Shame on you if you didn’t watch the Memorial Cup final game live. If there were any questions about who the top three players will be in the upcoming NHL draft, there shouldn’t be now. No wild cards or surprises in the top three. None.
The only question that remains now is:
Which of the three superstars-to-be will the Colorado Avalanche draft first overall?
Nathan Mackinnon was brilliant, scoring the hat trick and adding two assists en route to the first ever Memorial Cup championship in Halifax Mooseheads history. MacKinnon scored 7 goals and added 6 assists (+8) in four games at the Memorial Cup. In two games against Portland, MacKinnon scored two hat tricks and added 3 assists.
Seth Jones logged Chris Pronger-like minutes and scored a second period goal that cut the Halifax lead to one goal. Jones scored 2 goals and added 2 assists in 5 games played at the Memorial Cup.
Jonathon Drouin added assists on all five. Drouin scored one goal and added 5 assists in four games at the Memorial Cup.
Which one of these superstars will the Colorado Avalanche draft with the first overall pick in the June 30 entry draft in Newark?
Absolutely, positively Seth Jones, right? He’s big, fast, tough, and skilled as the day is long.
Before the memorial Cup final game, I had Jones in my #1 slot, however, I’m now leaning toward MacKinnon and Drouin.
MacKinnon is a big skilled centre man who can score with his eyes closed. Drouin can skate, distribute, and score.
All three players are supremely skilled and are very capable of taking over and winning a game by himself. Jones, MacKinnon and Drouin are stupid good. They are franchise players who will add immediate value and offensive production to whichever teams draft them.
I’m thinking that if MacKinnon were a winger instead of a centreman, he’d be selected first overall by Colorado. Having a a big bomber on the wings is exactly what the Avs are missing right now. MacKinnon is a natural centre, therefore, the challenge for the Avs would be to trade one of their gifted young centres in order to make room for MacKinnon. Paul Stastny is one year ($6.6 million cap hit) away from becoming UFA. Matt Duchene signed a new contract last summer. And is off limits. Ryan O’Reilly is an interesting case, as he was signed to an offer sheet last winter by Calgary, which Colorado immediately matched. The first opportunity for O’Reilly to be traded will be on February 28, 2014. It seems far fetched to think that the Avs will throw caution to the wind and draft yet another skilled pivot.
MacKinnon would be my #1 overall pick at the draft were I the GM in Colorado. However, you should look for the Avs to select Seth Jones with their first overall pick as they are desperately seeking defense, not offense. The Avs are loaded up front with young, gifted offensive players including Landeskog, Duchene, O’Reilly, and Stastny. Their problem is that they score a lot of goals and they also give up a lot of goals. Therefore, Jones will be their guy, or, will he?
Nobody knows the talent that exists in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League better than newly minted Avs head coach, Patrick Roy, who competed head to head with MacKinnon and Drouin in The Q.
The next five weeks will certainly be interesting of you are a Colorado Avalanche fan.
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Congratulations to Sabres prospect and Saskatoon Blades goalie, Andrey Makarov, for being named the Most Outstanding Goaltender of the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament.
Makarov posted a 1-3 record with a .889 save % and 4.09 GAA. He faced 135 shots and made 120 saves.He lost his first game of the tourney, won the second, then lost the last two games. Frankly, I though Zacj Fucale of Halifax was the best tender in the tourney.
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Lindy Ruff's stock is on the rise inside the NHL. From north, south, east and west, Ruff's name is being mentioned in chatter. It won't be long until Ruff is back behind an NHL bench.
The Dallas Stars are not waiting to conduct the search for their next head coach. TSN's Darren Dreger tweeted Sunday night that Lindy Ruff has
already been interviewed by new Stars GM, Jim Nill.
Nill's duties included directing Detroit's amateur scouting and selections at the annual NHL Entry Draft. He had also served as the GM of the AHL Adirondack Red Wings.
Nill continues to oversee the development of the Red Wings' prospects that are currently assigned to Detroit's main affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League, as well as those in the Canadian junior and European leagues.
Nill played an integral role in the Detroit Red Wings winning 4 Stanley Cup championships in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008.
