Thanks to Grant for the great job of running this years draft, it's tough enough to draft for ones self that I couldn't imagine running the draft also.. cheers.
#10 Overall - Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 8
2007-08: anaged 31 goals, 60 assists, and a plus-19 ranking last season while finishing third overall in the WHL regular season scoring race. Boychuk toiled for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and was a key contributor to the success that landed the club in the WHL Championship series against the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs. To the organization’s credit, he has not been held back from putting his offensive skills on display. He was a member of Team Canada at the WJC..
#20 Overall – Sudbury Wolves (OHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 43
The youngest Staal has the bloodlines – brothers Jordan, Marc, and Eric are already certified NHLers. Like his brothers, Jared also has size in spades – three of the four are 6’3 (Jordan’s listed at 6’5) and Jared’s a still-growing 198 pounds. He’s got plenty of space on his frame to become an imposing force in the offensive zone.
This season, after a quiet rookie year last year, Jared took on more of an offensive role with a young Wolves club and became a solid contributor. In 60 games, Jared scored 21 goals and added 28 assists.
Unlike his brothers, Jared is not expected to be taken in the first round, although a late appearance or an early second-round selection would surprise no one. The knock on Jared is his skating, but the rest of his game – plus the intangibles that run deep in the Staal family tree – will make the youngest Staal brother an attractive asset at this year’s draft..
#33 Overall - Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 31
2007-08: Ennis scored 43 goals and 48 assists in 70 games, while posting a plus-11 ranking. The Medicine Hat Tigers simply continue to develop NHL prospects. The diminutive Ennis has skated on one of the top lines in the WHL with Brennan Bosch and Daine Todd. A durable forward, Ennis looks to be a lock to become a 300-game man in the WHL. Ennis was twice been named the WHL’s Player of the Week this season.
#53 Overall - Tri-City Americans (WHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 30
007-08: Reddick scored 23 goals and 51 assists in 72 games for the Tri City Americans, posting a plus-22 ranking and 60 penalty minutes. Reddick was a very pleasant surprise for the Americans, contributing valuable secondary scoring for the regular season Champions during his second full campaign in the WHL.
#75 Overall - PEI Rocket (QMJHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 130
The fourth overall selection in the 2006 Midget Draft, Doyle has worked hard to live up to that high billing. Known for his hard and accurate shot, he's a scoring forward who doesn't mind paying the price in front of the net and along the boards to make a play. With 25 goals and 61 points in 58 games for PEI, Doyle is second on the team in scoring and is a constant threat with the man advantage, tallying 13 goals on the power play. Despite these scoring exploits, the main knock against Doyle has been his consistency and the other aspects of his game. Ineffective in the Top Prospects Game, Doyle laced them up for Team Fuhr/Anderson. Despite the final score of 8-4 in his team's favor, Doyle finished the game a -2..
#83 Overall - Saguenéens de Chicoutimi (QMJHL) North American Skater. Final Ranking: 55
"During the season I had an offensive role, first line, power play, penalty kill," Lagace said. "I had a lot of ice time. Now scouts have seen that I can play a defensive role on the fourth line, bring some energy with my hits, blocked shots, play well defensively. I think it's a great thing for me as a hockey player that I can play both styles of play."
"I think (scouts) like my speed on the ice, I'm strong on the boards," he said. "I have a good shot, good offensive skills. I've got to take confidence in my shot and use it more because sometimes I waste good scoring chances with an extra move. I also want to improve my physical play.".
Overall
Once again for the third straight season the Hurricanes entered the draft with a different philosophy and strayed from the safe pick on route towards chasing the high reward type prospects. With the likes of Sam Ganger, Karl Alzner, Bobby Sanguinetti and Angelo Esposito already in the Hurricanes prospect cupboard the need to restock wasn’t a priority, so the Hurricanes took the opportunity take a lot more chances.
Jared Staal was the player the Hurricanes brass shined to the most, although doesn’t possess the high-end skill of his fellow prospects, or bloodlines, when he did bring to the table that the Hurricanes liked was a huge frame with enough overall skill that would guaranty him as a lock in cracking the NHL lineup after his final year of Juniors.
Boychuk, Ennis, Legace, Reddick - With these picks the Hurricanes bought into the idea of the NEW NHL, All four kids are small offensive minded forwards that put up great numbers for each of their respective teams. Although each one is a slightly different type of player the four man unit with will all have to overcome the question marks about their height one last time to silence their critics.
Doyle was a fellow islander, enough for myself to draft him… and since he had the offensive numbers to back him up I thought I’ll use the extra pick to evaluate him over the next couple months… This video also played a small role
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Nice job...I had my eye on Staal but thought he'd still be around later.
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"Next time you come to Edmonton in June, July, or August, check out the colour of the grass in Calgary before you leave. It's brown and yellow....i.e lack of precipitation," - Sundeep, Feb. 6, 2005
'Canes 2008 Draft Review
