The NHL held its annual draft lottery last night.
The good news is that the Montreal Canadiens did not move down in the draft order, maintaining their position at third overall.
The bad news is that the Edmonton Oilers - for the third year in a row - has obtained the first overall selection.
How a team with the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle can be so dismal is beyond me.
Why the league chooses to reward their continued incompetence flummoxes me even further.
Regardless, the opportunity to obtain a game-changing player presents itself to the Habs.
Habs News
Faceoff.com - Canadiens need to pick player able to make immediate impact
HabsWorld.net - Montreal Canadiens to select 3rd Overall in 2012 NHL Entry Draft
RDS - CH: au tour de Pat Brisson de se retirer
RDS - Le CH parlera troisieme
Hockey News
ESPN - Debate: Bad year to have No. 1 draft pick?
Sports Illustrated - NBC's full NHL playoff coverage
Sports Illustrated - First round keys: Eastern Conference
4 comments:
Thanks! I'm not sure why the Oilers can win it 3 years in a row, but it does take young players time to mature. It's not like Pittsburgh with Malkin and Crosby as high picks. Anyhoo...
I was watching the draft lottery on TSN (in New York!), and they felt that a young Russian center named Gergorinkov (sp) would be picked up by the Habs. They also said he had some "motivational issues". Really?
I don't really know the youngin's that much, so who do you have?
Thanks!
"Indecision is the key to flexibility."
@HabsFan47
As much as I would love to play the role of amateur scout, I sense that my knowledge on these players is as limited as yours. I simply have not taken in enough OHL or QMJHL games this year (I have no excuse, i live in Ottawa. Two teams!).
Having said that, based on what I am reading and the little I have seen, I would lean towards either Grigorenko or Forsberg. Forsberg plays in a tough Swedish second division and has almost .5 points per game (European leagues don't dole out second assists like candy either) and has a reputation as a hard worker.
Mind you, I sense either him or Grigorenko could prove to be excellent picks.
For me I would be going with Alex Galchenyuk. Grigorenko I see becoming like a Viktor Kozlov or an Alexei Yashin. Forsberg looks to b a good player as well but nobiody projects him to be an elite player.
Galchenyuk was injured this season so his stock fell but he was the best 16 year old last season, is 6'1 and growing and despite being 2 inches shorter than Grigorenko he's 10 lbs heavier.
The kid is more muscular and plays more in traffic. He's the kid to take.
@Bryan
I agree with you, Galchenyuk certainly sounds like the better pick based on his style of play.
His injury history makes me nervous but the fact that Grigorenko is already getting some negative press about his work ethic is not a good sign.
He could also end up going back to the KHL where he can make more money than the current Rookie cap.
I have heard that Galchenyuk looked better than Yakupov before his injury.
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