ihabs1993

My ESPN league allowed me to pick 4 goalies and play 2 per night. I got Price, Rinne, Bobrovski and Lehtonen. According to this list, I did pretty well

Chris Neil Always a cheap shot artist who has never gotten what he gives out... Gotta give him a break though... He's been stuck in Ottawa his whole career Chris Kreider This one is a new one. Obviously the goalie running is irritating, but the facial hair he grew in the offseason made him look like an evil villain Brad Marchand Rat. Done. Chris Pronger When he was still in the league, the refs would let him do whatever he wanted to. He was just a bully. And there's the Kesler Leg stomping incident... ( ) Great skill, big bully, fits in perfectly. Max Lapierre I loved Max as a Hab, but I understand why everyone hates him. Chirps a bunch, cheap shots, and reckless penalties... Plus, same mustache category as Kreider Mats Sundin Bit of a throwback. He liked to do his fair share of chirping, but is an absolute legend. Reason I find him so irritating is that he always (ALWAYS) saved his best games for Montreal. I mean he would score almost every game against the Canadiens. Ruined too many Saturday nights for me as a kid.... And Finally, Zdeno Chara Look, I just don't understand the hype around this guy. Take away his size and his shot, and what do you have? A goon. He uses his size as an excuse for cheap shots and picks on all the smallest players in the league. (He always goes right after Brendan Gallagher, but when Parros has something to say, it's amazing how quite big Z gets). Can't stand this guy and I think hes incredibly overrated. People rave about how good he is defensively, but he's getting up there in age. Last year was not one of his best, and you could see how tired he got in just the second round against the Canadiens. I think his Glory days are through. Probably a hall of famer, for some reason, but definitely a despicable player to me

Great post... Here's my idea for the Habs, pending a PK Subban contract 1. PK Subban: There's no one quite like him on the team or in the league for that matter. Fast, physical and great on the powerplay. His defensive game has been growing over the past season. No question, hes the Habs' number one guy. 2. Andrei Markov: Grizzled vet just signed on for three years with the only NHL team he's ever known. Will help grow the little guys on the team and keep PK in line. Can play the powerplay and crucial minutes late in games. Atleast for the time being, he's our second in command. 3. Alexei Emelin: I'm not going to sugar coat it; Emelin had a terrible season on the rebound from a reconstructive knee surgery. However, I feel this season will be different. With an overabundance of left handed shots on last year's squad, Emelin was forced to play the right side which is unnatural for a left handed shot. Now with Weaver and Gilbert on the team, Emelin can be moved back to the left side. Very physical and growing defensively. 4. Jarred Tinordi: While he often gets the short end of the stick in TOI, Tinordi is the best defensive prospect on the team. Big defensive player who's not afraid to jump up physically. 5. Tom Gilbert: I'm going to be honest here... I don't know much about this guy. Recent signing and he wasn't too expensive. I think they're hoping Gilbert will fill up some of Gorges' big minutes. Tough shoes to fill. 6. Mike Weaver: Last year, Weaver became a fan favorite. He blocks everything he can get in front of. If Tokarski had gone down, I would have put Weaver in net. Another Grizzled vet, Weaver will also be put into Gorges' spot. 7. Nathan Beaulieu: Another youngster that is going to end up the odd man out more often than not. It's too bad because he's fast and smart with the puck. It's his mistakes without the puck that keep him on the sidelines. However, the fact that he's a rare powerplay specialist on this team puts him back into the lineup. Potential Pairings 1 Markov - Subban 2 Emelin - Gilbert 3 Tinordi/Beaulieu - Weaver

@TropicalFruitGirl26 He is on the cup with the Rags in '94, where he was one of the first Russians to hold the cup (Alexander Karpovtsev, Sergei Zubov and Sergei Nemchinov were also on the team in '94). Kovalev had one real chance for a cup after the '94 run and that came in 2007-2008, as he scored 80 points for the Habs and lead them to the best record in the Eastern Conference. The team would get beat in the second round, but the potential was there

Kovalev was so much fun to watch when he was on his game. I remember I was at a Canadiens-Islanders game at Nassau a few years ago. Kovalev scored twice in a dramatic 5-4 Habs victory. It was the first NHL game I had ever gone to see. Yes, he had a tendency to disappear at inopportune times, but Kovy was an electrifying player. So much fun to watch on breakaways and on the powerplay. It might be a long shot,but I'd love to see him in the hall of fame. He will be missed

