Jamie Benn was a hell of a draft pick.

Jamie Benn was a hell of a draft pick.
- Deadstar

Tom Brady was better

Jamie Benn was a hell of a draft pick.
- Deadstar

So was Datsyuk at 171st in 1998. Especially after he went undrafted the 2 prior years. Teams can't say they weren't given the chance.

Indeed. #2 on Monday! hah


I despise 1 o'clock games. Boston was shutout by Ward last night so they will be coming out pissed at the world. Hope we are ready for a physical game!!!
- kgrpitt

You despise em!!!! They are 5am games for me..... I'll be watching a delay I think!

You despise em!!!! They are 5am games for me..... I'll be watching a delay I think!
- walshy66

Move to Pittsburgh

So was Datsyuk at 171st in 1998. Especially after he went undrafted the 2 prior years. Teams can't say they weren't given the chance.
- canadianpenfan

Very true. I put European players in a different class. A lot easier to stay hidden as a European player back in 1998 than it is as a Canadian in 2007. Benns a monster. I ended up trading Neal for him in my Be a GM ha

Move to Pittsburgh
- dbell646

DB it is on the cards you know....

DB it is on the cards you know....
- walshy66

Hey let me know when you get to town I'll buy you a beer.

Very true. I put European players in a different class. A lot easier to stay hidden as a European player back in 1998 than it is as a Canadian in 2007. Benns a monster. I ended up trading Neal for him in my Be a GM ha
- Deadstar

Datsyuk had a hard life growing up, it's a really interesting read if you get a chance. Basically his mom died when he was about 10 and he was too small as he grew into his teens to be considered a legit pick. He was, by all accounts, a marvel on the soccer field because of his hand eye and raw athletic ability but he never translated it to the ice until he got hooked up with this one coach.

You have to hand it to the Red Wings European scouts, they are masters at finding needles in the haystack.

DB it is on the cards you know....
- walshy66

Walshy, I know you love the Pens, but trading Melbourne for Pittsburgh ?

Walshy, I know you love the Pens, but trading Melbourne for Pittsburgh ?
- MadCap2008

Dude you live in Ashburn

That's a whole lot of words for something that doesn't have the slightest chance of happening. It should be clear to everyone following Calgary that they aren't going to trade Iginla anytime soon. Personally, I think that even if Calgary hit absolute rock bottom, like Edmonton level bad, they still wouldn't trade him without waiting for him to ask first.

Even if the Flames fall out of the hunt before the deadline I don't expect huge changes, just dumping off UFAs, maybe getting a 2nd round pick or two back if we're lucky.

As a fan of the Oilers I hate the 03 draft. They traded the 17th pick to New Jersey for the 22nd pick and the 68th pick.

It doesn't seem that bad until you put names into. Then it reads as "They traded Zach Parise to New Jersey for Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Jean-Francois Jacques. Jacques sucked in the Q, sucked in the AHL, and still sucks in the NHL, even though he as back to the AHL. Pouliot's numbers were inflated because he was playing with a player than the Penguins eventually drafted named Sidney Crosby.

It's dumb moves like that, that were pulled by Kevin Lowe tha set the Oilers organization back. I know prospects are a crapshoot, but even then you could guarentee that Parise was going to be better than both Pouliot and Jacques.
- Ben37

Yeah you have to be a really incompetent GM to (frank) up the 2003 draft, but somehow a few GMs did. I think Montreal was one of the other teams that drafted a bust that year, can't remember who else.

You despise em!!!! They are 5am games for me..... I'll be watching a delay I think!
- walshy66

Walshy, I know you love the Pens, but trading Melbourne for Pittsburgh ?
- MadCap2008

I know what you're saying, but I've been to Pitt and I like the place!

- kgrpitt

That's a whole lot of words for something that doesn't have the slightest chance of happening. It should be clear to everyone following Calgary that they aren't going to trade Iginla anytime soon. Personally, I think that even if Calgary hit absolute rock bottom, like Edmonton level bad, they still wouldn't trade him without waiting for him to ask first.

Even if the Flames fall out of the hunt before the deadline I don't expect huge changes, just dumping off UFAs, maybe getting a 2nd round pick or two back if we're lucky.
- S Kaspar Rollins

I agree Calgary can't win any trade with iginla in the eyes of the fans. Interesting to see what happens. I know iginla wants to win a cup but he also loves Calgary can't see him asking for a trade.

