Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Well, Gagner Is French For "To Win"

Both TSN and SI have their mock drafts up and each has the Caps taking Sam Gagner.

While Gagner (who I profiled over at The FanHouse here) is considered by many to be one of the top-playmakers in the draft and in possession of "the highest hockey IQ of anybody in the draft," both TSN and SI have the Caps passing on Jakub Voracek to select Dave Gagner's son.

Crazy? Considering the emphasis GMGM placed on the value of hockey sense (and his mention of familial ties contributing to that end) at last week's chat and the connection the Caps have to the youngster given that Gagner's coach this past year in London was Dale Hunter, it makes sense that the Caps would consider Gagner despite his final rankings according to conventional wisdom (and it's not as if the CW has him slotted around 15 - he's a top 10 prospect in everyone's book and the #5 forward in The Hockey News's).

As with seemingly everything else these days, time will tell.

UPDATE: Add another vote for Gagner, this from Hockey's Future.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I really think Ganger is the right guy for the caps. Not that Voracek wouldn't be great, but Gagner is probably just as good of a playmaker, and he fits into the organizational depth a little better.

Fehr, Flash, Bourchard, Bourque, Osala, and A. Gordon are all decent wings in the system. After Backstrom there is basically no one at the center position. Ganger is that guy.

Ovie-Backstrom-Fehr
Semin-Gagner-???

Would be nice a few years down the road.

Unknown said...

Of course mock drafts assume that the Caps keep the pick. Which is possible, but maybe only barely likely.

Anonymous said...

"POSSIBLE, but MAYBE only BARELY LIKELY" wow im glad your name is attached to the post so i know who is supplying these insightful and concise points. next time you feel like saying something thats makes no sense, maybe you SHOULD do it anonymously

Unknown said...

Well, true: There is a precedent for that.

Anonymous said...

judging by your response(nonexistant) that one must have stung. you can be done now

Anonymous said...

What's your beef with tyler anyway?

Abhinav said...

Tyler used to be an exterminator specializing in (anony)mice

Anonymous said...

i would be more than happy if the caps took Gagner i have him only behind Kane and Turris