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June 1, 2003
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.
Aging Blues need youth
Cursed by their 24-year run of post-season appearances and punishments for misdeeds of administrations past, the Blues continue to seek other avenues beyond the draft to fill their needs. St. Louis’s first round pick, 22nd overall, will be swapped for New Jersey’s No. 27 as the last vestige of punishment from the Scott Stevens tampering case. (The league ruled the Blues broke NHL guidelines by approaching Stevens’s agent in 1994 about signing with St. Louis.) Recent trades depleted the Blues’ cache of youthful skill, but late round picks and free agent signings have helped to replenish their depth. Now, the Blues look to their post-CBA plan and how they can augment a nucleus that is getting older. “Sometimes we’ve had to take that risk (in the draft),” said GM Larry Pleau. But mostly they…
DRAFT WATCHDOG
Here are Colorado’s best and worst picks in the past 10 drafts. Astute selections are players delivering above and beyond expected from that spot in the draft. Disappointing picks are players performing exceedingly below expectations. ASTUTE SELECTIONS Milan Hejduk, 87th overall, 1994 Forty-nine forwards were taken ahead of the 2002-03 Rocket Richard winner in the 1994 draft; only 18 of them are in the NHL. Even the Avs (Quebec) took Wade Belak 12th overall. Chris Drury, 72nd overall, 1994 Mark Parrish, 79th overall, 1996 Radim Vrbata, 212th overall, 1999 David Aebischer, 161st overall, 1997 Dan Hinote, 167th overall, 1996 Sami Pahlsson, 176th overall, 1996 Kurt Sauer, 88th overall, 2000 Riku Hahl, 183rd overall, 1999 Brent Johnson, 129th overall, 1995 Charlie Stephens, 196th overall, 2001 DISAPPOINTING PICKS Jeffrey Kealty, 22nd overall, 1994 Kevin Grimes, 26th overall, 1997 Mikhail Kuleshov, 25th overall, 1999 Wade Belak, 12th overall, 1994 Martin Grenier, 45th…
DRAFT WATCHDOG
Here are Boston’s best and worst picks in the past 10 drafts. Astute selections are players delivering above and beyond expected from that spot in the draft. Disappointing picks are players performing exceedingly below expectations. ASTUTE SELECTIONS Hal Gill, 207th, ’93 With a wingspan wide enough to span the old Boston Garden, Gill has gained a reputation as a miserable defenseman to beat wide or to rumble with in the corners. P-J Axelsson, 177th overall, 1995 Shawn Bates, 103rd overall, 1993 Ivan Huml, 59th overall, 2000 John Grahame, 229th overall, 1994 Antti Laaksonen, 191st overall, 1997 Sergei Samsonov, 8th overall, 1997 Andre Roy, 151st overall, 1994 Andrew Raycroft, 135th overall, 1998 Jay Henderson, 246th overall, 1997 DISAPPOINTING PICKS Johnathan Aitken, 8th overall, 1996 Evgeni Ryabchikov, 21st overall, 1994 Lars Jonsson, 7th overall, 2000 Henry Kuster, 45th overall, 1996 Paxton Schafer, 47th overall, 1995 Daniel Goneau, 47th overall, 1994 Matt Alvey,…
DRAFT WATCHDOG
Here are the Islanders’ best and worst picks in the past 10 drafts. Astute selections are players delivering above and beyond expected from that spot in the draft. Disappointing picks are players performing exceedingly below expectations. ASTUTE SELECTIONS Todd Bertuzzi, 23rd overall, 1993 The Isles grew impatient with Bertuzzi, so they sent him to Vancouver with Bryan McCabe and a third-rounder (Jarkko Ruutu) for Trevor Linden. Now the Isles have Jason Wiemer to show for the four of them. Zdeno Chara, 56th overall, 1996 Tommy Salo, 118th overall, 1993 Dick Tarnstrom, 272nd overall, 1994 Bryan McCabe, 40th overall, 1993 Radek Martinek, 228th overall, 1999 Darren Van Impe, 170th overall, 1993 Mattias Weinhandl, 78th overall, 1999 Vladimir Orszagh, 106th overall, 1995 Justin Mapletoft, 130th overall, 1999 DISAPPOINTING PICKS Jeff Zehr, 31st overall, 1997 Mike Rupp, 9th overall, 1998 Jason Holland, 38th overall, 1994 Branislav Mezei, 10th overall, 1999 Kristian…
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