In April, Nill was hired to replace Nieuwendyk as GM of the Dallas Stars.
Ruff, Vigneault, and former Stars head coach Dave Tippett are the three candidates who Nill is interested to speak with about the Stars bench boss job.
Ruff seems to have favored nation trading status with those NHL front office members who are Scotty Bowman disciples. Nill had worked the better part of the past two decades in the front office of the Detroit Red Wings before he was named new GM in Dallas earlier this month after Stars ownership had decided that Joe Nieuwendyk was not going to be retained during the team's re-building phase. Nieuwendyk and former head coach Glen Gulutzan were relived for their duties with the Stars earler this month.
Ruff is a close friend of Wings' head coach Mike Babcock.
Late last week, Ruff's name was linked to the vacant Vancouver head coaching job. Word out of Couver is that Canucks GM Mike Gillis will be meeting with Ruff in the very near future, perhaps this week at the NHL Combine in Toronto. Alain Vigneault was fired after his impressive five year stint in Vancouver. Other coaches being linked to the Canucks job are Tippett, Scott Arniel, and Guy Boucher.
Ruff is also being prematurely linked to the NY Rangers. The future of John Tortarella will not be known until later this week until after the fog and disappointment of losing to Boston in round two of the playoffs clears. Tortarella is still the head coach of the Rangers, however, rumors continue to swirl around MSG in Manhattan. Will Tortarella remain in the job, or, will he be replaced? Its way too soon to know for sure.
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The Memorial Cup champion will be crowned tonight in Saskatoon. Nathan MacInnon and Jonathon Droiun of the Halifax Mooseheads will do battle with Seth Jones and Ty Rattie of the Portland Winterhawks. The winning team will have very little time to celebrate the accomplishment. The puck will drop on the annual NHL Combine bright and early on Monday morning in Toronto. It will run through to June 1. This year's combine will feature a brilliant array of young stars. This draft reminds many observers of the star-studded 2003 entry draft.
Take a look at how rich with talent the 2003 entry draft was:
Round 1 2003 NHL Entry Draft
Round # Drafted By Player Position Drafted From
1 1 Pittsburgh Marc-Andre Fleury G Cape Breton Screaming Eagles [QMJHL]
1 2 Carolina Eric Staal C Peterborough Petes [OHL]
1 3 Florida Nathan Horton C Oshawa Generals [OHL]
1 4 Columbus Nikolai Zherdev R CSKA Moscow [Russia]
1 5 Buffalo Thomas Vanek R U. of Minnesota [WCHA]
1 6 San Jose Milan Michalek L Ceske Budejovice HC [Czech]
1 7 Nashville Ryan Suter D U.S. Junior National Team [Intl]
1 8 Atlanta Braydon Coburn D Portland Winter Hawks [WHL]
1 9 Calgary Dion Phaneuf D Red Deer Rebels [WHL]
1 10 Montreal Andrei Kostitsyn R CSKA Moscow [Russia]
1 11 Philadelphia Jeff Carter C Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds [OHL]
1 12 NY Rangers Hugh Jessiman R Dartmouth College [ECAC]
1 13 Los Angeles Dustin Brown R Guelph Storm [OHL]
1 14 Chicago Brent Seabrook D Lethbridge Hurricanes [WHL]
1 15 NY Islanders Robert Nilsson C Leksands IF [SEL]
1 16 San Jose Steve Bernier R Moncton Wildcats [QMJHL]
1 17 New Jersey Zach Parise C U. of North Dakota [WCHA]
1 18 Washington Eric Fehr R Brandon Wheat Kings [WHL]
1 19 Anaheim Ryan Getzlaf C Calgary Hitmen [WHL]
1 20 Minnesota Brent Burns D Brampton Battalion [OHL]
1 21 Boston Mark Stuart D Colorado College [WCHA]
1 22 Edmonton Marc-Antoine Pouliot C Rimouski Oceanic [QMJHL]
1 23 Vancouver Ryan Kesler C Ohio State University [CCHA]
1 24 Philadelphia Mike Richards C Kitchener Rangers [OHL]
1 25 Florida Anthony Stewart R Kingston Frontenacs [OHL]
1 26 Los Angeles Brian Boyle C St. Sebastian's [Mass. H.S.]
