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Draft Preview 2011
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.


STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN
THE FULL-ON REBOOT GM Brian Burke wouldn’t commit to in Toronto is officially on now. The Leafs entered the season without a first round pick and, after the trade deadline, they had two. Big center Joe Colborne was the prized acquisition when longtime Leaf Tomas Kaberle was traded. Improved play after the All-Star Game raised hopes in Toronto, but the young team has growing pains ahead of it. SHORT-TERM NEEDS Dealing Kaberle meant the Leafs lost their prime puck-mover on the back end. Mikhail Grabovski took a big step forward, but Toronto is still thin up the middle. Rookie goalie James Reimer had an encouraging run, but with J-S Giguere headed for free agency, Burke has goaltending issues to address. LONG-TERM NEEDS If Colborne and Nazem Kadri come through as NHLers, the…


QUANTITY AND QUALITY
NEVER BEFORE has a Stanley Cup champion found it necessary to almost immediately bid adieu to 11 of the 29 players who played at least a game that title season. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman didn’t celebrate long last June having to cut many key components of his roster in order to fit in under the league’s $59.4 million salary cap. SHORT-TERM NEEDS There’s no doubt the Hawks still have high-end skill on the top line and defense pairing. But it’s the support players who took Chicago over the top in 2010 and there are holes at the bottom end of the team’s depth chart. At least their price is right. LONG-TERM NEEDS Bowman did a good job securing young talent and draft picks while he was unloading players last summer. Nick Leddy, Jeremy…


TALLON AIMS FOR REPEAT
THE RE-BUILD IS ON in South Florida and GM Dale Tallon is doing it the old-fashioned way, through the draft. The Cats had seven of the first 69 picks in 2010, including three apiece in the first and second rounds. Heading into this year’s draft, Florida is again armed to the teeth with seven picks in the first three rounds and 10 overall. SHORT-TERM NEEDS Everything. The defense was gutted at the trade deadline leaving slick sophomore Dmitry Kulikov as the lone defender of note. Tomas Vokoun is likely gone via free agency meaning a No. 1 goalie is needed. Jacob Markstrom is that guy in the future, but is he ready? Scoring and depth up front are, as always, problem areas. LONG-TERM NEEDS With two of Future Watch’s top-10 prospects and…


PRESSURE COOKER
PRESSURE? What pressure? Pressure is a word that is synonymous with the NHL. There is pressure to win every night. There is pressure to keep the pressure on, pressure to keep the pressure off, pressure to make the playoffs and pressure for coaches to keep their jobs. “It’s non-stop pressure,” said Detroit assistant GM Jim Nill. And that, in a roundabout way, brings us to the draft. Like everyone else in the game, there is pressure on scouts, especially in the era of the salary cap, to get it right. Let’s consider the 25-game benchmark as a measuring stick for rookie participation because that’s one of the criteria for Calder Trophy consideration. In 2005-06 – the first season of the cap era – a total of 108 rookies played a minimum of 25…