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Islanders 2003 Picks(updated - 6/18) 1st round - 15th overall
He is a skilled & flashy forward that has been compared to Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund. More to come.... courtesy eliteprospects.com #1 ROBERT NILSSON Because of Robert’s rather poor 01/02 campaign not a
lot of experts believed that he was ready to step in and contribute right
away this season, being a rookie in the elite league. Nilsson did prove
them wrong though. He started out on the fourth line but with the
departure of former NHLer Mike Stapleton Nilsson moved up to the third
line and saw more ice-time. He showed immediately he was capable of and
started to produce offensively. During the U20 Championships this past winter team
Sweden had a very poor showing but Nilsson who played mostly against
players two years older than him, did pretty well scoring 4 goals and 2
assists in 6 games. He was also expected to compete in the U18
Championships in April, but broke his ankle in an exhibition game and
missed the tourney. So what about Nilsson’s skills? Another topic that has been discussed during the season is Nilsson’s consistency problems. All through the season he has scored his points during a number of stretches and not been contributing on regular basis. If Nilsson actually has a problem being consistent remains to be seen because we have to have in mind that when you are 17, 18 – years old and playing against men you are expected to have slow periods. Also Robert wasn’t regular during the entire season and played on various different lines which could also be a reason why his scoring wasn’t too consistent. Nilsson is not a giant. With his 5-10, 5-11 frame he is
a rather smallish forward but luckily he does not shy away from traffic
and physical contact and has already showed that he has no problems
playing against older and larger opponents. islesinfo comment: This is a good selection. And not to pat myself on the back, but as you may remember in the islesinfo draft preview I predicted the Isles would select Nilsson 15th overall IF Zach Parise wasn't on the board. Well, I was 99.9% correct because the Islanders still decided on Nilsson even with Parise on still available. But I think this is a good pick. Nilsson has put up numbers over in Sweden comparable to Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund. He could be the next good player out of Sweden and loves to make flashy passes. He's a great puckhandler and was obviously heavily scouted by the Islanders scout Anders Kallur. For those who had a problem with the pick, namely Pierre Macquire, an analyst with TSN, I say "what does he know?" What NHL team is he a GM for? He was so in love with Parise and wanted a team to draft him even though he was a smallish player, yet trashed Nilsson and the Islanders even though Nilsson is just about the same height and weight as Parise. I'm not going to lie. My first choice would have been Parise, probably because of the bloodlines and all. But Nilsson is a solid pick and I'm happy with it. THN: Question: Name the player who broke Markus Naslund's record for the most points by a 17 year old in the Swedish Elite League? Answer: Robert Nilsson's 21 points this season for Leksand were two more than Naslund's showing in 1990-91 for MoDo, and four up on Peter Forsberg in the same season. Nilsson is a major offensive talent and is very much in the mold of his father, Kent, arguably the most talented Calgary Flame ever. "He wants to be a player. He goes to games with his father and we've been seeing him at the rink for years," said a European scout. "He is confident and at times cocky, but he just loves hockey and wants to be a player." There have been comparisons to Detroit star Henrik Zetterberg, but the European Scout says Nilsson is a better player at this age. "It might be a roller coaster ride because he has to grow up a little, but everything is there," he said. "He makes those great passes behind his back that you can't even see. He has a lot of hockey sense." CSB: An offensive minded player who has some of the magic of his father, Kent, who played 9 NHL seasons with Atlanta, Calgary, Minnesota and Edmonton....has excellent puck skills and great moves and dekes....moves well on ice....a very good, smooth skater....very good passer and playmaker with excellent hockey sense, smart....has soft, good hands....a good competitor, but he sometimes tries to do too much....could be a bit more effective in his defensive game....playing in the Swedish League has made him tougher, more aggressive on ice....not very big but does not shy away from the physical part of the game....shows a willingness to play the body....has been playing with and against older players for several years....has all the tools needed to become a star....top scorer on Team Sweden at 2003 World Junior Championships in Halifax (6GP 4-2-6).
Zach Parise: The Islanders passed on him, and so did San Jose who traded up for the 16th pick with Boston to select Steve Bernier. The Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils and GM Lou Lamoriello along with head scout David Conte saw an opportunity then to move up by trading their 22nd overall pick and a recond rounder to Edmonton so they could select Parise, son of former Islander J.P. Parise. Jeff Tambellini: Was selected with the 27th pick by the LA Kings. Jeff was the Kings third first round selection. Some wondered as to why Vancouver did not select their assistant GM Steve Tambellini's son with the 23rd pick but Vancouver felt there was a possibility Steve may not be involved with their organization much longer and sometimes bloodlines isn't always the way to go. Jeff's dad Steve was a first round pick of the Islanders in 1978.