1 27 Los Angeles Jeff Tambellini L U. of Michigan [CCHA]
1 28 Anaheim Corey Perry R London Knights [OHL]
1 29 Ottawa Patrick Eaves R Boston College [H-East]
1 30 St. Louis Shawn Belle D Tri-City Americans [WHL]
Some NHL draft experts are predicting that the 2013 NHL entry draft will produce MORE NHl stars and difference-makers than the 2003 entry draft.
The Buffalo Sabres will be front and center as they hold four picks in the top 55, including numbers 8, 16, 33, and 55. Darcy Regier, Kevin Devine, and the Sabres scouts will observe each prospect in their fitness testing sessions, then , will spend quality time with them in break-out sessions.
According to the NHL, Central Scouting Service is anticipating 86 North American players total, including the top seven goalies from its final ranking of North American goaltenders. The top 15 European prospects, including top-ranked goalie Juuse Saros, also have been invited.
Here's the full list 101 prospects that have been invited to take part in the NHL Scouting Combine:
Top-ranked North American skaters:
Rank - Player Team (League) Position
1 - Seth Jones Portland (WHL) D
2 - Nathan MacKinnon Halifax (QMJHL) C
3 - Jonathan Drouin Halifax (QMJHL) LW
4 - Darnell Nurse Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) D
5 - Sean Monahan Ottawa (OHL) C
6 - Hunter Shinkaruk Medicine Hat (WHL) C/LW
7 - Valentin Zykov Baie - Comeau (QMJHL) LW
8 - Frederik Gauthier Rimouski (QMJHL) C
9 - Mirco Mueller Everett (WHL) D
10 - Anthony Mantha Val - d'Or (QMJHL) RW
11 - Shea Theodore Seattle (WHL) D
12 - Ryan Pulock Brandon (WHL) D
13 - Zach Nastasiuk Owen Sound (OHL) RW
14 - Chris Bigras Owen Sound (OHL) D
15 - Bo Horvat London (OHL) C
16 - Ryan Hartman Plymouth (OHL) RW
17 - Kerby Rychel Windsor (OHL) LW
18 - Wiliam Carrier Cape Breton (QMJHL) LW
19 - Max Domi London (OHL) C/LW
20 - Curtis Lazar Edmonton (WHL) C/LW
21 - James Lodge Saginaw (OHL) C
22 - Nikita Zadorov London (OHL) D
23 - Samuel Morin Rimouski (QMJHL) D
24 - Ian McCoshen Waterloo (USHL) D
25 - Morgan Klimchuk Regina (WHL) LW
26 - Adam Erne Quebec (QMJHL) LW
27 - Joshua Morrissey Prince Albert (WHL) D
28 - Laurent Dauphin Chicoutimi (QMJHL) C
29 - Jon Hayden USA U - 18 (USHL) C
30 - Jason Dickinson Guelph (OHL) C
31 - Dillon Heatherington Swift Current (WHL) D
32 - Madison Bowey Kelowna (WHL) D
33 - Nicolas Petan Portland (WHL) C
34 - JT Compher USA U - 18 (USHL) LW
35 - Michael McCarron USA U - 18 (USHL) RW
36 - Oliver Bjorkstrand Portland (WHL) RW
37 - Jonathan - Ismael Diaby Victoriaville (QMJHL) D
38 - Justin Bailey Kitchener (OHL) RW
39 - Emile Poirier Gatineau (QMJHL) LW
40 - Brett Pesce New Hampshire (H - East) D
41 - Eric Roy Brandon (WHL) D
42 - Adam Tambellini Surrey (BCHL) C
43 - Jan Kostalek Rimouski (QMJHL) D
44 - Thomas Vanelli Minnetonka (High - Mn) D
45 - Connor Hurley Edina High (High - Mn) C
46 - Myles Bell Kelowna (WHL) LW
47 - Steven Santini USA U - 18 (USHL) D
48 - Nick Sorensen Quebec (QMJHL) RW
49 - Michael Downing Dubuque (USHL) D
