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.

June 1, 2002

The Hockey News June 1, 2002

<div class="byline">By Matthew Wuest</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0031-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011044/8039581-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Name To Remember&nbsp;The conclusion of the 2002 NHL entry draft also marks the beginning of the 2003 draft watch and the focus shifts to Russia&rsquo;s Nikolai Zherdev. The dazzling winger has immense offensive skills.</figcaption></div>Although more than a year away, scouts are already salivating over the bumper crop of talented prospects for the 2003 entry draft.Early forecasts indicate the talent base is far superior to this year&rsquo;s and an enticing group of impact forwards will dominate the early selections. The draft, scheduled for June 21 at Nashville&rsquo;s Gaylord Entertainment Center, has several contenders for No. 1 overall. AlexanderNikolai Zherdev has an edge over Milan Michalek for top pick, while major junior stars Patrick O&rsquo;Sullivan (Mississauga) and Nathan Horton (Oshawa) are not far behind.Here is a report on 10 of the top prospects for 2003. Information includes prospect, position, height, weight, team, league, games, goals, assists, points, penalty minutes.1. Nikolai Zherdev, RW, 6-0, 179, Elemash (Rus-2), 53-13-15-28-60. The draft&rsquo;s deadliest offensive weapon is an electrifying 1-on-l player who can bring fans out of their seats with his breakaway speed and crafty stickhandling. Talent alone puts him at the head of the class. &ldquo;Zherdev is an individual,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He takes the puck and goes end-to-end and beats people.&rdquo;2. Milan Michalek, RW, 6-2, 205, Budejovice (Cze), 47-6-11-17-12. A dynamic two-way forward with topflight speed and excellent shooting skills, Michalek blossomed in the Czech Extraleague. With a blend of size, skating and talent, he will challenge Zherdev. &ldquo;He looks like the real deal,&rdquo; said a scout.3. Patrick O&rsquo;Sullivan. C, 5-11,185, Mississauga (OHL), 68-34-58-92-61. O&rsquo;Sullivan is a gifted stickhandler with good hockey sense and playmaking ability. After earning OHL top rookie honors, O&rsquo;Sullivan had 15 points in eight games at the World under-18 Championship. &ldquo;With kids his own age, he jumped right out at you-you couldn&rsquo;t miss him,&rdquo; a scout said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s strong for his size.&rdquo;4. Nathan Horton, C, 6-2, 195, Oshawa (OHL), 64-31-36-67-84. Horton plays a pro-style game, combining size, skating and offensive skill. Dangerous around the net, Horton is a prototypical NHL power forward. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s competitive, one scout said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s strong with good hands and moves the puck well.5. Braydon Coburn. D, 6-4,192, Portland (WHL), 68-4-33-37-100. An outstanding stay-at-home defenseman with tremendous mobility and excellent passing skill, Coburn is steady in all areas. The WHL top rookie displayed maturity beyond his years. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big kid who skates well and moves the puck well,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;I can see how people make comparisons (to Chris Pronger).&rdquo;6.&nbsp;Eric Staal, C, 6-2,174, Peterborough (OHL), 56-23-39-62-40. Staal is an intelligent two-way forward with elite stickhandling ability and superb work ethic. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a playmaking center with above-average wheels,&rdquo; said a scout. His maturity and character have made an impression. &ldquo;He could be the captain of Peterborough,&rdquo; a scout stated.7. Dustin Brown, RW, 6-1, 203, Guelph (OHL), 63-41-32-73-56. Brown is a deadly sniper who buried a league-leading 32 goals in his first 35 games, but slowed after Christmas to finish with 41 in 63 games. He rediscovered his offensive game in the post-season and at the Memorial Cup. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a scorer with a real nose for the net and good hockey sense,&rdquo; a scout said.8. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, 6-0,166, Cape Breton (QMJHL), 26-14-8, 2.78, .915. In his sophomore year, Fleury blossomed into one of the QMJHL&rsquo;s top goalies and posted a league-leading save percentage. He is a prototypical Quebec-trained butterfly stopper with exceptional reflexes. He&rsquo;ll certainly be the next goalie to go in the top-five or 10,&rdquo; said a scout.9. Robert Nilsson,&nbsp;RW, 5-10,179, Leksands (Swe-2), 14-1-4-5-8. Robert is the Calgary-born son of former NHLer Kent Nilsson. &ldquo;He skates well, is very slick and good 1-on-l,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;He can fly.&rdquo;10. Danny&nbsp;Fritsche 6-1, 195, C, Sarnia (OHL), 17-5-13-18-20. Plagued by shoulder injuries, Fritsche appeared in just 17 games before season-ending surgery. The American-born center can accelerate in a heartbeat and has terrific offensive skill.<h2>Ovechkin in 2004</h2>Ovechkin stole the show in April at the World under-18 Championship with a jaw-dropping 14 goals in eight games. The 16-year-old Russian forward is an early leader for the 2004 draft."He was one of the best talents there,&rdquo; one scout said. "He can fly and handle the puck at top speed."Armed with blazing speed, a heavy shot and brilliant moves, the 6-foot-l, 180-pound Ovechkin has franchise player qualities. &#9632;

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FEATURES

On tap in 2003

<div class="byline">By Tim Sassone</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0040-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-01645/8039867-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eric Daze 90th overall by Chicago (&rsquo;93)Mel Bridgman, Philadelphia (Dale MacMillan/BBS)</figcaption></div>When Mike Smith was hired as GM in December of 1999 with the edict to rebuild the Chicago Blackhawks, he knew his formidable task had to begin at the draft table.Two years and two solid drafts later, Smith has the Hawks and their fans optimistic that even better days are ahead after this season&rsquo;s surprising 96-point finish.In The Hockey News 2002 Future Watch, the Hawks were the only team with four prospects ranked in the top 50. Three of them were drafted on Smith&rsquo;s watch, including the No. 1-rated prospect, Finnish center Tuomo Ruutu.Smith&rsquo;s objective for this entry draft is to add to an already healthy list of prospects, which is headed by Ruutu, center Mikhail Yakubov, right winger Pavel Vorobiev, defenseman Steve McCarthy, goaltender Michael Leighton, left winger Igor Radulov and center Tyler Arnason.&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s realistic that at least one of these players will make our team and play more than a lower-level role,&rdquo; Smith said.CALLING THE SHOTS This is the second draft for director of amateur scouting Bill Lesuk, with whom. Smith had great success during their days together in Winnipeg.Smith credits Lesuk with the drafting of such stars as Keith Tkachuk, Alexei Zhamnov, Teppo Numminen and Nikolai Khabibulin. And it was in Lesuk&rsquo;s first draft with Chicago that the Hawks scored Tuomo Ruutu.Smith also depends heavily on director of player personnel Dale Tallon and chief scout Mike Dumas.DRAFT TENDENCY Smith has always believed in taking the most talented player in the first round, regardless of need. That should hold true again when the Hawks pick 21st, although drafting bigger players may also be a priority.With the cupboard bare, Smith tried to stockpile as many picks as possible the past two years. He drafted 15 players in 2000 and 13 more in 2001. Now that the farm system is in much better shape, Smith might be more willing to trade draft picks for players that can help in the immediate future.Of course, Smith&rsquo;s reputation for favoring Europeans will always be front and center. Seventeen of the 28 players picked under Smith have been European.IMMEDIATE NEED If the Hawks learned anything from their first round loss to St. Louis, it&rsquo;s that they need bigger and more abrasive players. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re certainly not going to give away a skill player and replace him with a slug just because he&rsquo;s big, but if we&rsquo;re looking at making a decision in a certain area, size is going to be a factor,&rdquo; Smith said. Smith tried to address the problem during the regular season by trading for hard-nosed veterans and Joe Reekie, but it wasn&rsquo;t enough. Coach Brian Sutter would like to see Smith add a few more forwards with the grit of youngsters Kyle Calder and Mark Bell.&ldquo;We need to upgrade exactly the things those two guys do,&rdquo; Sutter said.LONG TERM NEED&nbsp;The Hawks are getting old on defense and most of their best prospects are either forwards or goalies. Of the nine defensemen on the playoff roster, only 27-year-old spare part Vladimir Chebaturkin is under 30. The Hawks hope defense prospects such as McCarthy, Dmitri Tolkunov, Kent Huskins, Ollie Malmivaara and Alexander Barkunov are ready sooner than later.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN While Ruutu, Yakubov and McCarthy have - | chances to make the club out of training camp, nobody is ready to hand them roster spots just yet.Another possibility is Arnason, who appeared in 21 games with the Hawks late last season. The 23-year-old center was the American League&rsquo;s rookie of the year and flashed his considerable skill at times with the Hawks. He could center one of the top three lines next season if his work habits and conditioning level improve. &ldquo;A lot depends on how he trains,&rdquo; Sutter said.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Kyle Calder, LW, 22; Boris Mironov, D, 30; Steve Passmore, G, 29.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Tony Amonte, RW, 31; Aaron Downey, RW, 27; Tom Fitzgerald, RW, 33; Chris McAlpine, D, 30; Steve Poapst, D, 33; Bob Probert, LW, 37; Joe Reekie, D, 37; Steve Thomas, RW, 38.<h2>FAST FACT</h2>2001-02 overall finish&nbsp;9thDraft position each round 21st2002 first round 21stBest first round pick: Denis SavardChosen: 3rd overall, 1980Fell in Chicago&rsquo;s lap after Montreal and Winnipeg chose Doug Wickenheiser and Dave Babych 1-2; went on to dazzling Hall of Fame career.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Chicago&rsquo;s system:1. Tuomo Ruutu, C, Jokerit (Swe.)2. Mikhail Yakubov. C, Red Deer (WHL)3. Pavel Vorobiev. RW, Yaroslavl (Rus.)4. Steve McCarthy. D, Norfolk (AHL)5. Jonas Nordqvist, C, Leksand (Swe.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1975 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1975 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1975 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Mel Bridgman Philadelphia2. Barry Dean Kansas City3. Ralph Klassen California4. Brian Maxwell Minnesota5. Rick LaPointe Detroit6. Don Ashby Toronto7. Greg Vaydik Chicago8. Richard Mulhern Atlanta9. Robin Sadler Montreal10. Rick Blight Vancouver11. Pat Price Islanders12. Wayne Dillon Rangers13. Gord Laxton Pittsburgh14. Doug Halward Boston15. Pierre Mondou Montreal16. Tim Young Los Angeles17. Bob Sauve Buffalo18. Alex Forsyth Washington<h3>1975 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty. &#9632;

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TEAM DRAFT REPORTS

Bulking up draft plan

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0072-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0072-0160/8041362-1-eng-US/f0072-012.jpg"></div><h2>2002 NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0073-0168/8041355-1-eng-US/f0073-012.jpg" title="f0073-01" width="3067" height="3606"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0074-0157/8041348-1-eng-US/f0074-012.jpg" title="f0074-01" width="3142" height="3058"></div><h2>NHL GOALTENDING STATISTICS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0074-0221/8041341-1-eng-US/f0074-022.jpg" title="f0074-02" width="3155" height="580"></div><h2>NHL CONFERENCE FINAL GAME SUMMARIES</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0075-0151/8041334-1-eng-US/f0075-012.jpg" title="f0075-01" width="3092" height="1975"></div><h2>2002 MEMORIAL CUP STATISTICS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0075-0227/8041327-1-eng-US/f0075-022.jpg" title="f0075-02" width="3181" height="1641"></div><h2>MINOR PRO PLAYOFF STATISTICS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0076-0149/8041320-1-eng-US/f0076-012.jpg" title="f0076-01" width="3176" height="3714"></div> &#9632;

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STANLEY CUP SECTION

Statistics

If Ryan Clowe ever makes the San Jose Sharks, he owes a special thanks to journeyman Jeff Norton. When Norton signed with Pittsburgh in November, 2000, it qualified his former team, the Sharks, for a compensatory draft pick. The Sharks used the pick to select Clowe, a winger with Rimouski of the Quebec League, 175th overall in 2001.Clowe had 28 goals and 73 points with 120 penalty minutes in 53 QMJHL games.Teams are awarded compensatory picks in one of two ways: either by not signing a first round pick after two years or by losing an unrestricted free agent.After selecting a player in the first round, NHL teams have one year to make a contract offer and two years to sign him. If the two parties are unable to reach an agreement, the player can re-enter the draft (See pg. 41.) The team that picked him is assigned an additional pick in the next entry draft at the same number position it originally chose the player, except the pick comes in the second round, not the first.In last year&rsquo;s draft, Phoenix was given the 15th pick in the second round (45th overall) because it did not sign 199915th overall choice Scott Kellman. And Buffalo was given the 20th pick in the second round (50th overall) because it lost 1999 20th overall choice Barrett Heisten.Compensatory picks for teams losing unrestricted free agents (UFAs) can be awarded in any round. UFAs are assigned a point value based on a range of factors including salary, production, age, experience, All-Star Games, if they are team captain, etc. The more &ldquo;points&rdquo; a player amasses, the higher the compensation.For example, Mark Messier, who left Vancouver to sign with the New York Rangers in 2000, was the highest rated player at 51,982 points. The Canucks were awarded the 48th overall pick in last year&rsquo;s draft. Vladimir Malakhov, who left New Jersey to sign with the Rangers, was next with 36,540 points. Rick Tabaracci, meanwhile, left Columbus to sign with Dallas and was the lowest rated player at 5,020 points. The Blue Jackets were awarded the 242nd overall pick.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-03307/8040053-1-eng-US/f0043-032.jpg" title="f0043-03" width="249" height="316"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mark Messier</figcaption></div>In last year&rsquo;s draft, a total of 19 compensatory picks were awarded.The NHL&rsquo;s central registry is in charge of deciding which teams are eligible for compensatory picks. As of May 31, no date had been set for notifying teams where their compensatory picks will fall this year. &#9632;

f0043-03

Compensatory picks ease sting of losing players

Welcome to our 17th annual Draft Preview. Below is all the information you need to understand the statistics in this special issue.The following legend lists abbreviations for statistics and leagues that are found in player prospect and update sections as well as the Central Scouting Service listing.Special notes: European players are identified by team and country or level of hockey. Europeans playing in divisions below the elite leagues are denoted with a .2 or Jr. American high school players are identified by USHS. Other abbreviations are: bantam (Ban.), midget (Mid.), junior (Jr., Jr. A or Jr. B), USA Hockey national under-17 (U17) or under-18 programs (U18), World Junior Championship (WJC), Four Nations tournament (4-Nat.), Five Nations tournament (5-Nat.), Six Nations tournament (6-Nat.), World under-18 Championship (WU18). Heights and weights are figures provided by Central Scouting.<h2>STATISTICS</h2>GP-games; G-goals; A-assists; P-points; PIM-penalty minutes; W-LT-wins-losses-ties; SV%-save percentage; GAA-goals-against average.<h2>MINOR PRO</h2>American League (AHL): Albany, Bridgeport, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Hamilton, Hartford, Hershey, Houston, Lowell, Manchester, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Portland, Providence, Quebec, Rochester, Saint John, St. John&rsquo;s, Springfield, Syracuse, Utah, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Worcester.<h2>MAJOR JUNIOR</h2>Ontario League (OHL): Barrie, Belleville, Brampton, Erie, Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, North Bay, Oshawa, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Plymouth, Toronto St. Michael's, Samia, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Windsor.Quebec League (QMJHL): Acadie-Bathurst, Baie-Comeau, Cape Breton, Chicoutimi, Drummondville, Halifax, Hull, Moncton, Montreal, Quebec, Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Shawinigan, Sherbrooke, Vai d'Or, Victoriayille.Western League (WHL): Brandon, Calgary, Kamloops, Kelowna, Kootenay, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat. Moose Jaw, Portland, Prince Albert, Prince George, Red Deer, Regina, Saskatoon, Seattle, Spokane, Swift Current, Vancouver, Tri-City.<h2>JUNIOR</h2>Alberta Junior League (AJHL), British Columbia League (BCHL), United States League (USHL), North American League (NAHL).<h2>U.S. COLLEGE</h2>Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA): Alaska-Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Michigan, Nebraska-Omaha, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Western Michigan. Eastern College Athletic Association (ECAC): Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard. Princeton, Renssalaer, St. Lawrence, Union, Vermont, Yale. Hockey East (HE): Boston College, Boston University, UMass.-Amherst, UMass.-Lowell, Maine, Merrimack, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Providence. Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA): Alaska-Anchorage, Colorado College, Denver, Michigan Tech, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State-Mankato, North Dakota, St. Cloud. Wisconsin.<h2>EUROPE</h2>Austria (Aus.), Czech Republic (Cze.), Finland (Fin.), Germany (Ger.), Kazakhstan (Kaz.), Latvia (Lat.), Norway (Nor.), Russia (Rus.), Slovakia (Slo.), Sweden (Swe.), Switzerland (Swi.), Ukraine (Ukr.). &#9632;

IN THIS ISSUE

Your guide to players, teams, leagues, statistics and more statistics

1. Florida Panthers2. Atlanta Thrashers3. Columbus Blue Jackets4. Tampa Bay Lightning5. Pittsburgh Penguins6. Nashville Predators7. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim8. Minnesota Wild9. Calgary Flames10. Florida Panthers111. Buffalo Sabres12. Washington Capitals13. Dallas Stars14. Edmonton Oilers15. Montreal Canadiens16. Ottawa Senators17. Washington Capitals218. Los Angeles Kings19. Phoenix Coyotes&nbsp;20. Dallas Stars321. Chicago Blackhawks22. New York Islanders23. Phoenix Coyotes424. Toronto Maple Leafs25. *Carolina Hurricanes26. *Washington Capitals527. *San Jose Sharks28. *Colorado Avalanche&nbsp;29. *Boston Bruins30. *Buffalo Sabres6FOOTNOTES Listing reflects first round draft order only.1 From New York Rangers to Florida in Pavel Bure trade.2 From Vancouverto Washington in Trevor Linden trade.3 From New Jersey to Dallas in Joe Nieuwendyk & Jamie Langenbrunner for Jason Arnott & Randy McKay trade.4 Through the Daymond Langkow trade. Philadelphia has the option on this pick that originally belonged to St. Louis as part of the Keith Tkachuk trade.5 From Philadelphia to Washington in Adam Oates trade.6 From Detroit to Buffalo in Dominik Hasek trade.* Nos. 25 through 30 are dependent upon who wins the Stanley Cup. The Cup winner goes to 30 and bumps the other teams down one slot. &#9632;

First Round Draft Order

<div class="byline">Brian Costello </div><div class="byline">Draft Preview Editor</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-011848/8039169-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Super in 79Hall Famer Michel Goulet was part of the NHL&rsquo;s best-ever first round draft class - 1979 Sixteen of 21 first-rounders that had year careers categorized as &ldquo;above average.&rdquo; (THN Archives)</figcaption></div>Since last summer we&rsquo;ve been hearing from industry experts that the 2002 NHL entry draft has the weakest talent pool since (fill in the blank). How weak is it? That was question the genesis behind this year&rsquo;s theme profile &#2404;in Draft Preview. On each of the 30 NHL team pages (pgs. 34 through 63), we revisited the first 30 entry drafts (from 1969 through 1998).We list the order of selection in each year&rsquo;s first round, then re-order the selections based on 20-20 hind-sight.&lsquo;Re-doing the Draft&rsquo; careers uncovers a lot of interesting gems. Among them is our opinion that of the 30 players picked first overall during this period, 12 had or having - are that warranted No. 1 status. That 40 percent success rate is pretty darned good considering you&rsquo;re measuring one player against everyone else in that round. That&rsquo;s a credit to hockey&rsquo;s scouts, the unsung work-horses of the industry.Our re-ordering of the categories (Hall of Fame career, above average, average, below average, cup of coffee, and no NHL duty). Plavers within 30 first rounds classifies players into six each category are also ranked in descending order and are purely our subjective opinion. If nothing else, it will generate some healthy arguments.The first &lsquo;Re-doing the Draft&rsquo; is 1969 and appears on the Ananenn page (.pg. M). successive years continue through to 1998 on the Washington page (pg. 63). Recent draft years call for speculative projections on how a player&rsquo;s career will unfold. For 1998, draft picks who haven&rsquo;t made the NHL but are still playing in an organization were given one star (cup of coffee).So what does this exercise prove? In addition to being an interesting look at the top draft class each year, it&rsquo;s also a solid indication of which drafts were the best-keeping in mind it&rsquo;s a profile of the first round, not the entire draft.By far the best first round is 1979. (See pg. 44.) Of the 21 players taken, three are Hall of Farmers (Mike Gartner, Michel Goulet and surely Ray Bourque) and 13 had above-average careers. That was the final year of having a minimum draft age of 20 and several players from that first round spent an underage season in the World Hockey Association.On average each first round produces one Hall of Famer. Twenty-nine players taken in the opening round since 1969 are destined for the Hall.The poorest first round draft class? Our power ranking shows 1996 and 1988 at the bottom. Just two of 26 players (Derek Morris and Daniel Briere) selected in the first round of 1996 have had above-average careers, though that could change if active players develop.We won&rsquo;t be able to see what becomes of the 2002 class for at least another five years, but we know what the scouts are telling us.They&rsquo;re also saying wait until the 2003 draft. (See pg. 31 for more.) It has the best talent pool since (fill in the blank.) &#9632;

f0005-01

Rating past entry drafts

<h2>RE-DOING THE DRAFT</h2>The ranking is determined by assigning each Tv first-rounder a star rating based on his NHL career:***** Hall of Famer**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffee.The total number of stars are divided by the number of first-rounders in each year to get the power ranking. For example, 1979 first-rounders had a total of 80 stars, divided by 21 players equals 3.81. Watch for the Re-doing the Draft&rsquo; logo on the team pages (pgs. 34-63).<h2>ENTRY DRAFT POWER RANK</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-021305/8039200-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="422" height="1381"></div> &#9632;

f0005-02

1979 class tops chart

<div class="byline">By Mark Brender</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012057/8039245-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg"></div>Maybe once he&rsquo;s in the NHL Jay Bouwmeester will allow the folks at Sherwood to stamp his; name on his sticks. So far he hasn&rsquo;t let them. Nobody else on the Medicine Hat Tigers is | so presumptuous as to H have a personalized shaft from the factory, so why should he? Bouwmeester, a team guy through and through, doesn&rsquo;t want to do anything to stand out from the boys.It&rsquo;s an honorable sentiment, except Bouwmeester hurts his own cause the moment he steps on the ice. His teammates and those who see him up close every day - to say nothing of those watching in the stands - are forever awed by the ease and grace with which he moves. In the words of Tigers coach Bob Loucks: &ldquo;He skates better than most people walk.&rdquo;Lethbridge coach Bryan Maxwell, a frequent observer of Bouwmeester&rsquo;s forays, agrees. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a superstar, no question about it. He may be the toughest guy I&rsquo;ve seen to forecheck because he skates so well he just blows everybody&rsquo;s door off.&rdquo;At the same time, while acknowledging his jaw-dropping tools and all he has accomplished, there are those in the hockey world who believe Jay Bouwmeester is an 18-year-old kid with an attitude problem. As in, he needs more of one.He is a Paul Coffey-esque glider in the body of Paul Bunyan, an intuitively gifted 6-foot-3 1/2,206-pound defenseman who can control the tempo of a game with exceptional stamina, poise and hockey sense. That much has been evident for at least three years now, since Bouwmeester cracked Canada&rsquo;s 2000 world junior team at the tender age of 16, thus becoming the youngest Canadian ever to play at the WJC.Yet it&rsquo;s what some scouts say they don&rsquo;t see in his game that makes them wonder. They don&rsquo;t see desperation. They don&rsquo;t see anger. They can see his passion for the game - you don&rsquo;t become this good a skater by not loving being on the ice - but they don&rsquo;t feel it.They don&rsquo;t see evidence of his wanting to be &lsquo;The Man.&rsquo;And so the dilemma that surrounds the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2002 entry draft - a position Bouwmeester has held since he was, what, 12? - is this: will his quiet, shy demeanor hold him back from greatness, or, rather, does his humility present the blank tableau onto which a strong motivator and teacher can graft the next superstar defenseman?The answer to that, Loucks says, is up to Bouwmeester.&ldquo;I think there are times when he could say &lsquo;Get on my back boys, let&rsquo;s go for a ride,&rsquo;&rdquo; Loucks says. &ldquo;He could do it all the time and I think he doesn&rsquo;t do that enough. He doesn&rsquo;t want anybody to think he&rsquo;s showing them up and he doesn&rsquo;t want anybody to think he&rsquo;s better than them&hellip; His biggest problem is he&rsquo;s too humble.&rdquo;Adds one NHL scout: &ldquo;You just wish he had more personality. He&rsquo;ll take a punch to the head in front of the net and not respond.&rdquo;This is what happens when a teenager&rsquo;s every pore has been analyzed and dissected for the better part of three years. The scouting community begins tracking its beacons early these days; when some whiz kid appears on the international stage far ahead of his time, the momentum to forecast what he will be six years down the line - and what he is supposedly missing can be unstoppable.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-011861/8039238-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="1502" height="1819"><figcaption class="caption-body">With his effortless, powerful skating stride, Bouwmeester is a one-man forecheck buster. (Dan Hamilton/VPS)</figcaption></div>At the 2000 WJC, where Bouwmeester joined Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros and Jason Spezza as the only 16-year-olds to wear the maple leaf at the tournament, the hockey world saw his precocious talents. But we also witnessed, especially as he stood beside the gregarious Spezza during interviews, how ill at ease he was with the attention that comes with it. The difference filters down to their respective choice of agents. Spezza, last year&rsquo;s second overall pick, is with Bobby Orr; Bouwmeester is with Bryon Baltimore, a low-profile lawyer and ex-World Hockey Association player from Edmonton who has no NHL clients.Bouwmeester doesn&rsquo;t try to be anything he&rsquo;s not. He is honest with himself and with others and readily admits the pre-draft hype is something he would rather avoid. &ldquo;It will just be sort of nice to get this all over with and move on,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I just think about the opportunity ahead. I just get excited about that.&rdquo;And the money and the lavish lifestyle that will soon come his way? They barely register.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been bugging him about buying some fast sports &lsquo;car,&rdquo; says Brett Scheffehnaier, Bouwmeester&rsquo;s defense partner and close friend on the Tigers. &ldquo;He hasn&rsquo;t said much. I bug him all the time (that) in a month he&rsquo;s going to be rich. Jay&rsquo;s such a humble and down-to-earth guy, I don&rsquo;t even know if he realizes his life is going to change.&rdquo;And where&rsquo;s the harm in that? Let him mature on his own time. There was another kid who came out of the WHL 14 years ago who also preferred root canals to media interviews and Joe Sakic didn&rsquo;t turn out too bad.&ldquo;Somebody is looking for negatives and I don&rsquo;t see any,&rdquo; Maxwell says.&ldquo;If he&rsquo;s trying to please everyone else, he&rsquo;s going to withdraw and go into a shell and that will hurt his development,&rdquo; another scout says. &ldquo;The expectations of him going to be &lsquo;The Next One&rsquo; are out of line. I think we need to give the kid some breathing space to be what he&rsquo;s going to be.&rdquo;After all, breathing space to develop is what got Bouwmeester this far. His father Dan, an ex-university player with the University of Alberta, didn&rsquo;t let Jay play organized hockey until he was six. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got to know how to skate first,&rdquo; he says.<blockquote class="pullQuote">This business about he doesn't have an edge, what a crock of s&mdash;. Dan Bouwmeester, father of Jay</blockquote>And skating was one thing Bouwmeester learned early. Almost as soon as he could walk, Jay put on his sister&rsquo;s four-wheel roller skates and began pushing himself around the basement of the Bouwmeesters&rsquo; Edmonton home. He quickly moved on to inline skates and was on ice skates by age two. Evidently four years without a hockey stick pays great dividends.This season Bouwmeester was named a first-team all-star at the WJC and was named in one WHL poll as the player most respected by his peers. He probably averaged 40 minutes a game for the Tigers and on some nights hit 45. His offensive totals weren&rsquo;t spectacular-11 goals and 61 points in 61 games - but Loucks believes he will shine in the pros with players who can read the game as well as he can. His passes and breaks to open ice often went for naught because teammates couldn&rsquo;t keep up with him.Bouwmeester&rsquo;s supposed inability to elevate his game at crucial times is roundly dismissed by Stan Butler, coach of Canada&rsquo;s WJC entry the past two years. Butler says Bouwmeester&rsquo;s performance in the 2002 semifinal battle with Sweden was a skating, puck-moving tour de force that propelled Canada into the gold medal game. As for his personality, every NHL coach would cherish the chance to groom an ego-less stud who is guaranteed to keep his mouth shut, listen and learn.Yet the questions persist. Medicine Hat never made the playoffs in Bouwmeester&rsquo;s three years there. Some tie that to his inability to step up on the ice or speak out in the dressing room. Others believe had the Tigers showed the same disciplined resolve as Bouwmeester, they wouldn&rsquo;t have been the WHL&rsquo;s third-most penalized team and spent far too much time shorthanded.The critics, Dan Bouwmeester says, will live to eat their words.&ldquo;They don&rsquo;t know what kind of player he is,&rdquo; Dan says, his voice touched with anger.&ldquo;Deep down, boy, if I want to go to war with a hockey player, he&rsquo;s going to be one of the guys I want on my side. This business about he doesn&rsquo;t have the passion, he doesn&rsquo;t have an edge, what a crock of s&mdash;. He&rsquo;ll prove that in the NHL.&rdquo;<h2>Defense First</h2>Jay Bouwmeester could become the 11th defensman taken first overall. The first 10 include flops, one Hall of Famer and many in between.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021236/8039231-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="630" height="889"></div> &#9632;

f0006-01

HOT 100

’Meester BIG

f0008-02

Expect anything in poor draft year

<div class="byline">By Jim Cressman</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02802/8039412-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">(Dan Hamilton/VPS)</figcaption></div>It took no time at all for the giant bull-dozer to fill in Rick Nash&rsquo;s pond of 1 dreams, but that didn't kill the | dreams of a young hockey player.I A housing development now stands in Brampton, Ont., where a three-year-old boy learned to skate and play hockey with his father Jamie, older brother James and uncle Al.After the sun would set, the hockey games were lit up by the headlights of the family car. On one night, the battery was drained dead, an indication of the love the youngster had for the game.For hours, Nash would play. He&rsquo;d skate around the ice, his arms raised to the adulation of the imaginary thousands. He&rsquo;d supply his own crowd noise and dreamed of the day that scene would play out for real.It has been happening every Friday night for the past two years at the London Ice House, as Nash and his London Knights teammates hit the ice in the pitch black of their arena, their entrance marked by the glare of a spotlight.THN&rsquo;s third-rated player for the 2002 entry draft, June 22 in Toronto, Nash soon will share that spotlight with a select group of future NHL stars.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s not much you can say that&rsquo;s bad about him. It&rsquo;s all good,&rdquo; said Florida Panthers scouting director Tim Murray of the 17-year-old left winger, who last season was the Ontario League&rsquo;s rookie of the year and this season was a member of Canada&rsquo;s silver medal entry at the World Junior Championship.The 6-foot-3 and 185 pound Nash led the Knights in scoring both seasons. He had 31 goals as a freshman and 32 this season.He also scored 10 goals in 12 playoff games this year as the Knights upset the regular season champion Plymouth Whalers in the first round, then took the eventual OHL champion Erie Otters to six games in the conference semifinal.Scouts agree Nash was the big reason the Knights managed to slip into the playoffs the past two years, then pull off the upset this season.&ldquo;He has great passion for the game,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;Use all the cliches you want, but those are the guys you want when you go into the playoffs. London rode him. He has the passion and the talent and it&rsquo;s the combination of the two that makes him a special player.&rdquo;As Nash gets bigger and stronger, and his skating improves, scouts see him developing into a power forward.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;s going to back it up with his fists all the the time, but he&rsquo;s going to be a horse and a hard guy for defensemen to play against for a lot of years,&rdquo; Murray said.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a natural goal-scorer and has a lot of instincts for a big man. He beats guys with his hands before he beats you with his body. Those are the skills of a small man. He&rsquo;s an exciting player. He&rsquo;s not a Brendan Shanahan, but if you throw away the fighting, he&rsquo;s a Gary Roberts, or a Shanahan, or somewhere in there.&rdquo;Scouts rate Nash&rsquo;s skating as only average to slightly above average, but it hasn&rsquo;t hurt him in junior and they don&rsquo;t see it being a problem in the NHL.&ldquo;People sometimes say his skating is not really pro (quality), but I think that&rsquo;s going to improve when his strength improves,&rdquo; said Minnesota Wild scout Dave Mayville.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s powerful. I&rsquo;m not saying he has a great stride, but it&rsquo;s a good stride. And he loves to play along the boards. He uses his size and strength and his angles. He has great balance. How many times in two years have you seen him get knocked down?&ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to be a leader, but he has enough common sense and wherewithal that he&rsquo;s going to sit there quietly for the first couple of years during the learning i curve. But once he gets acclimatized, people are going to start following him.&ldquo;I know teams picking four through eight would just love to have the opportunity.&rdquo;Another scout, who asked not to be identified, said Nash &ldquo;is not a blazer&rdquo; on his skates, &ldquo;but] when he gets a breakaway, nobody can catch him.&rdquo;Nash doesn&rsquo;t shy away from the physical stuff.&ldquo;If a guy is willing to break his stick on him I while he&rsquo;s going to the net, that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; said a | scout. &ldquo;A lot of guys hear footsteps and pull | up, but Nash keeps I going&hellip; Given time, he will be a franchise player.&rdquo;Nash hasn&rsquo;t allowed any of the hype to go to his head. He&rsquo;s a kid at heart, kibitzing with teammates,; and he can&rsquo;t wait to get to the rink. It all started on that pond across the street back home.&ldquo;I always dreamed of coming out in a packed arena,&rdquo; Nash said, his eyes lighting up. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a rush. I get goose bumps when we come out and hear the fans cheering and the music playing loud.&rdquo;Scouts say his music is just beginning. &#9632;

f0026-02

Nash hungry for pro stage

<div class="byline">By Jussi Heimo</div>Kari Lehtonen is destined to be a No. 1 NHL goalie, but will he be the No. 1 pick in this year&rsquo;s entry draft?That remains to be seen, but Lehtonen heads to Toronto with an impressive resume. On it he can boast that he was the top goaltender at the 2000 World under-18 Championship; the top goaltender in the 2002 World Junior Championship; and the top goaltender in the Finnish Elite League and playoff MVP this season.Only 18, Lehtonen is the most talented goalie ever to come out of Finland, a nation whose people are almost as passionate about hockey as they are about saunas. He is tall, quick, technically sound, and may be, thanks to the sauna - he keeps his cool under extreme heat. His best performances come at the most crucial times. It is this quality that makes Lehtonen a winner, just like his idol, Colorado Avalanche superstar Patrick Roy.Comparing Lehtonen to arguably the best goalie in hockey history may not be fair, but it&rsquo;s a tempting proposition. Their size and styles are similar: Both play square to the puck and read plays as well as anyone. And each is at his best when game pressure is at its highest.Lehtonen, like Roy, has his off nights. However, as witnessed by another steely playoff performance this season, Roy is capable of not only stealing a game by himself, but also of stealing playoff series.The same can be said of Lehtonen. At the 2000 World under-18 Championship in Switzerland, Lehtonen made an astonishing 67 saves in a semifinal game against Sweden. He followed that up with a jaw-dropping 52-save performance in a 3-1 win over the heavily favored Russians in the final.If the scouts didn&rsquo;t have Lehtonen&rsquo;s name in their notebooks before the tournament, they certainly did afterwards. And Lehtonen inflated his considerable reputation in this year&rsquo;s playoffs with Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League.After sitting on the bench for the first two games of the post-season, Lehtonen got his chance to shine. In the deciding game of the semifinal, Lehtonen shut out HPK. Then, in the final, Lehtonen held Tappara to just two goals in the final three games as Joker it claimed its first championship in five years.&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t put into words how I felt after we won,&rdquo; Lehtonen said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll never forget those moments no matter what I accomplish in (the) future.&rdquo;Lehtonen added to his hardware collection at the league&rsquo;s end-of-season awards, garnering first all-star, top goaltender and playoff MVP accolades. His season didn&rsquo;t end there, as he was chosen to Finland&rsquo;s World Championship team as a third-stringer - the youngest goalie ever named to the squad.Even with his ever-improving resume, Lehtonen knows to keep himself grounded.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not even close to being a top goalie even if the past season was great for me. I have lots of work ahead of me,&rdquo; Lehtonen said.Humility aside, Lehtonen knows he&rsquo;ll be one of the hottest names in this year&rsquo;s draft.&ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t even thought about which team would be best for me,&rdquo; Lehtonen said, &ldquo;but I understand that (for) some of the teams picking early there might be a roster spot to be won in the next couple of years.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02728/8039443-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="931" height="1675"><figcaption class="caption-body">No. 2-ranked Kari Lehtonen</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0027-02

