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Islanders 2006 Picks 1st Round - Islanders 1st Total: 8 selections confirmed deals during draft: 1. The Islanders
trade the 71st pick overall to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the
98th pick and the 126th pick - Isles still received the 110th pick from Edmonton despite the fact that Michael Peca most likely will not re-sign with the Oilers. This pick was not transferred to Atlanta as posted mistakenly by NHL.com. The Islanders also did not receive the fifth round pick from Phoenix for Oleg Kvasha. Apparently they may not re-sign him. If both these situations change you could see the Islanders compensate both teams with a pick in a future draft.
Fast forward to his rookie season in the USHL and Okposo skated away with rookie-of-the-year honors. The St. Paul, Minn., native scored 27 goals and 58 points in 50 games, also earning a spot on the first all-star team. "He is a strong skater, competes hard and is a solid two-way player," says a scout. Okposo plays a pro-style game. He isn't afraid to go into traffic and can take a hit as well as dish one out. He's the latest marquee 17-year-old to make a verbal commitment to play for the University of Minnesota. NHL scouts who watched him this season - Okposo was dazzling with his speed and acceleration at the USHL All-Star Game in February - can't wait to see him develop for two or three years in college. Islanders: "Kyle is a big, strong guy who runs over people," said GM Neil Smith. "Islanders fans will be excited to see him play. We had him very high on our list." "Kyle has a certain edge to his game," said head coach Ted Nolan. "He drives to the net well. He's a big kid, and we're very excited to get him." CSB: Report: Is a strong powerful skater with a very good burst of speed who comes off the boards and out of the corners using his good balance and strength to hold off opponents....drives hard to the net and is difficult to contain while displaying very quick hands both when stick-handling in traffic and releasing his shot on net....reads the play extremely well both on the offense and on defense and makes players around him better by doing smart things without the puck....plays on both the power-play and penalty killing units and is very dangerous when the game is on the line....is capable of dominating offensively when he has the puck....likes the physical game and has a "no quit" attitude....knows his defensive responsibilities, blocks shots and is tenacious in his coverage in front of the net....is a fearless competitor who has lots of stamina and durability and leads by example....a member of the 2005 U.S. Under-18 Select Team in Piestany, Slovakia....played on the USHL Viking Cup team 2006....played in the 2006 USHL All-Star Game....selected to the USHL First All-Star Team and All Rookie Team....named the USHL Rookie of the Year....will attend the University of Minnesota in the Fall of 2006. Personal Profile: Nickname is Opo Bro because "Trevor Lewis called me it one day and it stuck"....favorite team is the Colorado Avalanche....favorite player is the Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin....wears jersey number 8 because of "Great 8" (Ovechkin)....has that his father has been the most influential on his career because "he has always been there to push me and challenge me" and admires him for "always working for what he gets"....patterns his game after Philadelphia's Peter Forsberg because "he can do it all"....most memorable hockey game ever played was the National Championship Finals in 2005 because his team won 7-0....most memorable hockey games watched are Colorado vs. Detroit playoff games because "they are always great"....favorites include: the OC (TV show), Wedding Crashers, Sandlot (movies), Eva Mendes (actress), and Bone Thugs (musical group)....if he could have dinner with any three people they would be Michael Jordan - "unbelievable athlete and leader," Phil Esposito - "want to ask him about his career," and Mario Lemieux - "one of the best ever."....Parents are Kome & Michele, and he has one sister, Kendra. McKeen's Hockey: Extremely sturdy on his feet, nearly impossible to knock over .. Can stickhandle through traffic and plays a fearless style .. Non-stop motor - is consistently moving and trying to make a play with and without the puck .. Backchecked and forechecked equally hard .. Boasts a heavy shot that is accurate, especially his wicked wrister .. Finds open space on the ice and has no problem getting shots on the net. ISS: His [physical] strength is something that allows him to hold off opponents and at times, get off his tremendous shot to either score or create offensive opportunities. Although he isn’t the tallest player that is eligible, he is thick and uses that to create a very powerful stride that chews up ice quickly. He also has shown a vision that is uncommon for a player that is pegged as a power forward and uses that to get his line-mates the puck in prime scoring areas. Redline Report: Plays a very complete, two-way game. Tremendous grit, passion, determination, leadership skills, and hockey sense in all three zones. Can play centre, but with his strength and toughness is more suited to play along the wall. Unbelievably strong on the puck; drives through checks and carriers guys on his back. Freakishly strong for his size. A big hitter who opens up the ice with his physical play. Has a powerful stride and doesn't get beaten to loose pucks often, but needs to keep improving first step quickness. Has top-notch character and work ethic. Tends to overhandle the puck at times and needs to learn to distribute it more. Never had a natural scorer's hands and finishing touch you like to see in a top 10 pick, but scored the type of goals in the playoffs this spring that he wouldn't have cashed in as recently as last October. Improving that element was the last piece of the puzzle for us. Facts: Okposo was the #1 overall pick in the 2005 USHL Draft by the Des Moines Buccaneers....Kyle's last name in Nigerian means Thunderstorm.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Kyle
Okposo full profile
No one's stock has fallen more in the last 18 months than that of Jesse Joensuu. The big, powerful forward who played in Finland's top league was the number 1 prospect for the 2006 draft according to International Scouting Services in October of 2004. Since then, however, he has accomlished little and his rating has plummeted. Joensuu represented his country at the world junior championship in Vancouver, but scouts say he didn't make a dent of an impression. "He had one good game--the bronze medal game--and that was it for me," one scout said. The biggest knock against Joensuu is his skating. But at least one scout isn't too worried. "People say he is a bad skater, but it's more about lack of strength and a bad stride," the scout said. "It looks like his legs are weak, but the games I saw where he played against men, he was fine." There is a feeling among scouts Joensuu will evolve in the mold of Tomas Holmstrom, which will attract attention from NHL teams even if his stock has fallen. "He is a real hard worker who goes naturally to the net," said another scout. Joensuu played a regular shift for Assat in the Finnish league. Islanders Scouts: "We were very happy Jesse was still available in the second round," said Islanders Finnish scout Vellu Kautonen. "Jesse is a very good two-way player. He is mature for his age after playing for a number of years in the Finnish Elite League. Joensuu is a great addition because of his size, but also because of his skills," said Kautonen. CSB: Has good hands and is good with the puck....good passer and playmaker....as a big man, he is at his best winning battles along the boards and in the corners....power-forward with a good shot....can play physical but does need more physical strength....could turn out to become an effective power-forward - if he can improve his over all game and speed....captain of the Finnish team at World Uner-18 Championships....played on Team Finland at 2006 World Junior Championships. Redline Report:
Huge winger is a horse who battles and has good hands with the creativity
of a much smaller man. Handles the puck well-has some dangle and can make
moves off the rush. Biggest weapon in his arsenal is a dynamic, major
league shot with a quick release--mayhave the heaviest shot in the entire
draft. Needs to play with more initiative and aggression, but has great
size which he uses to his advantage when battling for pucks down low and
going to the net. The major issue is that his below average skating really
works to limit his effectiveness. He's always a step behind the play,
doesn't change directions well, and his first 2-3 steps are weak. Very
strong on the puck when he gets inside the offensive zone and
impossible to move from the crease.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Jesse
Joensuu full profile
CSB: A fast, quick skater with great acceleration and balance....excellent hands, very good puck control....has a quick release and a good selection of shots....great offensive instincts....takes advantage of scoring chances....an aggressive player with a great attitude....not very big but plays with intensity....fearless and plays an aggressive style of hockey....has a winning attitude, never gives up. Redline Report: Plays an up-tempo, in your face game. Very involved and can be an offensive force, though he doesn't have the hands to finish. Team sparkplug on offence is a feisty agitator who gets under opponents skin. Slick and quick with the puck in tight spaces. Can make moves in a phone booth. Quick stop/starts and cuts gain separation. Protects the puck well, moves his feet and draws a lot of penalties. Aggressive and finishes checks. Is able to win battles for loose pucks against bigger foes on the forecheck through sheer determination. Has a quick release but lacks a finisher's touch around net. Responsible defensively. Comes back hard on the backcheck and is disruptive on the PK. - Drafted
17th overall by the WHL's Calgary Hitmen in the 2006 CHL Import Draft on
January 28, 2006.
