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Elite forward or top-notch goalie. Any other move is rather silly.

I like: Alex Ovechkin going before Sidney Crosby. I would've made the same choice with the first pick. Because of Crosby's high ankle sprain injury last year, Ovechkin strikes me as slightly more durable. But I'm splitting hairs here.

I dislike: Robert Luongo being taken this high. The Canucks aren't going to score a lot of goals this season, which will affect the win column, and Luongo wasn't all that impressive on his own last year either. Sure, there were a lot of personal, off-ice distractions, but it's still a chink in the armour. Even if Jim Wilkie's heart was set on the netminder, he could've grabbed Evgeni Malkin first and saved the Luongo pick for the second round. Trust me, he still would've been available.

I question: Evgeni Malkin lasting until the end of the round. After my selection of Joe Thornton, he would've been my second choice, hands down.

Those who chose a forward in the first round are usually looking to pick up a netminder in the second. And vice versa.

I like: Pavel Datsyuk, all around. Watch him flirt with, then exceed, the 100-point mark this season. It doesn't matter who he skates with in Detroit; Datsyuk is in his prime and the Red Wings are just brimming with offensive talent. And his plus/minus will be an object of beauty once again (plus-41 last year).

I dislike: Jose Theodore going 20th overall; especially with several good goalies still available. I just don't get it. One decent half-season in Colorado doesn't make up for the two previous years in a row of second-rate performances. The move to Washington doesn't add value either. Theodore might be a good goaltender again, but then again, he might not.

I question: The top-round choice of Carey Price. Considering the availability of Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco, it strikes me as a bit odd. Price is only in his sophomore year and it will be interesting to see how he handles much-inflated expectations in hockey-crazy Montreal. But he could shine, there's no doubt.

This is the last round to grab the high-end, full-fat cream of the offensive and goaltending crop.

I like: Tim Kavanaugh picking up Cristobal Huet. With great numbers in his last three seasons, he'll respond well to being Chicago's undisputed No. 1. Never mind Nikolai Khabibulin; the job belongs to Huet. And, hey, the Blackhawks are good now.

I dislike: Nothing strikes me as absurd in this round.

I question: Sean Allen choosing Nicklas Lidstrom as opposed to a forward, with a goalie and defenseman already on his roster. Whether or not you believe Lidstrom and Dion Phaneuf are the two best fantasy defensemen in the league (which I do), to abstain from picking an forward in the first three rounds is still very unusual. I'm looking forward to seeing how this strategy pans out.

Now, how about some blueliners...unless you're Sean Allen.

I like: Zdeno Chara and Mike Green, but Dan Boyle stands out for me the most. Exiting Tampa Bay, Boyle replaces Brian Campbell (Chicago) as the Sharks' powerplay quarterback and he's frothing at the mouth to return to form from two years ago. Expect over 60 points, loads of ice-time and a much healthier plus/minus compared to last year (minus-29). And kudos to John Pereira for managing to reel in Mikka Kiprusoff this late. Although that's more a case of luck and happenstance than anything else.

I dislike: Rick Nash as Sean Allen's first pick on offence. Nash could be explosive, but his ranking was projected much lower and Sean could've waited a round (maybe even two).

I question: Pete Becker going with Olli Jokinen right off the top, without securing a defenseman yet. The oh-so-talented Jokinen will improve on last year's okay numbers in Florida with the move to Phoenix, but Chara or Boyle bring more bang for the buck at this stage in the draft.

With the best defensemen spoken for; Solid, if not spectacular, forwards and tier-two goalies get another look.

I like: Alexei Kovalev at this point, but no earlier. Many wonder if he'll be the fierce, productive competitor from last season (84 points), or the head case from '06/'07 (47 points). I'm fairly optimistic. Kovalev, himself, says he wants to exceed last year's numbers and he's stubborn enough to at least give it a good go. I'm also keen on Shane Doan as a late sixth-round choice. Someone has to score in Phoenix besides Olli Jokinen.

I dislike: Brian Rafalski. He's 35 and less valuable on a Red Wings' blueline already overloaded with talent.

I question: Thomas Vanek's potential for redemption. After last year's sub-par performance, it's time he starts earning all that money. Sixty or so points won't suffice.

The strategy for these next few rounds involves filling out a starting roster while trying to avoid falling in with the trends. Pickings are much slimmer at the end of a run than at the onset. The idea is to march to the beat of a single drummer as opposed to following the entire band. It's often more difficult than it sounds.

I like: Anze Kopitar, despite the inevitably wretched plus/minus rating that goes along with playing in L.A. Kopitar registered 77 points last year and he'll only be better this season.

I dislike: Sergei Zubov because his body is broken. He's out for at least several weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery. To be fair, the surgery is a recent development and wasn't known about at the time of the draft. But last year's sports hernia kept Zubov out for 33 games, and we knew all about that.

I question: The potential of Miroslav Satan after last year's horrible performance with the Islanders. He could certainly excel with the Penguins, especially if he gets the chance to skate with Sidney Crosby, which is a real possibility. He's also an unrestricted free agent next year, and playing for a new contract often provides a great antidote for laziness. I honestly can't wait to see how Satan fits into the scheme of things in Pittsburgh. A 75-plus point season is not out of the question.