Second Round
coutesy russianprospects.com Talent Analysis: Size & Physical Play: Standing at approximately 6’1 and 170 pounds, Dmitri Chernykh is an average sized winger. He is quick on the ice, but isn’t very aggressive. Dmitri doesn’t play physical hockey, and will rarely make a hit. However, if he is hit, he has been known to have a mean streak and return the favor. Skating: Dmitri is very active and quick on the ice. He has a good top speed, but could use some improvement in his technique. He is fast and has had many breakaways in the Upper League because of his speed. In the spare time he trains with his father, Alexander Chernykh (a former player). Shot: Chernykh’s weapon of choice is his wrist shot. His shot is usually precise, though not very powerful – something that should improve as he fills in the frame and gains upper body strength. Technical Skills: Dmitri has good hands. He handles the puck well and though he is only 17 – he is already one of the most technical players on his Upper League team full of adult players. Chernykh’s stick handling is also above average. Hockey Sense: Dmitri sees the ice well for his age. He interacts well with his linemates on the ice and can make some great set ups. When Chernykh is on the top of his game, he knows where to be and has many scoring chances. One downside to Dmitri’s current game is that he tends to play by himself sometimes, trying to do everything on his own. On the big ice his speed let him get away with it thus far, but even in the Super League, not to mention the NHL, this will get him in serious trouble, if not on the injured reserve. He can make great passes though and has been consistently learning to use his linemates better. There have been many occasions where Chernykh would make a great unselfish play, and his partner couldn’t finish the play. Defensive Play: Dmitri Chernykh plays a more Canadian style of hockey. Though he is a winger, he is very responsible defensively. He hasn’t been given much of a chance to play shorthanded. Mental Game: When given a chance to play early this season, Dmitri got the most out of it and succeeded in winning over the confidence of Khimik’s coaches. He is a hard worker and the extra sessions with his father have definitely moved him along. Chernykh plays on the fourth line and gets about 12-14 minutes in the first couple of periods. Still, when the time comes for the third period of a decisive game, he usually rides the bench. Overall: Dmitri is a quick, technical, average sized winger who also handles defensive responsibilities. He needs to improve his skating and his physical game, including bulking up his 170 pound frame. Chernykh also needs to spread the puck a bit more. Here it’s really all about motivation, as Dmitri has the talent and vision to make a great pass, just often prefers to streak away on breakaways, using his speed in the space around the boards on the large ice - the space that will rapidly disappear as he moves up in the hockey world. Back In Russia: Dmitri was born and raised in a hockey family, with his father, Alexander Chernykh recently retiring. He has been raised to be a hockey player and has done quite well thus far in his career. During the 2001-02 season, Dmitri did not really stand out from the other young players with Khimik. He also suffered through a couple of minor injuries which irritated him throughout the season. He spent most of the season playing for Khimik’s farm team Khimik 2 and did not really impress during the seven games he skated with the main club. A stronger, more mature Chernykh rejoined Khimik during the 2002-03 pre-season. He impressed enough to stick with the big club and has been a mainstay on the team’s fourth line ever since, skating with Tampa Bay Lightning’s prospects Pavel Sedov and Alexei Gloukhov. Dmitri gets limited time on the powerplay and no time at all shorthanded. As mentioned earlier, Chernykh rarely skates in the third period of important, close games, when Khimik usually shifts to three lines filled with older veteran players. NHL: Dmitri is eligible for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He is already a mature player with significant of experience of playing against adult players in Russia’s Upper League. He size does not impress, but his defensive play and overall speed definitely would make his a good prospect. Chernykh is not a natural sniper, but would make a great third line two way forward with some scoring ability. His ability to create things is what makes him special. This player has many tools and he utilizes them all, making him a hard puzzle to solve for defences. He would be a good pick in the third or fourth round of the draft, but could fall further due to his lack of exposure at the international level. If he doesn’t get an invitation to U18 WJC’s training camp, the only scouts who will truly know about him are those who scout the Upper League. CSB: An active, quick skater with good top speed....excellent technical skill level....good hands....very good understanding of the game....has a good, accurate shot - not very hard but effective....knows his defensive duties - a good two way player....works hard on every shift, plays with intensity....not overly aggressive but does use his body when needed and does not shy away from the physical part of the game....active and involved on every shift....very good competitor....goes to the net hard.
Personal Profile: Comes from a hockey family....his
father, Alexander, was a very good player in the Russian elite
league....was one of the top performers at the Five Nations under-18
tournament in February and played some outstanding games at World Junior
under-18 championships....improved considerably during the season.
- He was last seen alive August 9, 1989. MacPherson was 23 when he disappeared while on his way to take a job as a coach with a hockey team in Dundee, Scotland. He played three seasons in the American Hockey League, but didn't make it to the NHL. When his contract with the Islanders expired in 1989, he accepted an offer to become a player-coach for Dundee. The body was discovered late last week by an employee operating a snow-grooming machine at a summer ski resort in Neustift, near the Italian border.
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1998-2005 Tom Mascioli