- Check out islesinfo.com's Robin Figren full profile
2006 Draft Central - For Rest of Picks(Page 2) June 29, 2006 Draft Review: Well, the draft is over and the Islanders were able to add some depth to their organization. Neil Smith came in with a very good strategy that I think should be done all the time. The Islanders had a couple of extra picks in the third round and Smith turned one pick into two picks 4 times. At that point in the draft you're looking at picks that are basically the desire of the organization. Every team is going to have their own wish list. So you have a chance to get as good a player in the fourth round as you do in the third and so on down the rest of the 7 rounds. islesinfo.com is now 1-3 in draft predictions as we predicted the Islanders would select Derick Brassard at #7. From all the rumors we heard heading into the draft, the talk was that Columbus was in love with Peter Mueller. Then, seconds before the sixth pick is made, Bob McKenzie on the TSN telecast stated that Columbus was in love with Brassard, who they proceeded to select. That left the Islanders with the choice of Mueller or Okposo. The Islanders chose Okposo and Mueller went 8th to the Phoenix Coyotes. I don't mind the selection of Okposo. I think he will be a good player for the Islanders. He's not terribly big at 6' and 195 pounds, but he plays a power style of game, goes to the net hard and will run over defenders to make an offensive play. You got to like those attributes. He may be in the mold of a Raffi Torres, with a slightly better offensive upside. Jesse Joensuu was a nice grab in the second round. Here's a big winger who as much as a year and a half ago was projected as a top 5 pick in 2006. He slipped a bit since then. He wasn't great at the recent WJC's but came alive for Finland in the Bronze Medal Game against Team USA with two goals to help win the game. Perhaps the Islanders got a steal in the fourth round with Tomas Marcinko at 115th. He has great size at 6'4" and could benefit to add a few more pounds to his 187 pound frame. THN had him ranked 36th and project him as an offensive second line center. That's if he can translate some offense into his game, which is the area that has been questioned. The Islanders drafted a lot of American born High Schooler's and College bound players. This is a change from history past since the Islanders hardly ever had any blue chip prospects in the College ranks. Maybe one or two. With Rakhshani, Rogers, Sims, Day and Mattila the Islanders added a good U.S. flavor. Surely one or two of them will turn out to be something down the line. I particularly like the potential of Rakhshani, Rogers and Mattila. Now that NHL teams can hold onto College players longer than any other league it seems perhaps that this may be a trend we will see among more teams. There's more of a chance an NHL team will be able to sign a player in North America than in Europe. As for Europeans, the Islanders added 5: three Swedes, one Finn and a Slovak. And the Islanders strengthened their depth in goal with the additions of Jase Weslosky and Stefan Ridderwall. They were practically bare at that position and desperately needed to add some talent there. I also liked the addition of Andrew MacDonald from Moncton, who was the only CHL player the Islanders selected. I wish they could have went to the CHL a couple more times but it wasn't in the cards this year. I really thought Ted Nolan would perhaps convince the Islanders to go after Brad Marchand but he was taken in the second round by the Boston Bruins. There is a reason Marchand was recently invited to the Canadian National Junior camp. He's a good player and should help the Bruins down the line. I was also surprised the Islanders didn't take a flier on Jerome Samson, who attended the draft but went unselected. He could end up in Islanders training camp, as will Moncton captain Christian Gaudet. But unlike Gaudet who is 20 years old, Samson at age 19 is still eligible for the 2007 draft. I also was sad to see Long Island's New York Bobcat Tony Romano get selected by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round. But in all the Islanders had a good draft. They had more picks than any other NHL team because of the moves by Smith. As for the rest of the league, I thought Montreal and Colorado had very good drafts at the top end. Colorado I thought had a very good draft in 2005 as well. It almost makes you wonder though if the Avalanche have a scouting staff or if they just pick all the best players available that are listed in the various draft guides and mock drafts. The Chicago Blackhawks also had a very good day. I'm not sure if they got a lot of high end talent throughout, but they came away with C Jonathan Toews, C Tony Lagerstrom, D Ben Shutron, D Simon Danis-Pepin, C Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, RW Igor Makarov and G Joe Palmer. Toews has been compared by some to be a Bryan Trottier type. So if he's the only one to pan out that's a pretty good draft. As far as the Islanders Metropolitan counterparts, some might think the Rangers came away overall with slightly more higher rated players than the Islanders and Devils with D Bob Sanguinetti, C Artem Anisimov, LW Ryan Hillier and RW David Kveton. The Devils may have been on par with the Islanders, though they took some chances with RW Matthew Corrente, LW Alexander Vasyunov and RW Vladimir Zharkov. Of course time will only tell, especially on who unearths a late round gem which I believe the Islanders are more capable of this year with the selections they made. RW Sergei Shirokov was finally selected, 163rd by the Vancouver Canucks, after getting passed over in two drafts. The highest rated player to get passed over this year was D David Ruzicka from Kladno of the Czech Republic. He was rated 17th by the CSB among European Skaters and 47th by THN. Another surprising player undrafted was Kelowna Rockets American D Tysen Dowzak. What probably hurt hum, despite having played in the Top Prospects Game back in January, was a knee injury in February that had him out until the latter stages of the first round of the 2006 playoffs. Look for Dowzak in the 2007 draft. He can't be that bad after getting recruited by North Dakota and the University of Minnesota. Also passed over: Finnish D Eetu Heikkinen, Russian D Igor Zubov, Erie Otter's RW Christian Olsen, Finnish C Joonas Kemppainen, Czech D Marek Trocinsky, German RW Marcel Muller and Saint John's LW Martin Bartos. Also undrafted was Peter Tsimikalis. Look for him to get another look by Bridgeport next season. Check out islesinfo.com's REAL early 2007 NHL Draft Preview June 24th Update, 10:45pm EST: The Islanders have traded the 71st pick overall to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 98th pick and the 126th pick. Apparently they have traded the 98th pick to San Jose. Don't know for what yet. Also, the Islanders traded the 88th pick to Phoenix, for what we don't know yet. So far the Islanders have drafted four right wingers. Full recap and thoughts to come later. Update: Well, we at least got the 115th pick from Phoenix for the 88th. I'm assuming we got another pick. Somehow we got the 108th pick as well from somebody. We also got the 118th pick from Calgary. Looks like we got four 4th round picks. - We got pick #126 from Chicago and #141 from Colorado. Both 5th rounders. - Islanders also acquire pick #171 from Colorado and #173 from San Jose. Both 6th rounders. June 24th Update, 6:30pm EST: Dave Checketts and the St. Louis Blues are absolute morons. To just sit there and delay the draft because they wanted exposure, i mean....try going out and winning a game on the ice! Plus Checketts comment about being the only important team at that moment was probably in jest but I'm sure rubbed someone the wrong way. So Erik Johnson goes #1 and Jordan Staal goes #2. June 24th Update, 5:30pm EST: Almost ready for a late afternoon Saturday nap.....just kidding. Only 30 minutes to go. Let's hope OLN, for those of us who have it, will just pick up the TSN feed. They are much better at coverage and hockey in general overall than the OLN team. And hopefully no one will pre-empt the Islanders pick like happened last year when MSG did just that so they could cut to a telephone interview with Marc Staal. Since it's not on MSG and both New Jersey and the Rangers are picking much later everything should be ok. Let's get things underway! June 24th