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Draft Preview 2015
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.
A LONG AND LONELY DRAFT DAY
REID GARDINER WAS wound full of nervous energy. Dressed in a navy blue suit he’d purchased for his high school graduation only days before, he picked away at some breakfast and sipped on some orange juice. He could only stomach half his muffin. Gardiner, a mid-tier right wing prospect, was in Philadelphia for the 2014 NHL draft. It was the second day, the one where he was hopeful he would receive from an NHL team a ball cap and sweater with his name on it. He had some concerns. Gardiner’s production plummeted the second half of the season. He produced just three goals and 10 points in his final 33 games with the Prince Albert Raiders, who were nationally ranked in the CHL heading into the season and needed to win…
IS THERE A DRAFT IN THE ROOM?
NEW YORK RANGERS IT’S NOT THAT THE New York Rangers are bad at drafting. They just don’t do it as often as most other franchises. Thanks to playing in one of the most desirable sports markets in the world and having a splendid core that makes Stanley Cup runs, the Blueshirts have tended to build through trades and free agency lately – and it works. But because of that, New York has picked in the first round just once in the past three drafts (Brady Skjei in 2013) and, barring a trade, it won’t pick in the top 30 this year, either. SHORT-TERM NEEDS: The Rangers aren’t particularly gritty up front, and that’s fine when the speedsters are on their horses, but it wouldn’t hurt to get some rougher, edgier players back…
YOUNG HUNGER FUELS REBUILD
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS THE BLUE JACKETS WILL draft players from any and all circuits, but those kids tend to wind up in either major junior or the AHL. Sonny Milano chose Plymouth over Boston College, Peter Quenneville left Quinnipiac for Brandon, Markus Soberg went from Sweden to Windsor and Marko Dano dumped the KHL for the AHL. Will the trend continue? SHORT-TERM NEEDS: Healthy bodies. Seriously, 2014-15 was a nightmare of woes for Columbus, which led the NHL in man games lost to injury. At least it opened up spot duty for youngsters such as Dano, Josh Anderson and Anton Forsberg. While it’s nice to give the kids a taste, it’s also important to keep them on their original development track. LONG-TERM NEEDS: More blueliners are the order of the day, especially since…
BLAZING A TRAIL HE NEVER TROD
TROUBLED PIONEER Khatulev was suspended for life by the Soviet Elite League and died young at age 39 IF ALL SOVIET PLAYERS WHO DIED BEFORE THEIR TIME or under tragic circumstances had been spared, the statistical history of hockey would have to be rewritten. Evgeny Belosheikin, named best goalie at the 1986 World Junior Championship, took his own life after battling the bottle. Anatoly Fetisov, the younger brother of legendary national team captain Slava Fetisov and a prime prospect for the 1985 draft, was killed in a car accident. New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov died from a heart ailment during a game in 2008. Perhaps the best talent of all, Viktor Khatulev, was found dead at the age of 39 in 1994. It’s believed he was murdered, but the case was never solved. The…
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