Team Coverage 2011 NHL MOCK DRAFT Selection Thread

[Dean Youngblood]

There is a 3 hour rule. I didn't expect veteran forum members to abuse the rule. I am disappointed. I am giving him until 730 and then making his selection if he hasn't by then

Negative REP too

[newper114]

hey guys sorry for not making my pic. Figured you'd just make it. I will make it in 10mins.
My work blocked Internet this weekend and everyone is complaining. So I couldn't get on all day. Really sucks. Really sorry

[Dean Youngblood]

hey guys sorry for not making my pic. Figured you'd just make it. I will make it in 10mins.
My work blocked Internet this weekend and everyone is complaining. So I couldn't get on all day. Really sucks. Really sorry

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

For future reference:

- newper114 was given an extension and that's mainly because I wasn't around all day to monitor the situation but going forward we will move on if someone hasn't made their pick - no extensions.

- Please don't let it get to this. If you can't make a deadline then PM me or get ahold of me to let me know. You can always PM your pick or a list of players (in order of preference) to me and I will make the selection

- The mock draft is dependent on everyone following the rules.

- Good luck....


2 minutes newper114

[newper114]

"The New Jersey Devils are proud to select Sean Couturier from Drummondville of the QMJHL"

*will make a right up later. sorry again.

[Dean Youngblood]

Thanks New Jersey!

metaldude26/NYI is on the clock....

Big Ev/OTT is on double deck....

[dyzfunctioned]

Couturier over Larsson

[dmvincent]

Couturier over Larsson

This is the fun part!

[Dean Youngblood]

I am glad to see someone deviate from the 'expected' even if it's a long shot.

metaldude26 has been tweeted, PM'd, emailed and MSN'd. I am not sure if he'll be around or not but I am pretty sure I can guess who he selects.

[metaldude26]

With the fifth pick in 2011 NHL Entry Draft the New York Islanders are pleased to select Adam Larsson from Skelleftea of the Swedish Elite League.

The Reason: The fact is the four teams bellow us just screwed up big time. It was our assumption that when the Devils won the lottery and moved ahead of us that there was no chance we’d land our guy but it all came together for us and we couldn’t be happier.

Adam Larsson is the best player in this draft right now. He also has the most upside, with the least downside and can step into one of the most important positions in the game right away. At best he’s a generational talent, an anchor on the blueline for 10-15 seasons, dominating both ends of the ice. At worst he’s a number four defensemen. Solid in his own end and reasonably good at moving the puck.

This draft was a lot like the 2006 entry draft where you could pick and choose based on your team needs because there was no consensus top player. That year the big hulking potential franchise defenseman went first and he has yet to pan out as planned ultimately being traded, while the centermen who went two-three both have Cups to show for their work. Larsson is no Erik Johnson though. He’s a lot better. Well at least better and more prepared than Johnson was after he was drafted. Larsson has plenty of pro experience against men and will step in right away, unlike Johnson who spent a year in college before making the leap to a team that wasn’t ready to compete anyway.

While we said in the outright there was no consensus top player, we disagree. We feel that Larsson is outright the top guy in this draft. So not only does he fill an organizational need as a do it all potential franchise defenseman but he was also the best player available. It doesn’t come together better than this.

The Islanders are now stacked. We would have settled for Couturier in this spot as we recognize the way to win in the NHL is to build with strength up the middle and on defence. We have a franchise centerman in John Tavares though, with some solid guys behind him like Nielsen and Bailey to name a couple so Couturier would have been overkill. Sure we’d have had plenty of flexibility which is nice but we’d still be hunting for a top defenseman. Now we have Larsson and teams should take note that we will be a force to be reckoned with no matter who we stick in goal. A blueline with Larsson, Hamonic, Streit, and de Haan should be feared.

Good luck rest of the NHL, you’ve just helped put in place the final building block for the next up and coming team. Give us three years and we’ll win a Cup.

[Big Ev]

With the 6th overall pick, the Ottawa Senators select C/W Mika Zibanejad, from Djurgarden of the Swedish Elite League



Player Profile
Name: Mika Zibanejad
Team: Djurgarden (SEL)
Date of Birth: April 18, 1993
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195 lbs

From NHL.com

-In 2010-11, Zibanejad began the season with Djurgarden’s junior team before getting the call up to the Swedish Elite League in December. He registered nine points (5-4--9) in 26 games in the Elite League and 21 points (12-9--21) in 27 games with the junior team.