Update, 3:50pm EST: Ok, apologies to Newsday as they got a story up. One correction, Hahn wrote in the sub line and the story that Kessel is from North Dakota. He's actually from Wisconsin and plays for the University of Minnesota. Isles not Looking to Hit a Homerun. excerpt: New Islanders general manager Neil Smith said he has no plans to make a big splash in Saturday's NHL draft. The Islanders choose seventh overall and will pick the best player available. Perhaps the most intriguing name early on is North Dakota center Phil Kessel, a dazzling talent whose stock has plummeted recently because of a lackluster year. Kessel is ranked fifth among North American skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. It is unlikely he could fall all the way to the Islanders, but some draft experts have said it is not out of the question. The Islanders love 6-2, 205-pound center Peter Mueller, an American who played for Everett (WHL), but it is believed the Columbus Blue Jackets, who pick sixth, plan to take him. It leaves the Islanders with options such as 5-10 center Bryan Little of Barrie (OHL), 6-4 Swedish center Patrik Berglund or defensemen such as 6-4, 226-pound Nigel Williams, who is from the U.S. development team, or Bob Sanguinetti of Owen Sound (OHL). June 24th Update, 3:30pm EST: This just in....a reporter out of St. Louis by the name of John Hadley is reporting that the Blues may be working on a "blockbuster" deal involving the first overall pick that could involve Pittsburgh, Washinton, Boston or....the ISLANDERS!!! Atlanta, Minnesota and Toronto are also possible trade partners. June 24th Update, 2:30pm EST: Still nothing going on. Just saw that Peter Laviolette is returning to Carolina for a reported 5 year deal worth $1 million a season. That's about it. 3 1/2 hours away until the show and then probably another hour until the Islanders pick at #7. June 24th Update, 11:15am EST: Well, it's finally draft day. Just under 7 hours before it starts, which seems like an eternity right now. It's only 8:15am in Vancouver. No big news to report today as the hockey world is still reeling over the Luongo/Bertuzzi trade. Why is this draft starting so late?? All is still quiet in Islander land, including the major newspapers. Newsday has not even posted an article today. It seems like every other newspaper in hockey has some sort of beat writer reporting rumors. This is just pathetic coverage today in New York. June 23rd Update, 10:30pm EST: News just came down that the Florida Panthers have dealt G Roberto Luongo to the Vancouver Canucks for RW Todd Bertuzzi. Seeing this deal has to twist a knife in the heart of an Islanders fan who can only think about how Mike Milbury traded them both away. Now they are traded for one another as two of the biggest names in hockey. Vancouver also gets D Lukas Krajicek while the Panthers get promising D Bryan Allen and G Alexander Auld. Huge blockbuster. There are also rumors that Edmonton D Chris Pronger wants out and could be traded this weekend. Wouldn't he look great in an Islander jersey?? I doubt it will happen as the Oilers will most probably want back a king's ransom. All perception is right now that the Islanders may be one of the quieter teams this weekend in terms of deals. It just doesn't seem like Neil Smith would come in and pull off a blockbuster right off the bat. There has been talk however that the Islanders may be interested in Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis, which would certainly be a blockbuster, but the Lightning who are in need of a goaltender would most likely want Rick DiPietro in return. June 22nd Update: Just 2 days left to the 2006 Draft. A lot of rumors swirling around about possible deals including draft picks and NHL players. Two of the biggest names who could find a new address in the next couple of days are former Islander first round picks G Roberto Luongo and RW Todd Bertuzzi. As for the draft most believe D Erik Johnson will go #1 overall. But, St. Louis apparently don't want Johnson because they feel they are already deep in defensemen with Eric Brewer and Barrett Jackman. So they may look to trade the pick or select one of the top end forwards like C Jordan Staal. That would make the Pittsburgh Penguins extremely happy as they would love to take Johnson. There's also the possibility of a deal between Pittsburgh and St. Louis to swap picks, though the Blues are reportedly looking for a goaltender. Interestingly, both Dean Lombardi, the new GM of the LA Kings, and Ray Shero, new GM of the Penguins, are not wasting any time getting their feet wet in the trade talk and possible alterations of their teams. So it will be interesting to see what kind of weekend Neil Smith has for the Islanders. Will he sit back and keep a quiet profile, or will he look to make a deal if one comes his way? Here are his remarks today concerning the draft: "The draft is really the biggest day of the year for our franchise. Bill Torrey used to call it the 'lifeblood' of the Islanders. Now more than ever with the new CBA, that's definitely the case with us and I'm sure just about every team in the NHL feels the same way." "Tony Feltrin and his team have worked very hard in preparation for Saturday," said the Islanders' new general manager. "We're heading to Vancouver knowing that the scouting staff has done its homework and that we are ready for every situation." "Here's what I can tell you, with that seventh pick, I have no doubt in my mind that we'll be bringing an impact player to Long Island." "We're going to pick as many future NHLers as we can," said Smith. "That may sound like I'm stating the obvious, but that's our goal from the first round to the last. We want to continue to add to our stable of young players that are going to be part of a Stanley Cup team." - I have some comments on the 2006 Memorial Cup Final. I got to see some of the draft eligible players that played for Ted Nolan last season with Moncton. Came away impressed with RW Jerome Samson. Now I can see why Nolan was so high on this kid. He has good size, and has some skill. He's very good along the boards as well. Frankly I am surprised the CSB has him rated as a seventh rounder. C Brad Marchand was impressive as well. Very fast and a good penalty killer. The player I was most impressed by, and unfortunately he's already drafted, is D Keith Yandle. He was recently named the best defenseman in the entire CHL and was a fourth round pick a couple of years ago to the Phoenix Coyotes. This kid dominates at every aspect of defense. He's very good at standing up to his man on the rush, and he is quick. He can move the puck fast and possesses a very good shot. If there was any way Neil Smith could acquire him it would be a steal. I see Yandle as a future #2 d-man. I would even be persuaded to trade a veteran like Jason Blake for Yandle, but would Phoenix make that move? Also got a good look at top rated 2007 draft pick Angelo Esposito. Was impressed and it will be interesting to see how much better he gets next season. I'm already hearing that he's not the slam dunk for #1 as originally thought. As for Alexander Radulov, great player. Nashville is gonna love this kid. But, as soon as he tries some of that show-boating stuff in the NHL he is going to get his clock cleaned. ( for those who haven't seen he likes to twirl his stick and emphatically holsters it along his side like a gun while skating around). - Sportsnet.ca recently released the top rated players by the CSB in a group of categories. The groups were separated by North Americans and Europeans. Interestingly, Derick Brassard was in the top three for more categories than any other player. He ranked as follows: #1 in playmaking, hockey sense, big goals, faceoffs, penalty killing and hockey sense. He ranked #2 overall in goal scoring, power play, quickest hands, dedication and team leader. Brassard ranked #3 overall in hardest worker category. Again, this is only among North American players. Honestly, the lists seemed a bit flawed to me as players like Peter Mueller didn't make any list and Jordan Staal was ranked too low for my liking in whatever category he ranked in. But it goes to show how much a lot of people like Brassard. Latest rumor has it that Brassard could move up into the top 5 picks. This could be bad and good for the Islanders. They would lost the chance to take Brassard but it may knock another of the top players down a bit. About a week