Update: Here are your second round Caps picks: The Caps two second round picks: Eric Mestery and Dmitri Kugryshev. More on Mestery here and here, more on Kugryshev here (hat tip to the diligent folks on the Caps Message Board on those last links) and here.As far as rankings go, Mestery was the CSB's 59th North American Skater and Kugryshev the CSB's 10th European skater. I'll provide more info as it comes in.
Also, Sombrero Guy writes in with the following:
- Scotiabank Center is to Ottawa as FedEX field is to Washington DC, only you don't have to worry about dodging bullets near Scotiabank. It really makes me appreciate the downtown location of Verizon Center.
- Canadians are very friendly, and Canadian chicks seem to be more likely to be hot and date a guy who looks like a computer programer than not.
- Ushers allow you to scream taunts and heckles at Pierre McGuire as long as you replace actual curse words with "f-ing"....up to 8 heckles.
- Greg "Puck Daddy" Wyshynski (who had the misfortune of agreeing to go out with us on a wild goose chase for open bars) is nowhere near the blackjack player recent HOF'er Glen Anderson is, who split threes three times and won on all three hands.
Update: The Caps took Braden Holtby, CSB's fourth-rated North American goalie, with the second pick of the fourth round. Here's his (sparse) HF Profile and an article on his WHL debut, as well as TSN's capsule:
Update: Joel Broda is the Caps 5th round pick, 144th overall. Broda - the Caps' second pick today who started the 2007-08 season with Olie Kolzig's Tri-City WHL club, was traded from Tri-City to Moose Jaw back in September.
Update: Greg Burke in the sixth. Read more about him here and a snippet here.
Update: The Caps used their last pick (7th round, 204th overall) on Stefan Della Rovere, a kid who, despite being smallish, got in 14 fights in the OHL this past season and whose handiwork you can see plenty of here.
24 comments:
Names I'm thinking of are Adam Comrie (defenseman, grew up in Arlington) and David Toews, though I admit I'm intrigued by Petrov.
Why is he wearing a number 8 jersey??? Is Ovechkin being traded?!!!??!?11111
*Figured I'd start a rumor in case Larry Brooks is reading*
What's wrong w/ Petrov ... teams seem to be avoiding him like he has the plague or something. Dude's the 2nd ranked European skater! Too bad the Caps passed on him ... I think he'd be a nice fit for when Kozzie leaves.
@bailey: He's got a three year contract with a Russian league, doesn't he? I think his existing contracts worry a lot of teams, especially with the KHL behaving the way it is.
@ andi: Didn't Malkin have the same issue, though? I mean, I see why teams would have risked that on a guy like Malkin, but I figured at least ONE team would be willing to chance a 2nd rounder on a guy like him.
The Caps two second round picks:
Eric Mestery
Dmitri Kugryshev
Petrov has two major issues. One is his contract: it's for 3 years with his hometown team (Kazan) and NHL draft rights only last two years. In addition, Petrov is supposed to be very comfortable in Russia and has been unclear about his desire to come to North America. The other is general attitude: rumor has it Petrov has an inconsistent work ethic.
@bailey: No denying he's got the numbers to be a first-rounder, but I think the nonsense the Russians are pulling with their contracting are scaring a lot of the NHL off Russians in general. Malkin got drafted before the KHL made that ruling, didn't he? Here's what TSN had to say about Petrov:
TSN: The Russian forward is touted as having first-round talent, but his work ethic fluctuates wildly and there is some real concern about when or if he's interested in playing in the NHL. A regular with Kazan in the Russian Super League, many scouts believe he is too comfortable, financially and otherwise, to expend a first-round pick so he could slide a long way. But if a team thought there's a realistic chance at getting him out at some point, there's no denying he's a first-round talent. (thanks JP for posting this)
I think the problem is the other contracts and the financially comfortable thing. Combined with the KHL, I bet a lot of teams aren't willing to take a chance with him.
(Although, one would think that the chance to play with Ovechkin would be intriguing for any Russian hockey player.)
Just to clarify, the difference between Malkin and Petrov is the desire to come to North America. While Malkin had an RSL contract, it was believed he wanted to come to North America. It was a question of "when" not "if" with Malkin, as well as potential demands for compensation from his RSL team. With Petrov it's unclear whether he has any real desire to come to North America, so there's a good chance a pick spent on him could be a waste.
jp: any thoughts on those two names? I've got to admit I'm clueless.
Andi - I updated the post with a couple of links, but I know no more about these kids than what's in those links. Mestery sounds... um... interesting.
i forgot to mention that my 18 year old Dino Ciccarelli jersey is once again very well recieved at the draft, despite the fact it is way too short and the sleeves have become 3/4 sleeves.... The general concensus among Ontario natives is that a guy with over 600 goals deserves to be in the hall of fame
@jp: Thanks -- hmmm. No idea. They're not picking goalies, either. Does that maybe say anything about Huet, you think? *shrug*
I can't believe I'm bored enough to geek over a sports draft.My boss looked at me like I'd grown a second head yesterday when I mentioned it.
@andi:
Wasn't direct towards me, but I'll give my two cents - I don't think the fact that the Caps aren't drafting goalies says anything about Huet because almost any goalie is going to take at least 3-4 years to get NHL ready. Especially any goalie taken after the first 15 picks.
@dmg -- OK. :) fair enough.
Ironically the Capitals did select a goalie in the fourth round...
Update with some 411 on the goalie - sounds like a good gamble where they took him.
Can anyone shed some light on what Florida was thinking with that trade?
Yeah, but "Braden Holtby"? That sounds like the name of the antagonist from a Molly Ringwald movie.
Boyd Gordon, Brian Sutherby Braden Holtby... If Humphrey Bogart was still alive, I think that GMGM would find himself incapable if resisting taking him in the middle rounds.
McPhee sure does love the WHL, doesn't he?
I guess what amuses me is that a couple of the picks, especially later round picks, show up on hockeyfights.com. I hope McPhee isn't planning on reprising the Broad Street Bullies. :P
Holtby is a good pickup. The kid is very athletic and has seen a lot of rubber already. When he's on he's definitely got a swagger in the net. It's something I haven't seen from a Blades goalie in recent memory.
When he first came up in 2006-07, I thought he might be a potential first round pick but things kind of stalled for him, but they picked up again down the stretch this season.
I like those Caps' sweaters better and better each time I see them. Sharp!
They should hold this in Buffalo, as Marshawn Lynch can tell ya, the bars are open late here!
/cross-sported
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