He was slated to go 3rd of 4th, depending if a team wanted D, they would have gone for Larsson. He was drafted in the spot many scouts had him.

The steal of that draft was winnipeg taking Scheifele at 7, when most had him late 1st round in the 20s.
- VT001

I remember when the Jets took I thought " wtf?". Turns out they knew what they were doing, great player.

Patrick Kane
- eichiefs9

This. Or Toews.

I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have picked Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Barkov, and Ekblad. Picking in the top 3 is not rocket science. Having the picks to draft is the science. Not bowing to pressure for playoff revenue, and building for long term success.
What Tallon did best for the Panthers, was bring back Luongo while having Vancouver retain salary, and in making sure to keep these picks intact.

I think he did the same thing in Chicago. His Chicago picks in later rounds are nothing to write home about. Being able to draft Toews and Kane, is more about having the picks than the selection themselves.
- B-Wforever

Your Grandmother would have taken Seth Jones.

I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have picked Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Barkov, and Ekblad. Picking in the top 3 is not rocket science. Having the picks to draft is the science. Not bowing to pressure for playoff revenue, and building for long term success.
What Tallon did best for the Panthers, was bring back Luongo while having Vancouver retain salary, and in making sure to keep these picks intact.

I think he did the same thing in Chicago. His Chicago picks in later rounds are nothing to write home about. Being able to draft Toews and Kane, is more about having the picks than the selection themselves.
- B-Wforever

#relevant

I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have picked Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Barkov, and Ekblad. Picking in the top 3 is not rocket science. Having the picks to draft is the science. Not bowing to pressure for playoff revenue, and building for long term success.
What Tallon did best for the Panthers, was bring back Luongo while having Vancouver retain salary, and in making sure to keep these picks intact.

I think he did the same thing in Chicago. His Chicago picks in later rounds are nothing to write home about. Being able to draft Toews and Kane, is more about having the picks than the selection themselves.
- B-Wforever

That is not completely true about Kane and Toews. The two of them were not consensus picks. He could have easily have picked Brassard and Turris and no one would have said anything bad at the time. It is easy in hindsight to say his decision was easy. However, Kane was not a consensus pick like Ekblad. Kane could have easily fallen to 3rd if teams wanted the bigger JVR or the center in Turris, and no would have batted an eye if he took Brassard and Kessel over Toews.

It doesn't matter who you draft when you constantly get screwed by the refs

Ekblad, Barkov are the top two no doubt. Although the picks have been great, I would be careful to include Panthers in any cup contending disucssions, mainly due to their lack of experience in playoffs and due to the fact that they are leeching off two years of overperformance. Not sure they can reproduce last year's success. Great team in the making, will eventually make it to the top of the leauge in future years to come.

I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have picked Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Barkov, and Ekblad. Picking in the top 3 is not rocket science. Having the picks to draft is the science. Not bowing to pressure for playoff revenue, and building for long term success.
What Tallon did best for the Panthers, was bring back Luongo while having Vancouver retain salary, and in making sure to keep these picks intact.

I think he did the same thing in Chicago. His Chicago picks in later rounds are nothing to write home about. Being able to draft Toews and Kane, is more about having the picks than the selection themselves.
- B-Wforever

800k not that much. (400k less than what u r paying Kessel still)

Neither of them were ahead of Hub.
- Blackstrom2

Actually, he's correct;
International Scouting Services May 2011 ranking
Ranking Top 10 skaters
1 Canada Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C)
2 Sweden Adam Larsson (D)
3 Canada Sean Couturier (C)
4 Sweden Gabriel Landeskog (RW)
5 Canada Dougie Hamilton (D)
6 Sweden Mika Zibanejad (C)
7 Canada Jonathan Huberdeau (C)
8 Canada Ryan Murphy (D)
9 Canada Ryan Strome (C)
10 Sweden Oscar Klefbom (D)

That is not completely true about Kane and Toews. The two of them were not consensus picks. He could have easily have picked Brassard and Turris and no one would have said anything bad at the time. It is easy in hindsight to say his decision was easy. However, Kane was not a consensus pick like Ekblad. Kane could have easily fallen to 3rd if teams wanted the bigger JVR or the center in Turris, and no would have batted an eye if he took Brassard and Kessel over Toews.
- VT001

Tallon did very well in selecting Kane and Toews. His best value pick for the Hawks was probably Hjalmarsson at 108. He also drafted Marcus Kruger who has contributed to 2 Cups.