Big game stopper

<div class="byline">By Jussi Heimo</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-03508/8039474-1-eng-US/f0027-032.jpg" title="f0027-03" width="937" height="1670"><figcaption class="caption-body">No. 4-ranked Joni Pitkanen (Both: IHA)</figcaption></div>Touted as the most talented defense prospect ever to come out of Finland, Joni Pitkanen has been nicknamed &ldquo;The Finnish Rolls-Royce&rdquo; by local reporters.But if Pitkanen rises through the pro ranks as quickly as he has through the sea of 2002 NHL draft prospects - Central Scouting&rsquo;s final rankings pegged him as the No. 1 European skating prospect - he may be closer to a purring Porsche than a regal Rolls.The 6-foot-3,202-pound Pitkanen is a swift-skating, playmaking machine who is as adept at running the power play as he is at completing passes off the rush.But he isn&rsquo;t simply smooth and skilled. He also has a mean streak and is ultra-competitive. He wants to be the go-to guy when the game is on the line. &ldquo;Playing is so much fun,&rdquo; Pitkanen said. &ldquo;Why would I like to sit on the bench?&rdquo;Described as a Phil Housley with size, Pitkanen has already played two seasons for Karpat in the Finnish Elite League. He was his team&rsquo;s highest scoring blueliner this season and also played his first two national team games against the silver medal-winning Russians.Experiencing such high quality competition has made Pitkanen tougher and more confident than his peers. And quite possibly, much closer to the NHL level.&ldquo;I try to make my own decisions out there,&rdquo; Pitkanen said. &ldquo;The est or safest way to play is not for me. I know the team comes first, but I believe if you want to become a lead player, you have to be creative.&rdquo;While Pitkanen competes hard on the ice, he is regarded as an easy-going kid who is focused on getting better.&ldquo;Rob Blake and Nicklas Lidstrom (are the NHLers who) have made the biggest impression on me,&rdquo; said the 18-year-old. &ldquo;One day I&rsquo;d like to be as good as they are, to be able to play at a high level from shift to shift, game to game. Right now my style compares better to Lidstrom, but I have to improve a lot to even think about seriously comparing myself to him.&rdquo;Prior to this year&rsquo;s draft, the highest picks ever from Finland were Aki Berg and Olli Jokinen, drafted third overall by Los Angeles in 1995 and 1997 respectively. But Pitkanen won&rsquo;t be disappointed if he isn&rsquo;t drafted first or second overall.&ldquo;It would be a great honor to be selected among the top five prospects in the world,&rdquo; Pitkanen said. &ldquo;That a would hopefully guarantee I could get decent chance to make (an NHL team) in the future.&rdquo;Pitkanen is open-minded on how soon he would like to come to North America. He has completed his mandatory army duty, more than held his own in what many believe is the best league in the world after the NHL and has played for Team Finland.&ldquo;I really haven&rsquo;t had time to think about it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mind staying another year in Finland and getting another year of pro hockey under my belt. One thing I know for sure is that I still need to get stronger, work hard on my conditioning and defensive play.&rdquo;Like most young defensemen, Pitkanen&rsquo;s physical maturity has a ways to go. But when he does get more horsepower in his engine, the Finnish media may have to reconsider his nickname.Anyone know if Porsche makes trucks? &#9632;

f0027-03

‘Housley with size’

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0028-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011133/8039519-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-011004/8039512-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="3167" height="1863"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-02667/8039505-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg" title="f0029-02" width="3066" height="1794"></div> &#9632;

f0028-01

2002 CENTRAL SCOUTING RANKINGS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0030-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-011132/8039550-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">(IHA)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0030-01

<div class="byline">By Mark Brender Contributing Editor</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0032-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011115/8039619-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gary NylundGord KluzakBrian Bellows (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>A hulking, mobile, offensively gifted defenseman from the Western League competes for the top draft spot with a hungry power forward Yep, from we&rsquo;ve Ontario. seen this Hmm. one before. Rings a Brianbell.Bellows and Gord Kluzak, 1982. For Bellows, draft day was the career that was all he could have anticipated. For Kluzak, it turned out to be something less than that. He became the Boston Bruins&rsquo; great gamble that, through little fault of his own, turned into a bust.Kluzak has long since come to grips with his fate. Twenty years after entering his own draft day bloated with the pride and optimism of youth, Kluzak considers the state of his ill-fated left knee and actually feels lucky how things have turned out. &ldquo;As long as I don&rsquo;t skate,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;my knee doesn&rsquo;t bother me.&rdquo; No hockey, no bother. It&rsquo;s a tradeoff thatKluzak, 38, endorses without the slightest hesitation - not that he has much choice in the matter. To the masses of 18-year-olds awaiting their fate at the 2002 draft in Toronto June 22-23, it is an unspeakable, incomprehensible nightmare.Jay Bouwmeester and Rick Nash, if they are aware of this tale that began before they were born, are surely hoping the plot lines don&rsquo;t follow too close a path. Because if there&rsquo;s anything to be learned from the draft of 1982, in which Kluzak, Bellows and Gary Nylund travelled to Montreal to get selected 1-2-3 by Boston, Minnesota and Toronto - it&rsquo;s that even among the top echelon of players, there are no sure things.Kluzak&rsquo;s career with the Bruins was ravaged by injuries before it ever got untracked. Between 1982 and 1990, the 6-foot-4,220-pounder underwent 11 knee sons of more than 60 games, his last one ending a month after his 24th birthday By 26 he was making pension inquiries and filling out university applications.The Bruins took a big risk making Kluzak the top draft catch in the first place. Less than two months after being named top defenseman at the 1982 World Junior Championship Kluzak suffered his first serious knee injury, ending an all-star season with the WHL&rsquo;s Billings (Mt.) Bighorns. In his own mind, that put an end to any thoughts of going No. 1. He knew the overwhelming consensus No 1 was Bellows, a bullish, hard-shooting right winger for the Ontario League&rsquo;s Kitchener Rangers, future captain material in anyone&rsquo;s estimation and seemingly perfectly suited for the small rink dimensions at Boston Garden.And then there was Nylund, with not nearly the same offensive upside as Kluzak, but a tough, defensive rock who was also I a consensus top-three pick.The Bruins had acquired the No. 1 selection by dealing Dwight Foster to the Colorado Rockies earlier in the year. But every time Boston GM Harry Sinden went to see Bellows that season, right up to Kitchener&rsquo;s run to the OHL championship I&rsquo; and the Memorial Cup, Sinden came away unimpressed. The boss even took to calling up members of the Bruins scouting staff to accompany him to Bellows&rsquo;s games so he could point out the weak spots.As draft day neared, Sinden was leaning towards Nylund. Chief scout Gary Darling wanted Bellows. &ldquo;So we made a compromise,&rdquo; Darling says, &ldquo;and took Kluzak.&rdquo;The decision sent Bruin followers into a state of hysteria. It didn&rsquo;t matter that Sinden also extracted two prospects from Minnesota for a promise not to take Bellows. Even Sinden&rsquo;s wife Elanor got in on the act, calling him up in Montreal with the admonishment: &ldquo;You've got to be out of your mind.&rdquo;Yet had it not been for Kluzak&rsquo;s injuries, Darling maintains, &ldquo;this kid could have been something else.&rdquo;Kluzak and Bellows both wanted desperately to go to the Bruins; Kluzak because the Orr-Esposito gang had been his favorite team growing up in small-town Saskatchewan and Bellows because Boston was familiar territory in the East. Unaware of the pre-draft dealing, both were surprised at what happened.&ldquo;Leading up to it, I was really expecting and hoping to go to Boston,&rdquo; says Bellows, now a financial trader in Minneapolis.He says he was told by some of Boston&rsquo;s people that the Bruins would select him. The night before the draft, Bellows, his father and his agent were out at a bar and saw some the Bruins&rsquo; brass there. They saw him, too, but didn&rsquo;t come over to say hi or shake his hand. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s when we figured out something was up,&rdquo; Bellows says.Nylund was surprised at his outcome as well. It&rsquo;s not often you tell off the GM of the team you&rsquo;ve always dreamed of playing for, but for Nylund it worked out fine.A lifelong Leaf fan, Nylund knew he would likely be going to Boston or Toronto because North Stars GM Lou Nanne told him he was taking a forward. Problem was, Nylund&rsquo;s agent Norm Caplan said Toronto was the one team they didn&rsquo;t want because the Leafs didn&rsquo;t pay enough money Caplan had a plan to make sure Toronto wouldn&rsquo;t happen - provided Nylund played along in a pre-draft meeting with Leafs GM Gerry McNamara.&ldquo;(Caplan) told me to go in there,&rdquo; Nylund recalls, &ldquo;and here&rsquo;s what he wanted me to say: &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t want to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Your team&rsquo;s no good, your development&rsquo;s no good, your scouting staff&rsquo;s no good and I don&rsquo;t want to get in here, one of the best juniors in the country and have to get you out of the hole.&rsquo;&rdquo;A green 18-year-old whose initial impression of Montreal was that, gee there are a lot of gorgeous women here, walked into the meeting, took a deep breath, swallowed, and spit out the words.&ldquo;And (McNamara) said at the end of it, &lsquo;I understand what you&rsquo;re saying, but if you&rsquo;re there we&rsquo;re taking you anyway&rsquo; And I felt like jumping up and down I was so excited because that&rsquo;s what I wanted to hear.&rdquo;Nylund enjoyed a significant NHL career, playing more than 600 games, most of them with the Leafs, before retiring in 1993 due to knee problems. He is now a fire-fighter in Surrey B.C.Bellows was a perfect fit for Minnesota for nine productive seasons before being traded to Montreal in 1992. He enjoyed a long and prosperous NHL career, scoring 485 goals and 1,022 points in 1,188 games over 17 seasons and won a Stanley Cup with the Habs in 1993.By that time Kluzak was already enrolled in an undergraduate economics program at Harvard. He completed his masters degree there in 1998 and is now an investment manager in Boston and does color analyst work on Bruins broadcasts.Kluzak&rsquo;s main memory of draft day-a-side from having to borrow a tie from Ron Sutter - will be one shared by dozens of kids this year as well.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s being there with my dad (Glen), thinking about all the miles he had driven me, all the early mornings he had gotten up and driven me to a practice&hellip; and the sort of selflessness that provided me all the opportunity&hellip; My mom and dad really were the ones that got me to that point, my mom letting me go as long as I kept my marks up in school and my dad providing the support and time.&rdquo;And it must be said, Kluzak was luckier than some. Like the 2002 draft is expected to be, 1982 was top-heavy with defensemen. Fifteen went in the first 30 picks. Notables were Scott Stevens at fifth overall and Ken Daneyko at 18th. But eight of the 30 played fewer than 30 NHL games or not at all.&ldquo;The real world is a helluva lot tougher than playing in the NHL,&rdquo; Nylund says. &ldquo;If I had one thing to say to the guys getting drafted it would be enjoy the draft, enjoy the day, enjoy it all. And when you&rsquo;re in the NHL, enjoy every single shift. And don&rsquo;t take anything for granted, because the end is just one knee injury away&rdquo;<h2>1987 best year for top trios</h2>The Kluzak-Bellows-Nylund trio (2,095 combined games) falls short of the most successful one-two-three draft threesomes.&nbsp;Below are the five best top trio draft years according to games played. Active players are denoted by asterisks (*).<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-011012/8039612-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="3136" height="614"></div> &#9632;

f0032-01

Class of ’82

<div class="byline">By Dan Wood</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0034-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011140/8039650-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Paul Kariya 4th overall by Anaheim (&rsquo;93)Marc Tardif, Quebec</figcaption></div>This year&rsquo;s NHL entry draft marks something of a new beginning for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who are now under the watch of recently appointed GM Bryan Murray. enjoyed precious little draft success.As the Ducks prepare for their 10th season, Murray inherits a club that has Since the team&rsquo;s original GM, Jack Ferreira, grabbed six-time all-star winger Paul Kariya with Anaheim&rsquo;s first-ever pick in 1993, the Ducks have selected a long line of forgettable players.Other than Kariya, the only Anaheim draft picks on this season&rsquo;s closing-night roster were left winger Mike Leclerc, center Matt Cullen and defensemen Pavel Trnka, Ruslan Salei, Vitaly Vishnevski, Niclas Havelid and Oleg Tverdovsky. After taking Tverdovsky in the first round in 1994, the Ducks sent him to Winnipeg in a 1996 trade for Teemu Selanne, only to re-acquire Tverdovsky from Phoenix in 1999.CALLING THE SHOTS In his sixth season as director of scouting for the Ducks, Alain Chainey&rsquo;s role at the draft table will be even bigger than usual this year. With Murray having spent this season behind the Anaheim bench, he hasn&rsquo;t scouted any of the top prospects.Chainey, meanwhile, has seen every player on the club&rsquo;s draft list while scouring North America and making multiple trips to Europe.Only two players, Vishnevski and Havelid, from the five drafts overseen by Chainey are playing for the Ducks.DRAFT TENDENCY Of the 23 players drafted by Anaheim under former GM Pierre Gauthier over the past three years, 15 hailed from Europe. While it&rsquo;s too early to judge those efforts, it seems clear a team as short on size and grit as the Ducks might be wise to look more toward North America. Murray, who espouses the standard practice of selecting the best player available, will undoubtedly exert more influence in future years.IMMEDIATE NEED It&rsquo;s not difficult to pinpoint where Anaheim fell short during a 29-42-8-3 campaign that marked a third consecutive season out of the playoffs. Despite authoring the NHL&rsquo;s eighth-best goals against average (2.39), the Ducks lost a league-high 21 one-goal games. By scoring just 175 goals, Anaheim managed more offense than only Columbus among the NHL&rsquo;s 30 teams. Addressing the offensive deficiencies, of course, will be much more challenging considering the difficulty Anaheim figures to have attracting top-flight unrestricted free agents. The lone exception might be Selanne, if the former Ducks right winger does not re-sign with San Jose.LONG TERM&nbsp;need With a strong and youthful group of goaltenders and a reasonable corps of young defensemen, the Ducks must develop its forwards.Anaheim is hopeful that 2001 first round draft choice, Russian left winger Stanislav Chistov, will eventually become a Kariya-type offensive wizard, but there is not a lot more to get excited about within the system. The Ducks seem particularly vulnerable at center, where oft-injured Steve Rucchin is the only big, physical presence.READY TO STEP IN&nbsp;Though he remains unsigned, Russian left Alexei Smirnov to get ample opportunity to prove himself in training camp.The 12th overall selection in the 2000 draft, Smirnov is a 6-foot-3,211-pounder who might provide exactly the kind of size and physical play Anaheim needs. Not necessarily a gifted offensive performer, Smirnov had five goals, 16 points and 46 penalty minutes in 48 games last season with CSKA in the Russian League. Smirnov was impressive in a brief training camp stint two years ago; the Ducks will be eager to see whether he is ready for NHL duty or needs seasoning with Cincinnati of the American League.RESTRICTED free agents Aris Brimanis, D, 30; Matt Cullen, C, 25; Paul Kariya, RW, 27; Andy McDonald, C, 24; Samuel Pahlsson, C, 24; Steve Rucchin, C, 30; Ruslan Salei, D, 27; Steve Shields, G, 29; Pavel Trnka, D, 25; Vitaly Vishnevski, D, 22.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Gregg Naumenko, G, 25.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish&nbsp;24thDraft position each round 7th2002 first round 7thBest first round pick: Paul KariyaChosen: 4th overall, 1993The Anaheim franchise is nothing if not Kariya, whose commitment and professionalism belies the team&rsquo;s mostly miserable history.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Anaheim&rsquo;s system:1. Stanislav Chistov, LW, Omsk (Rus.)2. Ilja Bryzgalov, G, Cincinnati (AHL)3. Mark Popovic, D, St. Michael&rsquo;s (OHL)4. Alexei Smirnov, LW, Central Army (Rus.)5. Martin Gerber, G, Farjestads (Swe.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1969 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1969 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1969 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Rejean Houle Montreal2. Marc Tardif Montreal3. Don Tannahill Boston4. Frank Spring Boston5. Dick Redmond Minnesota6. Bob Currier Philadelphia7. Tony Featherstone Oakland8. Andre Dupont Rangers9. Ernie Moser Toronto10. Jim Rutherford Detroit11. Ivan Boldirev Boston12. Pierre Jarry Rangers13. J-P Bordeleau Chicago14. Dennis O&rsquo;Brien Minnesota<h3>1969 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Ivan Boldirev, C, Chi ****Marc Tardif, LW, Que ****Dick Redmond, D, Chi ****Andre Dupont, D, Phi ****Rejean Houle, LW, Mtl ***J-P Bordeleau, RW, Chi ***Jim Rutherford, G, Det ***Dennis O&rsquo;Brien, D, Min ***Pierre Jarry, LW, Min ***Tony Featherstone, RW, Clf **Don Tannahill, LW, Van **Frank Spring, RW, Clf **Bob Currier, CErnie Moser, RW &#9632;

f0034-01

Forward help top priority

<div class="byline">By Jeff Schultz</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0035-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011065/8039681-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dany Heatley 2nd overall by Atlanta (&rsquo;00)Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>The expansion pains and defensive shortcomings that have plagued the Atlanta Thrashers have, at least, provided the team with hope for the future. The three-year-old franchise&rsquo;s propensity for regular season losses has led to some draft-day victories. first three draft picks were theAtlanta&rsquo;s consensus three best players available: center Patrik Stefan, first overall in 1999; left winger Dany Heatley, second in 2000; and left winger Ilya Kovalchuk, first in 2001.As this year&rsquo;s draft approaches, the Thrashers are slotted second after losing the lottery to Florida. But Atlanta might not make the selection. With expectations not being met last season, attendance slipping and a roster already stocked with youth, GM Don Waddell may try to deal his team&rsquo;s first round pick for immediate help.Atlanta would be in a stronger negotiating wait for position if it had won the lottery. Waddell could have spent weeks fielding calls from GMs who were after Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, the best prospect available. But Waddell now must Florida to either make their selection, announce their intention or deal the No. 1 pick.Waddell likely will go into draft day with three or four trade scenarios, then implement one.CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS An avid scout himself, Waddell listens to everyone on his staff. But those with the loudest voices are Bob Owen, the director of player development and evaluation, and chief scout Dan Marr, both of whom have been with the franchise since its birth in 1999.One of Waddell&rsquo;s first hires, Owen has experience stemming from several years working for the Central Scouting Service, the Los Angeles Kings and his own scouting service. But Waddell makes the final call and often scouts players himself before drafting them.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;Waddell is fond of making draft-day trades and this year could be very active. The team is no longer short on prospects and there&rsquo;s a good possibility the second overall choice will be dealt. The Thrashers have taken forwards with their first picks in their first three drafts, but that had less to do with a philosophy of building forward depth than the fact those three were considered the best players. If the team keeps the pick, the assumption is it will take London winger Rick Nash, regarded as the second-best skater behind Bouwmeester.IMMEDIATE NEED The team desperately needs a proven center and at least one top-four defenseman, preferably one who plays with a physical edge. Organizationally, defensive depth isn&rsquo;t a concern. There are several blueline prospects in the system, either in Chicago of the American League or in the amateur ranks. But a veteran is needed to steady that group. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if Waddell dangles some of his prospects in trade talks.LONG TERM NEED If goalie prospects Pasi Nurminen and Frederic Cassivi keep developing, the team should be OK in the crease. They also have draftees Michael Garnett (80th overall, 2001) and Zdenek Smid (168th, 2000), although neither figures to be a potential star along the lines of Rick DiPietro (Islanders) or Ryan Miller (Buffalo).With the organization deep in defensive prospects - led by early picks Libor Ustrnul (42nd, 2000), Dja Nikulin (31st, 2000) and Kirill Safronov (19th by Phoenix, 1999) - scoring is the greatest need. The team has yet to draft a center who has proven to be an impact NHLer; injuries and poor productivity continue to dog Stefan.READY TO STEP IN There were times last year it seemed every young prospect took a turn in the lineup. But Nurminen was the most impressive, playing nine games and showing he is more than capable of being the backup, with the possibility of eventually challenging for the No. 1 job.RESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;agents Yuri Butsayev, C, 23; Jeff Cowan, LW, 25; Jeff Dessner, D, 25; Mark Hartigan, C, 24; Milan Hnilicka, G, 29; Tomi Kallio, LW, 25; Francis Lessard, D, 23; Brian Pothier, D, 25; Pascal Rheaume, C, 29; Ben Simon, C, 24; Dan Snyder, C, 24; Patrik Stefan, C, 21; Andy Sutton, D, 27; Brad Tapper, RW, 24; Daniel Tjarnqvist, D, 25; Yannick Tremblay, D, 26; Mike Weaver, D, 24.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Bryan Adams, LW, 25; Todd Reirden, D, 31; Adam Burt, D, 33.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish&nbsp;30thDraft position each round 1st2002 first round 2ndBest first round pick: Ilya KovalchukChosen: 1st overall, 2001Russian led team in goals (29) as an 18-year-old this season, showing the potential to be one of the NHL&rsquo;s all-time greats.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Atlanta&rsquo;s system:1. Libor Ustrnul, D, Plymouth (OHL)2. Klril Safronov, D, Chicago (AHL)3. Kamil Piros, C, Chicago (AHL)4. Pasi Nurminen, G, Chicago (AHL)5. Kurtis Foster, D, Chicago (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1970 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1970 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1970 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Gilbert Perreault Buffalo2. Dale Tallon Vancouver3. Reggie Leach Boston4. Rick MacLeish Boston5. Ray Martiniuk Montreal6. Chuck Lefley Montreal7. Greg Polis Pittsburgh8. Darryl Sittier Toronto9. Ron Plumb Boston10. Chris Oddleifson Oakland11. Normand Gratton Rangers12. Serge Lajeunesse Detroit13. Bob Stewart Boston14. Dan Maloney Chicago<h3>1970 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Gilbert Perreault, C, Buf *****Darryl Sittier, C, Tor *****Reggie Leach, RW, Phi ****Rick MacLeish, C, Phi ****Dale Tallon, D, Chi ****Chuck Lefley, LW, StL ***Chris Oddleifson, C, Van ***Dan Maloney, LW, Det ***Greg Polis, LW, Pit * * *Bob Stewart, D, Clf ***Normand Gratton, LW, Buf **Serge Lajeunesse, RW, Det **Ron Plumb, D, Har *Ray Martiniuk, G &#9632;

f0035-01

Willing to deal No. 2 pick?

<div class="byline">By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0036-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-011035/8039712-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Glen Murray 18th overall by Boston (&rsquo;91)Terry O&rsquo;Reilly, Boston (Brian Babineau/SA)</figcaption></div>When Boston GM Mike O&rsquo;Connell was putting together the 2001-02 edition of the Bruins last summer character and leadership were as important as talent.O&rsquo;Connell wanted to build around his young nucleus of Joe Thornton, Sergei Samsonov and Kyle McLaren. So after hiring coach Robbie Ftorek to lead the club back to respectability, O&rsquo;Connell reeled in right winger Martin Lapointe, defenseman Sean O&rsquo;Donnell and multi-purpose forward Rob Zamuner as unrestricted free agents.And after trading Jason Allison and Mikko Eloranta to the Los Angeles Kings for Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel, the Bruins - who had a healthy No. 1 goaltender in Byron Dafoe - were confident their talent and depth could take them a long way. And it did&hellip;in the regular season, anyway.Now O&rsquo;Connell, who has a slew of free agents to haggle with this summer, has to figure out what went wrong and most importantly, what he can do about preventing it from happening again.CALLING THE SHOTS Scott Bradley, Boston&rsquo;s director of amateur scouting the past five years, has the most clout.The 38-year-old native of British Columbia, who has been on the Bruins&rsquo;s scouting staff on a full-time basis since the 1993-94 campaign, was all over the map this season. In addition to trekking across North America, Bradley ventured to the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Russia and even Hungary.Assistant GM Jeff Gorton also has an active role in drafting players, while O&rsquo;Connell presides over the proceedings.&ldquo;Mike gives me the final say on most stuff,&rdquo; Bradley said. &ldquo;Unless we&rsquo;re really at odds, Mike lets the amateur guys do their stuff. It comes down as a group decision, but I&rsquo;ve seen most of the players and I probably do have the final say.&rsquo;&rsquo; draft tendency Selecting the best player available is a well-worn cliche, but Bradley said it is absolutely true and always has been.&ldquo;Most teams go on the same philosophy,&rdquo; Bradley said. &ldquo;The most talented player available. I&rsquo;m not saying we don&rsquo;t look at needs. For example, if our depth at goalie isn&rsquo;t great, we&rsquo;ll look strongly at taking a goalie if he&rsquo;s there at a certain pick.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEED If there&rsquo;s a liability, it&rsquo;s the lack of a mature, puck-carrying defenseman. The Bruins&rsquo;s power play struggled all season (13.8 per cent, 26th in NHL) in part because it relied too much on its forwards and didn&rsquo;t get enough assistance from the blueline.The Bruins brought up 22-year-old Jonathan Girard to play in Game 6 against Montreal. It didn&rsquo;t save Boston from being eliminated that night, but it did give the youngster a taste of playoff pressure. Boston is hoping he&rsquo;ll be ready to assume a regular role next fall.LONG TERM NEED Defensemen. Don Sweeney turns 36 in August and Sean O&rsquo;Donnell will be 31 in October. In three years, the Bruins hope the blueliners they&rsquo;ve drafted over the last several years will be filling the holes that open up as players retire, leave through free agency or are traded.Goaltending is also a question mark. Many expect that Byron Dafoe will be playing elsewhere next year and it&rsquo;s unknown if John Grahame is now ready - or ever will be - to be a No. 1. Andrew Raycroft, 22, is waiting in the wings, but he doesn&rsquo;t project to be an NHL star.READY TO STEP IN Girard is the most logical candidate, given his skating and offensive skills, but it could be defenseman Shaone Morrisonn who is closest.O&rsquo;Connell said he was impressed by Morrisonn&rsquo;s performance in training camp last fall. &ldquo;For him to play defense right now in the NHL, that could be a stretch,&rdquo; O&rsquo;Connell said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s tall, around 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4, and he&rsquo;s on the lean side. But we can correct that.&rdquo;RESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;AGENTS P. J. Axelsson, LW, 27; Dennis Bonvie, RW, 28; Nick Boynton, D, 23; Sean Brown, D, 25; John Emmons, C, 27; Jonathan Girard, D, 22; Lee Goren, RW, 24; John Grahame, G, 26; Jay Henderson, LW, 23; Pavel Kolarik, D, 29; Mike Knuble, RW, 29; Eric Manlow, C, 27; Jeff Maund, G, 26; Kyle McLaren, D, 25; Glen Murray, RW, 29; Jamie Rivers, D, 27; Tony Tuzzolino, RW, 26.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Byron Dafoe, G, 31; Bill Guerin, RW, 31; Gord Murphy, D, 35; Jeff Norton, D, 36.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 2ndDraft position each round 29th2002 first round 29thBest first round pick: Ray BourqueChosen: 8th overall, 1979Irreplaceable defenseman delivered extraordinary skills, leadership, class and consistency to Bruins for 21 seasons.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Boston&rsquo;s system:1. Andy Hilbert, C, Providence (AHL)2. Lars Jonsson, D, Leksand (Swe.)3. Shaone Morrisonn, D, Kamloops (WHL)4. Ivan Huml, RW, Providence (AHL)5. Andrew Raycroft, G, Providence (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1971 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1971 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1971 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Guy Lafleur Montreal2. Marcel Dionne Detroit3. Jocelyn Guevremont Van.4. Gene Carr St. Louis5. Richard Martin Buffalo6. Ron Jones Boston7. Chuck Arnason Montreal8. Larry Wright Philadelphia9. Pierre Plante Philadelphia10. Steve Vickers Rangers11. Murray Wilson Montreal12. Dan Spring Chicago13. Steve Durbano Rangers14. Terry O'Reilly Boston<h3>1971 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Guy Lafleur, RW. Mtl *****Marcel Dionne, C, LA *****Richard Martin, LW, But ****Terry O&rsquo;Reilly, RW, Bos ****Steve Vickers, LW, NYR ****Jocelyn Guevremont, D, Buf ***Pierre Plante, RW, StL ***Gene Carr, C, LA ***Chuck Arnason, RW, Pit ***Murray Wilson, LW, Mtl ***Steve Durbano, D, Pit **Larry Wright, C, Det **Ron Jones, D, Pit *Dan Spring, C &#9632;

f0036-01

B’s looking for blueliners

<div class="byline">By Bucky Gleason</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0037-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-01924/8039743-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Miroslav Satan 111th overall by Edmonton (&rsquo;93) (Bill Wippert/BBS)</figcaption></div>The Buffalo Sabres&rsquo;s survival for years hinged on how well management made personnel decisions while massaging the budget. It&rsquo;s one reason the Sabres are a defensive team: playing defense is cheaper than paying for offense.The key for Buffalo is drafting well and developing prospects in the American League. That philosophy will not change.However, the Sabres&rsquo;s budget figures to become even tighter this year. Buffalo says it has lost between $10 million and $20 million annually since John Rigas and his three sons took control of the organization five years ago. Missing the playoffs this year did not help.Rigas&rsquo;s company, Adelphia Communications, nosedived early in the new year and drew an SEC investigation after announcing it had at least $2.3 billion in previously unreported debt. The Sabres will feel the pinch.CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS Player personnel director Don Luce has the most influential voice at the draft. He has held the position for the last 16 years.Luce has a knack for finding very good goaltenders. Martin Biron was The Hockey News prospect of the year in 1999 and Mika Noronen had the honor the following two years. Luce also has a jewel in Michigan State goalie Ryan Miller, the 2001 Hobey Baker winner.DRAFT TENDENCY Last year marked the first draft in Luce&rsquo;s tenure the Sabres did not pick at least one defenseman in the first three rounds. They have grabbed a blueliner in the first round six times since 1987, the most of any position.The Sabres took a center in the first round the last two years, hoping to land a much-needed playmaker. Their first three selections last year were all centers.IMMEDIATE NEED The Sabres have not had an elite playmaking center since they traded Pat LaFontaine five years ago. They also haven&rsquo;t had a 40-assist man since 1995-96, when LaFontaine led the team with 51.Buffalo will likely stay the course with centers Curtis Brown, Chris Gratton, Tim Connolly and Stu Barnes rather than make a deal for a proven veteran. Their financial problems also will keep them from landing one - of any significance - in the open market.Instead, the Sabres are hoping Gratton will pick up where he left off at the end of last season. The Sabres must surround him with talent if he&rsquo;s to remain effective. - Connolly, 21, is talented, but he spends too much time stickhandling and not enough finding the open man. Brown is not a true playmaker, while Barnes has never had more than 35 assists in one NHL season.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED Buffalo is hoping left winger Taylor Pyatt will become the power forward they&rsquo;ve lacked for years. Pyatt, acquired from the Islanders with Connolly for Michael Peca, turns 21 in August.The Sabres have had a hole on the left side for years, contributing to poor results on the power play It also allows opposing teams to focus on Buffalo&rsquo;s right side, where Miroslav Satan and Maxim Afinogenov reside. It could become a greater problem if Slava Kozlov shops himself as an unrestricted free agent in 2003.Bk Erik Rasmussen&rsquo;s ice time has been Hjn limited, along with his productivity. tj/BL Since 1993, Rasmussen is the only left winger who was drafted by the Sabres and has played a full season with Buffalo.READY TO&nbsp;STEP IN Noronen, defenseman Henrik Tallinder and right winger Norm Milley. Noronen will likely back up Biron next season. He played well down the stretch this year, finishing with a 4-3-y 1 record and 2.66 goals-against average.Tallinder will get every chance to fill the void left by veteran Richard Smehlik, who is set to test unrestricted free agency. Milley played well in training camp and nearly made the roster in October, but struggled for much of the AHL season in Rochester.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Maxim Afinogenov, RW, 22; Martin Biron, G, 24; Brian Campbell, D, 23; Tim Connolly, C, 21; Chris Gratton, C, 26, Slava Kozlov, LW, 30; Mika Noronen, G, 23, Vaclav Varada, RW, 26; Rhett Warrener, D, 26.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS James Patrick, D, 39; Rob Ray, RW, 34; Richard Smehlik, D, 32.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish&nbsp;20thDraft position each round 11th2002 first round 11th, 29th*Best first round pick: Gilbert PerreaultChosen: 1st overall, 1970The superstar center was Buffalo&rsquo;s first-ever top pick and dangled his way all the way into the Hall of Fame.* Buffalo obtained Detroit&rsquo;s pick, which could he 20th or 30th.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Buffalo&rsquo;s system:1. Ryan Miller, G, Michigan (CCHA)2. Mika Noronen, G, Rochester (AHL)3. Henrik Tallinder. D, Rochester (AHL)4. Jiri Novotny, C, Budejovice (Czech)5. Jason Pominville, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL) "RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1972 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1972 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1972 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Billy Harris Islanders2. Jacques Richard Atlanta3. Don Lever Vancouver4. Steve Shutt Montreal5. Jim Schoenfeld Buffalo6. Michel Larocque Montreal7. Bill Barber Philadelphia8. Dave Gardner Montreal9. Wayne Merrick St. Louis10. Albert Blanchard Rangers11. George Ferguson Toronto12. Jerry Byers Minnesota13. Phil Russell Chicago14. John Van Boxmeer Montreal15. Bobby MacMillan Rangers16. Mike Bloom Boston<h3>1972 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career* * * * Above average* ** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Steve Shutt, LW, Mtl *****Bill Barber, LW, Phi *****Don Lever, LW. Van ****Phil Russell, D, Chi ***Jim Schoenfeld, D, Buf ****Bobby MacMillan, RW, Atl ****John Van Boxmeer, D, Buf ***Billy Harris, RW, NYI ***Jacques Richard, LW, Que ***George Ferguson, C, Pit ***Michel Larocque, G, Mtl ***Wayne Merrick, C, NYI ***Dave Gardner, C, Cie ***Mike Bloom, LW, Det **Jerry Byers, LW, Min *Albert Blanchard, LW &#9632;

