Who\'s the gem ?

[Caporal]

Hello guys,

Just one month to go before draft day (can\'t wait !!!!), and I\'m still trying to figure out who I\'ll pick with one of my first rounders. For sure, it\'s gonna be a forward, and I\'ve been changing my mind again and again since summer began. I feel my team can compete this year, I don\'t really need the guy to produce until 2008-2009, and basically I\'m trying to find a middle course between the can\'t miss factor and the upside. I think I\'ve now made my mind, but would like to see what you think. Here are some of the players that will probably be up for grabs when it will be my turn to talk. Note that goals count for two points :

Andrei Kostitsyn
Dustin Brown
Drew Stafford
Bobby Ryan
Angelo Esposito
Alexei Cherepanov
Kristian Huselius
Jason Pominville
Derek Roy
Bryan Little
Kyle Turris
Claude Giroux
Dustin Penner

Out of this list, what would be your Top 5 ? When I\'ll have some answers, I\'ll reveal my personal favorite.

Thanks.

[Fergie]

1-Kristian Huselius
2-Derek Roy
3-Dustin Brown
4-Andrei Kostitsyn
5-Angelo Esposito

[Caporal]

So, Fergie, you obviously don\'t believe in this \"Huselius will fall\" stuff... Interesting. Must say I\'m surprised, also, by Derek Roy being number two. Roy is a really good player, but I\'m just not sure how he\'ll deal with his new role in Buffalo, and he\'s also more of a playmaker than a goal scorer : those are the reasons why he\'s not, right now, on my radar that much.

But still, if he\'s mentioned again and again in the next answers, maybe I\'ll reconsider.

Thanks, Fergie, I appreciate.

[Bluenorth]

Andrei Kostitsyn - 4
Dustin Brown - 3
Drew Stafford - 2
Bobby Ryan
Angelo Esposito - 5
Alexei Cherepanov
Kristian Huselius
Jason Pominville
Derek Roy - 1
Bryan Little
Kyle Turris
Claude Giroux
Dustin Penner

Here\'s who I would select. My criteria was who will have the better impact immediately. Derek Roy might end up #1 center ( if he\'s not already!!)in Buffalo and surely the career year is this year.

Blue.

[Fergie]

CaporalRadulov wrote:

So, Fergie, you obviously don\'t believe in this \"Huselius will fall\" stuff... Interesting. Must say I\'m surprised, also, by Derek Roy being number two. Roy is a really good player, but I\'m just not sure how he\'ll deal with his new role in Buffalo, and he\'s also more of a playmaker than a goal scorer : those are the reasons why he\'s not, right now, on my radar that much.

But still, if he\'s mentioned again and again in the next answers, maybe I\'ll reconsider.

Thanks, Fergie, I appreciate.

Cap.Radulov,

-I think that Huselius will maintain his numbers, even with Keenan. He\'s in his prime and he found out how the NHL works. So, from your list, Huselius is the proven one.

-Derek Roy, he can score goals. He\'ll fill the first center hole left by Briere, so he\'ll play with Vanek (alhough, he might be more of a playmaker here).

-As much as we all love Kostitsyn, he\'s more of a playmaker. On our pool, it won\'t be good for the goals.

[hockeylifer]

Roy, Brown, Huselius, Penner, Stafford, Kostitsyn....

Roy will likely be the #1 centre in Buffalo.
Brown will likely be on the first line in L.A. and they will be better.
Huselius will be ok with Keenan as long as he has a good start.
Penner is a horse and should get better.
Stafford will get more ice time and is more a goal scorer than Kostitsyn.
Kostitsyn has shown that he is likely more of a set up guy than a goal scorer, based on what he has done so far.

[andrewklassen]

I\'ve got to say I still like Huselius also for the coming year. Balance of potential and immediate impact makes me like D. Brown in LA. I\'m not convinced D. Roy is a permanent first line center or that his upside is much more than 70-80 points [TOPS].

But if you don\'t need production until a year or two from now how can you not like A. Cherepanov in NYR (possibly with Jagr) or B. Little in ATL (alongside Kovalchuk). The potential of these players and who they could likely play alongside makes me think they could be worth the risk.

Esposito has a similar linemate heaven potential, but he seems more of a long shot and not as immediate an impact player in the NHL.

Post edited by: andrewklassen, at: 2007/07/25 18:24

[jaymur]

huselius- this guy is good, Keenan or no Keenan
brown- very good player on rising squad
roy- first line minutes
cherepanov-coming over next season
esposito- penguins

[Loki]

Cap -

Since you stated you really don\'t need him for this year, I\'ll break\'em down by year dropping the ones I don\'t care for...

2007 - 2008:
Derek Roy
Kristian Huselius
Drew Stafford
Dustin Penner
Jason Pominville

2008 - 2009:
Alexei Cherepanov
Bryan Little
Andrei Kostitsyn
Angelo Esposito
Bobby Ryan