ago there was some rumor that C Nicklas Backstrom could go #1 overall because of being the most ready to jump to the NHL but I don't see it. More Sleepers: keep an eye on C Tyler Ruegsegger. The 5'11" and 170 lbs player had 89 points in 60 games played with one of the top U.S. High School's as far as generating NHL'ers, Shattuck St. Mary's. Former Islander J.P. Parise is a director of player development at Shattuck and it is the same school that such players as Zach Parise and Sidney Crosby have played. All about offense: RW Ryan McDonough scored 39 goals last season for Saginaw of the OHL. He's rated 102nd by the CSB. RW Claude Giroux scored 39 goals and 103 points with Gatineau of the QMJHL. Both players are a bit smallish but could thrive in the new NHL. LW Francois Bouchard recorded 102 points with Baie-Comeau last season. He's considered a powerplay specialist because of his quick hands and was rated #1 over Brassard in the big goals category that the CSB conducted and that was listed by Sportsnet.ca. notes: * It doesn't seem like Peca will re-sign in Edmonton so that pick is starting to look like a fourth rounder. ^ As for Los Angeles, they are in serious trouble of possibly not making the playoffs even with the addition of Parrish. It's possible we may lose this pick. So much for 5 third round picks. We'll have to see what happens. More notes: A question has come up as to the Peca signing situation. If he is to re-sign with Edmonton before the NHL Draft, the Islanders will receive Edmonton's 3rd round pick in 2006. Belief before the playoffs was that Peca wasn't going to re-sign with the Oilers. He's had a very good playoff thus far and it is unknown if whether that is enough to change things. If Peca leaves the Oilers, the "penalty" according to the trade is that the Islanders would instead deal their 4th round pick in the 2007 draft(as compensation for Edmonton giving their 4th rounder in 2006) for Edmonton's 3rd round pick in 2007. So even though the Islanders hold Edmonton's 4th round pick in 2006, it's basically just acting like a placeholder until Peca's situation is resolved. According to this the Islanders will NOT have two 4th round picks in 2006. They'll either have four 3rd round picks or three 3rd round picks in 2006 and two 3rd round picks in 2007. I know, very confusing! Even more notes: here is another list of probable actual Islander draft positions: first round: #7; second round: #58; third round: #67, #68, #85; fourth round: #97. Now here's where it gets confusing again: the Islanders hold Edmonton's 4th round pick #117. But that's just a placeholder depending on the Peca signing, remember? So if he re-signs with Edmonton it will become a third round pick and the Islanders will get the #77 pick. BUT, if Edmonton should go on to win the Cup AND re-sign Peca, that pick will become the #90 pick. Still with me? Sixth round: #157; seventh round: #187. These are not set in stone but should be approximate. June 21st Update: Still don't think Peca will re-sign with Edmonton. But according to the NHL it doesn't seem to matter. Somehow the Islanders have transferred the pick to the Minnesota Wild, who in turn transferred it to Atlanta. I guess we will have to wait to find out why the Islanders transferred the pick. The only transaction the Islanders had with the Wild last year was when Minnesota acquired Mattias Weinhandl off waivers. Updated Order of Selection: The NHL has awarded three compensatory picks in the second round for first round picks that went unsigned from 2002 and earlier. That will push the Islanders second round pick, acquired from Dallas, to 60th. So here is the new order of selection: #7, #60, #70, #71, #88, #100, #130(if Kvasha re-signs with PHX), #160, and #190.
The NHL just recently conducted their draft combine where scouts and league GM's put the prospects through rigorous physical tests and interviews to find out what type of person the player is. With the Islanders not having an official GM in place you'd have to assume that Feltrin, and possibly Milbury, were in attendance. The Islanders will pick 7th this year. They've never picked 7th before in their 34 year history. But they've had plenty of top 10 picks. In total the Islanders will have 8 selections this year with the potential for a ninth depending on what happens with the Michael Peca free agency situation. Most of the picks are high end, with one in the first round, one in the second and three, maybe 4, in the third round. * Be sure to check back often to Draft Central as islesinfo.com will probably add to the draft preview as the draft draws closer. The Talent The 2006 Draft is considered a top heavy draft. While some believe it is not a very good draft, this we say is always viewed from the eyes of the beholder. It may not be as great as another draft, but there still are quality future NHLer's available throughout the draft. Also, keep in mind that this draft may be a little bit stunted due to the fact that a lot of these players had their progress stunted during the NHL lockout, which forced some players to stay in junior instead of turning pro. The consensus is that there are 4 potential stars in this draft: D Erik Johnson, C Phil Kessel, C Jonathan Toews and C Jordan Staal. There may be quite a few NHL teams looking to move up into the top 4 to acquire one of these players. The St. Louis Blues hold the first pick overall and most believe Johnson is the top rated player. The Blues could use just about any player they can get. The Pittsburgh Penguins are picking second and they are rumored to be very interested in Johnson, as he would make a fine piece to a roster that already is deep with forward prospects and a goaltender that were all top 5 picks. So right there you have drama that could lead to movement. Rumor has it that the Islanders, led by somebody, have eyes on possibly moving up in the draft into the top four. But if they don't they still stand to get another blue chip prospect. While some (like Hockeysfuture) believe the Islanders don't need centers because they already have Ryan O'Marra and Jeremy Colliton in the fold, islesinfo.com believes the Islanders DO need a center, especially if they plan to cut loose Alexei Yashin. They need a skilled future first line center iceman. They could also use a stud defenseman, but if they can't get a crack at Johnson, the next best d-men may be a step down. Without further wait let's analyze who will be available to the Islanders with the #7 pick: C Jordan Staal, 6'4", 209 lbs.: Jordan is the third installment of the Staal family that is expected to arrive into the NHL. He's a huge centerman and is very similar to his already superstar brother Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes. He has offensive ability and will most likely one day center someone's top line for many years. Jordan is a very good skater and playmaker. He is the quintessential power forward. Staal helped lead the Peterborough Petes to an OHL Championship, outshining Bryan Little of the Barrie Colts, in 2005-06 and into the Memorial Cup. He seemed to run out of gas towards the end of the Memorial Cup. He should only get better next season. C Nicklas Backstrom, 6', 183 lbs.: Backstrom has drawn comparisons to Peter Forsberg, but without the gritty side. Some believe that perhaps he will gain the grittiness in time. Some of the comparisons also have to do with the fact that Backstrom broke the rookie scoring record in the SEL, previously held by Forsberg and Markus Naslund, by scoring 10 goals and 26 points in 46 games played. But doesn't this remind you of another player? Robert Nilsson perhaps? Nilsson almost broke the record back in 2002-03. Like Backstrom, Nilsson is considered a playmaker. Scouts love Backstrom's ability to make tape to tape passes and they love his patience with the puck. While some may think he would make a good compliment to Nilsson, and as we all know Swedes are in demand right now with their recent Olympic and World Championship's win, islesinfo.com believes the Islanders already have their Nicklas Backstrom, his name is Robert Nilsson. C Peter Mueller, 6'2", 200 lbs.: Mueller is considered a two way player. He's strong at both ends both offensively and defensively and a coach would never hesitate to put him out on the ice. Mueller has great work ethic and dedication. Though he's another player that many believe the Islanders already have in 2005 first round pick Ryan O'Marra. Some