f0037-01

Budget woes affect plan

<div class="byline">By Eric Duhatschek</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0038-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011003/8039774-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jarome Iginla 11th overall by Dallas (&rsquo;95)Lanny McDonald, Calgary (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>As an NHL executive, Craig Button cut his teeth on the player development side. Prior to joining Calgary as their GM, Button spent 12 seasons in the Dallas Stars&rsquo;s organization, two as the team&rsquo;s director of player personnel, which followed six years as the club&rsquo;s director of scouting.Accordingly, Button tends to keep his hands on the scouting side. He went to the world junior, the under-18 championship, saw Western League games in Calgary and took a turn through the Ontario League earlier in the season. For all that, Button has discovered what other GMs before him learned, too: as much as you want to spend time watching the prospects, the time constraints of the job make it difficult to do so.&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t have all your fingers in all the pies,&rdquo; Button said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got some good people running the scouting, they&rsquo;ve taken ownership of it - and away they go.&rdquo;This year represents only the second draft for Button since he replaced Al Coates as GM in the summer of 2000.Although he&rsquo;d been hired by the time the 2000 entry draft rolled around, the draft was hands of then chief scout Ian McKenzie.CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS Button relies equally on two men to run the draft - his brother Tod, the club&rsquo; director of scouting; and Mike Sands, director of amateur scouting.Sands primarily scouts amateur players, while Tod Button does both pro and amateur and is responsible for pulling all the information together. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re cochairs,&rdquo; Craig Button said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got their hands on the steering wheel.&rdquo;DRAFT TENDENCY There has been no identifiable pattern to Calgary&rsquo;s first round selections over the past half-dozen years. They&rsquo;ve selected players at all three positions; they&rsquo;ve chosen both Europeans and North Americans; and they&rsquo;ve picked players from U.S. college and Canadian major junior.Button says he puts a premium on three qualities, two of which are largely intangibles. &ldquo;What we&rsquo;re always looking for is, guys who can skate, guys who can think and guys that want to try to make a difference,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re trying to find.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEED Scoring, the same as most teams in the NHL. Only four Western Conference clubs scored fewer than the 201 goals produced by Calgary this year and that number was largely the result of the 52 goals scored by right winger Jarome Iginla. Only two others (Iginla&rsquo;s linemates Craig Conroy and Dean McAmmond) scored more than 15 goals and only five hit double-digits (Marc Savard and Chris Clark were the others).Ideally, the team would like to insert another above-average NHL scorer, but since that commodity likely will not be within their budgetary reach, they&rsquo;d settle for adding players capable of scoring between 15 and 25 goals.LONG TERM NEED There are two elements in the organization that need addressing. The first is goaltending in the post-Roman Turek era. At the moment, the Flames have three youngsters in the system - Brent Krahn, Levente Szuper and Dany Sabourin - but it&rsquo;s not clear if any are capable of emerging as a No. 1 goalie, someone able to play 60-plus games per season. Secondly, they must do a better job of developing top-flight forwards and defensemen. Apart from some young blueliners - Derek Morris, Denis Gauthier and Toni Lydman - most of the players who made a difference this season were acquired in trades.READY TO STEP IN The Flames believe defenseman Jordan Leopold - who played four years at the University of Minnesota, captured the Hobey Baker Award this season and represented Team USA at the 2002 world championship - is ready for the NHL.Partly, it&rsquo;s because of his age (22) and partly it&rsquo;s because of his skill level. As with all prospects, there&rsquo;s the uncertainty of knowing how he&rsquo;ll adapt to the NHL&rsquo;s physical play.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Steve Begin, LW, 24; Chris Clark, RW, 26; Denis Gauthier, D, 25; Jarome Iginla, RW, 24; Toni Lydman, D, 24; Rob Niedermayer, C, 27; Robyn Regehr, D, 22; Clarke Wilm, C, 25.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Craig Berube, RW, 36; Igor Kravchuk, D, 35; Mike Vernon, G, 39.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 22ndDraft position each round 9th2002 first round 9thBest first round pick: Al MaclnnisChosen; 15th overall, 1981Conn Smythe Trophy winner on 1989 Stanley Cup champs ended Calgary career as team&rsquo;s No. 2 all-time scorer with 822 points.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Calgary&rsquo;s system:1. Jordan Leopold, D, Minnesota (WCHA)2. Chuck Kobasew, RW, Kelowna (WHL)3. Oleg Saprykin, LW, Saint John (AHL)4. Blair Betts, C, Saint John (AHL)5. Steve Montador, D, Saint John (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1973 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1973 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1973 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Denis Potvin Islanders2. Tom Lysiak Atlanta3. Dennis Ververgaert Vancouver4. Lanny McDonald Toronto5. John Davidson St. Louis6. Andre Savard Boston7. Blaine Stoughton Pittsburgh8. Bob Gainey Montreal9. Bob Dailey Vancouver10. Bob Neely Toronto11. Terry Richardson Detroit12. Morris Titanic Buffalo13. Darcy Rota Chicago14. Rick Middleton Rangers15. Ian Turnbull Toronto16. Vic Mercredi Atlanta<h3>1973 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Denis Potvin, D, NYI *****Bob Gainey, LW, Mtl *****Lanny McDonald, RW, Cgy *****Rick Middleton, RW, Bos ****Tom Lysiak, C, Chi ****Blaine Stoughton, RW, Har ****Ian Turnbull, D, Tor ****Bob Dailey, D, Phi ****Darcy Rota, LW, Van ***Andre Savard, C, Buf ***Dennis Ververgaert, RW, Van ***John Davidson, G, NYR ***Bob Neely, LW, Tor **Terry Richardson, G, Det *Morris Titanic, LW, Buf *Vic Mercredi, C, Atl * &#9632;

f0038-01

Button down with scouts

<div class="byline">By Luke DeCock</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0039-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-01943/8039805-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron ftancis 4th overall by Hartford (&rsquo;81)Clark Gillies, Islanders (Dan Hamilton/VPS)</figcaption></div>With his big hits, game-winning goals and feisty power-forward play, rookie Erik Cole was the sensation of Carolina&rsquo;s first round playoff win over the New Jersey Devils.But Cole is only one of a number of homegrown players who made a difference for Carolina this season. For the first time in years, the Hurricanes are seeing their system produce NHL players in bunches.Josef Vasicek, in his second season, is the team&rsquo;s future at center. His good friend and Czech Republic countryman Jaroslav Svoboda, with 10 games of NHL experience to his credit, was among the leading rookie scorers in the playoffs.And don&rsquo;t forget 1999 top pick David Tanabe, the smooth-skating defenseman who missed all but one playoff game with a broken wrist.Even the Canes&rsquo;s much-maligned recent No. 1 draft picks, Nikos Tselios (22nd overall in 1997) and Jeff Heerema (11th, 1998), are showing signs they may eventually validate their selections.CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS Sheldon Ferguson, the Hurricanes&rsquo;s director of amateur scouting, will always be proudest of his selection of two-time All-Star Game participant Sami Kapanen in the fourth round (87th overall) in 1995. His recent drafts, though, may have a bigger impact. While some of his first round picks have been suspect, Ferguson has shown himself to be a master in the later rounds. Six players selected by Ferguson in the past four dAktip* drafts were on the ice during the playoffs: defensemen Tanabe and Niclas Wallin and forwards Cole, Svoboda, Vasicek and Tommy Westlund.DRAFT TENDENCY The experience of the Keith Primeau holdout three seasons ago ushered in a new draft philosophy. The Hurricanes now place a heavy premium on character when making their picks.Last year&rsquo;s draft was a prime example. With their top pick, 15th overall, they took Igor Knyazev, who captained the Russian under-18 team and wore a letter at the World Junior Championship last winter. Their second pick was Mike Zigomanis, then-captain of Kingston in the Ontario League.IMMEDIATE NEED The trade for Kevin Weekes solved the organization&rsquo;s biggest problem, a goalie to spell and eventually replace 35-year-old Arturs Irbe. The Hurricanes still need another top-line left winger, which would allow them to move Kapanen back to his preferred right side. The emergence of Svoboda mitigated that need somewhat, as he combined with Vasicek and Martin Gelinas to give Carolina a third line threat.Carolina&rsquo;s biggest problem this summer may be at the negotiating table. Kapanen and Jeff O&rsquo;Neill are both restricted free agents and Ron Francis is eligible for unrestricted free agency.Defenseman Bret Hedican, who was a perfect fit on the ice and in the dressing room when he was acquired in January, is also unrestricted. The Canes will face heavy competition for his signature.LONG TERM NEED The Hurricanes are hoping either Tomas Malec or Knyazev will develop into a top-four defenseman and ultimately take over for stalwart Glen Wesley, while Zigomanis and Vasicek offer security down the middle.Carolina&rsquo;s system has some skillbd wingers coming up through the system, but the Canes don&rsquo;t have much in the way of Cole-type players to replace hard-working veterans such as Gelinas.The Hurricanes think Weekes is the long-term answer to their net needs.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN Heerema&rsquo;s junior scoring totals never measurably improved after his draft year and it started to look like the right winger&rsquo;s career may have peaked when he was 18. His first season of pro hockey didn&rsquo;t change that impression, but the 22-year-old took a giant leap forward this year with Lowell in the American League. Heerema led the Lock Monsters in scoring with 33 goals and 70 points in 76 games while developing his consistency.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Kevyn Adams, C, 27; Sami Kapanen, LW, 29; Jeff O&rsquo;Neill, RW, 26; David Tanabe, D, 21; Aaron Ward, D, 29; Niclas Wallin, D, 27.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Jeff Daniels, LW, 34; Ron Francis, C, 39; Bret Hedican, D, 31.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 16thDraft position each round&nbsp;25th*2002 first round 25th*Best first round pick: Ron FrancisChosen: 4th overall, 1981&nbsp;In his second incarnation with the franchise, the Sault Ste. Marie native is showing no signs of slowing down at age 39.* Stanley Cup champion picks 30th<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Carolina&rsquo;s system:1. Igor Knyazev, D, AK Bars Kazan (Rus.)2. Mike Zigomanis. C, Lowell (AHL)3. Jeff Heerema, RW, Lowell (AHL)4. Ryan Bayda, LW, North Dakota (WCHA)5. Tomas Malec, D, Rimouski (QMJHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1974 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1974 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1974 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Greg Joly Washington2. Wilf Paiement Kansas City3. Rick Hampton California4. Clark Gillies Islanders5. Cam Connor Montreal6. Doug Hicks Minnesota7. Doug Risebrough Montreal8. Pierre Larouche Pittsburgh9. Bill Lochead Detroit10. Rick Chartraw Montreal11. Lee Fogolin Buffalo12. Mario Tremblay Montreal13. Jack Valiquette Toronto14. Dave Maloney Rangers15. Gord McTavish Montreal16. Grant Mulvey Chicago17. Ron Chipperfield California18. Don Larway Boston<h3>1974 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall Of fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty. &#9632;

f0039-01

Good picks emerging

Ken Dryden isn&rsquo;t 100 per cent certain, but he thinks it was his Etobicoke Jr. B coach who informed him he had been drafted by the Boston Bruins. That&rsquo;s right, the Bruins.You see, in 1964 when Dryden was chosen 14th overall, the draft wasn&rsquo;t the splash it is today Nowadays the majority of top picks, along with their family, friends and, of course, agents, gather in one city to celebrate their coming out. This year&rsquo;s draft is at Toronto&rsquo;s Air Canada Centre June 22-23.For Dryden, who went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Montreal Canadiens and is now executive vice-president of the Maple Leafs, having the draft in Toronto has special meaning.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s one more point of pride for our team and for the city of Toronto,&rdquo; Dryden said. &ldquo;The draft signifies the end of one season and the beginning of the next. It&rsquo;s a moment of genuine celebration.&rdquo;Previously, the draft was held behind closed doors. From 1963 to 1969, the NHL had an amateur draft for the selection of players who did not appear on an NHL&rsquo;s sponsored list. This was done to phase out the sponsorship of junior teams and amateur players. The amateur draft became the entry draft in 1969.The 2002 draft in Toronto will be preceded by a top prospects clinic at the Lakeshore Lions Arena June 20 during which prospects will participate in drills with local amateur players. The following day fans have an opportunity to see the top prospects as they are introduced at the Metro Hall at noon. The prospects will then meet with the media during a luncheon.The draft will again be broken into two segments, the first three rounds taking place June 22 beginning at 1 p.m. (EST). The Florida Panthers have first pick having won the April 16 draft lottery. The draft is free to the public and doors open at 11 a.m., Advance tickets are required and they are available by calling (416) 703-5323. Rounds four through nine will be held June 23 beginning at 9 a.m. (EST). Doors open to the public at 8:30.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-03474/8039836-1-eng-US/f0039-032.jpg" title="f0039-03" width="246" height="309"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ken Dryden</figcaption></div>The first three rounds will be carried live on both TSN in Canada and ESPN2 in the U.S. from 1-5 p.m. (EST). The NHL Network will show the draft live from 1-6 p.m.Both the <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> and <a href="http://NHL.com">nhl.com</a> will provide real-time updates. <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">Thehockeynews.com</a> will provide analysis on the players selected in the first round. &#9632;

f0039-03

Hosting 2002 draft another Leaf in Toronto’s cap

You would think after 14 years, putting together the final list of prospects for the NHL entry draft would be a breeze for the head of the NHL&rsquo;s Central Scouting Service. Think again.&ldquo;Each year is different and each year we have lively debates about which players should be ranked where,&rdquo; Bonello said.This year in particular was a tough one to rank the players. Although there is some great top-end talent with the likes of Medicine Hat defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, London left winger Rick Nash, Finnish goaltender Kari Lehtonen and Finnish defenseman Joni Pitkanen, there is a significant dropoff after that.&ldquo;This certainly is not one of our better drafts,&rdquo; said Bonello, who oversees a staff that includes nine full-time scouts and eight part timers in North America (as well as Goran Stubb and seven scouts in Europe).&ldquo;After the top dozen or 14 players - from, say, the middle of the first round - there are some good players who all seem to be at a similar level,&rdquo; Bonello said. &ldquo;So what you have to do is break down their individual skills and decide what appeals to you about the player. His skating? His shot? His toughness?&ldquo;Basically you have a lot of players who are pretty good, but are all the same.&rdquo;After the most obvious potential top picks, deciding on who should rank in the next tier of picks comes down to individual taste. Former NHL goalie Mike Palmateer, who has been with the CSS for three years, said his top three criteria are skating, size and heart.&ldquo;If you can&rsquo;t skate you can&rsquo;t play in the NHL,&rdquo; Palmateer said. &ldquo;And if you don&rsquo;t have the size it becomes very difficult to play in the NHL. If you have heart you can make' up for a shortage in the other two areas. Obviously skill matters, too, but for me it&rsquo;s skating, size and heart.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-03294/8039898-1-eng-US/f0040-032.jpg" title="f0040-03" width="253" height="320"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike Palmateer</figcaption></div>The CSS supplies information on prospects to all 30 NHL teams. It provides a list to the teams that identifies the top Jr. B and Jr. A prospects in October and then, at the end of November, releases it&rsquo;s preliminary list for the next entry draft.That list is updated in January when teams are given the mid-term ranking and the CSS&rsquo;s final list comes out in mid-April. It appears on pages 28-29. &#9632;

f0040-03

Ranking players for entry draft always tough chore

<div class="byline">By Jim Benton</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0041-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01542/8039929-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Joe Sakic 15th overall by Quebec (87)Bernie Federko, St. Louis</figcaption></div>The Colorado Avalanche&rsquo;s success on draft day has been well-documented and the organization feels it is still well-stocked for the future.The Avalanche has used many of its draft picks as the foundations for the blockbuster trade-deadline deals the team has made the past four seasons.As well, the defending Stanley Cup champions used 10 rookies in its lineup this season, corroborating the club&rsquo;s claim there are many good prospects remaining in the organization.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re an organization that loves to work with young kids,&rdquo; said coach Bob Hartley. &ldquo;Maybe it&rsquo;s because of my background with junior kids and American League kids. I love to see young kids come up.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think there is a better organization in the NHL for a young player to get drafted because of the quality of our leaders. You look at the top of the lineup to the bottom and it&rsquo;s only good people that are committed.&rdquo;CALLING THE SHOTS Jim Hammett will be GM Pierre Lacroix&rsquo;s right-hand man on draft day for the second year in a row.It&rsquo;s much too early to judge Hammett&rsquo;s success since the 2001 draft was his first as chief scout with the franchise.&ldquo;Jim Hammett will have the final say on draft day,&rdquo; said Michel Goulet, the Avs&rsquo; vice president of player personnel. &ldquo;Jim has responded. There&rsquo;s no question that he will feel more comfortable this year. It takes a lot of work. He has seen a lot of players and traveled many miles. It takes a year to figure out where this guy or that guy is going to fit and then you always have a surprise on draft day.&rdquo;DRAFT TENDENCY The Avalanche&rsquo;s draft philosophy has remained the same: draft the best player available.&ldquo;I think pretty much every team has the same way of going after the best player,&rdquo; Goulet said. &ldquo;In our case we always look for the player we feel is going to make it. Sometimes in the later rounds, you go after a player that maybe has one great skill. It could be defense or it could be offense. We&rsquo;re still talking about a player that is 18 or 19 years old so it is kind of a projection.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEED The Avs will be looking for another player like defenseman Pascal Trepanier - who signed as a free agent last September and played 74 games this season - to fit into the fifth or sixth slot on the Colorado blueline. If the Avalanche doesn&rsquo;t retain Darius Kasparaitis, the need for a defenseman becomes more acute.The Avs could also use a big power forward who can provide a threat in the slot on the power play. However, with the leaguewide high demand for power forwards who can score, the Avs might have to develop one.LONG TERM NEED Colorado must ensure one of David Aebischer, Philippe Sauve or possibly Peter Budaj is ready to step in when goalie Patrick Roy retires. Roy is 36 and has one year plus an option remaining on his contract.Colorado is set for years with its top defensemen, Rob Blake and Adam Foote. Greg deVries is coming off a career season and the Avs hope third-year pro Martin Skoula can step up and be more consistent.But the team has a definite need for more defensive depth, although Bryan Muir played well in a late-season call-up. The Avs also believe blueliners Alex Riazantsev and Jaroslav Obsut will mature into NHL players.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN Vaclav Nedorost, a Czech Republic native, started the season with the Avalanche, but was sent to Hershey to get more playing time because there was no room in Colorado for another center.Nedorost, 20, continued his adjustment to North American hockey and lifestyle at Hershey. Colorado was happy with his progress during the second half of the season, when he started to show some grit to go along with his playmaking abilities and showed development in learning play out of position on the wing.Nedorost had 12 goals and 34 points in 49 games with Hershey after collecting two goals and four points in 25 games with Colorado.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Dan Hinote, RW, 25; Alex Tanguay RW, 23; Martin Skoula, D, 23.UNRESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;AGENTS Darius Kasparaitis, D, 29.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 4thDraft position each round 28th*2002 first round 28th*Best first round pick: Joe SakicChosen: 15th overall, 1987The second of two Nordiques&rsquo; first rounders in '87 holds franchise records for goals, assists, points and games played.* Stanley Cup champion picks 30th in each round.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Colorado&rsquo;s system:1. Vaclav Nedorost, C, Hershey (AHL)2. Sergei Soin, C, Soviet Wings (Rus.)3. Peter Budaj, G, St. Michael&rsquo;s (OHL)4. Jordan Krestanovich, LW, Hershey (AHL)5. Mikhail Kuleshov, LW, Hershey (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1976 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1976 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1976 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Rick Green Washington2. Blair Chapman Pittsburgh3. Glen Sharpley Minnesota4. Fred Williams Detroit5. Bjorn Johansson California6. Don Murdoch Rangers7. Bernie Federko St. Louis8. Dave Shand Atlanta9. Real Cloutier Chicago10. Harold Phillip off Atlanta11. Paul Gardner Kansas City12. Peter Lee Montreal13. Rod Schutt Montreal14. Alex McKendry Islanders15. Greg Carroll Washington16. Clayton Pachal Boston17. Mark Suzor Philadelphia18. Bruce Baker Montreal<h3>1976 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty. &#9632;

f0041-01

Some farm aid if stars fade

In a perfect world, every player chosen by an NHL team would be signed to a contract and go on to a Hall of Fame career. But we all know it isn&rsquo;t a perfect world.Drafted prospects are subjected to evaluation and if a team decides it made a mistake with its pick or the two sides are unable to come to terms on a contract, the player goes back into the draft.Major junior players are subjected to potential re-entry into the draft. European and college prospects remain property of the team that picks them according to collective bargaining agreement regulations.There have been various cases of first rounders not signing and getting selected two years later. Defenseman Nick Boynton was selected ninth overall by Washington in 1997. He didn&rsquo;t sign with the Capitals so he went back into the draft and was taken 21st overall by Boston in 1999.Scott Kelman wasn&rsquo;t so lucky. He was chosen 15th overall by Phoenix in 1999. He re-entered the draft last year and was not picked at all. Kelman, who scored 34 goals and 84 points in 71 games with Tri-City of the Western League this season, is a free agent for any team interested.Major junior players chosen two years ago in Calgary who have not signed are eligible to re-enter the 2002 draft.Players drafted in 2000 need to receive a qualifying offer from the team that chose them before the following June 1. If the player is not sighed by June 1 two years later, he is eligible to re-enter the draft and the team that originally picked the player will be given a compensatory pick.(See pg. 43 for more on compensatory picks.)Vancouver draft pick Nathan Smith (23rd overall in 2000) remained unsigned in the days leading up to the June 1 deadline. He had 60 points in 47 games during an injury-riddled season with Swift Current (WHL). Should the Canucks not sign Smith, he would go back into the draft and Vancouver is compensated with the 23rd pick in the second round of the 2002 draft.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-03265/8039960-1-eng-US/f0041-032.jpg" title="f0041-03" width="253" height="311"><figcaption class="caption-body">Nick Boynton</figcaption></div>Several second rounders from 2000 were also unsigned as the deadline approached. They include Jarret Stoll (Calgary), Jared Aulin (Los Angeles), Gerard Dicaire (Buffalo) and Filip Novak (Rangers). Aulin is the best of the bunch - he&rsquo;s rated No. 34 in THN&rsquo;s Future Watch 2002 - and would surely go in the first round this year if he is not signed by Los Angeles. &#9632;

f0041-03

Re-entering draft not always a player’s top choice

<div class="byline">By Aaron Portzline</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0042-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01551/8039991-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ray Whitney 23rd overall by San Jose (&rsquo;91)Doug Wilson, Chicago (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>The Columbus Blue Jackets were hoping the upside of their 22-win, 57-point debacle of a season would be the No. 1 pick in this year&rsquo;s entry draft.Instead, the NHL lottery was a frustrating capper to a frustrating season. They settled for the No. 3 pick in the draft, which still is the highest pick the organization has ever had.Now Columbus is trying to remain optimistic the player they select will be able to help them in 2002-03.That player could be a high-powered forward such as Rick Nash, but Columbus would be delighted if Jay Bouwmeester - by some minor miracle - fell into their hands. They could turn the blueline over to Bouwmeester and Rostislav Klesla, the fourth overall pick in 2000, for the better part of the next two decades.CALLING THE SHOTS GM-president Doug MacLean places an enormous amount of trust in Don Boyd, the director of amateur scouting. Boyd has been with the Blue Jackets since long before they took to the ice and MacLean seems reasonably pleased with Columbus&rsquo;s first two drafts, especially the team has taken in the late rounds, some of whom may surface as soon as next season.DRAFT TENDENCY Two years does not a tendency make, but the Blue Jackets 1 drafted for defense and for something they sorely need, top pick two years ago, Klesla, tinues to fill out and will probably top out in the neighborhood of 6-foot-3,225 pounds. Last year the Jackets took goalie Pascal Leclaire because he was the top commodity remaining when their turn to pick-eighth overall - came around. Beyond those two, they&rsquo;ve made it a point to draft physical specimens, such as forwards Kiel McLeod (6-foot-6, 240 pounds) and Tim Jackman (6-foot-3,210) with their second and third picks last year.IMMEDIATE NEED The Jackets&rsquo;s blueline became younger and more skilled when they traded Jamie Pushor and Lyle Odelein at the trade deadline and brought in Jaroslav Spacek. They&rsquo;re delighted with Spacek, especially the way he moves the puck. He and Klesla are fixtures and so is Mattias Timander. Other than that, they&rsquo;ve got some blueline holes to fill.Deron Quint is a human roller-coaster-except that roller-coasters go up as much as they go down - and Radim Bicanek did little to prove himself a long-term NHL-caliber player. Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre can be effective, but he has been unfairly caught in a back-and-forth position between forward and defenseman for too long.LONG TERM NEED The Blue Jackets, above all else, need more scoring from their forwards. This is an immediate need as well, but it&rsquo;s worth noting that Ray Whitney, Geoff Sanderson, Grant Marshall and Mike Sillinger - the four players who carry and create almost all of the offense - are all 30 years old or fast approaching. Last season was a perfect example of what happens when one of them is missing from the lineup for a prolonged time. Sanderson was plagued by injuries and the team, unable to score more than two goals a game, bottomed out. Columbus, last in the NHL with 164 goals in 2001-02, will go nowhere until it lands a Marian Gaborik-type player, ideally in the draft. This is why the Jackets are fighting the urge to publicly drool over Nash.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN McLeod looks like a king-sized mattress on skates. He&rsquo;s huge, immovable and opponents simply bounce off him. He&rsquo;s young - he doesn&rsquo;t turn 21 until December - but the Jackets will give him every opportunity to make the club in training camp because they desperately need his size up front. They project him as a second- or third-line center down the road, but his chance next season will likely be as a role player.The big question facing McLeod is his skating. It needs to improve if he&rsquo;s to become a full-fledged NHLer.RESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;agents Serge Aubin, C, 27; Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, D/F, 25; Espen Knutsen, C, 30; Grant Marshall, RW, 29; Deron Quint, D, 26; Geoff Sanderson, LW, 30; Mattias Timander, D, 28.UNRESTRICTED FREE agents Jamie Heward, D/F, 31; Kevin Dineen, RW, 38.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 29thDraft position each round 2nd2002 first round 3rdBest first round pick: Rostislav KleslaChosen: 4th overall, 2000Talented defenseman was steady throughout rookie season; real skill level began to emerge late in campaign.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Columbus&rsquo;s system:1. Pascal Leclalre, G, Montreal (QMJHL)2. Chris Nielsen. C, Syracuse (AHL)3. Kiel McLeod. C, Kelowna (WHL)4. Andrej Nedorost, C, Syracuse (AHL)5. Tim Jackman, RW, Michigan State (CCHA)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1977 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1977 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1977 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Dale McCourt Detroit2. Barry Beck Colorado3. Robert Picard Washington4. Jere Gillis Vancouver5. Mike Crombeen Cleveland6. Doug Wilson Chicago7. Brad Maxwell Minnesota8. Lucien DeBlois Rangers9. Scott Campbell St. Louis10. Mark Napier Montreal11. John Anderson Toronto12. Trevor Johansson Toronto13. Ron Duguay Rangers14. Ric Seiling Buffalo15. Mike Bossy Islanders16. Dwight Foster Boston17. Kevin McCarthy Philadelphia18. Normand Dupont MontrealWith hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.* **** Hall of Fame career* *** Above average* ** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Mike Bossy, RW, NYI *****Doug Wilson, D, Chi ****Barry Beck, D, NYR ****Mark Napier, RW, Mtl ****John Anderson, RW, Tor ****Ron Duguay, RW, NYR ****Kevin McCarthy, D, Van ****Robert Picard, D, Que ****Dale McCourt, C, Det ****Lucien DeBlois, C, Wpg ***Brad Maxwell, D, Min ***Ric Seiling, RW, Buf ***Jere Gillis, LW, Van ***Dwight Foster, RW, Bos ***Mike Crombeen, RW, StL ***Normand Dupont, LW, Wpg ***Trevor Johansen, D, Col **Scott Campbell, D, Wpg ** &#9632;

f0042-01

Help wanted everywhere

<div class="byline">By Chuck Carlton</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0043-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-01557/8040022-1-eng-US/f0043-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike Modano 1st overall by Minnesota ('88)Bobby Smith, Minnesota (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>The fortunes of the Dallas Stars can be seen in how they value their draft picks.Not too long ago, when the Stars were maybe a player or two away from a Stanley Cup final appearance, they viewed picks as expendable to achieve their goal.But after their first playoff miss in six seasons, the Stars are looking at this year&rsquo;s draft as a chance to restock a farm system that has paid the price for long-term success.The Stars go to Toronto for the June 22-23 entry draft with two first round selections for the second time in franchise history. In 1979, the Stars took defenseman Craig Hartsburg at No. 6 and left winger Tom McCarthy with the 10th selection.This year, the extra pick comes from New Jersey as part of the four-player deal at the trade deadline that included centers Joe Nieuwendyk and Jason Arnott.&ldquo;Certainly with the second pick, it&rsquo;s a chance to roll the dice,&rdquo; said chief scout Tim Bernhardt.A safe pick with the Stars&rsquo;s selection at No. 13 could lead to a flyer on a player with upside later in the first round.CALLING&nbsp;THE SHOTS&nbsp;Bernhardt has been with the Stars for nine seasons, the past four as chief scout. A former goal-tender who was drafted by the Atlanta Flames in 1978, Bernhardt has shown a willingness to take gambles, partially dictated by the Stars&rsquo;s late draft position. Dallas selected goalie Jason Bacashihua out of the North American League at No. 26 last season; he was the 60th-rated prospect in the 2001 THN Draft Preview. Now, Bacashihua seems to be a good bet to become an eventual NHL starter after a standout Ontario League season.Another pick that has panned out is defenseman John Erskine, whose skating saw him slide into the second round (39th overall) in 1998. Erskine earned a spot in the Stars&rsquo;s top six in the latter stages of this season.Bernhardt made six trips to Europe and went through one stretch of 18 games in nine days this season.DRAFT TENDENCY Everybody knows what a Stars prospect looks like. His heart and guts are as important as his speed and size. The organization wants players who will win games by blocking a shot as much as scoring a goal. Recent picks Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott personify the abrasive nature the Stars prize.Position has usually been a secondary concern. The rule of thumb is simple. &ldquo;If you think a player is going to be a top goaltender, a top-foUr defenseman or a top-six forward, you take the player,&rdquo; Bernhardt said.IMMEDIATE NEEDS Look no further than the scoring from wingers who spent a full season in Dallas. Jere Lehtinen posted a career-high 25 goals. Brenden Morrow had 17, after netting 20 in 2000-01. Next was 36-year-old Kirk Muller with 10. What&rsquo;s the use of having world-class centers without the wingers to finish?Expect the Stars to do what they usually due when faced with a short-term need: spend owner Tom Hicks&rsquo;s money. The Stars will be among the bidders for unrestricted free agents Bill Guerin, Tony Amonte and Scott Young. Power forward Guerin would be the perfect fit on a line with Mike Modano.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEEDS Even if the Stars are successful in the free agent market, they still need to get younger and bigger at forward. The acquisition of Manny Malhotra and Barrett Heisten late in the season from the Rangers illustrated the direction GM Doug Armstrong would like to pursue.Defense is another area of concern. Captain Derian Hatcher is one year away from unrestricted free agencyREADY TO STEP&nbsp;IN Next season should at least see the debut of center Steve Ott, the Stars&rsquo;s first pick in 2000.Ott is coming off a 43-goal, 88-point season with Windsor of the OHL. He excelled for Canada in the world junior. And more than a few rivals have raised his name in trade talks, the highest of compliments.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Jason Arnott, RW, 27; Brenden Morrow, LW, 23; Manny Malhotra, C, 22; Jon Sim, LW, 24; Sami Helenius, D, 28.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Ed Belfour, G, 37; John MacLean, RW, 37; Dave Manson, D, 35; Randy McKay, RW, 35; Kirk Muller, C, 36; Pat Verbeek, RW, 38.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 17thDraft position each round 13th2002 first round 13th, 20thBest first round pick: Mike ModanoChosen: 1st overall, 1988The speedster has developed into one of the best two-way players in the game as well as one of hockey&rsquo;s classiest ambassadors.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Dallas&rsquo;s system:1. Jason Bacashihua, G, Plymouth (OHL)2. Steve Ott. C, Windsor (OHL)3. Dan Ellis, G, Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA)4. John Erskine, D, Utah (AHL)5. Mike Ryan, C, Northeastern (HE)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1978 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1978 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1978 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Bobby Smith Minnesota2. Ryan Walter Washington3. Wayne Babych St. Louis4. Bill Derlago Vancouver5. Mike Gillis Colorado6. Behn Wilson Philadelphia7. Ken Linseman Philadelphia8. Danny Geoffrion Montreal9. Willie Huber Detroit10. Tim Higgins Chicago11. Brad Marsh Atlanta12. Brent Peterson Detroit13. Larry Playfair Buffalo14. Dan Lucas Philadelphia15. Steve Tambellini Islanders16. Al Secord Boston17. Dave Hunter Montreal18. Tim Coulis Washington<h3>1978 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Bobby Smith, C, Min ****Ken Linseman, C, Bos ****Ryan Wa Iter, C, Mtl * * * *Al Secord, LW, Chi ****Wayne Babych, RW, StL ****Bill Derlago, C, Tor ***Brad Marsh, D, Phi ****Behn Wilson, D, Phi ****Willie Huber, D, Det ****Dave Hunter, LW, Edm ***Brent Peterson, C, Buf ***Larry Playfair, D, Buf ***Tim Higgins, RW, Chi ***Steve Tambellini, C, Van ***Mike Gillis, LW, Bos **Danny Geoffrion, RW, Wpg **Tim Coulis, LW, Min *Dan Lucas, RW, Phi * &#9632;

f0043-01

Different view on draft

<div class="byline">By Nicholas J. Cotsonika</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0044-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-01447/8040084-1-eng-US/f0044-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brendan Shanahan 2nd overall by New Jersey ('87)Mike Foligno, Detroit (Rocky Widner)</figcaption></div>Every year the Detroit Red Wings pursue the Stanley Cup. And so every year they put themselves in a poor draft position.&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the price you pay,&rdquo; assis GM Jim Nill said.Thanks to their success and various trades, the Wings&rsquo;s average first pick over the past decade is 40th overall. They haven&rsquo;t picked higher than 22nd since 1991, when they took Martin Lapointe 10th.This year the Presidents&rsquo; Trophy-winning Wings will select 29th in the draft order, ahead of only the Stanley Cup champions. What&rsquo;s more, like last year, they don&rsquo;t have first- or third-round picks. They traded their first-rounder to Buffalo last summer as part of a package for goaltender Dominik Hasek. They dealt their third-rounder to Atlanta at the deadline for defenseman Jiri Slegr.The Wings could end up with another second-round pick for sending defenseman Aaron Ward to the Hurricanes last summer. The pick is at Carolina&rsquo;s option.CALLING THE SHOTS Nill makes the final decisions. He oversees amateur scouting and travels extensively in North America and a multi-year contract extension in April, but GM Ken Holland thinks he could be a candidate for a GM job. Nill was a finalist for the Calgary job two years ago.That said, the Wings have what Nill describes as a &ldquo;very close&rdquo; staff, and because most of their picks are in the later rounds, he relies on his scouts more than a lot of men might in his position. The scouts have seen the lesser-known kids the most.DRAFT TENDENCY Because the Wings pick so late, they know they aren&rsquo;t going to get any of the top prospects. So they scrounge for diamonds in the rough, and to them, often the rough is in Europe. &ldquo;We feel if you&rsquo;re going to get lucky for the most part in the draft, you&rsquo;re going to get lucky with Europeans, because they&rsquo;re not seen as much,&rdquo; Holland said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re playing in little, out-of-the-way places. You hope one or two surprise you.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEED A lot depends on what happens after the playoffs. If Dominik Hasek retires, the Wings will need a goaltender. They could go after a starter and leave Manny Legace the backup, or vice versa. (Legace has signed a four-year extension laden with incentives; if he becomes a starter he will be paid as such.)If Chris Chelios leaves via free agency, the Wings might try to shore up their defense. They finished the season with 10 defensemen, but two or three or more will be gone. The Wings probably will have a surplus up front, especially because they plan to add prospect Henrik Zetterberg next season.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED Last year, the Red Wings wanted to draft goaltenders. They took two. This year they don&rsquo;t have any special target and will take the best player available regardless of position. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking for assets,&rdquo; Nill said.Considering how late they pick, they have little hope of adding the next Steve Yzerman. But there is a chance the Wings can find good-to-excellent players. The best-case scenario would be for a player - better yet, players - they expect to be good turning out to be excellent. &ldquo;We need to get a surprise from one of these guys,&rdquo; Nill said. &ldquo;We need to get lucky.&rdquo;READY TO STEP IN&nbsp;Zetterberg, a 21-year-old, 5-foot-11,176-pound forward, impressed the Wings while representing Sweden at the 2002 Olympics. He also impressed Sweden captain Mats Sundin, who said Zetterberg reminded him &ldquo;a little bit of maybe a Peter Forsberg.&rdquo;&ldquo;Not as strong yet, not as physical maybe, but he definitely has a lot of upside in terms of talent and skill,&rdquo; Sundin said. &ldquo;He needs to put on a few pounds, but he&rsquo;s definitely going to be a great player.&rdquo;RESTRICTED FREE agents Jiri Fischer, D, 21; Darren McCarty, RW, 30; Jesse Wallin, D, 24.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Chris Chelios, D, 40; Uwe Krupp, D, 37; Igor Larionov, C, 41; Fredrik Olausson, D, 35; Jiri Slegr, D, 30.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 1stDraft position each round 30th*2002 first round No pickBest first round pick: Steve YzermanChosen: 4th overall, 1983Longest-serving captain in franchise history evolved from scorer to all-around great and led Red Wings to two Stanley Cups.* Stanley Cup champion picks 30th in each<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Detroit&rsquo;s system:1. Henrik Zetterberg, C, Timra (Swe.)2. Niklas Kronwall, D, Erie (OHL)3. Tomas Kopecky, C, Lethbridge (WHL)4. Igor Grigorenko, RW, Togilatti (Rus.)5. Stefan Liv, G, HV 71 (Swe.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1979 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1979 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1979 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Rob Ramage Colorado2z Perry Turnbull St. Louis3. Mike Foligno Detroit4. Mike Gartner Washington5. Rick Vaive Vancouver6. Craig Hartsburg Minnesota7. Keith Brown Chicago8. Ray Bourque Boston9. Laurie Boschman Toronto10. Tom McCarthy Minnesota11. Mike Ramsey Buffalo12. Paul Reinhart Atlanta13. Doug Sulliman Rangers14. Brian Propp Philadelphia.15. Brad McCrimmon Boston16. Jay Wells Los Angeles17. Duane Sutter Islanders18. Ray Allison Hartford19. Jimmy Mann Winnipeg20. Michel Goulet Quebec21. Kevin Lowe Edmonton<h3>1979 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Ray Bourque, D, Bos *****Mike Gartner, RW, Wsh *****Michel Goulet, LW, Que *****Brian Propp, LW, Phi ****Kevin Lowe, D, Edm ****Rick Vaive, RW, Tor ****Brad McCrimmon, D, Phi ****Mike Ramsey, D, Buf ****Rob Ramage, D, StL ****Craig Hartsburg, D, Min ****Duane Sutter, RW, NYI ****Mike Foligno, RW, Buf ****Paul Reinhart, D, Cgy ****Laurie Boschman, C, Wpg ****Keith Brown, D, Chi ****Jay Wells, D, LA ****Tom McCarthy, LW, Min ***Doug Sulliman, RW, NJ **Perry Turnbull, C, StL ***Ray Allison, RW, Phi **Jimmy Mann, RW, Wpg ** &#9632;