The one thing that a lot of people don't realize is that many of the players from the Cup winning teams were drafted by the Hawks before Tallon was GM, such as:

Keith, Seabrook, Crawford, Bolland, Byfuglien, Bickell, Brouwer, Burish

That being said, Tallon should get a great deal of credit for trading for Patrick Sharp, which was a steal, deciding to sign Marian Hossa as a UFA instead of re-signing Martin Havlat, and signing Antti Niemi.

Campbell was a meaningful contributor and there's a good chance we don't win the Cup in 2010 without him, but his contract was pretty bad. Of course a lot of fans would be fine with any contract as long as it gets you at least 1 Cup.

I remember when the Jets took I thought " wtf?". Turns out they knew what they were doing, great player.
- Jeropotato

Wasnt it the same scouting group that also picked Burmistrov?

Nvm

It doesn't matter who you draft when you constantly get screwed by the refs
- BringNYIhome

And you finally admit the refs screwed us. I have to go on a rant about officiating here. The NHL refs suck so bad that even a blind 124 year old lady who was fast asleep would've made the call when Trocheck was Tripped. I bet Tavares is underpaid because the Isles need to save up cap space to pay off the referees.

Ekblad, Barkov are the top two no doubt. Although the picks have been great, I would be careful to include Panthers in any cup contending disucssions, mainly due to their lack of experience in playoffs and due to the fact that they are leeching off two years of overperformance. Not sure they can reproduce last year's success. Great team in the making, will eventually make it to the top of the leauge in future years to come.
- PtotheY

Overperformance? What does that mean?

Overperformance? What does that mean?
- SuperCatsFan16

Probably means they overperformed.

Probably means they overperformed.
- tincup

How?

Aleksander "Sasha" Barkov

Ekblad, Barkov are the top two no doubt. Although the picks have been great, I would be careful to include Panthers in any cup contending disucssions, mainly due to their lack of experience in playoffs and due to the fact that they are leeching off two years of overperformance. Not sure they can reproduce last year's success. Great team in the making, will eventually make it to the top of the leauge in future years to come.
- PtotheY

There is so much back pedaling in this comment it makes my head hurt.

Actually, he's correct;
International Scouting Services May 2011 ranking
Ranking Top 10 skaters
1 Canada Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C)
2 Sweden Adam Larsson (D)
3 Canada Sean Couturier (C)
4 Sweden Gabriel Landeskog (RW)
5 Canada Dougie Hamilton (D)
6 Sweden Mika Zibanejad (C)
7 Canada Jonathan Huberdeau (C)
8 Canada Ryan Murphy (D)
9 Canada Ryan Strome (C)
10 Sweden Oscar Klefbom (D)
- buffan76

That's ISS, who will routinely put Euro players higher. Central Scouting had Hubby right where he went drafted.

And you finally admit the refs screwed us. I have to go on a rant about officiating here. The NHL refs suck so bad that even a blind 124 year old lady who was fast asleep would've made the call when Trocheck was Tripped. I bet Tavares is underpaid because the Isles need to save up cap space to pay off the referees.
- SuperCatsFan16

Good post

I run my own Panthers website called The Puck Under the Sun. Here is a link in case anyone wants to check it out: www.thepuckunderthesun.com

As a Pens fan, I thought Donskoi was one of the best players on the ice for the Sharks in the SCF. Certainly a great pick in the 4th round. How was it that Florida was not able to sign him?

That's easy: Jonathan Toews.