I like: Mike Ribeiro for going now, and no earlier. He won't exceed 80 points in Dallas like last year, but he'll come close. I also appreciate Peter Colaninno snatching Joe Corvo at this stage. After arriving from Ottawa, Corvo scored 21 points in 23 games with Carolina last season. He'll be a gem this year if he even nears that kind of production.

I dislike: Brian Rolston; he ain't no spring chick anymore. Rolston's production has declined steadily since the lockout, and I like him in New Jersey even less than in Minnesota.

I question: My own choice of Sheldon Souray. The acquisition of Lubomir Visnovsky from the Kings certainly hurts his value. As does last season's shoulder surgery. But he should still get ample time on the power play, alongside Visnovsky, so it's a fair gamble.

I like: Peter Mueller 'cause he's good and he'll skate alongside Olli Jokinen and Shane Doan in Phoenix; Tomas Kaberle 'cause he's the best player the Maple Leafs have; and Daniel Carcillo 'cause he's more than 300-penalty-minutes worth of rough and nasty.

I dislike: Mats Sundin, um, because there's a very good chance he won't play before January. If at all.

I question: Nothing. It all makes sense.

I like: Erik Cole and Brad Boyes. They're both steals at this point in the draft. Although my own pick of sophmore Erik Johnson, this deep, is also quite savvy, if I do say so myself.

I dislike: Rick DiPietro. Knee and hip surgery, both in the books now. Yikes.

I question: Mathieu Garon as a pick because he's not a clear No.1. The Oilers will be a much-improved team this year, but if Dwayne Roloson starts most games, it won't matter much as far as Garon is concerned. But with Ilya Bryzgalov and Jose Theodore already on his roster, Shawn Cwalinski isn't betting the farm on Garon, so it's a reasonable risk.

I like: Ian Gooding's choice of Kristian Huselius. Someone has to set up Rick Nash and Huselius is the perfect candidate to do so.

I dislike: Ryan Whitney and his busted foot. Sure, it's all surgically fixed up now, but he won't be back on the ice until sometime between mid-November and January. November is fine; January is not. Too big of a gamble for my taste. Justin Williams is also out for four to six months after tearing his Achilles tendon recently. But the injury randomly occurred after this draft took place, and Ian Gooding can't be faulted for his lack of fortune-telling skills.

I question: Martin Havlat and Patrice Bergeron as wise options for health reasons alone. Havlat collapses with some ailment year in and year out -- the guy is as injury-prone as he is skilled -- and he still isn't 100 percent healed after hurting his shoulder last season. No thanks. As for Bergeron, concussions are funny things; and not in the ha-ha sense. At the time of this writing, he hasn't even been officially cleared to play yet.

I also question: Pete Becker choosing Jimmy Howard. Should anything happen to Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin, it's a brilliant pick, otherwise, not so much. The 24-year-old Howard will eventually get his shot in the NHL, but not this year.

It's all about plugging holes at this point.

I like: Manny Fernandez as a starter for the defensively-stingy Bruins and Steve Bernier as a likely accompaniment to the Sedin twins in Vancouver. Fernandez is healthy and much steadier than Tim Thomas (I'll get to that in a moment) and deserves serious consideration as a solid No.2 on any fantasy roster. As for Bernier, it's time for the 23 year old to live up to expectations as one who can score on a regular basis. Skating with Henrik and Daniel should give him that lift.

I dislike: The aforementioned Tim Thomas. Last season's inexplicable success will not be repeated. Every shot is a wacky, mad-cap adventure with this guy; just watch him. Thomas and Fernandez will battle it out to be Boston's No.1 and Fernandez will come out on top.

I question: My own choice of Michael Nylander. He's got that wonky shoulder and it concerns me.

I like: A lot in these two rounds. Expect an explosively good year out of Phil Kessel in Boston. With his successful battle against cancer well behind him, watch Kessel fight for a spot on the Bruins' top line. Alexander Frolov is an complete steal at this point as well; playing alongside Anze Kopitar, Frolov will earn at least 80 points, if healthy. And although he won't be as good as his older brother, Sergei Kostitsyn could easily register a 60-point season in Montreal.

I dislike: My own pick of Christopher Higgins. He will likely drop to Montreal's third line with the recent acquisition of Robert Lang from Chicago. The move happened after this draft, and unfortunately, I'm not a fortune-teller either (see above: Justin Williams).

I question: Tristan Cockcroft choosing Drew Stafford. The 22 year old might get an opportunity to play on Buffalo's 2nd line this year...and he very well might not.

It's gambling time.

I like: Milan Lucic for being a young, big, enthusiastic tough guy with scoring skills as well. Cory Stillman is a nice grab as a top winger in Florida. And, really, Jason Blake has to be able to find the back of the net more often than he did last year. Even in Toronto. No one can fruitlessly shoot that much. Not for two seasons in a row, anyway.

I dislike: Keith Tkachuk for being nothing more than a steady 36-year-old "has-been-once-was" on an offensively-boring team (St. Louis). He will get you 50 points. No more, no less. Yawn.

I question: Tristan Cockcroft opting for Dustin Penner. His ceiling was 50 points before Edmonton picked up Erik Cole. It's not a bad pick; just boring, is all.