Jackets draft review - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Sylvanfan · 06-14-2008, 03:36 PM

The Columbus Blue Jackets started the week with 3 picks in the 2008 entry draft but ended up selecting 6 players on Saturday. The Jackets did make their #2 overall selection available, but in the end ended up keeping the pick. Initially there was some interest but in most cases it offers involved a lower pick and second rate prospect or additional picks that were too far back for the GM's liking. For all the flack Mango took for trading her picks....I sure as hell didn't see those great offers that other GM's were crowing about....I don't think I was offered so much as a single NHL player for that pick anywhere.

Anyways with the first real choice in this draft we really debated hard between three players. In the end we ended up going with they guy I've liked as a riser all year long in Zach Bogosian. Ultimately it was his off the charts physical testing at the combine that sold us to pick this player. He's a true second year junior who won't turn 18 until the 15th of July and showed tremendous improvement over the course of the season and he's that strong at this age. Filatov was by far the most intriguing guy in the draft as he has great skills and I think he really wants to come to North America. But with my next pick not being till 19, bawk bawk ba-kaaaawwww! Didn't go for it. Drew Doughty who is the most NHL ready of the group was also in the mix....but I always think back to Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan with the 95 Blazers...the third year Junior guy should be a better player....he's been around for an extra year.

With our second pick 19th overall we ended up getting a player we had hoped would be availalbe in Colby Robak. Ideally we would have preferred for one of the forwards to fall to us at this pick, but it didn't happen and the BPA in our opinion was this guy. Robak is a big body who's a very good skater. There is a fair bit of projection with this kid, but if he can get everything together his combination of size, skating, and descision making could make him into a very good player.

Our third pick was towards the end of the second round #60 overall and we selected Geordie Wudrick. Another big body at 6'-3 and over 200 pounds, Wudrick has the size and is mobile enough to be able to move to the next level. His skill set is less of a concern than his ability to make descisions with the puck is. We're hopeful that as he gets older things will start to click with him.

Our fourth pick was a player named Adam Henrique a Center with the Windsor Spitfires. Players on this Spitfire team faced some serious adversity this year when their captain Mickey Renaud suddenly passed away to the shock of everyone in the hockey world. Henrique who's stats as a 17 year old were actually less than as a first year player. Still Henrique is a player with adequate size and thought to be good enough to maybe play at the pro level. Fart it's 109 picks into the draft...At this point it's good luck to me.

Our 5th pick and the 4th from last pick in the draft...we couldn't resist drafting Michal Jordan. A Czech defenceman, we only took him because hey with that name....no one will want to take us on at Basketball.

Our final pick and the second from last pick in the draft....we went with another cool name. Jerome Flaake. A German named Jerome....you don't get this every day....it was a total no brainer, and a last name like Flaake, if only he was a goalie it would be too cool.

Next week we find out just how bad or well we really did show in this draft.

Mango · 06-14-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Next week we find out just how bad or well we really did show in this draft.

Oddly enough, this probably one of my favorite parts of being a CPHL GM. I love that our draft is earlier...it forces GMs to do some research and you get to see how you faired with the real draft.

jam26 · 06-14-2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mango

Oddly enough, this probably one of my favorite parts of being a CPHL GM. I love that our draft is earlier...it forces GMs to do some research and you get to see how you faired with the real draft.

Nothing odd about that! It makes the NHL draft so much more fun to watch. I loved seeing Thomas Hickey going fourth overall last year after snagging him at the end of the first round in our draft.

Sylvanfan · 06-14-2008, 09:53 PM

^^^
Aaaah ha, CPHL GM's are quick to brag about the guy they stole late in the draft. What they won't admit is that another guy they picked early went in the third round type of thing. For every guy who's a 4th rounder who ends up being an NHL first rounder there has to be a CPHL first rounder who doesn't meet such a good fate. One year when I was running New Jersey I had picks 32, 35, & 38 and selected in order Ben Maxwell, Ryan White, and Leland Irving. In the NHL I think it went Irving 26, Maxwell 49 and White was like 66. But I think all three of those guys did sign contracts to turn pro evenually so that was a good thing. Ultimately thats going to be your best gauge. Two years later did and NHL team give them a contract.

Really though when a team offers me a bunch of lesser picks for one higher one and I turn it down....Theres a reason, I have a very poor record outside the top 10 in CPHL drafts.

Hanna Sniper · 06-14-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

^^^
Aaaah ha, CPHL GM's are quick to brag about the guy they stole late in the draft. What they won't admit is that another guy they picked early went in the third round type of thing. For every guy who's a 4th rounder who ends up being an NHL first rounder there has to be a CPHL first rounder who doesn't meet such a good fate.

I always draft much sooner then my picks fall in the NHL. The funny thing is I draft a hell of a lot better then when I use to pick the other way. I have no problems drafting a slotted 3rd rounder in the 1st round

Hanna Sniper · 06-15-2008, 04:51 PM

great to see you get a guy like Zach Bogosian among your assets Syl. He was the one guy that I heard about most when discussing the draft with others... he seems to be the prospect that had everyone salivating for. I'm sure he's going to bring a lot of interest from fellow GM's in future trade talks.

I think you made a solid decision in keeping that pick

Sylvanfan · 06-23-2008, 11:39 AM

Well, I won't say where my guys went in the NHL.

But the failure is epic, or maybe even worse. Jackets will never from now on bother picking outside of the top 3 or 4 picks in a draft. It's pretty obvious that we're wasting our time picking bums outside of that.

Just confirms that I am the worst GM in the current group and things need to change with how I operate.

looooob · 06-23-2008, 11:46 AM

I don't think you did that bad? all your guys were drafted, and really most of the falling was a round or so. Robak was the one that I guess you might be bummed about?

Sylvanfan · 06-23-2008, 12:00 PM

Funny enough...my last 3 picks ended up going anywhere from 15 to 20 spots higher in the NHL draft than the CPHL draft. Still those guys are all long shots at best. The Robak pick was terrible, far and away the worst pick I've ever made. Wudrick was a bad pick too. Even taking Bogosian was a serious brain fart too, another case of over thinking things.

I wanna be like Miikka · 06-23-2008, 02:08 PM

I don't think taking bogosian is a bad thing at all Chad. In ATL he should play big minutes right away, doughty is a stud but he will be earning time with the likes of several other dmen including Jack Johnson and Thomas Hickey who are also very good players.

Ideally both guys step in the NHL right away, bogosian will be a stud, dont worry lol.