question Mueller's speed and skating, which were the same knocks on O'Marra. But both players are smart and can compensate. Mueller scored 26 goals with the WHL's Everett Silvertips in 2005-06 and is slated to become their first ever NHL drafted player. He had a good WJC's with Team USA in Vancouver scoring 6 points in 7 games. He was even better in the WHL playoffs which helped raise his stock as he led the Silvertips to the WHL Conference Finals with his excellent two way ability. C Derick Brassard, 6', 174 lbs.: islesinfo.com believes Brassard has not been given enough respect by the NHL scouts. This kid could very well be in the same category as the big four. He has drawn comparisons to Joe Sakic, who we all know is a great offensive player and leader. He may even one day remind Islander fans, if they draft him, of another top frenchman who donned the Orange, Blue and White: Pierre Turgeon. He's not a big player, but has the height to fill out more. If Turgeon is not a good comparison, then perhaps someone like a Daniel Briere is. Brassard missed 14 games in 2005-06 with the QMJHL's Drummondville Volteguers with a broken arm, yet he still managed to record 44 goals and 116 points in just 58 games played. Entering his third year in the QMJHL next season, Brassard is capable of leading the league in scoring, even though he most likely won't have Guillaume Latendresse anymore as a linemate. Scouts say he is an explosive offensive player and knows how to find the open areas on the ice. He is a sure bet to one day turn into a 40 goal scorer in the NHL. It was reported that Brassard struggled to do the bench press at the recent combine, but that could be a result of the broken arm. It shouldn't hurt his draft status and he has plenty of time to fill out and get stronger. Brassard also won the Mike Bossy Trophy this year as the QMJHL's top draft eligible player. LW Jiri Tlusty, 6'1", 185 lbs.: Tlusty is a two way forward who struggled at time this season with Kladno, a poor team in the Czech League. Scouts like the fact that even though his team struggled all year, he never gave up and kept going strong. The consensus though is that Tlusty, the third ranked European, is a step below Backstom. While some believe on a very good team Tlusty may be a third line player, on a weaker team they might try slotting him in one of the top two lines. In other words some scouts are not quite sure about Tlusty, which makes him a wild card. Definitely not a safe pick. islesinfo.com's belief is that the Islanders should not focus on European's with their first round pick and should stay away from players that bring question mark's. C Bryan Little, 5'10", 194 lbs.: Little is considered an offensive player and is probably viewed as a safe pick. Yet, he is also what his last name implies: smallish. At 5'10" Little would probably not have been rated a first round pick in previous drafts when size was everything. Yet, despite that, he has always scored goals. In his three years with the Barrie Colts of the OHL, Little has put up goals of 34, 36 and in 2005-06 he scored 42 times. He even helped lead the Colts to the OHL Conference Finals where they lost out to Jordan Staal and the Peterborough Petes. Little does bring leadership to the table as well, captaining the Colts last season. In the OHL coaches poll, Little took home honors in hardest worker, best playmaker, most dangerous in the goal area and best on faceoffs(along with O'Marra) in 2005-06. He was the first Colts player to reach the 30 goal mark three years ago and was named OHL rookie of the year. Concerns are his speed and quickness, along with his size, but it hasn't seemed to hold him back from dominating at the junior level. RW Kyle Okposo, 6', 195 lbs.: Okposo is another two way forward who played with Des Moines in the USHL in 2005-06. He is slated to attend the University of Minnesota in 2006-07 and will join a strong club that already features Phil Kessel and Blake Wheeler. Okposo was the top overall selection in the USHL draft a year ago and led Des Moines to the Championship in 2006. He was named rookie of the year last season with 27 goals and 58 points in 50 games played, and he was named to the first all star team. Scouts also say he is a very strong skater and plays a pro style game. They love his speed and acceleration. Okposo can take a hit just as much as give one. He has moved up the ranks in recent weeks and some believe he could be someone that could get drafted anywhere among the top 10. Other Possibilities D Erik Johnson is the best defenseman available and has been described as a Scott Stevens type. He's a player you could insert into your lineup on the blue line for 10 years. C Phil Kessel is an exciting player to watch and reminds many of Pat LaFontaine and Mike Modano rolled into one. He dominated two years ago at the WJC's and some wanted him to do it again in 2006. He didn't exactly dominate in Vancouver and some scouts used that to take the shine off his glowing resume. Combine that with the fact that he is a bit shy during interviews and that seems to contribute to the negative feedback on Kessel. C Jonathan Toews is considered the best two way player available. It would not be hard to find some scouts who believe he is the best player available overall. He played last year for the University of North Dakota and had a strong freshman season with 21 goals. In a checking role, he helped Canada win it's second straight WJC's title under Brent Sutter. If the Islanders still want to go defense and Johnson is long gone, they may want to take a look at Nigel Williams or Bob Sanguinetti. Williams at 6'4" and 226 lbs. is an imposing figure but he is considered a raw project right now. Yet, some believe he could still reach the level of Johnson after some more seasoning. Out of the U.S. National program, Williams will attend the Uinversity of Wisconsin in 2006-07. Sanguinetti is not as big as Williams, but brings speed and skating to his game. He's projected as a 2 or 3 defenseman, which the Islanders have a few of already. Though, defensive depth is always essential.
Here are the top rated #7 prospects by the independent scouting services: The Hockey News: C Derick Brassard Player who averaged near #7 the most times on all lists: C Peter Mueller
Every year we take a look at the family related players up for the draft. Of course, as already mentioned we have Jordan Staal. He is the younger brother of Hurricanes star Eric Staal, as well as 2005 Rangers' defensive prospect Marc Staal. Jordan's younger brother Jared, who some say could be the best one, was recently drafted by the OHL's Sudbury Wolves and is not up for the NHL Draft most likely until 2008. Derick Brassard's father, Pierre, was the 108th player selected in the 1976 NHL draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He never made it to the NHL. Big right winger Chris Stewart, is the younger brother of Florida Panthers Anthony Stewart, who was drafted in 2003. Slated as a probable late first round pick, LW Nick Foligno is the son of Mike Foligno, who coached Nick with the Sudbury Wolves this past season. Ranked as a second rounder, D Francois Bouchard is the younger brother of the Minnesota Wild's Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who was drafted 8th overall in 2002. Another interesting name is LW Blake Geoffrion, the grandson of the late Boom Boom Geoffrion. Scouts say they love the bloodlines, but he's not another Boom Boom. While Bernie was born in Montreal, Blake was born in Tennessee. One player among Europeans that rose up the charts on the CSB rankings is RW Igor Makarov, son of the great Sergei Makarov who won rookie of the year in the NHL. Makarov's former Red Army coach has a grandson by the same name, C Viktor Tikhonov, ranked 30th among European Skaters by the CSB. G Jonathan Bernier is the younger brother of Marc-Andre Bernier, a winger who was drafted by Vancouver in the second round of the 2003 draft. One surprising oversight by the CSB is D Keith Seabrook, the younger brother of Chicago's Brent Seabrook, who was a rookie in the NHL last season. Keith played for the Burnaby Express in the BCHL in 2005-06. He's considered a very good skater and plays a feisty game. He was drafted by the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL but will most likely attend Denver University in 2006-07. For some reason though, he was not rated by the CSB on their final list of 210 skaters.