50 - Yan Pavel Laplante PEI (QMJHL) C
51 - Gustav Olofsson Green Bay (USHL) D
52 - Gabryel Paquin - Boudreau Baie - Comeau (QMJHL) LW
53 - Keaton Thompson USA U - 18 (USHL) D
54 - Marc - Olivier Roy Blainville - Boisbriand (QMJHL) C
55 - Jordan Subban Belleville (OHL) D
56 - Ryan Fitzgerald Valley (EJHL) C
57 - Anthony Duclair Quebec (QMJHL) LW
58 - Nick Moutrey Saginaw (OHL) C/LW
59 - Mason Geertsen Vancouver (WHL) D
60 - Zachary Sanford Islanders (EJHL) LW
61 - Nicholas Baptiste Sudbury (OHL) RW
62 - Sean Malone USA U - 18 (USHL) C
63 - Ryan Kujawinski Kingston (OHL) C
64 - Teemu Kivihalme Burnsville (High - Mn) D
65 - Jackson Houck Vancouver (WHL) RW
66 - Tyler Lewington Medicine Hat (WHL) D
67 - David Pope West Kelowna (BCHL) LW
68 - Alexandre Coulombe Stanstead College (High - Qc) D
69 - Michell Wheaton Kelowna (WHL) D
70 - Hudson Fasching USA U - 18 (USHL) RW
71 - Remi Elie London (OHL) LW
72 - Kurt Etchegary Quebec (QMJHL) C
73 - Vincent Dunn Val - d'Or (QMJHL) C
74 - Dylan Labbe Shawinigan (QMJHL) D
75 - Anthony Florentino South Kent School (High - Ct) D
76 - Spenser Jensen Medicine Hat (WHL) D
77 - Avery Peterson Grand Rapids (High - Mn) C
78 - Ty Stanton Medicine Hat (WHL) D
79 - Jeremy Gregoire Baie - Comeau (QMJHL) C
Goaltenders:
1 - Zachary Fucale Halifax (QMJHL) G
2 - Eric Comrie Tri - City (WHL) G
3 - Tristan Jarry Edmonton (WHL) G
4 - Calvin Petersen Waterloo (USHL) G
5 - Spencer Martin Mississauga (OHL) G
6 - Eamon McAdam Waterloo (USHL) G
7 - Philippe Desrosiers Rimouski (QMJHL) G
Top-ranked European skaters:
Rank - Player Team (League) Position
1 - Aleksander Barkov Tappara (Finland) C
2 - Valeri Nichushkin Chelyabinsk (Russia) RW
3 - Elias Lindholm Brynas (Sweden) C
4 - Rasmus Ristolainen TPS (Finland) D
5 - Alexander Wennberg Djurgarden (Sweden) C
6 - Andre Burakovsky Malmo (Sweden) LW
7 - Jacob De La Rose Leksand (Sweden) LW
8 - Robert Hagg Modo Jr. (Sweden) D
9 - Artturi Lehkonen Kalpa (Finland) LW
10 - Pavel Buchnevich Cherepovets 2 (Russia) LW
11 - Bogdan Yakimov Nizhnekamsk 2 (Russia) C
12 - Marko Dano Bratislava (Russia) C
13 - Linus Arnesson Djurgarden (Sweden) D
14 - Viktor Crus Rydberg Linkoping Jr. (Sweden) C
Goaltender:
1 - Juuse Saros HPK Jr. (Finland) G
The Combine format:
The event is divided into two parts:
1). The interview phase will be held May 27th-30th
2). The fitness test phase will be held May 31st and June 1 at the Toronto International Centre and will be headed by Dr. Norman Gledhill and his staff at York University.
Two Sabres targets will not be participating in the fitness testing as they recover from offseason surgeries.
Aleksander Barkov, the top-ranked European prospect, of Tappara in Finland and Darnell Nurse (4th ranked north American prospect) of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds have been excused from the fitness testing phase, however, both players will undergo medical examinations and will be interviewed by NHL teams.
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