Yeah you have to be a really incompetent GM to (frank) up the 2003 draft, but somehow a few GMs did. I think Montreal was one of the other teams that drafted a bust that year, can't remember who else.
- S Kaspar Rollins

There were about 10 teams that blew it. Montreal drafted Andrei Kostitsyn who isn't horrible.

Nik Zheredev #6 to Columbus
Hugh Jessiman #12 to NYR
Robert Nilsson #15 to NYI
and the Oilers screw up are the most noticable though. Some of the others like Steve Bernier, Anthony Stuart and Jeff Tambellini are bad but they are late first round picks. Although in the second and third round players like Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, David Backes, and Jimmy Howard were taken.

These are players that went later on in the draft:
Jan Hejda (106th), Kyle Quincey (132nd), Lee Stempniak (148th), Nigel Dawes (149th), Joe Pavelski (205th), Tobias Enstrom (239th), Dustin Byfuglien (245th), Shane O'Brien (250th), Matt Moulson (263rd), Jaroslav Halak (271st), David Jones (288th), and Brian Elliott (291st).

There were about 10 teams that blew it. Montreal drafted Andrei Kostitsyn who isn't horrible.

Nik Zheredev #6 to Columbus
Hugh Jessiman #12 to NYR
Robert Nilsson #15 to NYI
and the Oilers screw up are the most noticable though. Some of the others like Steve Bernier, Anthony Stuart and Jeff Tambellini are bad but they are late first round picks. Although in the second and third round players like Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, David Backes, and Jimmy Howard were taken.

These are players that went later on in the draft:
Jan Hejda (106th), Kyle Quincey (132nd), Lee Stempniak (148th), Nigel Dawes (149th), Joe Pavelski (205th), Tobias Enstrom (239th), Dustin Byfuglien (245th), Shane O'Brien (250th), Matt Moulson (263rd), Jaroslav Halak (271st), David Jones (288th), and Brian Elliott (291st).
- Ben37

yea, i know that 2003 nhl draft had a disappointing first round, but i didnt know some of those players were taken that late. kind of reminds me of that movie moneyball, where billy beane was taken first overall, but his skills never really transitioned to the mlb. that was a sweet movie

Jamie Benn was a hell of a draft pick.
- Deadstar

I'm his proud owner in our league.

I agree Calgary can't win any trade with iginla in the eyes of the fans. Interesting to see what happens. I know iginla wants to win a cup but he also loves Calgary can't see him asking for a trade.
- dbell646

I actually don't think this is the main obstacle. Right now, the main thing is just that the Flames' definition of "rebuild" is quite different from what most people think of. As long as they don't take too much risk it's not necessarily a bad strategy.

There were about 10 teams that blew it. Montreal drafted Andrei Kostitsyn who isn't horrible.

Nik Zheredev #6 to Columbus
Hugh Jessiman #12 to NYR
Robert Nilsson #15 to NYI
and the Oilers screw up are the most noticable though. Some of the others like Steve Bernier, Anthony Stuart and Jeff Tambellini are bad but they are late first round picks. Although in the second and third round players like Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, David Backes, and Jimmy Howard were taken.

These are players that went later on in the draft:
Jan Hejda (106th), Kyle Quincey (132nd), Lee Stempniak (148th), Nigel Dawes (149th), Joe Pavelski (205th), Tobias Enstrom (239th), Dustin Byfuglien (245th), Shane O'Brien (250th), Matt Moulson (263rd), Jaroslav Halak (271st), David Jones (288th), and Brian Elliott (291st).
- Ben37

If that wasn't the greatest draft of all time I don't know what was. I'm just mad the Flames took Tim Ramholt instead of Weber (although to be fair 10 other teams passed on Weber as well).

Tangradi is scratched tonight after taking warmups... Hmmm...

Either he's hurt, a healthy scratch, which doesn't say much for him... Or, there is something in the works...

Tangradi is scratched tonight after taking warmups... Hmmm...

Either he's hurt, a healthy scratch, which doesn't say much for him... Or, there is something in the works...
- rival22

Good catch. Could be interesting.

Good catch. Could be interesting.
- Gunner Staal

There has to b something bc he is an ahl all star