The NHL is currently working to resolve the transfer deal with Russia. Since that has not been resolved as far back as last years draft, NHL teams are wary of drafting Russian players fearing that they won't be able to bring the players over to North America. That is one reason why the highest ranked Russian in this years draft is slated for the second round, at best the late first round. D Ivan Vishnevsky is the highest rated Russian by the Hockey News at 26th. Actually, Vishnevsky already came over from Russia last season to play in the QMJHL. So he is an exception to the rule. The highest ranked player by THN actually playing in Russia right now is LW Alexander Vasyunov. I like Vasyunov as a later round pick, if he is still around by the 58th pick then the Islanders should take a look at him. Yes, he is a huge gamble. But the kid loves to score goals. It's almost all he likes to do. In 2005-06 he scored 29 goals in 29 games with Yaroslavl division 2. He had only 6 assists. In the 5 nations tournament, Vasyunov scored 3 goals in 4 games for Russia. He can beat players 1 on 1 and some scouts believe that under the right tutelage he could become a goal scoring machine in the NHL. The only knock on him is his drive. Finnish RW Jesse Joensuu was considered a possible top 5 pick back as far as a year and a half ago. He's dropped all the way to 41st by THN and 18th among European Skaters by the CSB. Still, you never know if he will one day develop into that player that everyone projected as a top 5. Among the biggest question marks is Czech LW Michael Frolik, who was also once rated as a top five player, but he hasn't slipped as badly as Joensuu. Frolik at one point even drew comparison to Jaromir Jagr and Marian Gaborik. After he very poor WJC's in Vancouver he is another one of those question mark slash bubble players. Keep an eye out for RW Andreas Nodl. He came on strong at the tail end of the season for Sioux Falls of the USHL. He probably was overshadowed by the play of Okposo in the USHL last season but he's still a very good prospect and could make some noise in the future.
This could be perhaps the finest crop of American born players to ever make the draft. Already mentioned are the offensive players available like Kessel, Mueller and Okposo. The top three defensemen are all American led by Johnson, Williams and Sanguinetti, who played in the OHL. But after the top three, there are a slew of American defensemen available in the 2006 Draft. Here is a list: Mark Mitera of the Univ. of Michigan, Chris Summers and David Fischer both of whom will be attending Michigan next season, Kevin Montgomery who will attend Ohio State in 2006-07, Mike Weber who has already played three years with Windsor of the OHL, Brian Strait who captained the under 18 USA Team to a Gold Medal, Mike Ratchuk, and Tysen Dowsak who plays for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets. American forwards ranked among the top 100 are: LW Mike Forney who will attend North Dakota next season, left wing Foligno with Sudbury of the OHL, RW Ryan Flynn who will join Okposo, Kessel & Wheeler at the Univ. of Minnesota, LW Geoffrion, C Trevor Lewis of the USHL's champion Des Moines club, Lincoln High School's RW Carl Sneep, and C Ryan Turek of the USHL's Omaha. As for goaltenders, the two most notable American netminders available are Michigan's Billy Sauer and National USA Team member Joe Palmer. There are a couple more American players the Islanders should keep an eye on. LW Luke Lynes is a 6'1" and 196 lbs player that has put up some very good numbers with the Brampton Battalion of the OHL. The Islanders surely got a very good look at him while scouting Luch Aquino with the Battalion this season. Lynes tallied 34 goals in 2005-06 while mostly playing on the second line behind Aquino and Wojtek Wolski. The Battalion's first line left wing, Aaron Snow, is also up for the draft after recording 30 goals playing with two very talented players. RW Benn Ferriero scored some key goals this season for Boston College en-route to their NCAA Championship appearance. He's slated as a third or fourth round pick.
In previous years there were Long Island products available for the draft like Montreal's Chris Higgins & Mike Komisarek. There are not any notable players from Long Island available this year except a few long shot picks which were mentioned in Sunday's Newsday by Alan Hahn. He mentioned a very small Lithuanian born player who grew up in Hauppauge by the name of Vladimir Nikiforov, rated 206th by the CSB. Nikiforov would come no where near being mentioned in previous years, but with the new emphasis on speed someone might use a 7th round pick on the 5'5" and 142 lbs right wing. Nikiforov is a speedy player and was mentioned to have impressed pros like Alexei Yashin, Vladimir Malakhov and Bryan McCabe at workouts that took place during the NHL lockout. Hahn went on to mention two other Long Island born players: D Joe Grimaldi, who is from Ronkonkoma and played for the Ottawa 67s of the OHL this season, and D Tim Filangieri, who is from Islip Terrace and plays for Boston College. Filangieri, who played with Boston College last season, is rated 150th by the CSB, while Grimaldi was not rated. Perhaps the best available is one that Hahn overlooked. LW/C Tony Romano, 5'10" & 175 lbs, from Smithtown, plays for the AJHL's NY Bobcats, who are coached by Vladimir Nikiforov's father Alexey. Romano is ranked 144th by the CSB. He will play for Cornell in 2006-07. There are no shortage of players though from the state of New York overall: LW Tommy Sestito from Utica, New York plays for Plymouth of the OHL, D Ratchuk from Buffalo, NY, D Kevin Quick also from Buffalo, NY, G Palmer from Utica, NY, D Chad Morin from Auburn, NY, D Montgomery from Rochester, NY, G Alex Kangas from Rochester, NY, LW Foligno born in Buffalo, NY, and G Brett Bennett from Buffalo, NY.
We always state that in order to build a championship caliber team you have to concentrate on the goal out. Hopefully the Islanders have their goaltender of the future in Rick DiPietro. Only time will tell if he can one day lead the Islanders to the promised land, as Billy Smith did before him four straight times. But the Islanders are seriously thin in their organization at the goaltender position. After AHLer Wade Dubielewicz, there is nobody to push DiPietro to perform at his best. This is why islesinfo.com believes the Islanders should consider taking a goaltender with perhaps at least one of their third round picks. On defense, the Islanders have a good young core with Chris Campoli coming off a successful rookie season. Bruno Gervais should follow in his footsteps in 2006-07, although he played just enough games to in 2005-06 to end his rookie eligibility. The Islanders have high hopes for Denis Grebeshkov, but are unsure if he is ready yet. Besides those three the Islanders don't have another blue chip defenseman slated for the AHL in 2006-07. They could always use more depth at defense. islesinfo.com believes the Islanders primary need is offense simply because they need to stockpile as many offensive weapons they can. There is uncertainty among the Islanders go to players, especially with Alexei Yashin. Will he be back? Nobody knows yet. But the Islanders need to prepare for life after Yashin. In summary, the Islanders need talented players at every position.
Keep an eye on this name: W Sergei Shirokov. For whatever reason, Shirokov has been passed over in the last two NHL Drafts. If he's not drafted this time around he'll most likely become a free agent. Shirokov had a very memorable WJC's tournament in 2005. He scored a penalty shot goal against Team USA and some may remember he taunted the North Dakota crowd by raising his hand to his ear. He did it a couple times and maybe that was enough to turn scouts off. Yet, he played well in the tournament and can score goals. Want a towering defenseman? Go after Zdeno Chara. Well, not everybody is going to get a crack at the monstrous one time Islander. So how bout Maine's D Simon Danis-Pepin. At 6'7" and 208 lbs., Danis Pepin could add a few pounds to that tall lanky frame. Scouts don't know if he'll turn out to be a Chara type player, but he skates well and is not considered a risk. He could be available when the Islanders pick in the second round, 58th overall. Another defenseman to consider is Joe Ryan. He played last season for the Memorial Cup Champion Quebec Remparts under coach Patrick Roy and learned a lot from the future hall of famer. Ryan is the type that is very coachable and loves to learn. He doesn't have high offensive projection, but he plays a hard nosed, competitive, in your face style that every NHL team loves. He's rated as a late first round pick though, and most likely won't be available when the Islanders select 58th overall in the second round.