f0044-01

Slim pickings for Wings

<div class="byline">By Rob Tychkowski</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0045-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-01373/8040115-1-eng-US/f0045-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike York 136th overall by Rangers (&rsquo;97)Paul Coffey, Edmonton (Dale MacMillan/BBS)</figcaption></div>For 10 straight seasons when the glory years were turning into the lean years, the Edmonton in the foot Oilerson shot draft themselves day.When they needed to restock the shelves as Gretzky, Coffey, Messier and Kurri moved on, they picked the likes of Selmar Odelein, Scott Metcalfe, Kim Issel, Peter Soberlak, Jason Soules, Scott Allison, Joe Hulbig and Jason Bonsignore.From 1984 to 1995 their draft record was miserable.But the Edmonton scouts have shown a dramatic improvement lately. Mike Comrie and Tom Poti were shrewd picks and youngsters Jani Rita and Ales Hemsky have shown brilliantly in Hamilton and Hull.It&rsquo;s ironic then, that GM Kevin Lowe is considering trading Edmonton&rsquo;s first round pick this year, something the franchise has never done before. Lowe thinks the draft is shallow (Edmonton picks 14th) and he might use the club&rsquo;s first choice as a bargaining chip to try to land a proven scorer.CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Vice-president of hockey operations Kevin Prendergast is the backbone of the scouting department.Prendergast spent seven seasons as assistant director of NHL Central Scouting (1983&ndash;90) before joining the Oilers years ago. He now co-ordinates and oversees the club&rsquo;s entire amateur and professional scouting operations and was part of Canada&rsquo;s management team at the recent World Championship in Sweden.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;The Oilers used to love big guys and wouldn&rsquo;t spend their high picks on anybody under 6-foot-3. Then they fell in love with speed and wouldn&rsquo;t pick anyone unless he could skate like the wind. And while they&rsquo;re still quite partial to college players, there isn&rsquo;t one specific trait they&rsquo;re married to now. Under Lowe, they seem to relish grit more than anything else.IMMEDIATE NEED Goaltending has rarely been better - Tommy Salo and Jussi Markkanen both had great seasons and were standouts at the World Championship - and the defense is solid with plenty of prospects. The obvious weakness is offense. The Oilers were a one-line team last season. If Comrie, Anson Carter and Ryan Smyth didn&rsquo;t do the scoring, it didn&rsquo;t get done. Lack of offense was the reason for the mid-season slump that cost them a playoff spot.They are in dire need of second line help for Mike York, who was a late season addition. They don&rsquo;t have the money to go out and buy a free agent, but they could make an off-season trade to fill that void, perhaps putting together a package featuring an established veteran such as Mike Grier or Todd Marchant.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED As one of the youngest teams in the NHL, the Oilers aren&rsquo;t in any danger of losing their depth to retirement or attrition. Defenseman Eric Brewer 'V just turned 23 while Janne Niinimaa, the elder statesman on defense, is 27. Up front, offensive anchor Mike Comrie is 21, Mike York is 24, Ryan Smyth is 25 and Anson Carter 27. Markkanen, 27, gives them more depth in net than they&rsquo;ve had in a decade. The problem will be finding the money to keep these young guns in Edmonton. If Brewer and Comrie keep improving at their current rate, they soon could be demanding the kind of money Edmonton simply doesn&rsquo;t have.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN An 11th-hour cut the past two seasons, 2002-03 has to be Jason Chimera&rsquo;s year. He put up solid offensive numbers in Hamilton of the American League and with the Oilers thirsty for second line production, this is his best chance to finally get over the hump. He&rsquo;s an Edmonton kid, like Comrie, so if he sticks with the big club and makes some noise offensively he&rsquo;ll be an instant hit with the fans. He would also be the biggest center (6-foot-3, 215) on a team that&rsquo;s very small down the middle.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Eric Brewer, D, 22; Anson Carter, RW, 27; Scott Ferguson, D, 29; Josh Green, LW, 24; Mike Grier, RW, 27; Todd Marchant, C, 28; Domenic Pittis, C, 27; Jason Smith, D, 28; Mike York, LW, 24.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS None.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 15thDraft position each round 14th2002 first round 14thBest first round pick: Paul CoffeyChosen: 6th overall, 1980Smooth skating Hall of Fame defenseman integral component of Oilers&rsquo; Stanley Cup dynasty teams of 1980s.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Edmonton&rsquo;s system:1. Jani Rita, LW, Hamilton (AHL)2. Alexei Semenov. D, Hamilton (AHL)3. Ales Hemsky. RW, Hull (QM JHL)4. Jason Chimera. C, Hamilton (AHL)5. Tony Salmelainen, RW, Tampere (Fin.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1980 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1980 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1980 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Doug Wickenheiser Montreal2. Dave Babych Winnipeg3. Denis Savard Chicago4. Larry Murphy Los Angeles5. Darren Veitch Washington6. Paul Coffey Edmonton7. Rick Lanz Vancouver8. Fred Arthur Hartford9. Mike Bullard Pittsburgh10. Jimmy Fox Los Angeles11. Mike Blaisdell Detroit12. Rik Wilson St. Louis13. Denis Cyr Calgary14. Jim Malone Rangers15. Jerome Dupont Chicago16. Brad Palmer Minnesota17. Brent Sutter Islanders18. Barry Pederson Boston19. Paul Gagne Colorado20. Steve Patrick Buffalo21. Mike Stothers Philadelphia<h2>1980 RE-ORDERED</h2>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Paul Coffey, D, Edm *****Denis Savard, C, Chi *****Larry Murphy, D, Wsh *****Dave Babych, D, Wpg ****Brent Sutter, C, NYI ****Barry Pederson, C, Bos ****Mike Bullard, C, Pit ****Jimmy Fox, RW, LA ****Rick Lan2. D, Van ***Darren Veitch, D, Wsh ***Doug Wickenheiser, C, StL ***Paul Gagne, LW, NJ ***Mike Blaisdell, RW, Det ***Denis Cyr, RW, Chi **Jerome Duporit, D, Chi ** **Steve Patrick, RW, BufRik Wilson, D, StL **Brad Palmer, LW, Min **Fred Arthur, D, Phi *Mike Stothers, D, Phi *Jim Malone, C &#9632;

f0045-01

Oilers ponder dealing pick

<div class="byline">By David J. Neal</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0046-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01363/8040146-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Sandis Ozolinsh 30th overall by San Jose (&rsquo;91)Dale Hawerchuk, Winnipeg (Dave Kaye/BBS)</figcaption></div>The Florida Panthers hurricane season began not on June 1, as it does for the rest of the state, but when the combination 10-3-8-11 came up in the NHL draft lottery.This gave the Panthers the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. With the Rangers first-rounder acquired in the Pavel Bure trade, the Panthers have the draft&rsquo;s No. 1 and 10 picks. Nice, but any fool knows a 60-point team that wants to compete for a playoff spot the next season needs more proven help than those picks can provide.The draft&rsquo;s perceived lack of depth might keep the offers for the No. 10 pick from being terribly juicy, however. As for No. 1, taking Jay Bouwmeester would give the Panthers three solid offensive defenseman prospects with Filip Novak and Lukas Krajicek.CALLING THE SHOTS Amateur scouting director Tim Murray has handled the drafting side of things the past three years, although new GM Rick Dudley figures to have significant input. Dudley has spent as much time scouting as any GM in the NHL over the past four years.Murray is based in Quebec, but travels extensively. As is the case with many teams, all Panthers scouts see each top prospect at least five times during the season.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;Since this scouting staff&rsquo;s first draft in 1995, the Panthers have had six first round picks. Four of those were used on Europeans. When the Panthers didn&rsquo;t have a No. 1 pick in 2000, they went for defenseman Vladimir Saqpozhnikov with their second round pick.One of the first round picks not used on a European was spent on big, tough forward Mike Brown in 1997. Murray likes tough guys, so don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Panthers take one with their first pick after the first round.IMMEDIATE NEED This song was being sung even before garage band rock-and-roller Mike Keenan came in to sing lead as head coach. The lyrics tell the tale of a team who needs another veteran No. 3 or 4 defenseman and an established first or second line forward who can provide leadership.Keenan began singing the praises of Boston&rsquo;s Bill Guerin within two weeks of his arrival. Their mutual admiration will continue to be a long distance affair, however. Much as the Panthers could use a player like Guerin, it&rsquo;s doubtful they have the combination of dollars and immediate prospects for success to lime him. This is where the Rangers&rsquo; first round pick could come into play. If a team nicking much lower sees somebody they love still around at No. 10, they might be willing to fill some of the Panthers gaps.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED The Panthers are so young at almost every position, looking at their long term needs is akin to discussing retirement packages at a college graduation.Certainly, the Panthers are going to need a first- or second-line center, depending on where Stephen Weiss winds up playing. Olli Jokinen still shows only flashes and Viktor Kozlov looks as if he has reached the &ldquo;as good as it gets&rdquo; I stage of his career.While the Panthers have skill up front for the next several years, what they don&rsquo;t have is a power forward either on the left side or right side. Goalie Roberto Luongo has established himself as the No. 1 guy for the foreseeable, future, unless he breaks down under Mike Keenan&rsquo;s whip. But the No. 2 spot is murky beyond this season.READY TO&nbsp;STEP IN That Weiss, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2001 draft, was being discussed seriously as a potential No. 2 center going into last year&rsquo;s training camp tells you how much trouble the Panthers were in entering the 2001-02 season. A year later, Weiss is still maturing physically, but he has shown he shouldn&rsquo;t be overwhelmed at the NHL level.Weiss&rsquo;s superior hockey sense and scorer&rsquo;s hands are obvious. He&rsquo;s as fast as he needs to be, not a straight away burner, but not a plodder, either. The comparisons to Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic are overboard&hellip; for now.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Brad Ference, D, 23; Olli Jokinen, C, 23; Viktor Kozlov, C, 27; Ivan Novoseltsev, RW, 23; Byron Ritchie, 25, C; Joey Tetarenko, RW, 24; Jason Wiemer, C, 26.UNRESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;AGENTS Lance Pitlick, D, 34; Robert Svehla, D, 33.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 28thDraft position each round&nbsp;3rd2002 first round&nbsp;1st, 10thBest first round pick: Ed JovanovskiChosen: 1st overall, 1994Matured into a world-class performer with Vancouver after being h moved in the deal the Panthers made to get Pavel Bure.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Florida&rsquo;s system:1. Stephen Weiss, C, Plymouth (OHL)2. Denis Shvidki, RW, Utah (AHL)3. Lukas Krajicek, D, Peterborough (OHL)4. Greg Watson, C, Prince Albert (WHL)5. Toni Koivisto, LW, Lukko Rauma (Fin.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1981 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1981 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1981 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Dale Hawerchuk Winnipeg2. Doug Smith Los Angeles3. Bobby Carpenter Washington4. Ron Francis Hartford5. Joe Cirella Colorado6. Jim Benning Toronto7. Mark Hunter Montreal8. Grant Fuhr Edmonton9. James Patrick Rangers10. Garth Butcher Vancouver11. Randy Moller Quebec12. Tony Tanti Chicago13. Ron Meighan Minnesota14. Normand Leveille Boston15. Al Maclnnis Calgary16. Steve Smith Philadelphia17. Jiri Dudacek Buffalo18. Gilbert Delorme Montreal19. Jan Ingman Montreal20. Marty Ruff St. Louis21. Paul Boutilier Islanuers<h3>1981 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career* * * * Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Dale Hawerchuk, C, Wpg *****Ron Francis, C, Har *****Al Maclnnis, D, Cgy *****Grant Fuhr, G, Edm ****Bobby Carpenter, C, Wsh ****James Patrick, D, NYR ****Tony Tanti, RW, Van ****Garth Butcher, D, Van ****Joe Cirella, D, NJ ****Randy Moller, D, Que ****Mark Hunter, RW, StL ****Jim Benning, D, Tor ***Gilbert Delorme, D, Mtl ***Doug Smith, C, LA ***Paul Boutilier, D, NYI **Normand Leveille, LW, Bos **Ron Meighan, D, Pit *Steve Smith, D, Phi *Jiri Dudacek, RWJan Ingman, LW *Marty Ruff, D &#9632;

f0046-01

Are top picks up for sale?

When the Florida Panthers step up to the microphone to make the first overall selection in the 2002 draft - assuming they don&rsquo;t trade the pick - they will have more than the simple good fortune of having won the draft loltery to thank.They also owe a debt of gratitude to the Ottawa Senators.It is the Senators, after all, who are responsible for the NHL introducing the lottery system in 1995 to decide which of the non-playoff finishers has the opportunity to get the first overall pick.That&rsquo;s because the Senators were accused of tanking their final two games of 1992-93 in an effort to get the first overall pick. Ottawa and San Jose each finished with a pathetic 24 points, but the Senators had one fewer win (10).At stake was Alexandre Daigle not to mention the integrity of the game. In retrospect, the Senators would have been much better off winning their final two games and settling on the second pick, who happened to be Chris Pronger. (The Sharks traded that pick to Hartford).In any event, the NHL punished the Senators for &ldquo;comments detrimental to the game&rdquo; after team governor Bruce Firestone told reporters four players were offered inducements to throw the game. The NHL was shocked upon hearing the accusations.&ldquo;It may have been said, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean it happened,&rdquo; said commissioner Gary Bettman.The Senators were fined $100,000. Firestone, for his part, said his comments were misinterpreted.Bettman, who served as an executive with the NBA before joining the NHL, borrowed the lottery idea from his former employers.Prior to the Senators indiscretion, the first pick in the draft went annually to the last place finisher.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-03160/8040177-1-eng-US/f0046-032.jpg" title="f0046-03" width="250" height="309"><figcaption class="caption-body">Alexandre Daigle</figcaption></div>The team that places last has the best mathematical odds of winning the lottery but there are no guarantees. Six times in the eight years of lottery drawing, the last-place finisher has been usurped of the No. 1 pick.In this year&rsquo;s lottery, the last-place Atlanta Thrashers had the greatest odds of getting the first pick (48.2 per cent) while Edmonton had the worst odds (0.5 per cent), but the Panthers (at 14.2 per cent) won it moving up from third. Under the system, only five teams with the fewest points had the chance to select first overall. No team can move up more than four spots in draft order. &#9632;

f0046-03

Senators responsible for NHL going to draft lottery

<div class="byline">By Matt McHale</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0047-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-01383/8040208-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jason Allison 17th overall by Washington (&rsquo;93)Scott Stevens, Washington (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>Coming off what many think could be the club&rsquo;s strongest draft showing in years, the Los Angeles Kings have stockpiled enough young talent to pursue a big trade while continuing to build from within.Los Angeles expects Russian offensive whiz Alexander Frolov and junior stars Jared Aulin and Yanick Lehoux to challenge for NHL jobs in training camp in September. But after getting beaten by Colorado in the first round of the playoffs, the Kings know they have to upgrade their offense immediately. They may not be able to wait for the kids to come around before they take a strong Stanley Cup run.Rather than a high-priced free agent, the Kings could do a repeat of 1999 when they dealt kids, including 1997 first-rounder Olli Jokinen (third overall), to the cash-strapped New York Islanders for Ziggy Palffy and Bryan Smolinski. &ldquo;We need more balance in our scoring,&rdquo; said GM Dave Taylor. &ldquo;We have some options.&rdquo;CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Taylor travels extensively during the regular season to watch amateur talent, but he relies on A1 Murray, the director of amateur scouting, to handle much of the heavy lifting. Murray, in his 14th year with the club, is responsible for evaluating talent, co-ordinating the scouting department, making travel assignments and submitting a final list to Taylor leading up to the draft.The Sept. 11 deaths of Ace Bailey, director of pro scouting, and Mark Bavis, a second-year amateur scout, shook up the Kings&rsquo;s scouting structure. For example, Bill O&rsquo;Flaherty, the director of player personnel, did more scouting M*&nbsp;than in past years.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;For many years the Kings only had one tendency: if you get a top pick, trade it.Incredibly, the team dealt its first pick in the first round for 16 consecutive seasons from 1969 to 1984. A few years ago it was much of the same as Los Angeles dealt its top selection in 1996,1998 and 1999. More recently, Taylor has tried to build through the draft. Even though picks such as Aki Berg and Jokinen eventually were dealt, the club didn&rsquo;t move hopefuls Frolov, Aulin, Lehoux and Mike Cammalleri when teams inquired at the trade deadline.Los Angeles has tried drafting older Europeans with varying success. Tomas Vlasak was a bust and Jaroslav Bednar needs to be better in his second year.LONG TERM NEED The Kings are hoping Frolov, Cammalleri and Aulin eventually will be regular contributors to the offense. Palffy, coming off a strong first round, has two years and $14 million left on his contract. His future in L.A. depends on his performance.Jason Allison also has two years left, but he&rsquo;s viewed as a definite cornerstone of the franchise. Mathieu Schneider, a leader on the blueline, and grinder Kelly Buchberger will likely be retired by then.Defense was viewed as a strength until it sagged at the end of the season.Lehoux could be the wild card in the Kings&rsquo;s future. Scouts suddenly started calling the junior star a one-way player. If he turns that around, Lehoux&rsquo;s stock should rise again.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN If the Kings stick to their budget and do not sign an elite free agent forward, expect to see the 25-year-old Bednar be given a long look on one of the top two lines.Bednar, a second round pick last June, struggled early with the Kings in his first NHL season after coming over from Europe. He spent most of the year in the minors where he worked on his competitiveness and getting used to the North American game.Bednar showed excellent scoring moves upon his return and changed a few opinions in the front office. He got minutes in the first round against Colorado at the expense of veteran Steve Heinze.Bednar looked even better than the player who scored 32 goals in the Finnish Elite League in 2000-01.RESTRICTED free AGENTS Jaroslav Bednar, RW, 25; Eric Belanger, C, 24; Brad Chartrand, C, 27; Mikko Eloranta, LW, 29; Adam Mair, C, 23; Jamie Storr, G, 26.UNRESTRICTED fr ee AGENTS Kelly Buchberger, LW, 35; Philippe Boucher, D, 29; Cliff Ronning, LW, 36.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 12thDraft position each round 18th2002 first round 18thBest first round pick: Larry MurphyChosen: 2nd overall, 1980Blueliner spent 21 effective years in NHL, collecting four Cups and 1,216 points (third among D-men) I in 1,615 games (second all-time).<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the prospects in Los Angeles&rsquo;s system:1. Alexander Frolov, LW, Soviet Wings (Rus.)2. Mike Cammalleri, C, Michigan (CCHA)3. Jared Aulin, C, Kamloops (WHL)4. Yanick Lehoux, RW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)5. Joe Corvo, D, Manchester (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1982 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1982 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1982 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Gord Kluzak Boston2. Brian Bellows Minnesota3. Gary Nylund Toronto4. Ron Sutter Philadelphia5. Scott Stevens Washington6. Phil Housley Buffalo7. Ken Yaremchuk Chicago8. Rocky Trottier New Jersey9. Paul Cyr Buffalo10. Rich Sutter Pittsburgh11. Michel Petit Vancouver12. Jim Kyte Winnipeg13. David Shaw Quebec14. Paul Lawless Hartford15. Chris Kontos Rangers16. Dave Andreychuk Buffalo17. Murray Craven Detroit18. Ken Daneyko New Jersey19. Alain Heroux Montreal20. Jim Playfair Edmonton21. Patrick Hatley slanders<h3>1982 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Scott Stevens, D, NJ *****Phil Housley, D, Buf ****Dave Andreychuk, LW, Buf ****Brian Bellows, LW, Min ****Ron Sutter, C, Phi ****Ken Daneyko, D, NJ ****Murray Craven, LW, Phi ****Patrick Flatley, RW, NYI ****David Shaw, D, NYR ***Gary Nylund, D, Tor ***Michel Petit, D, Van ***Rich Sutter, RW, Van ***Gord Kluzak, D, Bos ***Paul Cyr, LW, Buf ***Jim Kyte, D, Wpg ***Paul Lawless, LW, Har **Chris Kontos, LW, TB **Ken Yaremchuk, C, Chi **Jim Playfair, D, Chi *Rocky Trottier, RW, NJ *Alain Heroux, LW &#9632;

f0047-01

Draft dealing in works?

<div class="byline">By Tom Jones</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0048-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01248/8040239-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andrew Brunette 174th overall by Washlngton &rsquo;93)Brian Lawton, Minnesota (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>The Minnesota Wild hasn&rsquo;t moved mountains or parted waters in its first two seasons. It may not even be on the verge of a playoff berth just yet.However, after following its successful 68-point inaugural season with a 73-point sophomore effort, the Wild is off to the type of start GM Doug Risebrough was hoping for when he accepted the job of building the franchise.The Wild already has what it believes is an elite player in 20-year-old left winger Marian Gaborik, who scored 30 goals last season, just his second in the NHL. Had goalie Manny Fernandez played like he did in 2000-01, the Wild, indeed, may have hung close to the playoff pack.Risebrough and coach Jacques Lemaire believe Fernandez will bounce back next season and that the injury bug won&rsquo;t bite the team quite as severely The Wild lost the third most man-games to injury last season (287).And with other young emerging regulars such as defender Nick Schultz and right winger Pascal Dupuis, who had 15 goals as a rookie, the Wild thinks it is on the right path.&ldquo;Our goal is to build a team that, when it becomes good, it stays good,&rdquo; Risebrough said. &ldquo;Now we just have to stay the course. Next season, we&rsquo;ll set the bar higher. Not a lot higher, but higher. We just want to keep on the road we&rsquo;re on because we believe it will be a successful one.&rdquo;CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Few GMs travel and scout as much as Doug Risebrough, who believes the only way to build a franchise is through the draft. But right-hand man Tom Thompson, the Wild&rsquo;s chief amateur scout, may even trump Risebrough when selection time comes.Thompson, a lawyer, came to Minnesota from the Oilers, but spent three years (1994&ndash;95 through 1996-97) as the top scout for the Calgary Flames. Thompson can boast of a solid track record in Minnesota: six of the Wild&rsquo;s 13 picks over the past two seasons have already seen NHL duty, including possible future stars Gaborik and Schultz.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;The Wild is entering only its third entry draft and because its needs remain great and widespread, its philosophy is simple: draft the best player available, regardless of position. The team could end up taking seven defenseman. Or seven forwards. It likely will go after a goalie or two, but only if that goalie is highly rated compared to the remaining prospects.IMMEDIATE NEED Minnesota has signed a couple of free agent goalies, but there isn&rsquo;t a sure-fire goalie prospect gaining experience in the minors.Derek Gustafson, who turns 23 in June, has shown some promise, but the jury remains out. The Wild might look to add a journeyman in the minors in the event either Dwayne Roloson or Fernandez is injured.LONG TERM NEED&nbsp;The Wild has been solid at center in its first two seasons, but three of its regular pivots (Wes Walz, Darby Hendrickson and Jim Dowd) all are 30 or older. The team drafted center Mikko Koivu (Saku&rsquo;s younger brother) sixth overall in last year&rsquo;s draft, but he isn&rsquo;t scheduled to come to North America until the Wild&rsquo;s 2003 training camp. And after a sub-par season in Finland, Koivu&rsquo;s stock has dipped.Another question is goalie Fernandez, who was excellent in Wild&rsquo;s inaugural season, but ordinary in 2001-02. Minnesota, which still believes Fernandez is the real deal, will give him another season or two. But it may keep a short rope on him and eventually start looking for someone who can be the long-term No. 1 netminder every successful franchise needs.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN Center Tony Virta was the Wild&rsquo;s fourth round pick in the 2001 draft, but he wasn&rsquo;t an ordinary selection. After a successful career in his native Finland, Virta came to North America as a 30-year-old playmaker who performed well after a late-season call-up.On defense, Travis Roche has had a few stints with the Wild after being signed out of the University of North Dakota in 2001. The Wild has shown patience with Roche, but may throw him into the fire next season.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Sylvain Blouin, RW, 28; Aaron Gavey, C, 28; Richard Park, RW, 26; Stacy Roest, C, 28.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS None.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 23rdDraft position each round 8th2002 first round 8thBest first round pick: Marian GaborikChosen: 3rd overall, 2000Gaborik scored 18 goals as a rookie, then struck for 30 last year. As advertised, he&rsquo;s flashy, fast and an offensive force.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Minnesota&rsquo;s system:1. Mikko Koivu, C, TPS Turku (Swe.)2. Marc Cavosie, LW, RPI (ECAC)3. Rickard Wallin, C, Farjestad (Swe.)4. Kyle Wanvig, LW, Houston (AHL)5. Stephane Veilleux, LW, Houston (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1983 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1983 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1983 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Brian Lawton Minnesota2. Sylvain Turgeon Hartford3. Pat LaFontaine Islanders4. Steve Yzerman Detroit5. Tom Barrasso Buffalo6. John MacLean New Jersey7. Russ Courtnall Toronto8. Andrew McBain Winnipeg9. Cam Neely Vancouver10. Norm Lacombe Buffalo11. Adam Creighton Buffalo12. Dave Gagner Rangers13. Dan Quinn Calgary14. Bobby Dollas Winnipeg15. Bob Errey Pittsburgh16. Gerald Diduck Islanders17. Alfie Turcotte Montreal18. Bruce Cassidy Chicago19. Jeff Beukeboom Edmonton20. David Jensen Hartford21. Nevin Markwart Boston<h3>1983 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Steve Yzerman, C, Det *****Pat LaFontaine, C, NYI ****Cam Neely, RW, Bos ****Tom Barrasso, G, Pit ****John MacLean, RW, NJ ****Russ Courtnall, RW, Tor ****Dave Gagner, C, Min ****Dan Quinn, C, Pit ****Sylvain Turgeon, LW, Har ****Gerald Diduck, D, NYI ***Bob Errey, LW, Pit ***Jeff Beukeboom, D, NYR ***Bobby Dollas, D, Ana ***Adam Creighton, C, Chi ***Brian Lawton, LW, Min ***Andrew McBain, RW, Wpg ***Norm Lacombe, RW, Edm ***Nevin Markwart, LW, Bos **Alfie Turcotte, C, Mtl **David Jensen, C, Wsh **Bruce Cassidy, D, Chi * &#9632;

f0048-01

Wild strategy, paying off

Every year NHL scouts tell us the well is running dry in terms of older Europeans who might be drafted. And every year teams find older Europeans who make the NHL.The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, drafted Karel Pilar, a 23-year-old Czech defenseman, 39th overall last year and after a bit of a rough start, he was a solid contributor in the playoffs until he went down with a broken thumb. He was missed when the Leafs lost to Carolina in the Eastern Conference final.In 23 games down the stretch, Pilar scored a goal and four points, but despite his low totals, he demonstrated a hunger for the puck and a willingness to take chances in the offensive zone.Asked to provide names of older Europeans who might be drafted this year, one NHL: scout offered: &ldquo;There really aren&rsquo;t that many. If you look at the national teams of most European countries, they are made up of older players. Either that or retread guys who have already been to the NHL and went home.&rdquo;Goran Stubb, head of the NHL Central Scouting Service&rsquo;s European bureau, concurs. &ldquo;You can say the NHL vacuum has done a very good job in Europe,&rdquo; Stubb said. &ldquo;There is no longer any undrafted players who would be stars in the NHL available.&rdquo;That said, here are some older undrafted Europeans (listed alphabetically) who might be picked in this year&rsquo;s draft.&#10065; Jiri Burger, 27, C. Not big at 5-foot-ll, 175 pounds, but he is a good all-around player who provides consistent play. He had 20 goals and 40 points in 32 games with Vitkovice in the top Czech league.&#10065; Bjorn Christen, 22, RW. A solid contributor as a junior, Christen has made significant gains as a pro playing in Switzerland. He had 14 goals and 24 points in 41 games with Davos.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-03117/8040270-1-eng-US/f0048-032.jpg" title="f0048-03" width="256" height="329"><figcaption class="caption-body">Karel Pilar</figcaption></div>&#10065; Dmitri Gogolev, 29, RW. A skilled player with tremendous scoring ability who needs to play a better team game. He had 17 goals and 40 points in 50 games with Spartak.&#10065; Jani Hassinen, 27, LW. A sniper in the Finnish league, Hassinen used his good wheels and shot to score 24 goals and 49 points in 56 gams with Tappara.&#10065; Mikko Luoma, 26, D. A late bloomer with decent size (6-foot-3, 211 pounds), Luoma&rsquo;s only question mark is his skating ability. He had 11 goals and 29 points in 56 games with Tappara. &#9632;

f0048-03

Getting harder to find older Euros who can step in

<div class="byline">By Herb Zurkowsky</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0049-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01220/8040301-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Yanic Perreault 47th overall by Toronto (&rsquo;91)Shayne Corson, Montreal (Brian Babineau/SA)</figcaption></div>Finally, after three years of rebuilding, a feeling of confidence and optimism exists in Montreal, a city inexorably linked to hockey greatness over the years.The Canadiens made the playoffs for the first time since 1998 and had an extended post-season rim. Also, the team&rsquo;s American League affiliate, the Quebec Citadelles, finished first in its division.&ldquo;I feel personally the farm team looks good and our top prospects have had two great years,&rdquo; said Martin Madden, the Canadiens&rsquo; assistant GM. &ldquo;Our prospects are good prospects and the numbers they put down is proof things look good.&rdquo;When Rejean Houle, the former GM, was running the show, it was hit and miss, more of latter than the former. But the tandem of Andre Savard, who replaced Houle, and Madden have brought a sense of calm and purpose to the organization.&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t turned the corner, I won&rsquo;t go as far as that,&rdquo; Madden said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll turn the corner when three or four of our prospects are with the big team and part of the Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; next generation.&rdquo;CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS Nobody has a better grasp of this year&rsquo;s draft-eligible prospects than Madden, who estimated he has personally scouted 90 per cent of them. The 58-year-old has been in the business 33 years and has been involved in 31 of the past 32 NHL entry drafts as either a scout, head scout, GM or assistant GM.DRAFT TENDENCY This will hardly come as a surprise: The Canadiens say they&rsquo;ll draft the best player available, regardless of position. Thirty teams likely have the same tenet. Indeed, we seem to remember Houle uttering the same statement.In seeking out talent and skill, Madden said he looks for skating ability, puck-handling skills and overall hockey sense. Size is important, he added, but it can be over-emphasized - as it was under previous Canadiens regimes, who were fixated with brawn often at the expense of skill.IMMEDIATE NEED Like the majority of NHL teams, Montreal desperately is seeking more offense. The Canadiens struggled to average 2.5 goals per game, scoring 207 in 82 games. That was more goals than New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Columbus, Edmonton, Calgary, Minnesota and Anaheim scored. It sounds impressive until you consider the only team to make the playoffs from this group was the Devils.As usual, the Canadiens failed to have a 30-goal scorer, but three players - Yanic Perreault (27), Oleg Petrov (24) and Richard Zednik (22) - surpassed 20. Saku Koivu and Donald Audette, both of whom have offensive potential, missed the majority of the season; Koivu with abdominal cancer and Audette with a lacerated forearm. That makes it unlikely Montreal will reach outside the organization to fill the void.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED The Canadiens are getting old at several positions, most notably at center Doug Gilmour, signed as a free-agent at the start of the regular season, turns 39 in June and is expected to retire. Joe Juneau, acquired this season from Phoenix, is 34, while Perreault, signed as a free agent from Toronto, just turned 31. And Shaun Van Allen, who joined the team this season in a trade from Dallas, turns 35 this August. That leaves Koivu, 27, and not much else for the future.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN The organization has high hopes for forward Marcel Hossa and defenseman Ron Hainsey Hossa, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound left winger, played 10 games with the Canadiens this season over two stretches. He impressed immediately, scoring twice in a three-game span in January before sustaining an injury During a second stint in March, he had a goal and assist against Dallas before being held without a point in his next five games. Hainsey, a 6-foot-3,200-pound defenseman, was impressive at training camp and came close to starting the season with Montreal. The Canadiens hope he 11 solidify their power play.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Andreas Dackell, RW; Mathieu Garon, G; Chad Kilger, LW; Sheldon Souray, D; Jose Theodore, G; Richard Zednik, RW.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS None.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 18thDraft position each round 15th2002 first round 15thBest first round pick: Guy LafieurChosen: 1st overall, 1971When it came time for Jean I Beliveau to pass the torch, it was I the speedy, electrifying Lafieur I who delivered the goods.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Montreal&rsquo;s System:1. Mike Komisarek, D, Michigan (CCHA)2. Ron Hainsey. D, Quebec (AHL)3. Marcel Hossa. D, Quebec (AHL)4. Alexander Perezhogin. C, Kurgan (Rus.)5. Eric Chouinard, LW, Quebec (AHL)RE-ORDERED THE DRAFT<h2>1984 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1984 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1984 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh2. Kirk Muller New Jersey3. Ed Olczyk Chicago4. Al lafrate Toronto5. Petr Svoboda Montreal6. Craig Redmond Los Angeles7. Shawn Burr Detroit8. Shayne Corson Montreal9. Doug Bodger Pittsburgh10. J. J. Daigneault Vancouver11. Sylvain Cote New Jersey Hartford12 Gary Roberts Calgary13 David Quinn Minnesota14. Terry Carkner Rangers15. Trevor Steinburg Quebec16. Roger Belanger Pittsburgh17 Kevin Hatcher Washington18. Mikael Andersson Buffalo19. Dave Pasin Boston20. Duncan MacPherson NYI21. Selmar Odelein Edmonton<h3>1984 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Mario Lemieux, C, Pit *****Kirk Muller, LW, NJ ****Gary Roberts, LW, Cgy ****Kevin Hatcher, D, Was ****Ed Olczyk, C, Tor ****Al lafrate, D, Tor ****Sylvain Cote, D, Wsh ****Shayne Corson, LW, Mtl ****Petr Svoboda, D, Mtl ****Doug Bodger, D, Buf ****Shawn Burr, LW, Det ***J.J. Daigneault, D, Mtl ***Terry Carkner, D, Phi ***Mikael Andersson, LW, TB ***Craig Redmond, D, LA **Trevor Stienburg, RW, Que **Dave Pasin, RW, Bos **Roger Belanger, C, Pit *Selmar Odelein, D, Edm *David Quinn, DDuncan MacPherson, D &#9632;

