The Chicago Blackhawks have won the NHL Draft Lottery and with it, the number one pick overall. By doing so, the 'Hawks leap-frog the Caps (as the Caps had done to them in 2004 when they jumped up two spots to snag Alex Ovechkin), and bump the Caps down to the fifth pick (one spot after the generally-accepted "top tier" cuts off).The Caps have had mixed results with the number five pick in the past, using it to select Darren Veitch on spot ahead of Paul Coffey in 1980 and grabbing Scott Stevens with that pick in 1982. Here's hoping this year's #5 pick - if the Caps end up using it themselves - ends up more like Stevens and less like Veitch.
A look at #5 picks from the past decade:
- 2006: Phil Kessel, BOS
- 2005: Carey Price, MON
- 2004: Blake Wheeler, PHO
- 2003: Thomas Vanek, BUF
- 2002: Ryan Whitney, PIT
- 2001: Stanislav Chistov, ANA
- 2000: Raffi Torres, NYI
- 1999: Tim Connolly, NYI
- 1998: Vitali Vishnevsky, ANA
- 1997: Eric Brewer, NYI
12 comments:
Which of the top-four picks did the Pens end up with this year?
1) Haven't yet seriously looked at any draft previews, so your quickie analysis that the top 4 picks are 'top tier' may be true, but as you also alluded, its still a crap shoot and a top 5 pick SHOULD be a quality player
2) As you also alluded, they may not use the pick themselves and simply trade/package it with a player(s) in a draft day deal. We believe that's the most likely scenario
top four was key, watch. F*#K!!!!
I'm not so sure about that. The Caps (if they keep the pick) are guaranteed one of Kane, Turris, Voracek, Van Riemsdyk and Cherepanov. Not as many sure things, but some players with huge upsides.
i think van reimsdyk is on the outside of that top four cut off you mentioned before. you were right the first time jp, this isnt a good result.
On the plus side, the teams drafting ahead of the Caps are fairly bone-headed. At least one of the top four will slip to five.
youre probably right, id like a defenseman anyway
Bill Guerin - Unrestricted free agent RW - Current salary $2 mil.
heres to hoping we dont sign bill guerin
Caps have young Defensemen, but how far along are they? They drafted the twin towers last year, and I thought Schultz was playing well until he was sent down. He's only 22 after all.
Why not take a top flight Center, and try to address a Defensemen via free agency? Hell, get a D and a C via free agency for that matter.
I also thought that Esposito was a 'Top Tier' Center, but TSN has him falling out of the Top 10 now?
shultz is only 20 superfan
Well, the Caps website says he's 21 actually, so we can split the difference.
Pokuluk is 20, and huge also.
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