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June 1, 1998
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.
Another shot for early gem
With good early returns from defenseman Andrei Zyuzin and center Patrick Marleau, the second overall selections in 1996 and 1997, respectively, the San Jose Sharks are looking to make another big splash in this year”s NHL entry draft. Some good trading fortune left the Sharks with the second overall pick, acquired from the Florida Panthers in a Nov. 14 deal for center Viktor Kozlov. San Jose”s own first round selection, No. 12 overall, went to the Colorado Avalanche in a Nov. 20 trade that landed center Mike Ricci. Calling The Shots: Tim Burke, San Jose”s director of amateur scouting, is in his third year overseeing the club”s entry-draft efforts. Burke works in conjunction with GM Dean Lombardi at the draft table. Lombardi has been among the NHL”s more active GMs on draft day.…
TOP RANKED PLAYERS
Here are the NHL Central Scouting Bureau”s No. 1-ranked North American skaters and what number they were chosen over the past 15 years. A complete listing of this year”s CSB rankings appears on pg. 29. 1998 ENTRY DRAFT NOTES The top 10 ranked North American skaters by the Central Scouting Bureau for 1998 are split evenly between forwards and defensemen. Of the five forwards, four are centers. The exception is right winger Michael Henrich of the Ontario League”s Barrie Colts. Centers Vincent Lecavalier of the Quebec League”s Rimouski Oceanic and David Legwand of the OHL”s Plymouth Whalers are CSB”s top-rated North American skaters. The last time two natural centers were chosen 1-2 was in 1984 with Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Kirk Muller (New Jersey Devils). ? CSB”s fourth-ranked North American skater is defenseman…
Time to get on fast track
Can a team make itself quicker through the draft? The Philadelphia Flyers just might try. GM-President Bob Clarke said during his team”s first-round playoff loss to the Buffalo Sabres that hockey”s new freer-flowing game demands more speed. And since the Flyers were constructed to go through people instead of around them, there could be more draft picks resembling Mike Sillinger than Joel Otto. Calling The Shots: John Blackwell is the director of scouting, but Clarke has the final say. Clarke doesn”t go to quite as many junior events as he once did and so he puts more faith on reports from his scouts. In particular, Inge Ham-marstrom has a big influence on talent evaluation in Europe. Coach Roger Neilson may have some input this year, too. Draft Tendency: In recent years, the Flyers have…
Back to familiar territory
Unless they make a trade, the 1998 entry draft represents a return to the old days for the Boston Bruins. From 1988 through 1994, Boston”s first selections ranged from No. 16 through No. 25, yielding just a few bona fide NHL players (Glen Murray, Bryan Smolinski) and little interest locally. Things changed when defenseman Glen Wesley was sent to the Hartford Whalers for first round choices from 1995 through 1997. Anticipation peaked a year ago when the Bruins” last-place finish gave them the draft”s first pick (Joe Thornton), and the Wesley trade resulted in the eighth selection (Calder Trophy candidate Sergei Samsonov). It”s tough to get charged about this year, though-Boston traded its 1998 first-rounder to the Colorado Avalanche in November, 1996, and the return hasn”t been good: right winger Landon Wilson had…
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