f0049-01

Youngsters delivering

<div class="byline">By David Boclair</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0050-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01214/8040332-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Greg Johnson 33rd overall by Philadelphia (&rsquo;89)Wendel Clark, Toronto (Andy Marlin/BBS)</figcaption></div>From Day One, the Nashville Predators have maintained the NHL draft would be the lifeblood of the organization.To that end, they devised a formula they believed eventually would make them a perennial playoff participant: Acquire at least three NHL players or assets from each of the first five drafts.The feeling was that such success would create a talent base that could play together for an extended period of time and provide enough organizational depth to make moves whatever moves were deemed necessary. Judged by that standard, the 1998 draft already has been a success and 1999&rsquo;s effort is on the verge of being successful. Scott Hartnell gave the 2000 draft a flying start, but others have to gain ground.This will be Nashville&rsquo;s fifth draft, and while the team has developed as planned, it has not made the expected gains in the ever-challenging Western Conference. That makes this draft critical.&nbsp;CALLING THE SHOTS Craig Channell was installed as chief amateur scout nearly a year before the team&rsquo;s initial draft in 1998. newly created position of director of amateur scouting.Eight of Channell&rsquo;s selections have appeared in at least one game for the Predators. Among his picks who are established on the roster are first-rounders David Legwand (1998) and Scott Hartnell (2000) as well as seventh-rounder Martin Erat (1999) and ninth-rounder Karlis Skrastins (1998).DRAFT TENENCY In its four years of drafts, the Predators have displayed an obvious preference for Europeans. Overall, 25 of 44 picks have been from the far side of the Atlantic, including 64 per cent (23) of their 36 choices in the past three years. Among those prospects have been players from places such as Switzerland (two), Slovenia (one) and Austria (one).However, all four first-round selections have been North Americans - the past two, Scott Hartnell and Dan Hamhuis, coming from the Western League.IMMEDIATE NEED There is a tremendous need for another physical defenseman. Given that blueliners take longer to develop and that draft picks Timo Helbling and Dan Hamhuis are not locks to make the team in 2002-03, management will look deep into the free agent pool for help.Of course, Nashville has been looking for such players since it entered the NHL. Jere Karalahti and Cale Hulse have been acquired in trades, but neither is a real shut-down guy The defense problem annually becomes more apparent around March, when teams start to play playoff-style hockey and the Preds fail to match their defensive intensity.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED Depth on the blueline will remain an issue for some time. Hamhuis was chosen in the first round in 2001 and has given every indication he is a top-flight prospect. However, only two defensemen at Milwaukee of the American League are considered on the verge of making the jump to the NHL. Among the defensemen in the system, only four have been selected in the third round or higher, but none were in the AHL in 2001-02. Of that group, the closest is Andrew Hutchinson, who completed his college career at Michigan State.READY&nbsp;TO STEP IN Injuries plagued right winger Jonas Andersson for much of the past two seasons; his 2001 training camp was limited to about two days of real work. Following post-season knee surgery in April, he returned to Sweden with high hopes for next season after a strong finish in Milwaukee. If healthy, Andersson will add speed to the front line in a 6-foot-3, 202-pound package and will arrive with an advanced sense of professionalism. He was cautious in five NHL appearances in 2001-02, but held his own in physical battles.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Greg Classen, C, 24; Andy Delmore, D, 25; Cale Hulse, D, 28; Jan Lasak, G, 23; David Legwand, C, 22; Mark Mowers, C, 28; Pavel Skrbek, D, 23; Petr Tenkrat, RW, 25.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Steve Dubinsky, C, 31.<h2>FAST FACT</h2>2001-02 overall finish 25thDraft position each round 6th2002 first round 6thBest first round pick: Scott HartnellChosen: 6th overall, 2000Youngest player in the NHL in 2000-01 touted as a future captain at the end of his sophomore<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Nashville&rsquo;s system:1. Dan Hamhuis, D, Prince George (WHL)2. Brian Finley, G, Milwaukee (AHL)3. Jan Lasak, G, Milwaukee (AHL)4. Jonas Andersson. RW, Milwaukee (AHL)5. Pavel Skrbek, D, Kladno (Czech.)RE-ORDERED THE DRAFT<h2>1985 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1985 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1985 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Wendel Clark Toronto2. Craig Simpson Pittsburgh3. Craig Wolanin New Jersey4. Jim Sandlak Vancouver5. Dana Murzyn Hartford6. Brad Dalgarno Islanders7. Ulf Dahlen Rangers8. Brent Fedyk Detroit9. Craig Duncanson Los Angeles10. Dan Gratton Los Angeles11. Dave Manson Chicago12. Jose Charbonneau Montreal13. Derek King Islanders14. Carl Johansson Buffalo15. Dave Latta Quebec16. Tom Chorske Montreal17. Chris Biotti Calgary18. Ryan Stewart Winnipeg19. Yvon Corriveau Washington20. Scott Metcalfe Edmonton21. Glen Seabrooke Philadelphia<h3>Toronto</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Wendel Clark, D, Tor ****Craig Simpson, LW, Edm ****Dave Manson, D, Chi ****Ulf Dahlen, RW, Min ****Derek King, LW, NYI ****Dana Murzyn, RW, Van ***Craig Wolanin, D, Que ***Tom Chorske, RW, NJ ***Jim Sandlak, RW, Van ***Brent Fedyk, LW, Phi ***Brad Dalgarno, RW, NYI **Yvon Corriveau, LW, Har **Jose Charbonneau, RW, Mtl **Dave Latta, LW, Que **Craig Duncanson, LW, LA *Glen Seabrooke, C, Phi *Scott Metcalfe, LW, Buf *Dan Gratton, C, LA *Ryan Stewart, C, Wpg *Carl Johansson, DChris Biotti, D &#9632;

f0050-01

Talented trio Preds’ goal

The odds are heavy in Canada&rsquo;s favor that a native son will be picked No. 1 overall at the NHL&rsquo;s entry draft June 22-23 in Toronto.Not only is Edmonton native Jay Bouwmeester the No. 1 ranked prospect by both the NHL&rsquo;s Central Scouting Service and The Hockey News, 23 of the top 60 ranked players by THN are Canadian. That&rsquo;s down four from last season.If Bouwmeester is picked first, he will be the first Canadian to have that designation since Vincent Lecavalier in 1998. Ilya Kovalchuk, a Russian, was the top pick last year while American Rick DiPietro was selected first over-all in 2000 and Patrik Stefan, a native of the Czech Republic, went first in 1999.Of the top 60 ranked players by THN, 12 are American which is up from seven last year. The Czech Republic also has more highly regarded prospects this year, seven compared to just four in 2001.As usual, centers (23) is the most dominant position among the top 60 with defense (15) second. A year ago there were 20 centers in the top 60 and an equal numbers of defensemen. The number of left wingers doubled this year from five a year ago to 10.That includes Brampton native Rick Nash, ranked No. 2 by CSS and No. 3 by THN.<h2>Breakdown by Position</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-02139/8040370-1-eng-US/f0050-022.jpg" title="f0050-02" width="666" height="352"></div><h2>Breakdown by Nationality</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0470/8040363-1-eng-US/f0050-042.jpg" title="f0050-04" width="670" height="623"></div> &#9632;

f0050-02

Canada again comes in No. 1 in this year’s top-end talent pool

<div class="byline">By Rich Chere</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0051-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0051-01204/8040401-1-eng-US/f0051-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Patrik Elias 51st overall by New Jersey (&rsquo;94)Neil Brady, New Jersey (Jim McJsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>Lou Lamoriello was angry. It was enough of insult for the New Jersey Devils GM to see his team knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. He could not hide from that painful reality.But Lamoriello fumed at an suggestions the Devils&rsquo; era of success was over because their cupboard of prospects was bare.&ldquo;Anybody painting a (negative) picture of our future,&rdquo; Lamoriello said, &ldquo;better look at the brush and paint they&rsquo;re using.&rdquo;Lamoriello said the next generation of players is ready to step in. He is confident there are a number of blue-chip prospects such as defensemen David Hale and Paul Martin who will be ready when veterans such as Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko reach the end.&ldquo;Despite what some people think, the core of our team is good and we have some great young individuals coming along,&rdquo; the GM said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited about half-a-dozen young players, starting from Christian Berglund, Brian Gionta and Andreas Salomonsson.&rdquo;CALLING THE&nbsp;SHOTS The Devils have not had a draft pick in the top 20 since 1996 and haven&rsquo;t picked in the top 10 since 1991, yet director of scouting David Conte has continued to supply the team with all-star calibre prospects and free agents. Lamoriello relies heavily on Conte&rsquo;s collegiate and European evaluations. Many of Conte&rsquo;s European connections were made while playing in Finland after his college career. Unlike some top scouts who are unwilling to challenge their superiors, Conte&rsquo;s long history with the Devils (18 seasons) and the knowledge he could get a job as a GM with another NHL team if he desired, allows him to butt heads with Lamoriello on tough draft decisions. He turned down the GM position with Calgary two years ago.DRAFT TENDENCY Because they haven&rsquo;t had early picks in recent years, the Devils have thought more long-term than other organizations. The quick development of Scott Gomez was a surprise even to the scouting staff. New Jersey&rsquo;s approach, using a willingness to draft size and strength players in college, has been a model for other NHL clubs.&ldquo;I think our strategy has been impacted by the fact you have 30 teams involved and the strategy of other teams has changed,&rdquo; Conte said. &ldquo;Teams are less regionally-prejudiced than they might have been in the past. The quality of competition has improved.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEEDS If the Devils don&rsquo;t resign unrestricted free agent Bobby Holik, they will have a gaping hole at center, having lost two players with size in Holik and Jason Arnott in a matter of months. Despite the advanced age of defensemen Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko (both 38), the real age cracks are up front where veterans Stephane Richer, Sergei Nemchinov and Valeri Kamensky last year helped plug the gap. The Devils need to add some talent at forward, where they have their fingers. crossed that Gionta, Berglund and Salomonsson are ready to step in fulltime.&ldquo;Rather than lose players in the expansion draft the last few years, we traded players we could not protect,&rdquo; Lamoriello explained. &ldquo;With expansion done, we have to rebuild that pool of talent we had before.&rdquo;LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED One third of one of the league&rsquo;s steadiest defense corps is getting long in the tooth. No matter how much the Devils praise the conditioning of Stevens and Daneyko, they can&rsquo;t go on forever. There is also the scoring concern to deal with. A lack of production hurt the Devils all season and killed them in the playoffs.READY TO STEP IN At times, left winger Christian Berglund resembles a young Claude Lemieux with his ability to harass opposing forwards. He can be nasty and is always in the face of the opposing goaltender.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Patrik Elias, LW, 26; Scott Gomez, C, 22; Jamie Langenbrunner, RW, 26; Jay Pandolfo, LW, 27.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Steve Guolla, C, 29; Bobby Holik, C, 31; Valeri Kamensky, LW, 36; Sergei Nemchinov, C, 38; Stephane Richer, LW, 36; John Vanbiesbrouck, G, 38.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 10thDraft position each round&nbsp;20th2002 first round&nbsp;No pickBest first round pick: Martin BrodeurChosen: 20th overall, 1990The Devils traded down, giving Calgary the 11th pick (Trevor Kidd) before choosing a future franchise I cornerstone in Brodeur.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in New Jersey&rsquo;s system:1. Christian Berglund. LW, Albany (AHL)2. Ari Ahonen. G, Albany (AHL)3. Paul Martin, D, Minnesota (WCHA)4. David Hale, D, North Dakota (WCHA)5. Adrian Foster, LW, Brandon (WHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1986 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1986 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1986 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Joe Murphy Detroit2. Jimmy Carson Los Angeles3. Neil Brady New Jersey4. Zarley Zalapski Pittsburgh5. Shawn Anderson Buffalo6. Vincent Damphousse Toronto7. Dan Woodley Vancouver8. Pat Elynuik Winnipeg9. Brian Leetch Rangers10. Jocelyn Lemieux St. Louis11. Scott Young Hartford12. Warren Babe Minnesota13. Craig Janney Boston14. Everett Sanipass Chicago15. Mark Pederson Montreal16. George Pelawa Calgary17. Tom Fitzgerald Islanders18. Ken McRae Quebec19. Jeff Greenlaw Washington20. Kerry Huffman Philadelphia21. Kim Issel Edmonton<h3>1986 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, Here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Brian Leetch, D, NYR *****Vince Damphousse, C, Mtl ****Craig Janney, C, Bos **** Scott Young, RW, ****Joe Murphy, RW, Edm ****Jimmy Carson, C, LA ****Zarley Zalapski, D, Har ***Tom Fitzgerald, RW, Fla ***Pat Elynuik, RW. Wpg ***Jocelyn Lemieux, RW, Chi ***Kerry Huffman, D, Phi ***Shawn Anderson, D, Buf **Mark Pederson, LW, Phi **Everett Sanipass, LW, Chi **Ken McRae, C, Que **Neil Brady, C, Ott **Jeff Greenlaw. LW, Was *Warren Babe, LW, Min *Dan Woodley, RW, Van *Kim Issel, RW, Edm *George Pelawa, RW &#9632;

f0051-01

New generation ready for test

<div class="byline">By Peter Botte</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0052-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01195/8040432-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Alexei Yashin 1st overall by Ottawa (&rsquo;92)Joe Sakic, Quebec (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>The state of the Union(dale) is simple: The New York Islanders officially are back in play in the NHL.Now comes the hard part. Their rebirth season included a 44-point improvement over the 82-game schedule and a gripping seven-game defeat in a nasty first round playoff series against Toronto, their first post-season appearance since 1994.For the first time in his tenure, GM Mike Milbury didn&rsquo;t spend the second half of the season solely scouting for the entry draft. Instead, his focus this summer will be to add another key piece or two to propel the improved Islanders from the NHL&rsquo;s surprise outfit to a viable Stanley Cup contender for the next several seasons.&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be good to go to the draft table and sit somewhere not in the front row,&rdquo; Milbury said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a sign that we&rsquo;ve gotten better.&rdquo;Milbury had stolen the show at the past two drafts - trading goalie Roberto Luongo and drafting Rick DiPietro first overall in 2000 before landing star centers Alexei Yashin and Michael Peca in separate trades last June.Armed with the 22nd selection this summer, Milbury&rsquo;s focus will be fixed more on the current edition of his team than future ones. He hopes to be involved in the bidding for free agents such as Tony Amonte, Bill Guerin, and others after July 1.CALLING THE SHOTS Milbupr remains the overriding decision maker at the draft table, but he will rely more than ever on long-time assistant Gordie Clark and head amateur scout Tony Feltrin.Several of the trio&rsquo;s top-10 picks have been traded away over the past few years, but the choices of players such as Luongo, Zdeno Chara, Eric Brewer, Tim Connolly and others led to the acquisitions of Yashin, Peca, Roman Hamrlik and Mark Parrish.DRAFT TENDENCY The Islanders have picked lower than the 20th spot only once in the past 20 years; they selected Todd Bertuzzi in the 23rd position in 1992. Such a low draft slot often is a hit-or-miss proposition, but players such as Martin Brodeur, Martin Rucinsky and Marcus Nilson have been nabbed with the 20th pick in the past decade. The Isles traded the No. 2 overall selection in last summer&rsquo;s draft to acquire Yashin from the Ottawa Senators, who tabbed Ontario League center Jason Spezza with the pick.IMMEDIATE NEED The head injury Kenny Jonsson sustained on Gary Roberts&rsquo; hit from behind during the playoffs underscored the team&rsquo;s glaring need for defensive depth. Coach Peter Laviolette leaned heavily on Jonsson, Hamrlik and Adrian Aucoin all season. Even with a healthy Jonsson - and the expected return of impressive rookie Radek Martinek from knee surgery - the Isles likely could use another dependable blueliner.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED Despite their roster overhaul, the Isles remain one of the NHL&rsquo;s youngest teams, with only Mariusz Czerkawski and Claude Lapointe over 30 among their regular players. With Yashin locked up through 2011 and Peca through 2006, the Isles should be solid up the middle for a while.Chris Osgood, who tied Billy Smith&rsquo;s team record for wins in a season, has one more year remaining on his contract at $4 million. He&rsquo;ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency after 2003-04 and the Isles must decide if they plan to commit to him beyond that with DiPietro, who rebounded from a slow start to post terrific numbers for American League Bridgeport this season, waiting in the wings.READY TO&nbsp;STEP IN By leading Bridgeport deep into the AHL playoffs, DiPietro might have already played himself into consideration as Osgood&rsquo;s backup for next season. The brash rookie doesn&rsquo;t plan to spend another season in the minors, which could make useful veteran Garth Snow expendable.Bridgeport leading scorer Trent Hunter also impressed in limited duty for the Isles in the playoffs against Toronto.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Adrian Aucoin, D, 28; Eric Cairns, D, 28; Mats Lindgren, LW, 27; Mark Parrish, RW, 25. Dave Scatchard, C, 26; Darren Van Impe, D, 29; Steve Webb, RW, 27.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;None.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 8thDraft position each round 22nd2002 first round 22ndBest first round pick: Denis PotvinChosen: 1st overall, 1973Third on Isles&rsquo; franchise scoring list, and his 310 career goals make him the 5th-highest scoring defenseman in league history.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in the Islanders&rsquo; system:1. Rick DiPietro, G, Bridgeport (AHL)2. Raffi Torres, LW, Bridgeport (AHL)3. Branislav Mezei, D, Bridgeport (AHL)4. Justin Mapletoft, C, Bridgeport (AHL)5. Kristofer Ottosson. RW, Djurgarden (Swe.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1987 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1987 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1987 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Pierre Turgeon Buffalo2. Brendan Shanahan NJ3. Glen Wesley Boston4. Wayne McBean Los Angeles5. Chris Joseph Pittsburgh6. Dave Archibald Minnesota7. Luke Richardson Toronto8. Jimmy Waite Chicago9. Bryan Fogarty Quebec10. Jayson More Rangers11. Yves Racine Hartford12. Keith Osborne Detroit13. Dean Chynoweth St. Louis14. Stephane Quintal Boston15. Joe Sakic Quebec16. Bryan Marchment Winnipeg17. Andrew Cassels Montreal18. Jody Hull Hartford19. Bryan Deasley Calgary20. Darren Rumble Philadelphia21. Peter Soberlak Edm onton<h3>1987 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** above average*** average** below average* cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Joe Sakic, C, Col *****Brendan Shanahan, LW, Det ****Pierre Turgeon, C, Dal ****Glen Wesley, D, Car ****Bryan Marchment, D, SJ ****Andrew Cassels, C, Van ****Luke Richardson, D, Phi ****Stephane Quintal, D, Mtl ***Jody Hull, RW, Ott ***Chris Joseph, D, Edm ***Yves Racine, D, Det ***Jayson More, D, SJ ***Dave Archibald, C, Ott ***Jimmy Waite, G, Chi **Dean Chynoweth, D, NYI **Wayne McBean, D, NYI **Darren Rumble, D, Ott **Bryan Fogarty, D, Que **Keith Osborne, RW, TB *Bryan Deasley, LWPeter Soberlak, LW &#9632;

f0052-01

Draft splash unlikely

<div class="byline">By Rick Carpiniello</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0053-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-01183/8040463-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eric Lindros 1st overall by Quebec (&rsquo;91)Mike Modano, Minnesota (Jason Pulver/BBS)</figcaption></div>Three of the New York Rangers&rsquo; top eight prospects have been sent packing in the past year along with a number of their top young players, most notably Mike York.The Rangers go into the draft not only minus top prospects Pavel Brendl, Barrett Heisten and Filip Novak, but also without a first round pick they dealt to Florida in the trade that brought Pavel Bure. They have no fourth rounder, either, that one having been sent to Edmonton in the trade that brought Tom Poti and Rem Murray for York.Despite all of this, the Rangers feel they are fine in terms of youth still in the mix.Goalie Dan Blackburn spent the entire season with the Rangers as an 18-year-old and looks to be the goalie who ultimately will be their No. 1 guy for a long time. Defenseman Fedor Tutin, another teen taken in the second round in 2001, has climbed to the top of their prospect list. Jamie Lundmark, 21, is close to competing for a full-time NHL job.CALLING THE SHOTS Of course, Glen Sather, the team president-GM, will always have final say, but director of player personnel Tom Renney is the guy who makes the Mils on the 18-year-olds in the draft. This will be Renney&rsquo;s second draft in his current position after 10 years mostly spent among the coaching ranks, including a year-plus stint Vancouver.DRAFT TENDENCY Renney spends a lot of time and effort breaking down a player&rsquo;s special traits into five categories. He declines to get into the specifics, but the general philosophy is to find players whose character makes them the type of players who fit the Ranger mould. The Rangers always seem to be in the market for offensive players, for puck-moving defensemen, for guys who can thrive in a puck-pursuit, pressure game. The future of those ideals will depend in part on who becomes the next Ranger coach. And it does appear the Rangers acknowledge the need to add grit, some checking players, and a defensive defenseman.IMMEDIATE NEED Whatever the Rangers get at this draft won&rsquo;t fill a hole at the NHL level for a while. &ldquo;We started to address (immediate needs) last year with Blackburn,&rdquo; Renney said.With Tutin, prospect Marek Zidlicky (picked in the sixth round in 2001), Pat Aufiero and Mike Mottau, the Rangers feel they have some defensemen on the way. That means bringing in forwards, especially centers, is the top priority. The Rangers surely will have their sights set on free agents Bobby Holik and Bill Guerin, who both would bring the edgy play this team badly needs.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED It starts and ends in the middle. Mark Messier may or may not return at age 41, Eric Lindros is injury prone and Petr Nedved, coming off a dreadful season, may be traded. It&rsquo;s possible none of those three will still be a Ranger in two or three seasons. York is gone, and the other centers in the organization are probably a while away from making the big league.Center Garth Murray, called an &ldquo;up-and-down checker&rdquo; by Maloney, is a heart and soul type, but he&rsquo;s only 19. Dominic Moore, picked in 2000, may be closer to being ready after a collegiate career at Harvard.Lundmark might get a shot after a full season in Hartford of the American League, though he would be wasting a year of development if forced to play a fourth line role.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN The Rangers made sure they didn&rsquo;t make the same mistake with Lundmark that they made with Manny Malhotra, who was rushed into the NHL too early and wound up rotting on the bench. Lundmark has far more skill and overall ability, but the Rangers wanted him to spend a year in the minors. He struggled at times, but overall the team was happy with his development.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Radek Dvorak, RW, 25; Michal Grosek, RW, 27; Roman Lyashenko, C, 23; Tom Poti, D, 25; Dale Purinton, D, 25; Mikael Samuelsson, RW, 25.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Bryan Berard, D, 25 (team option); Theo Fleury, LW, 34 (team option); Andreas Johansson, LW, 29 (team option); Steve McKenna, LW, 28; Mark Messier, C, 41; Mike Richter, G, 35; Martin Rucinsky, LW, 31.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 21stDraft position each round 10th2002 first round No pickBest first round pick: Brian LeetchChosen: 9th overall, 1986Leetch has played in more than 1,000 games with the Rangers, has two Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in the Rangers system:1. Fedor Tutin, D, Guelph (OHL)2. Jamie Lundmark. C, Hartford (AHL)3. Garth Murray, C, Regina (WHL)4. Rico Fata C, Hartford (AHL)5.&nbsp;Pat Aufiero, D, Boston U. (HE)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1988 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1988 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1988 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Mike Modano Minnesota2. Trevor Linden Vancouver3. Curtis Leschyshyn Quebec4. Darrin Shannon Pittsburgh5. Daniel Dore Quebec6. Scott Pearson Toronto7. Martin Gelinas Los Angeles8. Jeremy Roenick Chicago9. Rod Brind&rsquo;Amour St. Louis10. Teemu Selanne Winnipeg11. Chris Govedaris Hartford12. Corey Foster New Jersey13. Joel Savage Buffalo14. Claude Boivin Philadelphia15. Reggie Savage Washington16. Kevin Cheveldayoff Islanders17. Kory Kocur Detroit18. Robert Cimetta Boston19. Francois Leroux Edmonton20. Eric Charron Montreal21. Jason Muzzatti Calgary<h3>1988 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Mike Modano, C, Dal ****Jeremy Roenick, C, Phi ****Teemu Selanne, RW, SJ ****Rod Brind&rsquo;Amour, C, Car ****Trevor Linden, C, Van ****Curtis Leschyshyn, D, Ott ***Martin Gelinas, LW, Car ***Darrin Shannon, LW, Wpg ***Scott Pearson, LW, Edm **Francois Leroux, D, Pit **Claude Boivin, LW, Phi **Eric Charron, D, TB **Jason Muzzatti, G, Har **Robert Cimetta, RW, Bos **Chris Covedaris, LW, Har *Corey Foster, D, Phi *Reggie Savage, C, Was *Daniel Dore, RW, Que *Joel Savage, RW, Buf *Kevin Cheveldayoff, DKory Kocur, RW &#9632;

f0053-01

Time to start rebuilding

<div class="byline">By Bruce Garrioch</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0054-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01190/8040494-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Daniel Alfredsson 133rd overall by Ottawa (&rsquo;94)Bobby Holik, Hartford (Dan Hamilton/VPS)</figcaption></div>As far as the Ottawa Senators are concerned, the prospects are good. While this year&rsquo;s NHL draft might not be rated as one of the strongest in history, theWhile this year&rsquo;s NHL draft might not be rated as one of the strongest in history, the Senators aren&rsquo;t going to be looking for immediate help at any position.That said, draft day has historically been the most important day of the year for the Senators franchise.It&rsquo;s no secret the small-market Senators aren&rsquo;t going to go out this summer and buy big name free agents. Instead, they&rsquo;re always going to be a franchise which builds around prospects.Ten players on the club&rsquo;s roster this season - Daniel Alfredsson, Magnus Arvedson, Radek Bonk, Mike Fisher, Martin Havlat, Marian Hossa, Jani Hurme, Chris Phillips and Sami Salo - were drafted and developed in the Ottawa system.The prospects for the future also look good. &ldquo;I think the success we&rsquo;ve had is a credit to the organization and the job done by GM Marshall Johnston and the scouting staff,&rdquo; said coach Jacques Martin.&ldquo;If you look at this organization, we&rsquo;ve always been the type of team that has had patience with its young players. We&rsquo;re not rushing people and we believe that you&rsquo;ve got to give these guys time to develop. That&rsquo;s the way to have success in this league.&rdquo;CALLING THE SHOTS Departing Senators GM Marshall Johnston spent most of his career as a scout, so he&rsquo;s going to let his people do their job for his final draft.While director of player personnel Jarmo Kekalainen has the final say, he works closely with chief scout Frank Jay and director of hockey operations Trevor Timmins before a decision is made. A former Ottawa player, Kekalainen splits his time between Europe and North America looking at amateurs. However, Jay and Timmins both have a strong voice at the table because they also attend major tournaments in Europe.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;Like most every other team, the Senators like to take the best player available. Obviously, after trading Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders last summer, the club needed to get a big centre and Jason Spezza looks like he could fit the bill down the road.One area the Senators have worked hard at improving over the past few years is goal-tending. They&rsquo;ve built a good stable with the likes of Jani Hurme, Martin Prusek, Simon Lajeunesse and Mathieu Chouinard.IMMEDIATE NEED All the Senators have to do is look at the success Toronto&rsquo;s Gary Roberts had against them in the playoffs to identify what could help right away. While the Senators would like to get an intimidating power forward of their own, that&rsquo;s unlikely to come in the draft.The club has done a good job building up its goaltending and defensive ranks, but the Sens could use more depth at forward, particularly on the left side. Often criticized of being too European, the Senators need to get somebody who is willing to bang and crash.LONG&nbsp;TERM NEED Money will always be an issue with the Senators and that&rsquo;s why they must do a good job at the draft. Nobody is quite sure what&rsquo;s going to happen to Daniel Alfredsson when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, but a look at other core players indicates the Senators are still young. Havlat, Hossa, Fisher, Phillips, Bonk and Redden are all still developing. The scouts must keep finding the odd diamond in the rough in the later rounds.READY TO STEPIN Training camp will be the testing ground for centers Jason Spezza and Antoine Vermette. The emergence of one of the two as an NHL player next fall could give Ottawa the flexibility to go get help at wing. Unlike as it was for Alexandre Daigle and Yashin, no pressure will be put on either of these players to play a huge offensive role immediately.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Daniel Alfredsson, RW, 30; Radek Bonk, C, 26; Mike Fisher, C, 22; Bill Muckalt, RW, 28; Chris Neil, RW, 23; Chris Phillips, D, 25; Sami Salo, D, 28; Petr Schastlivy, LW, 23.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Benoit Brunet, LW, 34; Jody Hull, LW, 33; Ricard Persson, D, 32.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 14thDraft position each round 16th2002 first round 16thBest first round pick: Marian HossaAveraging 3 0 goals over his past I three seasons, Hossa has 1 become a dominant winger and I could evolve into a power forward.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Ottawa&rsquo;s system:1. Jason Spezza. C, Belleville (OHL)2. Anton Volchenkov. D, Soviet Wings (Rus.)3. Petr Schastlivy, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)4. Antoine Vermette, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)5. Tim Gleason, D, Windsor (OHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1989 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1989 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1989 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Mats Sundin Quebec2. Dave Chyzowski Islanders3. Scott Thornton Toronto4. Stu Barnes Winnipeg5. Bill Guerin New Jersey6. Adam Bennett Chicago7. Doug Zmolek Minnesota8. Jason Herter Vancouver9. Jason Marshall St. Louis10. Bobby Holik Hartford11. Mike Sillinger Detroit12. Rob Pearson Toronto13. Lindsay Vallis Montreal14. Kevin Haller Buffalo15. Jason Soules Edm onton16. Jam ie Heward Pittsburgh17. Shayne Stevenson Boston18. Jason Miller New Jersey19. Olaf Kolzig Washington20. Steven Rice Rangers21. Steve Bancroft Toronto<h3>1989 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Mats Sundin, C, Tor ****Bobby Holik, C, NJ ****Olaf Kolzig, G, Was ****Bill Guerin, RW, Bos ****Stu Barnes, C, Buf ***Scott Thornton, C, SJ ***Mike Sillinger, C, Clb ***Kevin Haller, D, Phi ***Steven Rice, RW, Har ***Jason Marshall, D, Min ***Doug Zmolek, D, SJ ***Rob Pearson, RW, Tor **Jamie Heward, D, Clb **Dave Chyzowski, LW, NYI **Adam Bennett, D, Edm **Shayne Stevenson, RW, BosSteve Bancroft, D, SJ *Jason Miller, LW, NJ *Jason Herter, D, NYI *Lindsay Vallis, D, Mtl *Jason Soules, D &#9632;

f0054-01

Draft picks make Sens

<div class="byline">By Wayne Fish</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0055-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-01184/8040525-1-eng-US/f0055-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Adam Oates UndraftedKeith Tkachuk, Winnipeg (James Baker/BBS)</figcaption></div>So much was put into Philadelphia&rsquo;s effort for a Stanley Cup championship in 2001-02 that the Flyers had little time or space to test future talent.Unlike a year ago, when rookies Justin Williams and Ruslan Fedotenko got their feet wet, this season saw very little experimenting. Young forwards Pavel Brendl and Guillaume Lefebvre, plus defenseman Bruno St. Jacques, did get brief looks. But for the most part, the Flyers went with a lineup heavy on 30-somethings.Next year could be different. GM Bob Clarke has made it known he might move a veteran to make room for St. Jacques. And it&rsquo;s no secret the GM wants Brendl, a key part in the Eric Lindros deal, to get an honest chance.The Flyers claim they can rebound from a disappointing season with the help of an accomplished coach. They now have that in Ken Hitchcock. They still believe they have the talent in place for a serious run, perhaps even with help from some of their prospects along the way.CALLING THE SHOTS Assistant GM Paul Holmgren co-ordinates the team&rsquo;s personnel at all levels, but chief scout Dennis J&nbsp;Patterson, a long-time associate of Clarke&rsquo;s, has a lot of input on draft day. Patterson travels far and wide to consult with the club&rsquo;s North American and European scouts on young prospects.The Flyers have had good success with their No. 1 picks in recent years. Simon Gagne, Justin Williams and Brian Boucher have made significant contributions fairly quickly.Other top picks, such as Dainius Zubrus and Maxime Ouellet, were used as assets to help the Flyers acquire veteran stars such as Mark Recchi and Adam Oates. -DRAFT TENDENCY The Flyers had so much regular season success in the late 1990s that they seldom enjoyed a high draft pick. Most of their recent top choices have been goalies or forwards, though they broke from tradition last year and took defenseman Jeff Woywitka.In recent years, the Flyers have relied more on the European market in attempts to upgrade themselves in the speed and skill departments.IMMEDIATE NEED Based on Philadelphia&rsquo;s offensive nosedive in March and April, the obvious No. 1 need might seem to be goal-scoring. But the Flyers believe all their proven (but struggling) scorers - hello Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi and John LeClair - will bounce back to higher scoring levels in the right conditions. Instead, the Flyers might take a harder look at their defense and goaltending. Goalie Roman Cechmanek didn&rsquo;t make a lot of friends with his public on-ice tirade at teammates during Game 4of the Ottawa series. This might be the year the Flyers finally either sign a big-ticket free agent goalie or try to trade for one.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED A few years from now the Flyers could look like an entirely different team. When the playoffs began, the roster featured eight forwards, five defensemen and one goalie over age 30. Defense will likely be the area that sees the most turnover. The trouble is, the Flyers haven&rsquo;t been able to develop much in the way of blueline talent. This season alone they traded away minor league defenders Jason Beckett, Joe DiPenta and Francis Lessard. Previously, Mark Eaton and Andy Delmore were shown the door. By 2005, Kim Johnsson might be the only blueline holdover.READY TO STEP IN Brendl scored a handful of goals in the exhibition season last September and made the final cut out of training camp. But he suffered a severe ankle sprain on opening night, couldn&rsquo;t regain his early form and spent the season with the American League&rsquo;s Phantoms. He showed flashes of offensive potential and managed to get into a couple Flyer games at season&rsquo;s end. The Flyers say he&rsquo;s working to improve his conditioning. Phantoms coach John Stevens emphasized the need for Brendl to give an all-out effort on a consistent basis.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Brian Boucher, G, 25; Donald Brashear, LW, 30; Simon Gagne, LW, 22; Todd Fedoruk, LW, 23; Ruslan Fedotenko, RW, 23.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Adam Oates, C, 39; Luke Richardson, D, 33; Rick Tocchet, RW, 38.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 7thDraft position each round 26th2002 first round No pickBest first round pick: Peter ForsbergChosen: 6th overall, 1991Brilliance shown in picking Swedish great overshadow ed by including him in monster deal to acquire Eric Lindros.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Philadelphia&rsquo;s system:1. Pavel Brendl, RW, Philadelphia (AHL)2. Jeff Woywitka, D, Red Deer (WHL)3. Bruno St. Jacques, D, Philadelphia (AHL)4. Guillaume Lefebvre, C, Philadelphia (AHL)5. Antero Niittymaki, G, TPS Turku (Fin.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1990 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1990 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1990 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Owen Nolan Quebec2. Petr Nedved Vancouver3. Keith Primeau Detroit4. Mike Ricci Philadelphia5. Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh6. Scott Scissons Islanders 7. Darryl Sydor Los Angeles8. Derian Hatcher Minnesota9. John Slaney Washington10. Drake Berehowsky Toronto11. Trevor Kidd Calgary12. Turner Stevenson Montreal13. Michael Stewart Rangers14. Brad May Buffalo15. Mark Greig Hartford16. Karl Dykhuis Chicago17. Scott Allison Edmonton18. Shawn Antoski Vancouver19. Keith Tkachuk Winnipeg20. Martin Brodeur New Jersey21. Bryan Smolinski Boston<h3>1990 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.* * * * * Hall of Fame career* *** Above average*** Average* * Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Jarom ir Jagr, RW, Was *****Martin Brodeur, G, NJ *****Owen Nolan, RW, SJ ****Keith Tkachuk, LW, StL ****Keith Primeau, C, Phi ****Derian Hatcher, D, Dal ****Mike Ricci, C, SJ ****Petr Nedved, C, NYR ****Darryl Sydor, D, Dal ****Bryan Smolinski, C, LA ***Trevor Kidd, G, Fla ***Turner Stevenson, RW, NJ ***Karl Dykhuis, D, Mtl ***Brad May, LW, Pho ***Drake Berehpwsky, D, Pho ***John Slaney, D, Phi **Shawn Antoski, LW, Phi **Mark Greig, RW, Har **Scott Scissons, C, NYI *Michael Stewart, DScott Allison, C &#9632;