Late during the 2005-06 season, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers signed C Peter Tsimikalis to a ATO(Amateur Tryout Contract). Tsimikalis, a 6' 200 pound 20 year old from Aurora, Ontario finished 8th overall in OHL scoring in 2005-06 with 99 points, 70 of which were assists for the Oshawa Generals. With the Sound Tigers, he scored 3 goals and 5 points in 11 games played down the stretch. Tsimikalis has been passed over in two previous drafts, but he is still eligible for the 2006 Draft. The Islanders may look to lock up his rights by drafting him in the later rounds if they feel he impressed enough to get a shot by another team who might be willing to spend a pick on him. Now that Ted Nolan is the New York Islanders coach, you may want to keep an eye on several Moncton Wildcat players up for the Draft. Nolan coached the Wildcats in the QMJHL during 2005-06 and could provide some input on the quality of the prospects, not only from Moncton but the entire QMJHL. C Brad Marchand is a bit smallish at 5'9" and 183 lbs. but he's a speedy player and is a very nifty puckhandler. Marchand, who will play for the Val d'Or Foreurs next season as part of the Luc Bourdon trade earlier this season, said Nolan made a major impact on him. "It's been great playing for him. He's such a great coach and he helped me so much, not only about hockey but about life," Marchand said. In 68 games played last year he recorded 29 goals and 66 points. Marchand is rated as a possible third round pick, but could go earlier. With the Islanders having three third round picks, Marchand could be joining Nolan on the Island very soon. Moncton's RW Jerome Samson, 6' and 188 lbs., is ranked 165th, the sixth round, by the CSB. He scored 6 goals and 17 points in 63 games played last year and won the George Parsons Trophy - Sportsmanship. If he's passed over for a second time, any team could invite him to training camp as a free agent. "If he doesn't get drafted or invited to pro camp, something is wrong," said Nolan. "Smart NHL people will see what he brings every game. He brings a very intelligent side of the game." Nolan goes on to describe Samson as an excellent player along the boards. LW Matt Marquardt, who scored the winning goal over Vancouver despite limited ice time in the Memorial Cup Tournament semifinal, is rated as a seventh round pick, 186th overall. LW Jean-Philippe Chabot, recently traded to Gatineau, is ranked 189th by the CSB.
Predictions are the hardest thing to do. If you look at the independent scouting services and numerous web mock drafts you will find many differences of opinions. Since islesinfo.com has been making their prediction starting in 2003, we are 1-2. We picked Robert Nilsson in 2003 to go #15th overall to the Islanders. But since then it's been a tough go. In 2004 we picked D A.J. Thelen who ended up going to Minnesota at #12. The Islanders went on to take Petteri Nokelainen. Thelen was drafted out of Michigan State, but struggled in his sophomore season. Since then, he joined the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders for the 2005-06 season. In 2005 we chose RW Niklas Bergfors, but a bit reluctantly. Bergfors, a power forward from Sweden, ended up going 23rd to the New Jersey Devils. We were a bit torn with the #15 pick last year and after choosing Bergfors we later felt that it was good the Islanders stayed in North America with their first pick and took Ryan O'Marra. This season it may be easier because the Islanders have a high pick. But as we all know nothing is ever certain with the NHL Draft. But, barring a trade by the Islanders we believe that Derick Brassard is the best player for the Islanders at the #7 pick. We would love to see the Islanders somehow trade up and grab one of the elite four available, but as explained earlier, islesinfo.com believes Brassard can turn out to be just as good as the players ranked in the top four. islesinfo.com Prediction: Islanders select C Derick Brassard #7 overall.
Draft Update May 20, 2006: The Draft is 5 weeks away. Most of the kids to be drafted are pretty much done playing except for those that are still taking part in the Memorial Cup Tournament which runs from May 19th to the 27th. The most prominent player still in action is Jordan Staal who is looking to win the Memorial Cup as a member of the Peterborough Petes. I'd like to make a few comments on some things I have seen reported around the net. There seems to be a lot of negative remarks that have been made about Phil Kessel. Some people who believe they are experts have done nothing but knock the kid and have gone so far to even say he is overrated. Folks, this is ridiculous. I have been lucky to have seen Kessel play a few times and the kid is absolutely exciting to watch. I'm tired of hearing people state that they question whether Kessel will be able to create his own room in the NHL. What?? Did you not see the clip I posted below of Kessel totally dominating Sweden at the 2005 World Junior Championship's as a 17 year old? That was a full year and a half before his draft. How many players are even invited to the WJC's 2 years before their draft? Sidney Crosby? A few others? You have to be a special player to have that happen. The only reason to me that Kessel has slipped in the rankings is not really his own doing, but more the fact that the other players have just caught up to him. More players have shown what they got and are stealing some of Kessel's spotlight. It's not a knock on Phil Kessel. From what I've seen of Kessel, his ability to skate and handle the puck is probably better than any player in the draft and is in the elite level. He can beat players with his speed and has excellent one on one ability. He will blow right by defending players. So to say he will struggle to create his own space MAKES NO SENSE! If a miracle was to happen and Kessel was to drop to #7, the Islanders not selecting him would be the equivalent to the Islanders not drafting Dany Heatley or Marian Gaborik in 2000. It would be a colossal blunder! Now saying that, I don't believe he will be available at #7 anyway. I mean, I can go on and on about this. So Kessel only scored 1 goal at the 2006 WJC's. He still led the entire tournament in scoring! He racked up the assists, which to me shows that not only is he capable of scoring a hat trick to win a game against Sweden in 2005, he's capable of setting up some goals as well. He's well rounded. Isn't that what every team desires in a star player? I've seen stuff on message boards about Kessel being overrated because his Univ. of Minnesota team was upset by Holy Cross in the NCAA Regionals. BIG DEAL! Kessel scored a goal in that loss. Hockey is a team game. He can't be counted on to win every game all by himself. And Holy Cross is not a push over. Yes, it was an upset. But Holy Cross was rated in the top #20 all year long in the National coaches poll and they were ranked 14th going into the regionals. Plus, if Holy Cross was so bad then how come Patrick Rissmiller, who played four years there from 1998 to 2002, is playing in the NHL with San Jose? One final note on Kessel. He still was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year and led all Freshman in scoring in the Nation. Let me move on. It should still be tough to predict the Islanders pick at #7 this year, but it may not be as hard as in previous years when they picked in the mid-teens. From what it looks right now, the Islanders are looking at one of these three players: center Derick Brassard, center Peter Mueller, or right wing Kyle Okposo. Brassard, while smallish, is considered a pure offensive player. You always draft "best player available" but sometimes need is considered at draft time even though the player you select could be a year or two away from the NHL. Whatever the Islanders decide to do this summer with Alexei Yashin, which will most likely be decided sometime in the second half of June, the Islanders need a homegrown(or system grown) player who will be endeared by the fans and one day take over the #1 center position for the New York Islanders. Whether that will succeed Yashin or some other in between we don't know yet. Brassard has received some comparisons to Joe Sakic. That is a lofty comparison. Mueller is a bigger player, but his style is similar to that of 2005 first round pick Ryan O'Marra, who is slated as a future second line center. Okposo is a huge question mark. He seems to be the player everyone is talking about as he rose from the late first round into the top ten by season's end. He helped lead his team in Des Moines to a championship in the USHL this season and plans to attend the Univ. of Minnesota in 2006-07. But is he the next Michael Rupp? Some may remember Rupp made a drastic rise in the 1998 Draft but besides his playoff run with New Jersey in 2003, has not lived up to his potential. I'm also not high on Nicklas Backstom. He's described as a playmaking center. The Islanders already have a Swedish playmaker in Robert Nilsson who is capable of playing any position. As far as Czech left winger Jiri Tlusty and right winger Michael Frolik, there are question marks with these players which is why I say steer away from them. We don't need any question marks and the Islanders don't need more Europeans. At least not in the first round. All that aside, I wouldn't count out the Islanders trading up. If they can somehow come out of the draft with one of Kessel, Staal, Jonathan Toews or defenseman Erik Johnson I would be extremely happy as an Islander fan. Those are the four best players available in my view. Hopefully the Islanders will have a new GM in place for the draft and maybe, just perhaps they will find a way to shed themselves of Yashin or Alexei Zhitnik. Around June 1st I plan to clean the page up a bit and move some of the 2005 Draft information to it's own section. I will also post the official 2006 Draft Preview around then as well. I plan to post some sleeper picks for later rounds and some other goodies, including the islesinfo.com prediction all before the main event on June 24th.