-He turned heads for Team Sweden at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins, Ontario, recording five goals and nine points in six games helping lead Sweden to a bronze medal.

-Zibanejad, whose mother is Finnish and father is Iranian, speaks Swedish, Finnish and English.

Rationale

Why Zibanejad? We feel he is the best player available. We would have loved to trade up, but we will settle for Mika, who we feel can come in and play right away for us. He plays a very similar style to Gabriel Landeskog who was also ranked very high on our list. He's a big body who plays the game in a North American style. Loves to hit, loves to battle, loves to shoot. He's a shoot-first player and his shot is hard and accurate.We believe Mika's monumental rise to the top of the rankings is Jeff Skinner-esque.

While we were contemplating taking Dougie Hamilton to further establish our D, or Ryan Strome because of his offensive potential, Mika just brings so much to the table in terms of two-way play, truculence, tenacity, testosterone, and skill. We truly believe he is the complete package and that he fits our team's philosophy and geography. He will fit in nicely with David Rundblad, Robin Lehner, Erik Karlsson, and prospects such as Jakob Silfverberg, Andre Petersson, and Markus Sorensen.

Simply put, we love that we are drafting this beast at #6 and we are looking forward to hopefully seeing him don the Sens new vintage third jersey come October.

Real Analysis from Pierre Dorion, Senators Director of Player Personnel/Head Scout:

"It's his offensive ability," Senators director of player personnel Pierre Dorion said in explaining Zibanejad's rapid rise up the draft boards. "When we're talking about Mika, his skating is very good (and so is) his strength, his lower-body strength, his shooting ability and his puck skills.

"I was over there (in Sweden) seeing him player for Djurgarden in the playoffs and he had an impact as an 18-year-old playing against 30-year-olds. That's one of the criteria that helped his stock rise for the draft."

[Dean Youngblood]

Fantastic writeup MD26 and Big Ev.

i am really enjoying this now that we have some momentum.

Winnipeg is on the clock. Pick will be due by 8:36 am EST Tuesday morning.

[dyzfunctioned]

Loving the pick ev

[metaldude26]

Nice writeup Ev. I like the pick, particularly with the rationale that Ottawa is starting to really invest in drafting Swedes. That's a pick I could really see them make. As I've basically no exposure to Zibanejad beyond what I've read I can't comment on the selection but he just strikes me as one of those guys people will be shaking their heads about in 5-10 years. Either it's going to be, "How did we miss that guy?" or "What in the hell were we thinking?" I like to call it the Anze Kopitar conundrum. Lots of good players abound outside the top few guys but the best one is a shot in the dark.

[AtlantaSportsFan]

With the 7th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry draft, the Winnipeg *________* are proud to select, from the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League, Ryan Strome.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsf8P5LLF-I


Player Bio
Ryan Strome
Center
6'1, 183 lbs
Born: 7/11/93, Mississauga, ONT
Shoots right


Reasoning
I'll make this short and sweet. Our franchise still needs a top line center. Whether it's Burmistrov, Little, or Strome, this team needs one to step into that top line role. However, it's never bad to have too much depth, which is something this team needs at the center position. I like the thought of Burmistrov and Strome centering two seperate lines in the future, and I still have much faith in Little regaining form and centering another line. I love Strome's game and I think he has true NHL potential. He would be another relevant and valuable piece to the future of this franchise.

[Dean Youngblood]

Good Job Winnipeg!

Colorado has informed me (last week) that he will be without internet until Tuesday morning so his clock will start Tuesday morning at 8am.

4T2 has made contact with me and is ready to make his selection. You're on deck tomorrow morning Bruins.

Minnesota is ready to make their selection too so just notify me (via PM or tweet) when they are due and I will let Patrick know.

The following teams should be ready to make their selections tomorrow:
8th - Columbus (martmart)
9th - Boston (4T2)
10th - Minnesota (Patrick Kearns)
11th - Colorado ((Veritas0Aequitas)
12th - CAR (Kudelskis Krushers)
13th - CGY (ultrawhiteness)
14th - DAL (KellyFriesen)
15th - NYR (Chicleteur)

I am hoping to get that far (or further) on Tuesday. Check often to see if you are up