f0055-01

Contender has kids coining

<div class="byline">By Bob McManaman</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0056-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-01148/8040556-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Daymond Langkow 5th overall by Tampa Bay (&rsquo;95)Markus Naslund, Pittsburgh (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>Before they settle down for the NHL draft, the Phoenix Coyotes have one item of business left to address: signing Bobby Francis and the rest of the coaching staff to contract extensions. Francis, who guided Phoenix to a 95-point season - the second-best finish in club history - has one year left on his contract. So do his assistants, Rick Bowness, Pat Conacher and Benoit Allaire. GM Mike Barnett announced during the Coyotes&rsquo;s first round playoff series against San Jose that Francis and Co. would be offered new deals, probably in the two- to three-year range.&ldquo;Hopefully, we&rsquo;ll get something done (by the draft),&rdquo; Francis said. &ldquo;Mike called and said he&rsquo;ll be in touch with us and we&rsquo;re just waiting to hear back.&rdquo;Bowness, formerly a head coach with Ottawa, Boston and the New York Islanders, has said he is content staying in Phoenix. However, he also wishes to be a head coach again and Francis said he wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if another team asks to interview Bowness to fill a coaching vacancy.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s an extremely valuable guy to this organization and he has done an outing job,&rdquo; Francis said. &ldquo;We wouldn&rsquo;t want to lose him, but &lsquo;Bones&rsquo; is obviously a deserving candidate for any job that opens up.&rdquo;CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Vaughn Karpan, the Coyotes&rsquo;s director of amateur the ultimate last word in almost every situation a year ago, but Dave Draper, vice president of scouting and player personnel, will weigh in more heavily after a full season with the organization.Draper and Karpan will also turn to Barnett, managing partner Wayne Gretzky and senior vice-president of hockey operations Cliff Fletcher, any of whom could speak the loudest on draft day.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;In their first six drafts since moving to Phoenix, the club has shown a propensity for taking Europeans. Twenty-three of the 5 0players they have chosen since 1996 were from outside North America.That could change somewhat under the Gretzky regime, which might take a closer look at North American talent rather than gamble on various Europeans who aren&rsquo;t scouted nearly as heavily.IMMEDIATE NEED&nbsp;The Coyotes need a goal-scorer at crunch time and perhaps a little more serviceable depth on the wings. They&rsquo;re competitive down the middle, in goal and on defense, but the problem that most expected to be exposed - the lack of a legitimate game-breaker on offense - was exactly what cost them in a first round playoff loss to San Jose.LONG TERM NEED&nbsp;As long as goalie Sean Burke continues the remarkable renaissance to his career, which he has done for three straight seasons since coming to Phoenix, the Coyotes will no doubt continue riding and resigning the veteran until he retires.But who is being groomed to fill Burke&rsquo;s skates? Is it Robert Esche, 24, the team&rsquo;s backup the past two seasons? Is it Patrick DesRochers, 22, whom they tabbed with the 14th overall pick in 1998? Is it Josh Blackburn, 23, who just capped a brilliant four-year career at the University of Michigan?All three appear to have the tools to develop into an NHL starter, but there is no clear front runner. At least one has to elevate his game to prevent the Coyotes from looking elsewhere.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN It has taken six years, but 6-foot-6 defender Dan Focht, the Coyotes&rsquo;s first round pick (11th overall) upon relocating to Phoenix from Winnipeg in 1996, appears to have finally earned his stripes.It couldn&rsquo;t have happened at a better time. Management and the coaches raved about his improvement and rededication to the game this season, but remember the Coyotes were all but ready to cut him loose - by either trading him or putting him waivers - at the start of the year.Focht became one of the few reliable players in Springfield this season and his play earned him a full-time promotion in mid-March and another chance to finally crack the Coyotes&rsquo;s lineup. He&rsquo;ll get that chance again this fall in training camp.RESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;AGENTS Daniel Briere, C, 24; Paul Mara, D, 22; Ladislav Nagy, LW, 23; Todd Simpson, D, 29; Landon Wilson, RW, 28.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Mike Sullivan, C, 35.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 11thDraft position each round 19th2002 first round 19th, 23rdBest first round pick: Dale HawerchukChosen: 1st overall, 1981Remains the franchise&rsquo;s all-time leader in most offensive categories, including goals (379), points (929) and hat tricks (12).<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Phoenix&rsquo;s system:1. Jeff Taffe, C, Minnesota (WCHA)2. Fredrik Sjostrom. RW, Calgary (WHL)3. Branko Radivojevic, RW, Springfield (AHL)4. Martin Podlesak, C, Lethbridge (WHL)5. Patrick DesRochers. G, Springfield (WHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1991 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1991 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1991 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Eric Lindros Quebec2. Pat Falloon San Jose3. Scott Niedermayer NJ4. Scott Lachance Islanders5. Aaron Ward Winnipeg6. Peter Forsberg Philadelphia7. Alek Stojanov Vancouver8. Richard Matvichuk Minnesota9. Patrick Poulin Hartford10. Martin Lapointe Detroit11. Brian Rolston New Jersey12. Tyler Wright Edm onton13. Philippe Boucher Buffalo14. Pat Peake Washington15. Alexei Kovalev Rangers16. Markus Naslund Pittsburgh17. Brent Bilodeau Montreal18. Glen Murray Boston19. Niklas Sundblad Calgary20. Martin Rucinsky Edmonton21. Trevor Halverson Washington22. Dean McAmmond Chicago<h3>1991 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.* * * * * Hall of Fame career* * * * Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Peter Forsberg, C, Col *****Eric Lindros, C, NYR ****Alexei Kovalev, RW, Pit ****Markus Naslund, RW, Van ****Scott Niedermayer, D, NJ ****Martin Lapointe, RW, Bos ****Brian Rolston, C, Bos ****Richard Matvichuk, 0, Dal ****Glen Murray, RW, Bos ***Martin Rucinsky, LW, NYR ***Dean McAmmond, C, Cgy ***Scott Lachance, D, Van ***Pat Falloon, RW, SJ ***Aaron Ward, D, Car ***Patrick Poulin, LW, Mtl ***Tyler Wright, C, Clb ***Philippe Boucher, D, LA ***Pat Peake, C, Wsh **Alek Stojanov, RW, Pit **Trevor Halverson, LW, Wsh *Niklas Sund bla d, RW, Cgy *Brent Bilodeau, D &#9632;

f0056-01

Scoring help, on agenda

And to think, many people felt it was a coin toss between Ilya Kovalchuk and Jason Spezza to go No. 1 over-all. Huh! Atlanta chose Kovalchuk and he repaid them by being one of the top rookies in the NHL. Spezza played junior hockey.Here&rsquo;s how last year&rsquo;s first round picks followed up this season. Information include draft order, player, position, NHL team, synopsis, games, goals, assists, points, penalty minutes.1. Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, Atlanta. Teen sensation brought fans out of seats with scoring feats. (65-29-22-51-28)2. Jason Spezza, C, Ottawa. Scored at will with Windsor and Belleville (OHL); struggled (again) in the playoffs. (53-42-63-105-42)3. Alexander Svitov, C, Tampa Bay Caught in political quagmire in Russia, didn&rsquo;t play much for Omsk. (3-0-1-1-2)4. Stephen Weiss, C, Florida. Did not enjoy great year with Plymouth (OHL), but looked OK with the Panthers late in season. (46-25-45-70-69)5. Stanislav Chistov, LW, Anaheim Played sparingly for Omsk due to Russian politics. Performed poorly at European under-19 tournament. (9-0-0-0-4)6. Mikko Koivu, C, Minnesota. Highly skilled energy player with TPS Turku who, at 6-foot-2, has size his brother Saku can only dream about. (48-3-4-7-48)7. Mike Komisarek, D, Montreal. Didn&rsquo;t progress with Michigan, but remains tough prospect who skates well. (39-11-19-30-68).8. Pascal Leclaire, G, Columbus. Good playoff salvaged poor season. Montreal (QMJHL) tried to move him, but found no takers. (15-23-4,3.29)9. Tuomo Ruutu, C, Chicago. Great competitor played with energy for Jokerit and shows passion. Top-ranked player in Future Watch 2002. (51-7-16-23-69)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-0356/8040587-1-eng-US/f0056-032.jpg" title="f0056-03" width="247" height="324"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dan Blackburn</figcaption></div>10. Dan Blackburn, G, Rangers. Showed poise playing behind a team that rarely concentrated on defense. (12-16-0,3.28)11. Fredrik Sjostrom, RW, Phoenix. Showed flashes of brilliance one night with Calgary (WHL), then disappeared the next. Had a poor playoff. (58-19-31-50-51)12. Dan Hamhuis, D, Nashville. Hamhuis, who had an exceptional year with Prince George (WHL), is a complete player who needs some bulk. (59-10-50-60-135)13. Ales Hemsky, RW, Edmonton. Showed speed and skill with Hull (QMJHL), leading some to believe he can jump to NHL next season. (53-27-70-97-86)14. Chuck Kobasew, RW, Calgary. Got to where he needed to be to score goals for Kelowna (WHL). (55-41-21-62-114)15. Igor Knyazev, D, Carolina. AK Bars Kazan captained Russia to gold WJC and looked home in the top Russian league. (16-0-1-1-4)16. R. J. Umberger, C, Vancouver. Ohio State (CCHA) product didn&rsquo;t play with the urgency he did in his draft year, but remains a prospect. (37-18-21-39-31)17. Carlo Colaiacovo, D, Toronto. Strong puckhandler for Erie (OHL), but must get stronger to be able to handle the man in front of the net. (60-13-27-40-49)18. Jens Karlsson, LW, Los Angeles. Big winger didn&rsquo;t get enough playing time with Frolunda to make significant strides. (46-6-9-15-44)19. Shaone Morrison, D, Boston. Taken higher than he should have been, it showed with Kamloops (WHL). Remains a project, raw around the edges. (61-11-26-37-106)20. Marcel Goc, C, San Jose. Schwenningen pivot showed enough skill to make Olympic team, but needs more work to be NHL-ready. (45-8-9-17-24)21. Colby Armstrong, RW, Pittsburgh. Enjoyed solid second half with Red Deer (WHL), though he lost his designation as team captain. He&rsquo;s an effective agitator. (64-27-41-68-115)22. Jiri Novotny, C, Buffalo. Played solid two-way game with Budejovice; projected as an NHL checker. (41-8-6-14-6)23. Tim Gleason, D, Ottawa. A great skater and strong player, Gleason&rsquo;s play suffered from inconsistency. Needs to demonstrate more desire. (67-17-42-59-109)24. Lucas Krajicek, D, Florida. One of the best skaters in junior has high skill level. Looked fine when summoned from Peterborough late in year. (55-10-32-42-56)25. Alexander Perezhogin, C, Montreal. His offensive upside is his bread and butter. Knee injury slowed Kurgan (Russia) center WJC. (3-1-0-1-4)26. Jason Bacashihua, G, Dallas. &lsquo;Cash&rsquo; was Plymouth&rsquo;s (OHL) money stopper for great deal of year. (26-12-7, 2.34)27. Jeff Woywitka, D, Philadelphia. Big, strong and talented at both ends of the ice for Red Deer. (72-14-23-37-109)28. Adrian Foster, LW, New Jersey. Showed promise Devils felt he had when they rolled the dice on him with Brandon (WHL). (58-24-28-52-119)29. Adam Munro, G, Chicago. Suffered sub-par year with Erie (OHL); lost No. 1 job to T. J. Aceti. (24-13-1, 3.37)30. David Steckel, C, Los Angeles. Has lots of size (6-foot-5, 200pounds), but didn&rsquo;t progress as expected with Ohio (CCHA). (36-6-16-22-75) &#9632;

f0056-03

Checking up on first round selections from 2001

<div class="byline">By Joe Starkey</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0057-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-01137/8040618-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Alexei Kovalev 15th overall by Rangers (&rsquo;91) (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>The Pittsburgh Penguins need only look back to their last non-playoff year to know that a miserable season can have its rewards. In 1990 the Pens drafted Jaromir Jagr fifth overall and subsequently won two Stanley Cups and qualified for 11 consecutive post-seasons.Even if there are no Jagr-types available with the fifth pick this season - and it sure doesn&rsquo;t look like it - the Penguins are excited about their position. They haven&rsquo;t drafted higher than 16th since nabbing Jagr.&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t been in this position in a long time,&rdquo; said head scout Greg Malone. &ldquo;Before, when we&rsquo;d talk about the top end, we&rsquo;d have guys (rated) at four and five and say, &lsquo;Who cares, we&rsquo;re not going to see him.&rsquo; Now, it&rsquo;s different.&rdquo;This should be a much less eventful offseason than last year, when GM Craig Patrick faced the prospect of trading Jagr and dealing with 19 free agents. The major off-season issue is the status of unrestricted free agent Robert Lang, who intends to test the open market July 1, but has said he&rsquo;d give Pittsburgh the chance to match any offers.CALLING THE SHOTS Patrick has the final say on draft day, but his table is a democratic one.Malone co-ordinates the draft. A former Pittsburgh center, Malone has been chief scout for the past 11 years. In that time, the Pens have been most productive in the i later rounds and have struggled in the first two rounds. Malone said he and his staff did more traveling this season as the club looks to capitalize on its high draft position.DRAFT TENDENCY The Penguins&rsquo;s philosophy always has been to take the best athlete available as opposed to filling a specific need. Trouble is, they have produced just two bona fide NHL players - Aleksey Morozov and Martin Straka - with their past 10 first round picks (although recent picks Konstantin Koltsov, Brooks Orpik and Colby Armstrong still are prospects). The club has parted with tradition the past two years, taking a North American player first each time. Before that, the Penguins had used four of their previous five first round picks on European forwards.IMMEDIATE NEED The Pens must upgrade their defense. It has been a long time since Pittsburgh had either a top-flight offensive defenseman or a 25-28 minute guy who can hound the opposing team&rsquo;s best player. The current NHL unit is mediocre, at best, and their top minor league prospects - Orpik (18th overall pick, 2000), Ross Lupaschuk (acquired in the Jagr trade) and Rob Scuderi (134th, 1998) - are long shots to make the team next season. The Penguins would love to see Finland&rsquo;s Joni Pitkanen on the board when they draft fifth, but it&rsquo;s more likely they&rsquo;ll have to go the free agent route to land a No. 1-type defenseman - or even a No. 2-3 type. If they don&rsquo;t sign Lang, they&rsquo;ll have some extra cash to spend.LONG TERM NEED Three years from now, the Penguins could be playing in another city, but if they do get a new arena they&rsquo;ll need star power to help fill it. Penguins fans are used to watching A stars. Mario Lemieux likely will be retired and Alexei Kovalev may have vanished as an unrestricted free agent by then. The Pens need to find a young star around whom to build. Perhaps that will entice them to take a chance on a player such as tiny but talented Quebec Leaguer Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Or perhaps they&rsquo;ll sacrifice Lang and go all out to lock up Kovalev. Either way, this franchise needs star power to survive.READY TO STEP IN It&rsquo;s unlikely that anyone who spent the majority of the season in Wilkes-Barre will crack the roster next year, but 6-foot-4 center Shane Endicott might be the leading candidate. He didn&rsquo;t look out of place in four games with the Penguins, using his long reach to his advantage. His fate could depend on whether the Penguins retain Lang.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Jean-Sebastien Aubin, G; 24. Rick Berry, D, 23; Shean Donovan, LW, 27; Andrew Ference, D, 23; Dan LaCouture, LW, 25; Josef Melichar, D, 23; Aleksey Morozov, RW, 25; Ville Nieminen, LW, 25; Krzysztof Oliwa, LW, 29; Jamie Pushor, D, 29; Randy Robita&iacute;lle, C, 26; Michal Rozsival, D, 23; Jeff Toms, LW, 27.UNRESTRICTED FREE&nbsp;AGENTS Robert Lang, C, 31.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 26thDraft position each round 5th2002 first round 5thBest first round pick: Mario LemieuxChosen: 1st overall, 1984Without him, these would have been the Portland Penguins long ago. Arguably the greatest goal-scorer of all-time.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Pittsburgh&rsquo;s system:1. Brooks Orpik, D, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)2. Shane Endicott, C, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)3. Michal Sivek, C, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)4. Konstantin Koltsov, RW, Spartak (Rus.)5. Sebastien Caron, G, Wilkes-Barre (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1992 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1992 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1992 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Roman Hamrlik Tampa Bay2. Alexei Yashin Ottawa3. Mike Rathje San Jose4. Todd Warriner Quebec5. Darius Kasparaitis Islanders6. Cory Stillman Calgary7. Ryan Sittler Philadelphia8. Brandon Convery Toronto9. Robert Petrovicky Hartford10. Andrei Nazarov San Jose11. David Cooper Buffalo12. Sergei Krivokrasov Chicago13. Joe Hulbig Edmonton14. Sergei Gonchar Washington15. Jason Bowen Philadelphia16. Dmitri Kvartalnov Boston17. Sergei Bautin Winnipeg18. Jason Smith New Jersey19. Martin Straka Pittsburgh20. David Wilkie Montreal21. Libor Polasek Vancouver22. Curtis Bowen Detroit23. Grant Marshall Toronto24. Peter Ferraro Rangers<h3>1992 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Alexei Yashin, C, NYI ****Sergei Gonchar, D, Was ****Darius Kasparaitis, D, Col ****Roman Hamrlik, D, NYI ****Martin Straka, C, Pit ****Mike Rathje, D, SJ ****Jason Smith, D, Edm ****Cory Stillm an, C, StL ***Grant Marshall, RW, Clb ***Andrei Nazarov, LW, Pho ***Sergei Krivokrasov, RW, Min ***Todd Warriner, LW, Van ***Dmitri Kvartalnov, LW, Bos **Robert Petrovicky, C, TB **David Wilkie, D, TB **Sergei Bautin, D, Wpg **Peter Ferraro, C, Bos **Jason Bowen, LW, Phi **Brandon Convery, C, Tor **Joe Hulbig, LW, Bos **David Cooper, D, Tor *Ryan Sittler, LWLibor Polasek, CCurtis Bowen, LW &#9632;

f0057-01

Star search underway

<div class="byline">By Derrick Goold</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0058-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-01144/8040649-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Pavol Demitra 227th overall by Ottawa (&rsquo;93) (Scott Levy/BBS)</figcaption></div>The draft has rarely been a friend of the St. Louis Blues. Mismanagement of regimes long since gone still haunts the team&rsquo;s minor league system and when coupled with the prospect-heavy trades the Blues made before this season&hellip;well, suffice to say there isn&rsquo;t much help in the offing.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking at holes for the future,&rdquo; said GM Larry Pleau, who has made some trades to acquire young players, such as Daniel Tkazcuk, and draft picks. &ldquo;Obviously, you&rsquo;re going to take the best player available at that time. But we&rsquo;re not going to get a player that can immediately help us at the highest level. It&rsquo;s all futures.&rdquo;The Blues&rsquo;s first round draft pick belongs to Phoenix, so this looks like yet another draft with out a top-tier pick. The Blues have had only seven first round picks in the last 18 drafts, none higher than No. 9.CALLING THE SHOTS Director of amateur scouting Ted Hampson makes the final call on draft day. Hampson has been the draft triggerman for 18 years, long before Pleau arrived. This season Hampson has been &ldquo;everywhere,&rdquo; Pleau said: Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany, each league in Canada and even through U.S. colleges. Director of hockey operations John Ferguson Jr. will have a larger role in the draft this season.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;Realizing they won&rsquo;t be able to get immediate help, the Blues have adopted a philosophy of drafting with foresight. They want guys who are three to five years away from making the NHL and maybe even a couple years away from being American League-worthy.The Blues are in the process of rebuilding their stock of prospects. They need youngsters to use as trade bait, yes, but also to refill a depleted minor league system.IMMEDIATE NEED Having swapped their most promising forward prospects for veteran stars such as Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk before this season, the Blues are in desperate need of young, skilled skaters up front. They have a few in the system - namely Justin Papineau - but there is an urgent need to shore up that section of the roster.The blueline stockpile is deeper - with the likes of Barret Jackman, Matt Walker and Dale Clarke - so they can focus on the frontline. Certainly, the free agent market is an option as the Blues need to flank Weight with some scorers. There&rsquo;s a hope that Sergei Varlamov can develop into a second line winger during training camp, but the Blues will definitely be looking to draft or sign prospects to replace depth lost in trades.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED &ldquo;Anything,&rdquo; according to Pleau. He&rsquo;s right. The Blues want to have their woeful minor league depth back up to par within three years, but there are several key areas they have to address.First, it wouldn&rsquo;t hurt them to horde forwards. Mike Eastwood, Shjon Podein and Dallas Drake won&rsquo;t be around forever, so some grit and defensive acumen needs to be accumulated. A frontline scorer must come from within as the Blues won&rsquo;t have the budget to keep purchasing scorers.The defense appears set, with Mike Van Ryn establishing himself and the other top blueline prospects poised to join Chris Pronger as the team&rsquo;s foundation.Finally, a backup goalie would be helpful. Brent Johnson, 25, will be around, but he&rsquo;ll need a reliable No. 2.READY TO STEP IN If 5 of the Western semifinal against Detroit is any indication, Jackman will be on the blueline next season. Billed as a &ldquo;future captain,&rdquo; Jackman was more than a presence in the 4-0 loss to the Wings; he was, according to coach JoelQuenneville, the best player on the team. He made two half-ice rushes and twice cleaned up A1 Maclnnis giveaways. Drafted 17th overall in 1999, Jackman has been piling up penalty minutes in the minors and winning fans with his fight-all-comers attitude. But there&rsquo;s more to him than just fisticuffs as he has also showed solid positioning and crafty passing.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Cory Stillman, LW, 27; Keith Tkachuk, LW, 30.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Marc Bergevin, D, 36; Jeff Finley, D, 35; Scott Young, RW, 34.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 6thDraft position each round 23rd2002 first round No pickBest first round pick: Bernie FederkoChosen: 7th overall, 1976Franchise leader in assists (721), points (1,073) and games played (927) led team in scoring 10 times in 13 seasons as a Blue.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in St. Louis&rsquo; system:1. Barret Jackman, D, Worcester (AFIL)2. Justin Papineau. C, Worcester (AHL)3. Matt Walker, D, Worcester (AHL)4. Dale Clarke, D, Worcester (AHL)5. Jeff Panzer, C, Worcester (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1993 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1993 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1993 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Alexandre Daigle Ottawa2. Chris Pronger Hartford3. Chris Gratton Tampa Bay4. Paul Kariya Anaheim5. Rob Niedermayer Florida6. Viktor Kozlov San Jose7. Jason Arnott Edmonton8. Niklas Sundstrom Rangers9. Todd Harvey Dallas10.&nbsp;Jocelyn Thibault Quebec11. Brendan Witt Washington12. Kenny Jonsson Toronto13. Denis Pederson New Jersey14. Adam Deadmarsh Quebec15. Mats Lindgren Winnipeg16. Nick Stajduhar Edmonton17. Jason Allison Washington18. Jesper Mattsson Calgary19. Landon Wilson Toront20. Mike Wilson Vancouver21. Saku Koivu Montreal22. Anders Eriksson Detroit23. Todd Bertuzzi Islanders24. Eric Lecompte Chicago25. Kevyn Adams Boston26. Stefan Bergqvist Pittsburgh<h3>1993 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Chris Pronger, D, StL *****Paul Kariya, LW, Ana ****Saku Koivu, C, Mtl ****Todd Bertuzzi, C, Van ****Jason Allison, C, LA ****Jason Arnott, C, Dal ****Kenny Jonsson, D, NYI ****Adam Deadmarsh, C, LA ****Jocelyn Thibault, G, Chi ***Viktor Kozlov, LW, Fla ***Brendan Witt, D, Was ***Niklas Sundstrom, LW, SJ ***Chris Gratton, C, Buf ***Todd Harvey, C, SJ ***Rob Niederm ayer, C, Cgy ***Denis Pederson, C, Pho ***Alexandre Daigle, C. Ott ***Mats Lindgren, C, NYI ***Landon Wilson, RW, Pho ***Kevyn Adams, C, Car ***Anders Eriksson, D, Tor **Mike Wilson, D, Pit **Stefan Bergqvist, D, Pit *Nick Stajduhar, D, Edm *Jesper Mattsson, CEric Lecom pte, LW &#9632;

f0058-01

Farm starving for talent

<div class="byline">By Ross McKeon</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0059-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0059-01121/8040680-1-eng-US/f0059-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Owen Nolan 1st overall by Quebec (&rsquo;90) (James Baker/BBS)</figcaption></div>Barring changes due to a late-season transfer of ownership, the fact the San Jose Sharks have become a Stanley Cup contender doesn&rsquo;t figure to change the way the organization views the entry draft.GM Dean Lombardi works under the philosophy that the ice wars are ultimately won or lost at the draft table. And judging from how the franchise has successfully developed its prospects by remaining patient and plugging holes with mold-fitting free agents, the plan has worked.Drafted Sharks Mike Rathje, Patrick Marleau, Evgeni Nabokov, Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart, Scott Hannan, Jeff Jillson and Matt Bradley all figure to be instrumental in the team&rsquo;s future success while other recent draftees make their way up the ladder.CALLING THE SHOTS Tim Burke will over-see the Sharks&rsquo;s efforts for a seventh straight entry draft. In addition to being the principal decision-maker at the table, Burke is also responsible for evaluating amateur talent at every level in all North American and European leagues. In addition, he supervises the club&rsquo;s amateur scouting.A member of the San Jose scouting department since 1992 93, Burke spent the five seasons previous to that in the New Jersey Devils organization. He served in several capacities, including assistant coach, head coach for the American League&rsquo;s Utica Devils and pro scout.DRAFT TENDENCY The Sharks lean toward Western Canadian junior talent and collegiate prospects while always trying to uncover the rare jewel in Europe. San Jose has used recent high picks to stockpile defense, a position Lombardi figures is key since 30 teams can dilute the talent pool so quickly. The team, too, isn&rsquo;t afraid to venture into college hockey, where players have more time to develop before teams have to make a financial commitment. And San Jose isn&rsquo;t afraid to take a flyer on lesser-known European talent (Nabokov and Hannes Hyvonen both went in the ninth round) to see what might pan out.IMMEDIATE NEED With the uncertain status of 38-year-old unrestricted defenseman Gary Suter, who may or may not decide to continue playing, the Sharks don&rsquo;t have an experienced quarterback for the power play Stuart, in time, could develop those skills, but for him to be the No. 1 point man next year might be too much to expect from a 22-year-old entering just his fourth NHL season. With all of the new contracts needed for players already on the roster - and the uncertainty of how much money new ownership is willing to spend - it&rsquo;s hard to imagine the Sharks will be aggressive and active in the free agent market.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED With Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci and Marleau established as everyday regulars, along with Mark Smith and Todd Harvey available to man fourth line roles, the Sharks are secure at center for now. What they lack is organizational depth at pivot. The hope is 2001 first-rounder Marcel Goc (20th overall), a German, will eventually fill a top-six forward hole. The team may push to have Goc begin his North America pro career as early as next season.READY TO&nbsp;STEP IN Jonathan Cheechoo has advanced through the ranks and paid his dues in the minors. An improved skater with the natural ability to score in high-traffic areas, Cheechoo has patiently waited for a chance to show his wares I at the NHL level. He&rsquo;s strong! along the boards and would likely fit well on a line similar to the Scott Thornton-Ricci-Niklas Sundstrom combination. Because San Jose has been stacked at right wing and he battled with a series of injuries in Cleveland of the American League in 2001-02, Cheechoo did not even get a look-see last season. That&rsquo;s expected to change in the fall.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Matt Bradley, RW, 24; Scott Hannan, D, 23; Todd Harvey, RW, 27; Alexander Korolyuk, LW, 26; Patrick Marleau, C, 22; Evgeni Nabokov, G, 26; Marcus Ragnarsson, D, 30; Mark Smith, C, 24; Brad Stuart, D, 22; Marco Sturm, LW, 23; Niklas Sundstrom, RW, 27.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Stephane Matteau, LW, 32; Teemu Selanne, RW, 31; Gary Suter, D, 38.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 5thDraft position each round 27th2002 first round 27thBest first round pick: Mike RathjeChosen: 3rd overall, 1992Underappreciated and underpublicized defenseman routinely draws toughest assignments and I handles them well.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in San Jose&rsquo;s system:1. Jonathan Cheechoo, RW, Cleveland (AHL)2. Marcel Goc, C, Schwenningen (Ger.)3. Tero Maatta, D, Espoo (Fin.)4. Vesa Toskala, G, Cleveland (AHL)5. Jon Disalvatore, RW, Providence (HE)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1994 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1994 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1994 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Ed Jovanovski Florida2. Oleg Tverdovsky Anaheim3. Radek Bonk Ottawa4. Jason Bonsignore Edmonton5. Jeff O&rsquo;Neill Hartford6. Ryan Smyth Edmonton7. Jamie Storr Los Angeles8. Jason Wiemer Tampa Bay9. Brett Lindros Islanders10. Nolan Baumgartner Was11. Jeff Friesen San Jose12. Wade Belak Quebec13. Mattias Ohlund Vancouver14. Ethan Moreau Chicago15. Alexander Kharlam ov Was16. Eric Fichaud Toronto17. Wayne Primeau Buffalo18. Brad Brown Montreal19. Chris Dingman Calgary20. Jason Botterill Dallas21. Evgeni Ryabchikov Boston22. Jeffrey Kealty Quebec23. Yan Golubovsky Detroit24. Chris Wells Pittsburgh25. Vadim Sharifijanov NJ26. Dan Cloutier Rangers<h3>1994 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Ed Jovanovski, D, Van ****Ryan Smyth, LW, Edm ****Jeff O&rsquo;Neill, C, Car ****Oleg Tverdovsky, D, Ana ****Mattias Ohlund, D, Van ****Jeff Friesen, C, Ana ****Radek Bonk, C, Ott ****Dan Cloutier, G, Van ***Jamie Storr, G, LA ***Jason Wiemer, C, Fla ***Ethan Moreau, LW, Edm ***Wayne Primeau, C, Pit ***Brad Brown, D, Min ***Chris Dingman, LW, TB **Wade Belak, D, Tor **Chris Wells, C, Fla **Eric Fichaud, G, NYI **Vadim Sharifijanov, RW, NJ **Jason Bonsignore, C, TB **Brett Lindros, RW, NYI **Yan Golubovsky, D, Det *Jason Botterill, LW, Cgy *Nolan Baumgartner, D, Chi *Alexander Kharlamov, CEvgeni Ryabchikov, GJeffrey Kealty, D &#9632;

f0059-01

Prospects key winning ways

<div class="byline">By Damian Cristodero</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0060-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0060-01113/8040711-1-eng-US/f0060-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brad Richards 64th overall by Tampa Bay (&rsquo;98) (Lisa Meyer/BBS)</figcaption></div>For the first time in a while, the Tampa Bay Lightning goes into the NHL entry draft with its sights set not on the future, but on the now. After finishing with 69 points, 10 more than last season, the team feels it is close to being a legitimate playoff contender. To get over the hump it needs NHL bodies, not prospects.That means GM Jay Feaster will seriously consider trading the team&rsquo;s first round pick - fourth overall - for players who can step in immediately.With a few additions - two forwards and a top-four defenseman would be nice - and Nikolai Khabibulin in goal and resurgent seasons from Vincent Lecavalier, Fredrik Modin and Shane Willis, the Lightning feels it can turn the corner.CALLING THE SHOTS Feaster is clearly in charge, but will get enormous input from head scout Jake Goertzen, who is in his ninth season with the team&rsquo;s scouting department. Goertzen has great knowledge of the worldwide scene, especially Europe and Russia, where Tampa Bay concentrated much of its scouting under former GM Rick Dudley. Since Goertzen became head scout in May of 2000, the Bolts appear to have scored big with first round picks Nikita Alexeev and Alexander Svitov, though Svitov is caught in a Russian military twilight zone that may prevent him from coming to North America for five years.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;With, as Feaster said, a plan to &ldquo;get better and win now,&rdquo; any high draft pick will be close to playing in the NHL. That may be difficult with a 2002 draft class that&rsquo;s perceived as weak. The point may be moot if the Lightning trades the No. 4 pick. If not, Feaster will likely pick the player who&rsquo;s closest to being NHL-ready. That sets up an interesting dynamic. Under Dudley, the Lightning focused its draft efforts in Europe and especially Russia. The thinking was the skill level of European players would get them to the NHL quicker. But Feaster is more a fan of the grittier North American game. Watch closely to see where he concentrates his picks.IMMEDIATE NEED The Lightning needs scoring from its forwards and it needs another top-four defenseman. It also could use a proven backup goalie, but that is low on the priority list - it shouldn&rsquo;t be hard to scoop a free agent to play behind Khabibulin. Two scoring forwards would be best under Feaster&rsquo;s plan to solidify the top two lines. Tampa will likely try to get them via the trade route because that&rsquo;s a better way to control costs than to spring for an expensive free agent. Look for Feaster to actively seek trades in the days leading up to the draft.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED It is difficult to pinpoint one specific need since the team is still rebuilding from a time, only three years ago, in which its minor league system was so depleted, it was as though the Lightning was (again) an expansion franchise. That said, scorers are needed for both the Lightning and the farm.Goalies are also needed. The Lightning signed Kevin Hodson, who will get another crack at the backup job, but he&rsquo;s not likely the long-term answer.READY TO STEP&nbsp;IN If Svitov can somehow get out of the Russian military, he will play for the Lightning next season. The 6-foot-3,198-pound power forward is cut from the same mold as New Jersey&rsquo;s Bobby Holik and has the same mean streak. The problem is, Svitov has been inducted into the Russian military.The question is, for how long? Feaster and Svitov&rsquo;s agent, Jay Grossman, have said they were under the impression the hitch was for the standard two years. But reports out of Russia suggest Svitov has signed up for five years. Svitov, who signed a three-year, $3.6-million deal with the Lightning, apparently has not or cannot buy his way out of service as was done by Alexeev and former Lightning defenseman Andrei Zyuzin.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS&nbsp;Mathieu Biron, D, 22; Dan Boyle, D, 25; Ben Clymer, RW, 24; Chris Dingman, LW, 25; Gordie Dwyer, LW, 24; Pavel Kubina, D, 25; Fredrik Modin, LW, 27; Vinny Prospal, C, 27; Andre Roy, RW, 27; Shane Willis, RW, 25.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Dave Andreychuk, F, 38; Dieter Kochan, G, 27; Grant Ledyard, D, 40.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 27thDraft position each round 4th2002 first round 4thBest first round pick: Vincent LecavalierChosen: 1st overall, 1998Despite his well-documented struggles, slick center is wildy talented and is only Bolt to score 20 goals in three straight years.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Tampa Bay&rsquo;s system:1. Alexander Svitov, C, Omsk (Rus.)2. Alexander Polushin, C, Central Army (Rus.)3. Nikita Alexeev, RW, Springfield (AHL)4. Kristian Kudroc, D, Springfield (AHL)5. Andreas Holmqvist, D, Hammarby (Swe.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1995 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1995 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1995 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Bryan Berard Ottawa2. Wade Redden Islanders3. Aki Berg Los Angeles4. Chad Kilger Anaheim5. Daymond Langkow Tampa6. Steve Kelly Edmonton7. Shane Doan Winnipeg8. Terry Ryan Montreal9. Kyle McLaren Boston10. Radek Dvorak Florida11. Jarome Iginla Dallas12. Teemu Riihijarvi San Jose13. J-S Giguere Hartford14. Jay McKee Buffalo15. Jeff Ware Toronto16. Martin Biron Buffalo17. Brad Church Washington18. Petr Sykora New Jersey19. Dmitri Nabokov Chicago20. Denis Gauthier Calgary21. Sean Brown Boston22. Brian Boucher Philadelphia23. Miika Elomo Washington24. Alexei Morozov Pittsburgh25. Marc Denis Colorado26. Maxim Kuznetsov Detroit<h3>1995 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Jarome Iginla, RW, Cgy ****Petr Sykora, C, NJ ****Wade Redden, D, Ott ****Kyle McLaren, D, Bos ****J-S Giguere, G, Ana ****Shane Doan, RW, Pho ****Daymond Langkow, C, Pho ****Jay McKee, D, Buf ****Martin Biron, G, Buf ***Radek Dvorak, LW, NYR ***Denis Gauthier, D, Cgy ***Brian Boucher, G, Phi ***Marc Denis, G, Clb ***Aleksey Morozov, RW, Pit ***Bryan Berard, D, NYR ***Aki Berg, D, Tor ***Chad Kilger, C, Mtl ***Sean Brown, D, Bos ***Maxim Kuznetsov, D, Det **Steve Kelly, C, LA **Dmitri Nabokov, C, NYI **Jeff Ware, D, Tor *Terry Ryan, LW, Mtl *Miika Elomo, LW, Was *Brad Church, LW, Was *Teemu Riihijarvi, RW &#9632;