- The draft lottery is usually held immediately following the NHL season. Only non-playoff teams qualify for the lottery. The winner is moved up four positions. Of course the lottery is weighted with the poorer team's having a greater chance to win. As we all remember, the Islanders won back in 2000, moving up from 5th to 1st overall. They took goaltender Rick DiPietro. If the Islanders don't drop into the 5th slot, winning the lottery could get them around the 2nd or 3rd position. One player islesinfo.com is very high on right now is Jordan Staal of the OHL's Peterborough Petes(pictured above). Staal, of course, is the third installment of the Staal brothers. His brother Eric is having a breakout season for the Carolina Hurricanes. Brother Marc, a Rangers draft pick from 2005, is highly touted. Jordan will be the third brother selected in the first round of the draft. A fourth, Jared, is up for the draft a few years from now. Right now Jordan Staal is slated to go anywhere from 3rd overall to 7th, but more likely he won't slip down lower than 5th. He's projected as a top line scoring center. What separates him from the others is his size. Jordan ranks in at 6'4" and 215 pounds. He would be a perfect addition to the Islanders system, one that has not seen a blue chip high ranked centerman come through the Islanders organization since they drafted Tim Connolly in 1999. Connolly did not last long on Long Island and perhaps he wasn't given the time to develop. But Connolly is a finesse player. Staal has the size and all around scoring ability that perhaps the Islanders haven't had come up since the days of Bryan Trottier. That being said, if the Islanders were to win the lottery the obvious two choices if still available would be flashy C Phil Kessel or stud defenseman Erik Johnson. Either of these two players would be a future cornerstone for the Islanders at their respective positions. Also, don't rule out the possibility that the incoming general manager for the Islanders could always pull off a deal to move up in the draft. Especially if Pittsburgh gains the #1 overall pick. Obviously it's a gamble for the Islanders to deal with a team within their division. But would the Penguins be able to afford and for that matter, find the playing time in the future for kids like Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin and then Phil Kessel too?? Then maybe they'd settle for Johnson on defense, which in the process would knock Kessel down a position making him more available. There will be so many options available for the Islanders come draft time. The Islanders could use a stud defenseman, but after Johnson there is a bit of a drop off, much like there was last year after Jack Johnson was selected early in the 2005 draft. This year the Islanders would be looking at guys like big Nigel Williams, a defensive d-man out of the U.S. Development program, Owen Sound's Bob Sanguinetti, and Ty Wishart of the WHL's Prince George Cougars. But there are a slew of very good centers available and this may be where the Islanders go, especially with the possibility that Alexei Yashin's future with the Islanders is up in the air. We mentioned Staal, but also keep an eye on the Barrie Colts Bryan Little. He doesn't have the size Staal has at 5'11" and 188 pounds, but Little has an extra year of junior under his belt than Staal. Little is finishing his third year in Barrie while Staal is finishing his second. Other top rated centers are Jonathan Toews(6'1" and 185 lbs.) of North Dakota, Everett's Peter Mueller(6'2" and 203 pounds) and Drummondville's high scoring Derek Brassard(6' and 174 pounds). Now for the dark horses. Sweden's C/RW Niklas Backstom had a respectable performance at the World Junior Championships. Some believe he could have been better. Backstrom finished sixth in scoring in the WJC's with 4 goals and 7 points. But 3 goals and an assist came in a 10-2 win over a very weak Latvian club. Backstrom's only other goal came as an empty netter against the Czech Republic. Also, islesinfo.com believes the Islanders would really be straying if they were to take a European born player in the first round this year. There are some talented ones available like Czech left wingers Michael Frolik and Jiri Tlusty. Both could be home run type players, but both have been up and down on the prospect charts and come with huge question marks. Frolik has been compared to Jaromir Jagr in the past, yet he has slipped down the rankings all year and had a horrible WJC's. In closing, this is not islesinfo.com's official prediction for the 2006 NHL Draft, just an early synopsis. I've written this a little early this year because there seems to be a demand for it around the web since the Islanders are pretty much out of the playoff race with 2 1/2 weeks to go. I know some fans will agree with me that it's really difficult to watch the team right now. You don't want to see the young guys lose, but it may be in the team's best interests if they don't put up much points the rest of the way. It's often said that it doesn't matter what position you end up with, the difference is only going to be a couple of positions. But when you're talking about a top 7 pick it could mean a big difference if you want a player like Jordan Staal. - John Buccigross of ESPN suggests that Phil Kessel may still be available at #7 when the Islanders select: Buccigross: Bells, whistles and the NHL Draft You Make the Call (added 4/29/06) As often happens with the NHL draft, many of the fans have never even seen these players play a game. Here are some video clips of some of the top rated 2006 Draft eligible players: Phil Kessel (this clip is from the 2005 WJC's when Kessel single-handedly defeated Robert Nilsson and the Swedes.) Jonathan Toews (Toews scores vs. Boston College) Jordan Staal (Staal
scores on a breakaway vs. Toronto St. Michael's) Erik Johnson (Johnson scores vs. Norway...no sound) Peter Mueller (Mueller scores vs. Norway...no sound) Nicklas Backstrom (Backstrom scoring chance vs. Czech Republic 2006 WC's)
April 19, 2006 Update: Well, the season is over and the Islanders currently hold the 7th pick overall. The Draft Lottery will be held tomorrow, April 20th. If the Islanders were to get lucky and win, they could move up to 3rd overall. That would be huge as the consensus is that there are four players available that could equally be taken #1 overall: Phil Kessel, Erik Johnson, Jordan Staal and Jonathan Toews. Any one of these players added to the Islanders crop of prospects would be huge for their future. If they remain at #7 they still should get a quality player. The Los Angeles Kings didn't qualify for the playoffs so it appears the Islanders will lose the conditional 3rd round draft choice in the Mark Parrish deal. Current Draft Order (Lottery Teams) & Percentage chance of winning:
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft will take place
at General Motors Place in Vancouver on Saturday, June 24 at 3 p.m.,
Pacific time. islesinfo.com note: Two ways to look at the previous results. Only twice has a team drafting lower than 5th won the lottery: 1995 & 1999. On the brighter side, only twice has the team that finished the season with the worst record retained the first pick: 1996 & 1997. Since 1998 the team winning the lottery has finished no higher than 3rd. April 20, 2006: The St. Louis Blues retained the #1 overall pick in the draft when the NHL held the Draft Lottery at 12 Noon today. This is the first time the worst team has retained the #1 pick since 1997. The Islanders remain at #7. It will be interesting to see when the Draft comes if the Islanders will consider trying to move up into the elite 4 picks or remain where they are and hope to pluck a good player.
2006 Draft Central - For Rest of Picks(Page 2)
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1998-2006 Tom Mascioli
