as they are viewed now were compared with how they were seen immediately after the draft. Now, it is time to look at the last half of the Stars selections from June of 2000 in a similar light. Without further ado, let us step right in with the Stars' sixth pick.
Fifth Round Pick, #139 Overall-Ruslan Bernikov
"Chosen strictly on the advice of scout Evgeny Larionov, thus little is known about his play. He does skate well, and has a pro build, but little else is available.
Overage mystery man intrigues the Stars with his skills and size."
Bernikov, who was labeled a 'dead player,' around the time of the draft has turned into a decent, but not close to spectacular, prospect after two years of time. The reason he had to be suggested is that despite the size and talent, Bernikov played with very little heart. After two years of development, Bernikov is still extremely raw and may not be suited to the NHL despite the physical gifts he is bestowed with. Now the leading scorer with the poor Soviet Wings, Bernikov has gotten a little attention in national circles, competing and scoring a goal for Russia at the recent Sweden Hockey Games. Bernikov's play should be drawing the attention of the Stars, but the huge question mark is whether he has the head to make it in North America. One would think that his size and skill level would make him a sure bet as an NHLer but as has been seen in the NHL countless times, desire is also a huge part as well. If something has snapped in him since the draft, he is definitely worth bringing to North America, but it is unlikely that he will be a huge scoring threat at the NHL even should he be able to make it. Most likely, he will spend his career as a higher-end player in the Russian Superleague.
Fifth Round Pick, #162 Overall-Artem Chernov
"Is a very nice passer and playmaker who centered '00 first rounders Pavel Vorobiev and Alexei Smirnov in Russia. Has good speed to go with his passing, but must gain weight and play better in traffic to make the NHL.
Another skilled European that is a good value this late."
Two long years ago, Chernov was looking to be the Stars' steal of the draft. He had just come off an excellent season for Metallurg Novokuznetsk, registering 32 point in 44 games. The previous knock on Chernov was that he produced only because of his line mates, but even after losing the players around him, he continued to produce. His future seemed very bright. Then, Chernov made a single decision that may have really hurt his chances at a career with the Stars: he signed with Avangard Omsk. Omsk was a deep team with a good deal of talent, and that meant Chernov's formerly prominent position as a top liner was gone. He slotted in on the third and fourth lines instead, and his numbers fell faster than a brick of lead in water. Slowly, that huge promise started to fade as the less important role and lower ice time did not give that spark of brilliance the chance to be stoked into a roaring blaze. Chernov's future certainly is not totally shot, but the two years with Omsk cannot have helped his standing within the organization. Another player who would likely bring a game similar to that of Kapanen's to the NHL, Chernov may be better off spending some time in North America to see if there is any bigger hopes for him because of that huge season two years ago. Chernov is not one to write off, but his plummet makes his chances much slimmer, especially with Tereschenko's progress and Kapanen's emergence.
Sixth Round Pick, #192 Overall-Ladislav Vlcek
"Another forward with excellent speed and agility, and is undersized at this point for NHL play. Will continue to play for one of the best hockey clubs in Europe, and should develop nicely as a result."
One of the two picks that have shown nothing at all in two years, Vlcek has been little more than a jorneyman in the Czech Extraleague. He has been traded four times in the two years and demoted to the second tier league twice. Any skill he may have shown in junior has not translated to the pros in the Czech Republic. Not every pick can turn into a gem, and because he was only a sixth round pick, the lack of development is not a huge loss to the organization. It is safe to say the chances of him making it to the NHL are practically nil.
Seventh Round Pick, #219 Overall-Marco Tuokko
"Is a player that will bang, draw penalties, and do the little things for his team. He does have good speed as well, but needs to develop his touch around the net and add muscle to his frame."
The other of the aforementioned two underwhelming picks, Tuokko was not expected to be a big scorer. As an energy player in the SM-Liiga he will prove to be of the most worth when all is said and done. Tuokko is not really an NHL caliber player, and even though he is a great team guy and hard worker, his place just is not with the Stars. He is another pick that did not come to fruition, but the Stars just cannot have magic with all their Finnish selections.
Seventh Round Pick, #224 Overall-Antti Miettinen
"Shows very good skills in the offensive zone, as he has shown the ability to score the "pretty" goal when opportunity arises. Does have good speed and puck control, along with a decent frame, but must become more consistent in his play in all three zones.
Shows the offensive skills to be a late round steal."
That last line sticks out now. Shows the offensive skills to be a late round steal. It's as if there were a crystal ball around at the time. Another prospect that is arguably the second best selected, even though he was the last player picked, Miettinen has rounded out into a very complete and dominant player in the fires of the SM-Liiga. He is very dependable defensively, not Jere Lehtinen dependable, but he is a guy you can throw out on the ice in critical situations without worrying too much. Miettinen has also shown very complete offensive skills, being able to set up and score goals equally well, sometimes in very flashy fashion. An added bonus for a player of his ilk is that Miettinen is not afraid to throw his body into people. Producing the last two years at or around a point per game in a league where scoring at that rate is near tops, Miettinen has evolved into a complete superstar in the SM-Liiga. He also has consistently been a part of Finnish national teams over the last two years, making a big mark at the World Championships of last year with former Stars prospect and current Star Niko Kapanen. For a seventh round pick, hopes certainly are high after the eye-opening performance this Finn has produced. Miettinen is being rumored to be coming to North America next year in some circles, and if he should, he will likely contend for a spot at camp. He looks to be another gem found by Finnish scout Kari Takko.
Now, all of the picks from that year have been profiled, so stay tuned for part three of the series, an overall analysis of the 2000 draft as it stands after the years of development.
Copyright 2003 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
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