f0060-01

Winning finally dub’s focus

<div class="byline">By Ken Campbell</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0061-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0061-01117/8040742-1-eng-US/f0061-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mats Sundin 1st overall by Quebec (&rsquo;89) (Brian Babineau/SA)</figcaption></div>The Toronto Maple Leafs are picking in the No. 24 spot for the third straight draft and if the first two picks are any indication, they should land an excellent prospect.Two years ago, Toronto picked a center by the name of wiry but talented Brad Boyes and all he did was go on to be the most outstanding player in the Ontario League the next two seasons. This past season&rsquo;s achievement was all the more remarkable considering he missed 21 games with mononucleosis and playing in the World Junior Championship.Last year the Leafs drafted defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, Boyes&rsquo;s teammate on the Erie Otters, and most scouts believe he has a mix of talent and grit that will result in a long NHL career.Frankly speaking, the Leafs could use the home runs in the first round because player procurement has not been their strength over the years. They often have a hard time swinging deals at the deadline because they don&rsquo;t have enough good young players to give up in a trade. The Leafs haven&rsquo;t drafted a full-time NHL player since 1996, when they took a flyer on defenseman Tomas Kaberle with the 204th overall pick.A solid addition to the scouting staff is new director of amateur scouting, Barry Trapp, the former director of player personnel for the Canadian Hockey Association and the architect of the world junior team.CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Since Pat Quinn is the only GM in the NHL who is also the coach, he has virtually no involvement in the draft and defers everything to director of player personnel Mike Penny. Penny and Quinn go back to their days together with the Vancouver Canucks and Quinn has unconditional trust in him. Starting next year, however, Trapp will take over the drafting process and will have final say on which players are selected.Trapp is well respected in scouting circles and brings with him a wealth of experience in international hockey.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;When Quinn and Penny were together in Vancouver their philosophy was to draft &rsquo;em big and not worry about deficiencies. But using high picks on the likes of Rob Woodward, Libor Polasek and Alex Stojanov seems to have changed their thinking. Quinn, in particular, is more interested in acquiring skill now. Penny, like virtually everyone else in his position, says his philosophy is to take the best player available.IMMEDIATE NEED With all three of the goalies on their roster eligible for unrestricted free agency July 1, the Maple Leafs could have a major void to fill in goal. Prospect Sebastien Centomo had a terrific season in the minors, but he&rsquo;sjust 20 so the Leafs almost certainly will have to fill that spot from outside the organization if they&rsquo;re unable to re-sign Curtis Joseph or Tom Barrasso.The Leafs also have Mikael Tellqvist, a player whom they hoped would be their backup this season, but Tellqvist needs at least one more season in the minors.LONG TERM&nbsp;NEED With so few young goalies coming up the ranks, the Leafs need to get some depth at that position for the long term as well. Most of their key forwards (Mats Sundin, Gary Roberts, Shayne Corson and Alexander Mogilny) are over 30 and while they still have a few years left, will need to be replaced by some younger talent.READY TO STEP IN It&rsquo;ll be interesting to see what the Leafs, who rushed Nik Antropov into an injury-plagued NHL career, do with Boyes next year. On talent alone, there&rsquo;s little question he can play in Toronto, but there are concerns about the 6-feet, 181-pounder&rsquo;s over-all strength, something that&rsquo;s difficult to supplement during an 82-game season. Luca Cereda, the 24th pick in 1999 that was thought to be a bust, was placed in a defensive role with St. John&rsquo;s late in the season and was outstanding. He shut down Ted Donato, a former NHLer and one of the American League&rsquo;s top players, in a playoff series.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Wade Belak, D, 25; Aki Berg, D, 24; Jonas Hoglund, LW, 29; Alyn McCauley, C, 25; Dmitry Yushkevich, D, 30.UN RESTRICTED&nbsp;FREE AGENTS Tom Barrasso, G, 37; Cory Cross, D, 31; Tie Domi, RW, 31; Curtis Joseph, G, 35; Corey Schwab, G, 31; Garry Valk, LW, 34.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 3rdDraft position each round 24th2002 first round 24thBest first round pick: Darryl SittlerChosen: 8th overall, 1970One of all-time greats led team in scoring eight straight seasons and holds franchise marks for goals (389) and points (916).<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Toronto&rsquo;s system:1. Brad Boyes. C, Erie (OHL)2. Carlo Colaiacovo, D, Erie (OHL)3. Mikael Tellqvist, G, St. John&rsquo;s (AHL)4. Petr Svoboda, D, St. John&rsquo;s (AHL)5. Markus Seikola, D, TPS Turku (Fin.)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1996 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1996 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1996 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Chris Phillips Ottawa2. Andrei Zyuzin San Jose3. J-P Dumont Islanders4. Alexander Volchkov Was5. Richard Jackman Dallas6. Boyd Devereaux Edmonton7. Erik Rasmussen Buffalo8. Jonathan Aitken Boston9. Ruslan Salei Anaheim10. Lance Ward New Jersey11. Dan Focht Phoenix12. Josh Holden Vancouver13. Derek Morris Calgary14. Marty Reasoner St. Louis15. Dainius Zubrus Philadelphia16. Mario Larocque Tam pa Bay17. Jaroslav Svejkovsky Was18. Matt Higgins Montreal19. Matthieu Descoteaux Edm20. Marcus Nilson Florida21. Marco Sturm San Jose22. Jeff Brown Rangers23. Craig Hillier Pittsburgh24. Daniel Briere Phoenix25. Peter Ratchuk Colorado26. Jesse Wallin Detroit<h3>1996 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Derek Morris, D, Cgy ****Daniel Briere, C, Pho ****Ruslan Salei, D, Ana ***Chris Phillips, D, Ott ***J-P Dumont, LW, Buf ***Dainius Zubrus, RW, Was ***Marco Sturm, C, SJ ***Marcus Nilson, LW, Fla ***Andrei Zyuzin, D, NJ ***Boyd Devereaux, C, Det ***Erik Rasmussen, C, Buf ***Marty Reasoner, C, Edm ***Jesse Wallin, D, Det **Jaroslav Svejkovsky, RW, TB **Lance Ward,-D, Fla **Richard Jackman, D, Tor **Matt Higgins, C, Mtl **Josh Holden, C, Van *Peter Ratchuk, D, Pit *Dan Focht, D, Pho *Matthieu Descoteaux, D, Mtl *Mario Larocque, D, TB *Alexandre Volchkov, C, Was *Jonathan Aitken, D, Bos *Jeff Brown, DCraig Hillier, G &#9632;

f0061-01

Finding gems new tradition

<div class="byline">By Elliott Pap</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0062-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-01116/8040773-1-eng-US/f0062-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Markus Naslund 16th overall by Pittsburgh (&rsquo;91) (Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</figcaption></div>Early last season when the Vancouver Canucks were floundering and in need of a veteran talent upgrade, GM Brian Burke approached chief amateur scout Ron Delorme for an assessment of the 2002 draft possibilities.When Delorme told his boss they weren&rsquo;t promising, Burke took the advice into trade talks and on Nov. 10 dealt his 2002 first round selection to the Washington Capitals for Trevor Linden. The Canucks eventually pulled out of their swoon and finished 13th overall with 94 points, which meant the pick going to Washington was No. 17. For the Canucks, this was one gamble that paid off.Vancouver, in fact, wants to get older for 2002-03. Coach Marc Crawford feels a couple of wily veterans are needed to augment his youthful lineup.The Canucks were the youngest team to make the playoffs - with an average age of 25.8 - and their inexperience showed against the veteran-laden Detroit Red Wings.CALLING THE SHOTS Delorme is back for his second season as the Canucks&rsquo;s chief of amateur scouting. Delorme, a former tough-guy forward with the old Colorado Rockies and the Canucks, has beaten the bushes for 17 consecutive years since retiring as a player. Until being elevated to the top spot, Delorme scoured the western region and helped uncover middle-to-late round picks such as Brent Sopel, Garry Valk, Tyson Nash and Bill Muckalt, all of whom are still taking a regular shift in the league.DRAFT TENDENCY This will be the fifth entry draft for the Burke regime and the philosophy remains unchanged - take the best player available regardless of position. Burke is unfazed about positional needs and feels if he winds up top-heavy in one spot he can always move some of those assets for help in another area. As an example, last May he acquired goaltending prospect Alex Auld from the Florida Panthers when he decided his depth at that position needed shoring up.IMMEDIATE NEED Goaltending remains the biggest conundrum for the organization A year ago, the Canucks opted to hand the No. 1 job to Dan Cloutier and he came through during the regular season with 31 victories and a team-record seven shutouts. However, he melted down during the Canucks&rsquo;s first round playoff series against Detroit and was beaten for 10 goals on the final 33 shots he faced, including one from center ice off the stick of Nicklas Lidstrom.Cloutier&rsquo;s playoff performance merely serve to renew the debate on whether he is a bona fide No. 1 or the fortunate recipient of a good offense fronting him. Meanwhile, the backup position remains a mystery. The Canucks have until June 30 to decide whether to pick up the option on last season&rsquo;s backup Peter Skudra.LONG TERM NEED The Canucks have a lot of centers on their NHL roster and in their system, but none are the nasty, physical type that can both intimidate and score. Players such as Peter Forsberg and Bobby Holik are extremely hard to find, but any reasonable facsimile will do.With Andrew Cassels likely to leave as an unrestricted free agent, the Canucks will be relying on smallish Brendan Morrison and still unproven Henrik Sedin as their top centers. They can always move Trevor Linden to the middle, but he hasn&rsquo;t put up decent numbers in four years.READY TO STEP IN For the second straight year, lanky defenseman Bryan Allen is the prospect most expected to make the jump to the big club. Allen did start in the NHL in 2001-02, but lasted only seven undistinguished games before being dispatched to Manitoba of the American League. He was recalled for four games in February and finished with no points and a plus-1 rating in 11 NHL games.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Mike Brown, LW, 23; Artem Chubarov, C, 22; Harold Druken, C, 23; Bryan Helmer, D, 29; Brendan Morrison, C, 26; Jason Strudwick, D, 26; Todd Warriner, LW, 28.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Andrew Cassels, C, 32; Scott Lachance, D, 29.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 13thDraft position each round 17th2002 first round No pickBest first round pick: Cam NeelyChosen: 9th overall, 1983Canucks gave up on him after three years and dealt him to Boston, where he became one of era&rsquo;s premier power forwards.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Vancouver&rsquo;s system:1. Bryan Allen, D, Manitoba (AHL.)2. RJ. Umberger, C, Ohio State (CCHA)3. Alex Auld, G, Manitoba (AHL)4. Rene Vydareny, D, Manitoba (AHL)5. Fedor Fedorov, C, Manitoba (AHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1997 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1997 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1997 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Joe Thornton Boston2. Patrick Marleau San Jose3. Olli Jokinen Los Angeles4. Roberto Luongo Islanders5. Eric Brewer Islanders6. Daniel Tkaczuk Calgary7. Paul Mara Tampa Bay8. Sergei Samsonov Boston9. Nick Boynton Washington10. Brad Ference Vancouver11. Jason Ward Montreal12. Marian Hossa Ottawa13. Dan Cleary Chicago14. Michel Riesen Edmonton15. Matt Zultek Los Angeles16. Ty Jones Chicago17. Robert Dome Pittsburgh18. Mikael Holmqvist Anaheim19. Stefan Cherneski Rangers20. Mike Brown Florida21. Mika Noronen Buffalo22. Nikos Tselios Carolina23. Scott Hannan San Jose24. J-F Damphousse New Jersey25. Brenden Morrow Dallas26. Kevin Grimes Colorado<h3>1997 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Joe Thornton, C, Bos ****Roberto Luongo, G, Fla ****Sergei Samsonov, LW, Bos ****Marian Hossa, LW, Ott ****Patrick Marleau, C, SJ ****Eric Brewer, D, Edm ****Brenden Morrow, LW, Dal ***Scott Hannan, D, SJ ***Paul Mara, D, Pho ***Mika Noronen, G, Buf ***Brad Ference, D, Fla ***Dan Cleary, LW, Edm ***Nick Boynton, D, Bos ***Olli Jokinen, C, Fla ***Robert Dome, RW, Pit **Nikos Tselios, D, Car *J-F Damphousse, G, NJ *Jason Ward, RW, Mtl *Daniel Tkaczuk, C, StL *Mike Brown, C, Van *Michel Riesen, LW, StL *Ty Jones, RW, Chi *Matt Zultek, LWMikael Holmqvist, CStefan Cherneski, RWKevin Grimes, D &#9632;

f0062-01

Here-and-now GM’s concern

<div class="byline">By Dave Fay</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0063-0265/8040818-1-eng-US/f0063-022.jpg" title="f0063-02" width="244" height="274"></div>The Washington Capitals have three picks in each of the first three rounds in an NHL entry draft that is not viewed as being overloaded with talent. Head scout Ross Mahoney, though, doesn&rsquo;t quite see it that way.&ldquo;There (are) players who make the NHL from every draft,&rdquo; Mahoney said. &ldquo;Some years you think it is a really good draft then you have to wait five years to find out. I&rsquo;ve seen &lsquo;average&rsquo; drafts turn out to be excellent producers when it was all said and done. We have nine picks in the first three rounds and I see that as very beneficial because there&rsquo;s always good players early on, no matter what draft it is.&rdquo;GM George McPhee has made it a practice to stockpile picks since he arrived five seasons ago and there has been some reward. However, while McPhee preaches patience, others would like to see Washington&rsquo;s development process speeded up.CALLING THE SHOTS&nbsp;Mahoney runs the show. &ldquo;The draft is based on guidance from the GM, but we - the scouts - try to do things collectively as a group and come up with a list. But the final decision rests with myself.&rdquo;It was three of Mahoney&rsquo;s draft picks who were involved in last summer&rsquo;s deal to get Jaromir Jagr from Pittsburgh, a clear indication that Washington&rsquo;s success at the draft table is paying dividends.Mahoney has traveled extensively across North America and Europe this season, checking in personally with team scouts.DRAFT TENDENCY&nbsp;&ldquo;Our philosophy is to take the best player who is available when our turn comes,&rdquo; Mahoney said. &ldquo;If you go by position you might pick a defenseman and pass over an excellent forward What we do is take the by Plttsburgh best athlete, the best player who is available. Skating ability, if you can&rsquo;t skate to a certain level, there&rsquo;s little chance you&rsquo;ll make it in the NHL. Hockey sense, skill, competitiveness, size, all those things enter into it.&rdquo;IMMEDIATE NEED The Capitals need either a first line center or a left winger who can fit into the Dainius Zubrus-Jaromir Jagr equation. The missing piece off the first line was a major factor in the club&rsquo;s inability to make better use of a high-profile athlete like Jagr. Zubrus did well in the short term as a center and may end up there if an effective winger can be acquired.The second major need is a big, mobile, stay-at-home defenseman who can clear away some of the squatters who have taken up residency in Olie Kolzig&rsquo;s crease. Some of those high draft picks - and possibly a warm body or two - may be used in a trade to latch on to the forward or defenseman or both.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0063-0339/8040811-1-eng-US/f0063-032.jpg" title="f0063-03" width="672" height="1391"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jaromir Jagr 5th overall by Pittsburgh (&rsquo;90)</figcaption></div>LONG TERM NEED&nbsp;The acquisition of rookie Maxime Ouellet from Philadelphia has relieved some of the pressure to draft a goalie, but other areas are definitely getting long in the tooth.On offense, Peter Bondra is 34 and Jagr is 30. On defense, Calle Johansson is 35, Frantisek Kucera is 34 and Ken Klee is 30. In short, Washington&rsquo;s is a roster that needs a sip from the fountain of youth.Ouellet and Sebastien Charpentier are both considered good prospects in goal and one of them may move up to back up Kolzig if they can take the job away from veteran Craig Billington.READY TO&nbsp;STEP IN McPhee insists that rookies - coming out of junior, college, wherever - pay their dues with a season or so of experience-gathering at the American League level. That indicates center Brian Sutherby, whose Western League apprenticeship at Moose Jaw appears to be over, will join the Portland Pirates for at least part of a season unless he stands the Caps on their heads at camp.Nolan Yonkman, a huge defenseman (6-foot-6,242 pounds and growing) who can skate well for a man his size and hits harder than Tonya Harding, will have to play himself off the roster. The same goes for blue-liner J-F Fortin, who should have no trouble sticking with the big club. The door is open for defenseman Jakub Cutta, but he will have to earn his stripes.RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Colin Forbes, C, 26; J-F Fortin, D, 23; Andrei Nikolishin, C, 29; Dainius Zubrus, C, 23.UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Ulf Dahlen, RW, 35; Benoit Hogue, LW, 35; Frantisek Kucera, D, 34; Rob Zettler, D, 34.<h2>FAST FACTS</h2>2001-02 overall finish 19thDraft positjon each round 12th2002 first round 12th, 17th, 26thBest first round pick: Olie Kolzig<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0063-0518/8040804-1-eng-US/f0063-052.jpg" title="f0063-05" width="161" height="217"></div>Chosen: 9th overall, 1989At one point everyone gave up on Kolzig but him self; his perserverance rewarded him with a Vezina Trophy and league-wide respect.<h2>TOP FIVE</h2>Future Watch&rsquo;s ranking of the top five prospects in Washington&rsquo;s system:1. Brian Sutherby. C, Moose Jaw (WHL)2. Maxime Ouellet. G, Portland (AHL)3. Jakub Cutta, D, Portland (AHL)4. Nolan Yonkman, D, Portland (AHL)5. Nathan Paetsch, D, Moose Jaw (WHL)RE-DOING THE DRAFT<h2>1998 REVISITED</h2>Here&rsquo;s how the first round of the 1998 NHL entry draft unfolded.<h3>1998 FIRST ROUND</h3>1. Vincent Lecavalier Tampa Bay2. David Legw and Nashville3. Brad Stuart San Jose4. Bryan Allen Vancouver5. Vitali Vishnevsky Anaheim6. Rico Fata Calgary7. Manny Malhotra Rangers8. Mark Bell Chicago9. Michael Rupp Islanders10. Nikolai Antropov Toronto11. Jeff Heerema Carolina12. Alex Tanguay Colorado13. Michael Henrich Edmonton14. Patrick Desrochers Phoenix15. Mathieu Chouinard Ottawa16. Eric Chouinard Montreal17. Martin Skoula Colorado18. Dimitri Kalinin Buffalo19. Robyn Regehr Colorado20. Scott Parker Colorado21. Mathieu Biron Los Angeles22. Simon Gagne Philadelphia23. Milan Kraft Pittsburgh24. Christian Backman St. Louis25. Jiri Fischer Detroit26. Mike Van Ryn New Jersey27. Scott Gomez New Jersey<h3>1998 RE-ORDERED</h3>With hindsight factored in, here&rsquo;s the order in which the first round should have gone.***** Hall of Fame career**** Above average*** Average** Below average* Cup of coffeeNo star indicates no NHL duty.Sim on Gagne, C, Phi ****Vincent Lecavalier, C, TB ****Scott Gomez, C, NJ ****Alex Tanguay, LW, Col ****Brad Stuart, D, SJ ****Jiri Fischer, D, Det ****Martin Skoula, D, Col ****David Legwand, C, Nas ****Vitali Vishnevsky, D, Ana ****Robyn Regehr, D, Cgy ****Mark Bell, LW, Chi ***Dmitri Kalinin, D, Buf ***Milan Kraft, C, Pit ***Manny Malhotra, C, Dal ***Mike Van Ryn, D, StL ***Nikolai Antropov, C, Tor ***Scott Parker, D, Col ***Mathieu Biron, D, TB **Patrick Desrochers, G, Pho **Bryan Allen, D, Van **Jeff Heerem a, RW, Car **Rico Fata, C, NYR *Mathieu Chouinard, G, Ott *Michael Rupp, LW, NJ *Eric Chouinard, C, Mtl *Christian Backm an, D, StL *Michael Henrich, RW, Edm * &#9632;

f0063-02

Picks aplenty for Capitals

<div class="byline">by MARK BRENDER </div><div class="byline">CONTRIBUTING EDITOR</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0064-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0064-01101/8040877-1-eng-US/f0064-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">DOMINIK HSEKARTURS IRBE</figcaption></div>&ldquo;It is a fine line that separates the sought-after veteran from the on-the-H-cheap journeyman-for-hire. It wasn&rsquo;t so long ago that Arturs Irbe had his two stone-age goal pads on either side of that tenuous divide.In the fall of 1998, the one-time playoff hero of the San Jose Sharks couldn&rsquo;t even find a job until mid-September. When he did, it was to back up Trevor Kidd on an ailing franchise in a non-hockey market. The Carolina Hurricanes hadn&rsquo;t made the playoffs since the first Bush Administration. They were Irbe&rsquo;s fourth team in four years.But having been cast aside by San Jose, Dallas and Vancouver, the fates smiled on Irbe this time. When Kiddfaltered in the second game of the season, Irbe took over and was named player of the month for October.He had matured. He learned from his failures. Asked if he was worried about sustaining his strong play, given that he was playing on a one-year contract, Irbe replied: &ldquo;That doesn&rsquo;t scare me any more. The world turns in unimaginable ways.&rdquo;Now ain&rsquo;t that the truth. After all, who could have predicted the Detroit Red Wings would put six goals past Patrick Roy by halfway through the second period&hellip;in Game 7 of the Western Conference final?Oh yeah, almost forgot. The Hurricanes are in the Stanley Cup final. Surely not even the happy-go-lucky Irbe could have envisioned that. But it&rsquo;s happening.&ldquo;I guess in a way we were not supposed to be here,&rdquo; said Irbe, known to his teammates as Archie.&rsquo; &ldquo;But we always have found a way to find the heroes at the right time and in the right games, especially now in the playoffs. It&rsquo;s a great feeling because this is a team with a capital T.&rdquo;To think that Irbe and his Carolina mates can triumph over the Western Conference champion and Presidents&rsquo; Trophy Red Wings as they did over New Jersey, Montreal and Toronto requires a huge leap of faith. Forget, for the time being, who Irbe is up against in his own zone - Yzerman, Shanahan, Fedorov, Hull, Robitaille. The greatest mismatch in many people&rsquo;s minds - no disrespect intended to Irbe&rsquo;s sparkling .947 save percentage entering the final - is between the pipes.At the other end in the NHL&rsquo;s first all-Euro goalie final stands the greatest netminder in history never to win a Stanley Cup. And he has arguably the deepest, best-stacked team in more than a decade to help him do it.You might say Detroit got Dominik Hasek for just this purpose, to lead the Wings to the Cup. The smug Wings fan would say Hasek&rsquo;s prime assignment - to shove aside Roy and the defending champs - has been completed.&ldquo;Maybe (last) summer (Detroit) thought about Colorado and that they need me here and that&rsquo;s the reason why I&rsquo;m here,&rdquo; said Hasek before the Colorado series. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited about it and now I can prove it against the&hellip;I don&rsquo;t want to say the best team, but for sure the Stanley Cup champion.&rdquo;That he did and he has already set an NHL record for five shutouts in a single playoff year in the process. Hasek has not said whether he will play past this season, though the outcome of this final will certainly have something to do with it. On one hand, a Stanley Cup would give him every reason in the world to pack up to Pardubice and live out his life at home as the Czech Republic&rsquo;s most revered sports hero.&ldquo;I would say Michael Jordan, pretty much. Or Mohammed Ali,&rdquo; said Detroit&rsquo;s Czech defenseman Jiri Fischer, on Hasek&rsquo;s homeland stature.But then again, if Hasek wins and has as much fun as he maintains he has been having this season, why not come back for more? Hasek&rsquo;s agent, Rich Winter, wants what-ever will make Hasek play another season. &ldquo;But since he hasn&rsquo;t told me what that is,&rdquo; Winter said, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know who to cheer for.&rdquo;And if Hasek and the Wings lose? There goes that logic-defying talk again. Which brings us back to Irbe.The little Latvian, 5-foot-8on a good day, is already in uncharted personal territory. Coming into these playoffs Hasek, 37, had won six career playoff series. Irbe, 35, had won one. But it might sound familiar: he backstopped an over-achieving underdog to a stunning upset of a No. 1-seeded Detroit team. That was with San Jose in 1994.And he has had other adventures, been places and done things that Hasek has not. While with San Jose, Irbe was bitten by his dog in the off-season and suffered nerve and tendon damage to both hands. He carries around goal equipment that looks like it survived the fall of communism. &ldquo;He brings these pads and these gloves back to Latvia every year,&rdquo; said Herbert Vasiljevs, his friend and fellow national team player. Irbe talks about his pads having had &ldquo;liposuction&rdquo; and &ldquo;organ replacement.&rdquo; How can you not cheer for a guy like that?What&rsquo;s undeniable is Irbe has got them working at the right time and his team is behind him.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s making the stops look very simple which for a goaltender, that&rsquo;s what you want to see,&rdquo; said Carolina defenseman Glen Wesley &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very confident in there, even playing the puck, which was really his Achilles&rsquo; heel. He&rsquo;s kept things very simple for us as a defense, not making plays that he probably shouldn&rsquo;t. It&rsquo;s been great playing in front of him and as long as we can clear rebounds and don&rsquo;t give teams second opportunities, he&rsquo;s been doing the job for us.&rdquo;Back in Latvia, Vasiljevs says, Irbe is as big as Hasek is in the Czech Republic. The Hurricanes are in the papers every day. People are thrilled how far he has taken them.&ldquo;But you don&rsquo;t know,&rdquo; Vasiljevs said, &ldquo;they might win it. There&rsquo;s a slim chance.&rdquo;Hurricanes&rsquo; coach Paul Maurice is playing along with the underdog script, fitting for a team that by points finished as the 16th-best club in the regular season.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve applied for underdog status,&rdquo; he said after the deciding win over the Leafs. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re still at illegitimate mongrel status. We&rsquo;ll probably have a little fun with it and take them home, rest the mongrels and see what they can do.&rdquo;It is a dog-eat-dog world, after all. Or dog eat master. Irbe knows better than anyone.And it&rsquo;s a world that sometimes sees things turn out in unimaginable ways.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-01114/8040870-1-eng-US/f0065-012.jpg" title="f0065-01" width="476" height="396"></div><h2>THE FAVORITE</h2>2002 Playoffs: 12 6, 2.07 GAA, .914 Sf? 5 shutouts*Career playoffs: 49-38, 2.08 GAA, 11 shutoutsCareer vs. Irbe: 5-3-0. 1.97 GAA, .931 SP2001-02: 41-15-8, 2.17 GAA, .915 SP 5 shutoutsCareer regular season: 288-189-80, 2.23 GAA, 61 shutoutsStanley Cups: 0<h3>AWARDS</h3>Hart (2), Vezina (6), Jennings (2), Pearson (2), 1st All-Star (6), 2nd All-Star (0)<h3>DOMINIK HASEK SKINNY</h3>Not as imposing as, say, five years ago, but still a monumental foe for shooters.* Denotes NHL record.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-0286/8040863-1-eng-US/f0065-022.jpg" title="f0065-02" width="476" height="396"></div><h2>THE UNDERDOG</h2>2002 Playoffs: 9-4, 1.41 GAA, .947 SR 1 shutoutCareer playoffs: 22-23, 3.17 GAA, 1 shutoutCareer vs. Hasek: 3-5-0 2.65 GAA, .898 SP2001-02: 20-19-11, 2.54 GAA, .902 SR 3 shutoutsCareer regular season: 206-210-76, 2.82 GAA, 33 shutoutsStanley Cups: 0<h3>AWARDS</h3>None<h3>ARTURS IRBE SKINNY</h3>Prone to mental lapses; stand-up goalie not as vulnerable high as some believe.<h2>MOTOR CITY VS. NASCAR COUNTRY</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-0360/8040856-1-eng-US/f0065-032.jpg" title="f0065-03" width="343" height="260"></div><h3>RED WINGS</h3>2001-02 record: 51-17-10-4Record vs. Carolina: 2-0-0-0Playoff record: 12-6Playoff PP: 21.6% (3rd of 16)Playoff PK: 85.0% (8th of 16)OT record: 1-3OT scorer: Fredrik OlaussonSTORYLINE Stacked Wings have played all season under the assumption that anything less than the Stanley Cup is a failure.<h3>KEYS TO VICTORY</h3>1. Staying patient and not falling into Hurricanes&rsquo;s trap.2. Getting traffic in front of Arturs Irbe (Toronto couldn&rsquo;t).3. Avoiding overconfidence: taking foe lightly a path to doom.<h3>MVP CANDIDATES</h3>1. Steve YzermanMr. Wonderful battles on.2. Sergei FedorovBrilliant skater controls play.3. Chris CheliosAlways wins in trenches.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-0445/8040849-1-eng-US/f0065-042.jpg" title="f0065-04" width="379" height="232"></div><h3>HURRICANES</h3>2001-02 record: 35-26-16-5Record vs. Detroit: 0-2-0-0Playoff record: 12-6Playoff PP: 17.7% (7th of 16)Playoff PK: 83.1% (10th of 16)OT record: 6-1OT scorers: Battaglia, Gelinas, O&rsquo;Neill, Vasicek, Wallin (2)STORYLINE Team effort, incredible gut-check showings in OT bring storybook Canes to promised land.<h3>KEYS TO VICTORY</h3>1. Irbe has to be magical for Carolina to have a shot.2. &lsquo;BBC&rsquo; line needs to pick up production (1 goal vs. Leafs).3. Sticking to defense-first game plan at all costs.<h3>MVP CANDIDATES</h3>1. Arturs Irbe.947 SP? Are you kidding?2. Ron FrancisCaptain leads, inspires.3. Sean HillCarolina&rsquo;s homecoming king. &#9632;

f0064-01

CAGE MATCH

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-01100/8040936-1-eng-US/f0066-012.jpg" title="f0066-01" width="513" height="844"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron Francis</figcaption></div><h2>HOW CANES WERE BUILT</h2>Carolina drafted 11 of the 23 players that have powered them to the Stanley Cup final. Nine players became Canes via trades and three signed on as free agents.Draft (11): C. Adams, Battaglia, Cole, Kapanen, C. Mac-Donald, Malik, O&rsquo;Neill, Svoboda, Tanabe, Wallin, Westlund.Trade (9): K. Adams, Bririd&rsquo;Amour, Gelinas, Hedican, Hill, Langdon, Ward, Weekes, Wesley.Free agency (3): Daniels, Francis, Irbe.<h2>HOW MAY C&Iacute;&Iacute;PS HAVE YOU WON?&hellip;.</h2>Carolina players have won a total of six Stanley Cups:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-0262/8040929-1-eng-US/f0066-022.jpg" title="f0066-02" width="777" height="278"></div><h2>PLAYOFF HISTORY</h2>This is Carolina&rsquo;s first Stanley Cup final. Since joining the NHL from the World Hockey Association in 1979-as the Hartford Whalers - the franchise was 1-10 in playoff series before this year, last winning a round in 1986.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-0324/8040922-1-eng-US/f0066-032.jpg" title="f0066-03" width="556" height="222"></div><h2>DEPTH CHART</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-095/8040915-1-eng-US/f0066-092.jpg" title="f0066-09" width="812" height="369"></div>Spares: C. Adams, RW; MacDonald, C.Significant Injuries: Langdon, LW, sore shoulder, day-to-day.<h2>PLAYOFF PERFORMERS</h2>Faceoff Specialist Rod Brind&rsquo;AmourBest Skater Sami KapanenBest Shot Jeff O&rsquo;NeillBest Passer Ron FrancisBest Bodychecker Erik ColeBest Shot-blocker Aaron WardBest Defensive D-man Sean HillBest Defensive Forward Rod Brind&rsquo;AmourCharlie Hustle Bates Battaglia<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-0414/8040908-1-eng-US/f0066-042.jpg" title="f0066-04" width="1590" height="2302"><figcaption class="caption-body">EYE OF THE HURRICANESVeteran Rod BrindAmour supplies Carolina with leadership, grit and offense.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0066-01

