Hradek: Top 10 draft prospects
When there is a dominant figure at the top of the draft class -- as Sidney Crosby is this year -- fans usually don't pay too much attention to the other top prospects.
Crosby
Back in 1991, when the Quebec Nordiques (remember them?) selected highly touted Eric Lindros with the first pick, a couple of guys named Scott Niedermayer and Peter Forsberg were taken just a few minutes later. By the end of that first round, we heard the names of future stars such as Alex Kovalev, Markus Naslund and Glen Murray. Heck, Zigmund Palffy was still on the board at No. 26.
In 1984, when the Penguins tabbed Mario Lemieux with the top choice, the Flames selected a tough young winger named Gary Roberts with the 12th pick.
One player does not make a draft class. With that in mind, here's a look at our top 10 prospects. We'll even include that Crosby kid for good measure.
1. Sidney Crosby, C/W, Rimouski (QMJHL). Stat line: 66-102-168 (62 games)
What can we say that hasn't already been said about the 5-10, 180-pound hype machine? He doesn't mind playing wing as well as center. During the Memorial Cup tournament, Crosby spent a lot of time on the wing, playing with linemates Dany Roussin and Marc-Antoine Pouliot. This is important because he might end up flanking the Pens' other top prospect, Russian-born center Evgeni Malkin, somewhere down the road. Why is Crosby so good? Said one scout: "He can do special things at top speed. Not very many can do that."
2. Jack Johnson, D, U.S. national program. Stat line: 14-27-41 (42 games)
We're still wondering how this kid was left off Team USA's blue line at the World Junior Championships. Johnson, who plays bigger than his 6-foot, 197-pound stature, helped the Americans to a gold medal at the Under-18 tournament. Several scouts characterized Johnson as an "All-American kid ... a middle linebacker type." One scout compared Johnson to a young Scott Stevens. Johnson seems like a perfect fit for Anaheim GM Brian Burke, who'll have the No. 2 pick. Johnson will attend the University of Michigan in the fall.
3. Benoit Pouliot, LW, Sudbury (OHL). Stat line: 29-38-67 (69 games)
In his first year in the Ontario Hockey League, Pouliot wowed scouts with his skill. The 6-2, 180-pound left wing led all OHL rookies with 67 points. Although nobody doubts his talent, some scouts wonder whether he's always focused. "I'm not sure about his heart," one scout said. "I don't know if he wants to be as good as he could be." That uncertainty could push him a little further down the draft board.
4. Bobby Ryan, RW, Owen Sound (OHL). Stat line: 37-52-89 (62 games)
The 6-foot, 200-pound Ryan has become one of the most sought-after prospects in his draft class. "This is a big, tough kid who is hard to handle," one scout said. Another added: "He has soft hands and good vision. If he can improve his skating, he could become a superstar." If Pouliot's stock falls, Ryan could move up the board.
5. Gilbert Brule, C, Vancouver (WHL). Stat line: 39-48-87 (70 games)
Like Johnson, Brule plays bigger than his frame (5-10, 175 pounds). A super-competitive kid, Brule has been compared to players such as Doug Gilmour and Bryan Trottier. Not bad, eh? Another scout called him a "more skilled version of Michael Peca." There is a fear that he'll get dinged up playing his aggressive style against bigger NHLers. Some chances are worth taking, and this seems to be one of those cases.
6. Anze Kopitar, C, Sodertalje SK (Swedish Jr.) Stat line: 28-21-49 (30 games)
Kopitar is a wild card in the top 10. He comes from Slovenia, which isn't known for producing hockey talent. If he makes it, he'll be the first Slovenian to play in the NHL. He was a dominant player in the Swedish Junior Elite League. At the World Championships, playing against men, he didn't look out of place. Scouts like his size (6-2, 202 pounds), hands and vision. They're less thrilled about his skating but think he'll improve. One scout believes he could be a more-offensive Radek Bonk type. After the top two picks, Kopitar could go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10.
7. Carey Price, G, Tri-City (WHL). Stat line: 2.34 GAA; .920 save-percentage (63 games)
Most scouts agree that Price is the best goalie in the draft. "All the tools are there," one scout said. Others like his size (6-3, 212 pounds) and fluid movement around the net. He wasn't up to par in Canada's gold-medal-game loss to the U.S. at the World Under-18 tourney. But, according to one scout, he made no excuses. "The kid didn't point any fingers. He simply said he wasn't as sharp as he could have been. You like to see that in a young player." If Price is still on the board at No. 9, he'd be a good fit in Ottawa.
8. Marc Staal, D, Sudbury, (OHL). Stat line: 6-20-26 (65 games)
He's the younger brother of Hurricanes center Eric Staal. And, like his brother, he's big (6-3, 193 pounds). One veteran scout didn't hide his feelings for Staal. "I love him," he said. "He got better and better each time I saw him. He's a 17-year-old kid playing 40 minutes a game against the other team's top lines. I think he'll be a No. 1 or 2 defenseman in the NHL." Another scout wasn't as sold, saying Staal projects as a No. 4 in the show. But he does think the defensive-minded Staal would be very effective if paired with a more dynamic puck-mover on an NHL back line.
9. Jack Skille, RW, U.S. National Program. Stat line: 24-31-55 (54 games)
Skille was a teammate of Johnson's on Team USA's gold-medal 2005 Under-18 squad. The 6-1, 200-pound power forward has explosive speed. "He's very hard to knock off his skates," added one scout, who compared Skille to Vancouver prospect Ryan Kesler. Another scout sees Skille as a "third-line guy with a chance to be more." He'll attend the University of Wisconsin this fall.
10. Ryan O'Marra, C, Erie (OHL). Stat line: 25-38-63 (64 games)
There were mixed feelings among scouts about 6-1, 182-pound O'Marra. Some scouts see him as a solid, two-way center who works hard and competes. One scout went so far as to say he'd be a good fit in Chicago as a No. 2 center behind top pivot Tuomo Ruutu (the Blackhawks have the seventh pick). Others aren't crazy about his attitude. "The kid thinks he's more talented than he is," one scout said. Despite O'Marra's critics, it would be a surprise if he falls out of the Top 10.
EJ Hradek covers hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com. Also, click here to send EJ a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.