CAROLINA HURRICANES

<h2>FORWARDS</h2>KEVYN ADAMS&nbsp;Defensive specialist plays on fourth line, but can move up if required to do so. He&rsquo;s an excellent penalty-killer.BATES BATTAGLIA Struggled offensively against Leafs, but still led team in scoring heading into final.ROD BRIND&rsquo;AMOUR Deadly in the faceoff circle, Brind&rsquo;Amour wasn&rsquo;t his usual self upon joining the Hurricanes last year, but is back to being one of the best two-way players in the game.ERIC COLE Was a scoring star through the first two rounds, then maldied Toronto veteran Gary Roberts hit for hit in Eastern Conference final.JEFF DANIELS He doesn&rsquo;t get many minutes, but Daniels is a valuable veteran who is at his best killing penalties.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-056/8040988-1-eng-US/f0066-052.jpg" title="f0066-05" width="184" height="249"></div>RON FRANCIS Veteran center continues leading the team on and off the ice. Hasn&rsquo;t lost a step as the playoffs rolled on.MARTIN GELINAS Atoned for awful playoff a year ago (one point in six games) by scoring series-clinching goal in over-time against Toronto.SAM IKAPANEN&nbsp;Still struggling as the final opened, but was showing signs of getting back to regular season form when he was second in team scoring.JEFF O&rsquo;NEILL Showed against Toronto he is able to come through with clutch goals. That pattern must continue if the Hurricanes are to have any chance in the final.JAROSLAV SVOBODA After playing only 10 regular season games, the big rookie is thriving as a post-season agitator, though his inexperience sometimes shines through.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-066/8040981-1-eng-US/f0066-062.jpg" title="f0066-06" width="190" height="251"></div>JOSEF VASICEK Sophomore centers pesky third line that can hit and score.TOMMY WESTLUND&nbsp;Penalty-killing specialist scored his first playoff goal against the Canadiens in the second round.<h2>DEFENSEMEN</h2>BRET HEDICAN His jaw-dropping speed makes him a valuable contributor at both ends of the rink. Getting the veteran defenseman from Florida at the trade deadline was huge in helping the Canes make the final.SEAN HILL Without question Hill has been the team&rsquo;s best defenseman in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s particularly valuable in neutralizing larger opposing forwards through sheer grit and determination.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-075/8040974-1-eng-US/f0066-072.jpg" title="f0066-07" width="189" height="248"></div>MAREK MALIK You don&rsquo;t always notice this 6-foot-5 defender, but that can be a good thing. It means he&rsquo;s not making glaring mistakes.NICLAS WALLIN In desperate need of an overtime winner? Just dial 1-800-W-A-L-L-I-N. His two playoff OT tallies in this ear&rsquo;s playoffs are his only career post-season goals.AARON WARD Two-time Cup winner with the Red Wings has significantly picked up his game in the post-season.GLEN WESLEY Veteran made it to the Cup final twice in his first three seasons in Boston, but wondered if he&rsquo;d ever get back again with the Hurricanes.<h2>GOALIES.</h2>ARTURS IRBE Recovered from being benched in the first round to stymie the Leafs. He limited Toronto to six goals in six games and basically stuck to stopping the puck, not overplaying it.KEVIN WEEKES His wonderful play in the first round in relief of Irbe was responsible for keeping the Hurricanes alive and allowing them to advance.<h2>COACH</h2>PAUL MAURICE Say all you want about the number of times Maurice came close to losing his job, the bottom line is he kept it and the organization is now being rewarded for its patience. His team reflects his maturity and composure, especially under pressure.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-085/8040967-1-eng-US/f0066-082.jpg" title="f0066-08" width="186" height="253"></div> &#9632;

f0066-05

MEET THE CANES

<h2>HOW WINGS WERE BUILT</h2>It&rsquo;s tempting to say the Red Wings are the best team money could buy, but that wouldn&rsquo;t be accurate. The reality is, many of Detroit&rsquo;s best players were secured through the draft. Of course, it&rsquo;s nice when you can shell out the big bucks for a Dominik Hasek and a Chris Chelios.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0174/8041047-1-eng-US/f0067-012.jpg" title="f0067-01" width="272" height="499"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brendan Shanahan</figcaption></div>Draft (9): Dandenault, Datsyuk, Fedorov, Fischer, Flolm strom, Kuznetsov, Lidstrom, McCarty, YzermanTrade (7): Chelios, Draper, Flasek, Larionov, Maltby, Shanahan, SlegrFree agency (8): Dever-eaux, Duchesne, Hull, Krupp, Legace, Olausson, Robitaille, Williams<h2>HOW MANY CUPS HAVE YOU WON?</h2>Detroit players have won a total of 23 Stanley Cups.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0235/8041040-1-eng-US/f0067-022.jpg" title="f0067-02" width="772" height="825"></div><h2>PLAYOFF HISTORY</h2>The Red Wings are gunning for their third Stanley Cup in the past six years and the 10th in their glorious history. This is the 12th straight years the Wings have been in the post-season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0323/8041033-1-eng-US/f0067-032.jpg" title="f0067-03" width="452" height="309"></div><h2>DEPTH CHART</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-096/8041026-1-eng-US/f0067-092.jpg" title="f0067-09" width="814" height="369"></div>Spares: Kohn, LW; Kuznetsov, D; Krupp, D; Slegr, D; Wallin, D; Williams, C.Significant Injuries: Avery, C, ankle, indefinite.<h2>PLAYOFF PERFORMERS</h2>Faceoff Specialist Steve YzermanBest Skater Sergei FedorovBest Shot&nbsp;Brett HullBest Passer&nbsp;Steve YzermanBest Bodychecker Darren McCartyBest Shot-blocker Steve YzermanBest Defensive D-man Chris CheliosBest Defensive Forward Kris DraperCharlie Hustle&nbsp;Kirk Maltby<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0417/8041019-1-eng-US/f0067-042.jpg" title="f0067-04" width="1603" height="2302"><figcaption class="caption-body">KNEED INSPIRATION?Steve Yzerman, the gimpy-kneed, one-legged wonder, is Detroit&rsquo;s undisputed leader.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0067-01

DETROIT RED WINGS

<h2>FORWARDS</h2>PAVEL DATSYUK&nbsp;Rookie forced his way into the lineup with his speed and tremendous 1-on-skills. Scotty Bowman calls him &ldquo;our most exciting player.&rdquo;BOYD DEVEREAUX After disappointing last year, he has used his speed and size effectively in the corners and to cause havoc on the forecheck.KRIS DRAPER&nbsp;Quick on the draw and an outstanding penalty-killer, his deadly speed creates many short-handed scoring chances.SERGEI FEDOROV The Wings&rsquo; best all-around player will draw the assignment against Carolina&rsquo;s hottest line. Has amazing speed, slick moves and is defensively responsible.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0511/8041099-1-eng-US/f0067-052.jpg" title="f0067-05" width="182" height="244"></div>TOMAS HOLMSTROM He&rsquo;ll park his butt in front of Arturs Irbe and make a nuisance of himself. You can hit him, slash him, chop him down, but he rarely retaliates.BRETT HULL Dominik Hasek says &lsquo;Golden Brett&rsquo; owns the league&rsquo;s quickest release. He is &Iacute; also a deadly accurate passer and has filled every role asked of him.IGOR LARIONOV Oldest man in the playoffs might also be the &Iuml; smartest. Outstanding defensive player uses brains to cover up jerosion of his skills.KIRK MALTBY Rates near the top of any poll of the league&rsquo;s most-hated players. He&rsquo;s a banger, a yapper and a dynamite forechecker and penalty-killer.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0610/8041092-1-eng-US/f0067-062.jpg" title="f0067-06" width="193" height="253"></div>DARREN&nbsp;MCCARTY After a poor regular season, the McCarty of old has returned in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s back on the Grind Line and is a force down low.LUC ROBITAILLE High-scoring winger has been a playoff bust and found himself reduced to spot duty on the fourth line. The Wings need more from him.BRENDAN SHANAHAN He has struggled in the playoffs and is not the physical force he once was, but Shanahan can still unload one of the game&rsquo;s great one-timers.STEVE YZERMAN The captain never ceases to amaze and this spring is no exception. Basically playing on one leg, he remains Detroit&rsquo;s heart and soul, though his injury has caused his ice time to be cut.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-078/8041085-1-eng-US/f0067-072.jpg" title="f0067-07" width="197" height="251"></div><h2>DEFENSEMEN</h2>CHRIS CHELIOS More controlled in his physical game, he has found the fountain of youth and could cop his fourth Norris Trophy.MATHIEU DANDENAULT Has fit in well on the third defense pairing with Steve Duchesne and can use great wheels to jump up into the play as an attacker.STEVE DUCHESNE Given his reputation, his physical play has been outstanding in the playoffs and he still has strong puck skills.JIRI FISCHER Emerging star is making many teams look foolish for letting him slide to 25th overall in 1998 draft.NICKLAS LIDSTROM The NHL&rsquo;s best positional defenseman will log 30 minutes a night and always make the intelligent PlayFREDRIK OLAUSSON The per feet partner for Lidstrom - a savvy puck handling defender who always makes himself available for the outlet pass.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-087/8041078-1-eng-US/f0067-082.jpg" title="f0067-08" width="197" height="253"></div><h2>GOALIES</h2>DOMINIK&nbsp;HASEK Has had up-and-down moments this spring, but also has provided elite goaltending (and five shutouts) when they were most needed.MANNY LEGACE He&rsquo;s everything Wings could want in a backup and has lost just 11 of 61 decisions in Detroit. That said, if he&rsquo;s playing, something&rsquo;s wrong.<h2>COACH</h2>SCOTTY&nbsp;BOWMAN NHL&rsquo;s all time winningest coach is calm and in control and will never get out maneuvered. &#9632;

f0067-05

MEET THE WINGS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0068-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0068-0175/8041144-1-eng-US/f0068-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">HOME, SWEET HOMEThe Bruins should do everything in their power to make sure Bill Guerin re-signs.Gary Roberts</figcaption></div><h2>Final destination</h2>Where top free agents should goYou could make the case that no unrestricted free agent did more to boost his earning potential this season than Boston&rsquo;s Bill Guerin.The right winger tied for second in the NHL in goals with a personal-best 41, was fourth in team scoring with 66 points, led the Bruins in power play goals (10) and was second on the team with seven game-winners.So where will Guerin end up next season? Glad you asked.Boston is building something special and Guerin is a big part of it. If the Bruins are smart they&rsquo;ll meet his demands, as long as he doesn&rsquo;t get too goofy. The bad news is the Bruins have a nasty history of not wanting to pay their own. If that trend continues they&rsquo;ll not only lose Guerin, they&rsquo;ll move further away from the Stanley Cup rather than closer to it.Here&rsquo;s a look at four other high-profile unrestricted free agents and THN&rsquo;s recommendation where they should sign.&#10065; Tony Amonte to&nbsp;Dallas The Amonte-Mike Modano possibilities are mouth-watering. Even though the Stars have targeted Guerin, they already have enough grit. They need some speed and skill and the answer is Amonte. He supposedly wants upwards of $9 million a year and frankly, he&rsquo;s not worth that much. However, his declining offense could get a shot in the arm playing on a line with Modano or even Pierre Turgeon, for that matter.&#10065; Bobby Holik to Toronto The Rangers are going to make a big push to steal him away from the Devils, but with Mats&nbsp;Sundin and Holik, the Leafs would have one of the NHL&rsquo;s best one-two punches down the middle. Holik is a world-class player and gritty performer who gives his all every night. Imagine playing against a line that featured Holik and hard-nosed Gary Roberts. Ouch. Obviously the Leafs need a stud on defense more than anything else, but if they save money by not resigning Curtis Joseph, they should direct their savings Holik&rsquo;s way.&#10065; Curtis Joseph to Philadelphia This is where Joseph wanted to be in the first place. When he was unrestricted in 1998 the actually greeted his agent, Don Meehan, at the door of his Toronto home wearing a Philadelphia jersey only to find out the Flyers opted for John Vanbiesbrouck instead. The Flyers can&rsquo;t be thrilled with their goaltending situation even though either Brian Boucher or Roman Cechmanek would fetch something of significant value on the trade market. With Ken Hitchcock behind the bench, the Flyers will be Cup contenders and Joseph, who was remarkable late in the Toronto-Carolina series, could push them over the top.&#10065; Teemu Selanne to the Rangers&nbsp;Selanne owns a house on the West Coast and the feeling is Anaheim will make a pitch to reacquire its former scoring ace. But if the Ducks think restricted free agent Paul Kariya is going to settle for less than the $10 million he earned in each of the past three years just to make room in the payroll to bring back Selanne, they&rsquo;re dreaming. The Rangers, meanwhile, need to find a replacement for Theo Fleury, whom they likely will not re-sign. Selanne is their man. Selanne is a more responsible defensive player thanks to Darryl Sutter&rsquo;s prodding and would give the Broadway bombers another dangerous weapon in addition to Pavel Bure and Eric Lindros.<h2>TUN ONE-TIMERS</h2>Players take pay cuts when playoffs beginThis time of year you often hear that NHL players are playing simply for the glory of it all &mdash; for the championship ring and the chance to have their name etched into the Stanley Cup. While it&rsquo;s true the paychecks stop rolling in at the end of the regular season, it isn&rsquo;t entirely accurate that they&rsquo;re playing for free. The Stanley Cup champion receives $2,142,500 (U.S.) to be divided as it sees fit. The runner-up gets $1,467,500. The two teams that lose in the conference finals get $902,500 each, while conference semifinal losers get $412,500 per team. First round losers are paid $237,5000 each.JUST STOP THE PUCK Do teams really benefit from having a good puckhandling goalie? Islanders GM Mike Milbury thinks so, that&rsquo;s why he traded a sure thing in Roberto Luongo to get Rick DiPietro, a skilled puckhandler whose ability to stop the puck at the NHL level has yet to be proven. We&rsquo;re not saying trading Luongo was a mistake; after all, DiPietro got his team to the American League final this year. However, it&rsquo;s worth noting the four goalies who played in the NHL Stanley Cup conference finals - Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek, Curtis Joseph and Arturs Irbe are all notoriously shaky when it comes to playing the puck. In fact, trying to move the puck rather than stop it has been the undoing of all these gentlemen at times over the years. Frankly, we&rsquo;ll take a guy who is a sure bet at stopping the puck over a guy who fancies himself as a third defenseman any day&hellip; Toronto&rsquo;s Gary Roberts left the Hurricanes in order to have one more shot at winning the Cup. Oops&hellip;Of course, it&rsquo;s not as if Roberts left a perennial contender, hi fact, the Canes reached the Cup final after a regular season that saw them win fewer games (35) than the following non-playoff teams: Edmonton (38), Dallas (36), Rangers (36) and Washington (36). Carolina had the same number of wins as Buffalo&hellip; Every man&rsquo;s worst nightmare: having your stick measured in front of millions of on lookers&hellip; The NHL should do something about all the face-washing - when a player rubs his glove in the face of an opponent-that goes on in the playoffs. If a minor penalty was called, it would soon stop.<h2>PLUS</h2>Best of the Hockey WorldNOTHING COULD BE FINER The darkhorse Carolina Hurricanes, who had not won a playoff round in 15 years, advance to the Stanley Cup final.MAY THE &lsquo;FORS&rsquo; BE WITH&nbsp;YOU Despite missing the entire season, Colorado&rsquo;s Peter Forsberg is nearly unstoppable in the playoffs.ICE IS NICE The Kootenay Ice whomp the Victoriaville Tigres 6-3 to capture the Memorial Cup two years after being skunked at the same tournament.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0068-0237/8041137-1-eng-US/f0068-022.jpg" title="f0068-02" width="369" height="622"><figcaption class="caption-body">Peter Forsberg</figcaption></div><h2>MINUS</h2>Worst of the Hockey WorldWHOOPS, THERE IT GOES Patrick Roy raises his glove in celebration of a save&hellip;only to have the puck drop out for Brendan Shanahan to tap in.GOALS? WHAT GOALS?&nbsp;Carolina and Toronto combine to set a new NHL record for fewest goals, 16, in a six-game series.NET LOSS Hundreds of Hurricanes fans wait for hours in line for Cup final tickets only to learn the majority have been gobbled up on the Internet.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0068-0315/8041130-1-eng-US/f0068-032.jpg" title="f0068-03" width="365" height="628"><figcaption class="caption-body">Patrick Roy</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0068-01

POWER PLAY

<div class="byline">- Ken Campbell</div>The third-highest scoring team in the NHL scored six goals in six games in the Eastern Conference final and lost to a team that finished 13 places behind it in the overall standings.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-0167/8041182-1-eng-US/f0069-012.jpg" title="f0069-01" width="213" height="248"></div>On the surface, that rates as nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. If there were ever a year for the Maple Leafs to enjoy their first Stanley Cup final since 1967, this was it.However, the season was regarded as a success for several reasons. First of all, this is Toronto, home to the most easily placated fans in the history of the world. Nights when the Leafs won a playoff game, there were celebrations in the streets that would rival those of most cities after winning a championship.More importantly, although the Leafs had almost a full complement of bodies by the time they lost Game 6to Carolina - their third overtime loss of the series - they had already persevered through a string of injuries and illnesses few hockey observers had seen before.At one point during the playoffs, the Leafs had eight regulars on the injured list. During the Eastern Conference final, they lost coach-GM Pat Quinn for two games because of cardiac arrhythmia. Yet they made it to the final four and gained legions of admirers along the way.&ldquo;We had a nightmare ending last year,&rdquo; said Tie Domi. &ldquo;It was a heartbreaking ending this year. This was the best chance of any season we&rsquo;ve had. It was there for the taking. I still really can&rsquo;t believe it.&rdquo;What is certain is the Leafs were pushed to the outside far too easily and did not fight hard enough to work through the mugging and tackling the NHL in explicably allows when interest in the game is at its highest.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-0238/8041175-1-eng-US/f0069-022.jpg" title="f0069-02" width="230" height="280"><figcaption class="caption-body">Curtis Joseph</figcaption></div>The attention now turns to the fate of goalie Curtis Joseph, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. The Leafs have exclusive negotiating rights with Joseph until then and said they will make another serious attempt to sign him.&ldquo;Our goal has not changed from when we first talked about (Joseph&rsquo;s contract) last year,&rdquo; Quinn said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very important to me personally and the organization that we have him stay with us.&rdquo;NOTEBOOK&nbsp;Defenseman Dmitry Yushkevich said coach-GM Pat Quinn and team president Ken Dryden wanted him to play in the playoffs, two months after a blood clot was discovered behind his right knee, but said team ownership prevented it. &ldquo;I understand that completely,&rdquo; Yushkevich said. &ldquo;They had so much to lose.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0069-01

Low-scoring Leafs gain admirers with resilient playoff effort

<div class="byline">- Jim Benton</div>The 2001-02 campaign can best be described as a season on the brink for the Colorado Avalanche.It started last September when the team had to cancel two of its scheduled pre-season games in Sweden because of the Sept. 11 tragedy.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-0319/8041220-1-eng-US/f0069-032.jpg" title="f0069-03" width="214" height="232"></div>The cancellations came Colorado right after center Peter Forsberg announced he was taking a leave to recover from spleen and ankle surgeries.Forsberg wanted to return in January, but more ankle surgery kept him out the entire regular season.Meanwhile, the Avalanche teetered on the edge of mediocrity. Colorado was three games below .500 early in November when goalie Patrick Roy strapped the team to his back and carried it to more familiar, rarified territory. Thanks in large part to Roy, the Avalanche set a franchise record for fewest goals allowed (169) and won its ninth consecutive division title.Forsberg returned for the playoffs and was the team&rsquo;s best player, but the defending Stanley Cup champions still had problems stringing together good games.Finally, the team on the precipice fell in &raquo; a hard way, losing 7-0 in Game 7 of the Western Conference final to the Detroit Red Wings.It marked the third time in the past four seasons the Avalanche has lost a Game 7 on the road in the Western Conference final.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s never easy to lose a Game 7 in a conference final,&rdquo; said coach Bob Hartley. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very proud of my players. We battled very hard through 21 games and three rounds. We simply ran out of gas.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-0415/8041213-1-eng-US/f0069-042.jpg" title="f0069-04" width="229" height="281"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bob Hartley</figcaption></div>The man responsible for refilling the tank is GM Pierre Lacroix and he has several decisions to make in short order. The top priority is to re-sign defenseman Darius Kasparaitis to help solidify the blueline. Lacroix might also want to consider acquiring an experienced No. 5 or 6 defenseman via trade or ^ free agency.Up front, the wish list features two-way help on the checking line and a power forward who can be a crease disturber on the power playNOTEBOOK&nbsp;The 7-0 loss to Detroit was the largest margin of defeat in NHL Game 7 history&hellip;Dating back to last year&rsquo;s Stanley Cup final, the Avs have now gone to Game 7 in four consecutive playoff series&hellip;Goalie Patrick Roy has now played in 12 Game 7s, tying him for the NHL&rsquo;s all-time mark with Glenn Anderson. &#9632;

f0069-03

Season on edge ends with big fall against rival Wings

<div class="byline">By Rob Vanstone</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0070-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0070-0158/8041258-1-eng-US/f0070-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Kootenay left winger Richard Hamula looks for an opening behind Victoriaville goalie Daniel Boisclair. (Dave Sanford/HHOF)</figcaption></div>Ed Chynoweth has participated in 20 Memorial Cup presentation ceremonies. But, until May 26, he had not been a recipient.The former Canadian Hockey League president, who was the Western League&rsquo;s chief executive for 24 years, embraced the major junior championship trophy in a different capacity at the 2002 Memorial Cup in Guelph, Ont.Chynoweth owns the WHL&rsquo;s Kootenay Ice, which won the Cup by defeating the Victoriaville Tigres 6-3.&ldquo;It was absolutely tremendous,&rdquo; Chynoweth said. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t set in until the Cup was passed on to me. It seemed heavier than when I just had to hand it across the table. I never had to lift it over my head before.&rdquo;Chynoweth received a sneak preview earlier in the week during a CHL luncheon - at which he was presented with a miniature Memorial Cup in recognition of his contributions to junior hockey.Chynoweth, who was named the CHL&rsquo;s first president in 1975, left the WHL office in 1995 to establish the expansion Edmonton Ice.However, after two seasons in Edmonton, Chynoweth moved the struggling franchise to Cranbrook, located in B.C.&rsquo;s Kootenay mountains.The Ice capped its second WHL season in Cranbrook by winning the league title - only to go winless at the Memorial Cup in Halifax. Two years later, Kootenay made amends.&ldquo;It was definitely a turnaround,&rdquo; said Ice center/captain Jarret Stoll. &ldquo;We have a lot of guys with a lot of experience and they knew what the situation was. The game plan was drilled into our heads and we knew what we had to do. We went out and did it with smiles on our faces and we had fun with it.&rdquo;Stoll, left winger Richard Hamula, center Colin Sinclair, defenseman Cole Fischer and goaltender B.J. Boxma were all members of both Kootenay representatives at the Memorial Cup.In 2000, Boxma backed up 16-year-old phenom Dan Blackburn, whose presence prompted Boxma to request a trade.Boxma was traded to the Swift Current Broncos and, ironically, helped the team eliminate Kootenay from the 2001 playoffs.The Ice encountered more disappointment the following September, when the New York Rangers decided to retain Blackburn. On Dec. 4, the Ice addressed its goaltending void by reacquiring Boxma.&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t start the year playing as well as we&rsquo;d like, but we made some trades and things took off for us after Christmas,&rdquo; Stoll said.With a 38-27-7 record and 83 points, Kootenay was sixth over-all in the WHL after the regular season.The Ice proceeded to lose its first two playoff games - both at home - to the Prince George Cougars before rallying to win the series. Kootenay reached the Western League final, which also featured the defending Cup-champion Red Deer Rebels.The Ice prevailed in six games. Milroy, the WHL&rsquo;s playoffs MVP, scored Kootenay&rsquo;s third overtime winner of the series to power his team the league title.The Ice added another title in Guelph, thanks in no small part to Sinclair&rsquo;s two second period goals that made the score 4-1, effectively putting the game out of reach and giving Kootenay the Canadian title.Fischer, Igor Agarunov, Duncan Milroy and Shaun Norrie also scored for Kootenay.The win incited widespread pandemonium in Cranbrook (population: 18,000).&ldquo;The fans were unbelievable,&rdquo; Stoll, 19, said. &ldquo;We flew into Calgary and we had a four-hour bus ride back to Cranbrook. For the last 30 to 45 minutes, there were people at the side of the road, holding flags and signs and waving at us. The radio station was pinpointing where we were on the highway.&ldquo;When we got to the rink, the parking lot was filled. The fans were great. I can&rsquo;t say enough about them.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great feeling to know that everything paid off in the end.&rdquo;<h2>MEMORIAL&nbsp;CUP MVPs</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0070-0227/8041251-1-eng-US/f0070-022.jpg" title="f0070-02" width="596" height="1002"></div> &#9632;

f0070-01

Memorial Cup filled with Ice

<div class="byline">By THN staff </div><div class="byline">-</div><div class="byline">with files by Kevin Woodley and Chuck Carlton</div>He&rsquo;s no Emilio Estevez, but Mike Babcock will try his luck as coach of the Mighty Ducks.Babcock is the sixth coach in Anaheim&rsquo;s nine-year history. Estevez coached the successful youth team in the movies. He wasn&rsquo;t a candidate for the real-life job.Babcock, 39, coached Anaheim&rsquo;s young prospects with Cincinnati of the AHL the past two years. He replaces Bryan Murray, who gave up his job in April to become the team&rsquo;s senior vice-president and GM.The Ducks have had just three winning seasons since inception in 1993-94. Anaheim finished 24th this season and out of the playoffs with a 29-42-8-3 record.&ldquo;I am thrilled to get this opportunity as coach and stay within the Mighty Ducks organization,&rdquo; Babcock said after the May 22 appointment. &ldquo;This is a great opportunity for me to work with an experienced, quality man like Bryan Murray and help turn this club into a winner.&rdquo;CANADA BOUND Cammi Granato is Canada-bound.Granato, who captained the U.S. to the first ever Olympic gold medal in women&rsquo;s hockey in 1998, signed to play next season with the Vancouver Griffins of the National Women&rsquo;s League.&ldquo;I mulled it over and decided if I was going to play anywhere in Canada, Vancouver has more to offer,&rdquo; said Granato, who considered retiring after the USA finished second to Canada at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.Playing in the relative anonymity of the NWHL may seem odd for a player who has graced the cover of a Wheaties box and was featured in a series of NBC television commercials promoting the 2002 Games.But Granato just wants to keep playing. That option didn&rsquo;t exist in her home country&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a need for a post-college league for women in the U.S.,&rdquo; said Granato, the all-time leading scorer in USA women&rsquo;s hockey. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no option if you want to continue playing so you lose a lot of very talented players who don&rsquo;t have any other choice but to get a job and quit playing.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0071-0167/8041289-1-eng-US/f0071-012.jpg" title="f0071-01" width="671" height="911"><figcaption class="caption-body">Cammi Granato has joined Vancouver of Canada&rsquo;s national women&rsquo;s league. (Bruce Bennett/BBS)</figcaption></div>BACK IN&nbsp;DALLAS Guy Carbonneau is back with the Dallas Stars as special assistant to GM Doug Armstrong.&ldquo;My main job is to help make the Stars a better team,&rdquo; Carbonneau, 42, said. &ldquo;Whatever it&rsquo;s going to be, it will be fine with me. Whether it&rsquo;s helping Doug or (new coach) Dave Tippett or trying to find players.&rdquo;Carbonneau left Montreal, where he had been an assistant for the past two seasons. As his stock rose, his name was mentioned with several coaching vacancies. He said his only contact was with the Stars, who spoke to him in late January about replacing the fired Ken Hitchcock.Carbonneau says he has not closed the door to coaching.&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s still there, but I have to find that passion to go higher,&rdquo; Carbonneau said.Carbonneau, one of the best defensive forwards of his generation and a three-time Selke Trophy winner, played his final five seasons in Dallas.END OF ERA&nbsp;A Canadian hockey tradition is over as Societe Radio-Canada has lost the French-language TV network rights to cable competitor Reseau Sports, the French-language sister of TSN. SRC had owned the rights to Montreal Canadiens games for 50 years. RDS signed a five-year deal with the Canadiens and the NHL to air all of Montreal&rsquo;s games and all playoff rounds.COMPLAINT FILED The California state medical board filed complaints against the San Jose Sharks&rsquo; team doctor. Following a 1 12-year probe, the board accused orthopedic surgeon Arthur J. Ting of allowing aides to act as doctors and write illegal prescriptions. None of the charges involve members of the Sharks.FLEMING MOVES&nbsp;Canadian national team coach Wayne Fleming resigned his post with the Canadian Hockey Association to become an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers. &#9632;

f0071-01

Babcock sixth coach of Mighty Ducks

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0077-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0159/8041393-1-eng-US/f0077-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">RON FRANCIS&nbsp;(1982) Just 19 and not wanting to make a fuss, Ron Francis had no choice but to wear a Cooperall one-piece outfit. Hartford and Philadelphia experimented with the ill-fated uniforms.</figcaption></div><h2>NHL TRANSACTIONS</h2>Transactions include NHL personnel moves from May 18-31. Injuries include projected return date.<h3>ANAHEIM</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 22 Mike Babcock named coach.<h3>ATLANTA</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 23 Frederic Cassivi, G, signed contract.<h3>CHICAGO</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 30 Exercised option on contract of Mike Peluso, RW.<h3>COLUMBUS</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 28 David Vybomy, RW, signed one-year contract. Sean Pronger, C, and Scott Heffernan, D, signed multi-year contracts.<h3>COLORADO</h3>TRANSACTIONS None.INJURIES Mike Keane, RW, sore ribs, day-to-day. Dan Hinote, RW, broken foot, indefinite. Alex Tanguay, LW, sore leg, day-to-day.<h3>DALLAS</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 22 Andy Moog named assistant coach/goaltending coach. May 27 Guy Carbonneau named special assistant to the GM.<h3>DETROIT</h3>TRANSACTIONS None.INJURIES None<h3>EDMONTON</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 28 Mike Bishai. C, and Nate DiCasmirro, RW, agreed to contracts.<h3>MINNESOTA</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 25 May 25 Fifth-round pick in 2002 draft traded to Montreal for Chris Dyment, D.<h3>MONTREAL</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 25 Chris Dyment, D, traded to Minnesota for fifth-round pick in 2002 draft.<h3>PHILADELPHIA</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 21Patrick Sharp, C, signed three-year contract. May 22 Craig Hartsburg named assistant coach.<h3>PHOENIX</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 23 Michael Schutte, D/F, signed multi-year contract.<h3>TAMPA BAY</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 21Exercised option on contract of Nolan Pratt, D. Martin St. Louis, RW, signed contract. May 38 Brian Eklund, G, signed two-year contract. Kevin Hodson, G, signed one-year contract with a club option for a second year.<h3>TORONTO</h3>TRANSACTIONS May 31 Jean-Francois Racine, G, signed multi-year contract.<h2>REMEMBER WHEN</h2>Headlines from The Hockey News archives15 years ago this week, June 19,1987Oilers in seventh heaven after beating Flyers in Game 7 of Cup finalHextall the only choice as playoff MVPSabres playing No. 1 overall entry draft choice close to vestZiegler applauded for NHL prosperityTurgeon top rated prospect for draft followed by Shanahan, ArchibaldHall of Fame opens doors to Clarke, Laperriere and GiacominAgent Burke joins Canucks executive suiteAHL&rsquo;s amazing Amerks No. 1Heinz pours it on for IHL champion Salt Lake Golden Eagles30 years ago this week, June, 1972Orr big winner as Boston Bruins win Stanley CupCanucks couldn&rsquo;t derail crushing IslandersExpansion teams Atlanta and New York Islanders can expect lean pickingsHawks&rsquo; Gary Smith heads list as Wings shop for goalerCoach-GM Emile Francis lauds Rangers for refusing to quitCanadian players favor later date for Russian seriesHorton&rsquo;s retirement question mark but draft no problem for PensNova Scotia wins Calder Cup at home after six-game final with BaltimoreCornwall fives Quebec League big lift winning Memorial Cup against PeterboroughHarris, Richard, Shutt top rated prospects for amateur draft52 years ago this week, June, 1950NHL president Campbell says hockey will benefit by CAHA decision to sign playersParis gets 1950-51 world tournament; Lethbridge may represent CanadaGovernors give 70 games schedule nod for 1950-51Clubs will suffer for players slapping boards; NHI puts ban on tacticsToronto gets first Allan Cup in 18 yearsToronto&rsquo;s Jimmy Thomson vacates bachelor ranks &#9632;

f0077-01

INTERMISSION

<div class="byline">By Larry Humber</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0077-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0230/8041445-1-eng-US/f0077-022.jpg"></div><h2>ACROSS</h2>1 Jaromir Jagr and countrymen4 One of two Lemieuxs to win Conn Smythe Trophy9 An Ontario League city10 Two-minute penalty11 Toss out12 Gifted player13 Whirl, like Smythe winner Serge Savard used to15 First name of the Rangers&rsquo; GM18 Club that drafted the Sedin brothers second and third overall in 199921 Former net minder ____ Vachon, he went on to become Kings&rsquo; GM23 One who shows you to your seat24 Non-professional, like the first Stanley Cup winners25 _____Fedorov named NHL MVP back in 199426 _____ Parent who won back-to-back Smythes in 1974 and 1975<h2>DOWN</h2>1 Took advantage of a scoring opportunity, ____ in2 _____ Belfour between the pipes3 Where Gordie Howe won his last championship (WHA city)&nbsp;5 Restrict6 Put off one&rsquo;s game7 Former Leaf and Red Wing ____ Thompson, and namesakes8 Canadian Olympian ____ Smyth14 Pavel Bure was one at the outset of the 2001-02 season15 Cheap goals are also known as ____ goals16 Nickname of Kansas City&rsquo;s short-lived NHL entry17 &lsquo;Punch&rsquo; Imlach&rsquo;s real first name19 Bobby Hull was one of the first to ____ his stick&nbsp;20 _____ Burke, pictured, who has been an NHLer since 198822 Color worn by a handful of NHL clubsAnswers in next issue and @ <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><h2>Separated at Birth</h2>Have you ever spotted these two personalities in the same room at the same time? Submitted by Jason Patchett from Toronto, Ont.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0320/8041438-1-eng-US/f0077-032.jpg" title="f0077-03" width="364" height="379"><figcaption class="caption-body">Daniel SedinDrafted 2nd overall by Vancouver in 1999</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0412/8041431-1-eng-US/f0077-042.jpg" title="f0077-04" width="367" height="381"><figcaption class="caption-body">Henrik SedinDrafted 3rd overall by Vancouver in 1999</figcaption></div><h2>They say it&rsquo;s your birthday!</h2>Hockey players celebrating birthdays.Mathieu Schneider, Los Angeles 33June 12, 1969 New York, New YorkValeri Bure, Florida 28June 13, 1974 Moscow, USSREric Desjardins, Philadelphia&nbsp;33June 14, 1969 Rouyn, Quebec<h2>LINE OF THE WEEK</h2>Ficticious line that Joe Renzi of Roseville, Michigan, would like to see.<h3>THE CHIPMUNK LINE</h3>ALVIN Fisher (Tor 1924-25)Chris SIMON (Que, Col, Was 1992-present)Jose THEODORE (Mtl 1995-present)<h2>TIMEOUT WITH MARTY MURRAY</h2>Philadelphia FlyersPos; Center Age: 27Birthplace: Deloraine, Man.What car do you drive?&ldquo;A 2002 GMC Envoy. For the Manitoba winters, it&rsquo;s great.&rdquo;Do you have a nickname?&ldquo;Muz. It&rsquo;s from my junior days. I&rsquo;ve had it for about 10 years now.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-058/8041424-1-eng-US/f0077-052.jpg" title="f0077-05" width="349" height="473"></div>Your hockey hero?&ldquo;Growing up, I was a big Bob Gainey fan. I was a big Habs fan and I liked the way he played.&rdquo;What non-athletic career would you have chosen?&ldquo;I would have been a school teacher.&rdquo;What is your hockey career highlight?&ldquo;Winning two World junior medals with Canada. And getting a chance to be in the NHL.&rdquo;Your ultimate golf foursome?&ldquo;Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and a high-handicapper - so I wouldn&rsquo;t be last in the group.&rdquo;- Dirk Soeterik<h2>GOT AN INTERMISSION IDEA?</h2>Submit ideas for SEPARATED AT BIRTH & FICTICIOUS LINES!E-mail:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hodgsonj@transcontinental.ca">hodgsonj@transcontinental.ca</a>Snail Mall:U.S.A.:&nbsp;Intermission, THN, TO. Box904. Buffalo, N. Y., 14240-9947Canada:&nbsp;Intermission, THN, 25 Sheppard Ave. W., Suite 100,Toronto, OnL M2N 6S7<h2>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S CROSSWORD SOLUTION</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1. PREDATORS 8. TOROS 9. ATLANTA 10. REGINA 11. LESTER 12. KNEED 14. HEELS 17. OILERS 19. NATIVE 20. TACTICS 21. NEALE 22. THRASHERS<h3>DOWN</h3>2. RETIE 3. DRAFTS 4. TUTOR 5. STREAK 6. TRAINER 7. ISLANDERS 11. LIGHTNING 13. BETTMAN 15. SOVIET 16. CLUTCH 17. OMAHA 18. RACER &#9632;

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June 1, 2002

On tap in 2003

Bulking up draft plan

Statistics

Compensatory picks ease sting of losing players