I think you're bang on with those guys... Others will be close like Virtanen

I think he goes there because Calgary needs a right winger. I think Ritchie can jump right in and perform with other young players. Comparing mock drafts won't really accomplish anything... There's only draft that matters

I don't understand how stock on a player can rise even when the season is over! Did he play some ball hockey with the scouts? You're right, he wasn't too high earlier, but now hes moved up for some reason. Could fall though. Seth Jones fell from one to four. It's possible

I shouldn't have said weak. I think they're just not very deep at those positions. With a mid round pick, they're building depth for a few years from now. On Milano, other teams might want him first lol... Just the way this works!

I live in the states, and when I'm at school I watch the games on NHL gamecenter through my xbox. In short, this doesn't really affect me. It's kinda sad to see the way things have gone though. It's always been more about stockholders and markets than about getting the games to the fans. The league and the networks just keep letting us down.

Bruins would like speed I would think. At their spot, Scherback would be a good fit. I would be so angry if Boston got him before the Habs got a chance. Should be a fun day though! I can't wait!!!

Disclaimer: This is a mock draft that I have put together that made sense to me on an organizational level. As you’ll see, I’ve made my decisions based on the depth charts of the teams who will pick in the first round. I have done absolutely no scouting of players previous to writing this piece. This is a mock draft of need, not a ranking of players. Sources: http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/teamindex.cgi http://www.mynhldraft.com/2014-NHL-Mock-Draft/ 1. Florida Panthers Depth Chart Needs: A quick look at their depth chart reveals two very strong centers, but no depth up the middle. The other positions are growing, but the real problem is on the back end, with the possible departure of Brian Campbell and no real future besides Gudbranson. First pick is simple. Pick: D Aaron Ekblad, Barrie (OHL) 2. Buffalo Sabres Depth Chart Needs: Buffalo is a bit of a peculiar team. Tons of young talent coming up, such as Hodgson, Girgensons and Grigorenko. And that’s just at center, with a list of about a dozen rookies hoping to crack the lineup. Center is packed. No other way around it. Not a popular pick, but I think this is the right pick. Pick: LW Sam Bennett, Kingston (OHL) 3. Edmonton Oilers Depth Chart Needs: Here we are again. Defense is a very obvious need for this Oiler club, who have picked in the top 10 every year since 2009. All but one of those picks was a forward, with the exception of Darnell Nurse. However, unless Ekblad falls to Edmonton, which is HIGHLY unlikely, they will pick yet another forward to add to their impressive repertoire of skillful youngsters. Wouldn’t be surprised if Edmonton moved this pick for defensive help, but as it stands, this is their pick. Pick: C Sam Reinhart, Kootenay (OHL) 4. Calgary Flames Depth Chart Needs: The Flames have a good crop of prospects on the left wing with Gaudrau, Baertschi, Ferland and Klimchuk and a good start at center with Monahan, Backlund, Granlund and the older Reinhart. This is another team that is getting shortchanged by a somewhat small pool of high end talent on the blue line. However, rightwing could use some help for the Flames, which makes them go off the board a bit and go for help where they need it. Pick: RW Nick Ritchie, Peterborough (OHL) 5. New York Islanders Depth Chart Needs: The Islanders are headed in the right direction. Center is slowly growing with the likes of Strome and Cizikas. Defense is moving well, with Hamonic, Griffin Reinhart (There’s too many of those guys), De Haan, Strait, and the list just goes on and on. The Isles seem to be a bit empty on the wings, particularly the left wing. Pick: C/LW Leon Draisaitl, Prince Albert (WHL) 6. Vancouver Canucks Depth Chart Needs: The Canucks are in total rebuild mode, with the departure of Luongo and Kesler demanding a trade. Defense is set for a few more years, as is center and left wing. That right wing position is not very deep in Vancouver, or in this draft, therefore they pick the best player available. Pick: C/LW Michael DalColle, Oshawa (OHL) 7. Carolina Hurricanes Depth Chart Needs: It’s starting to sound like a broken record, but the Canes’ organizational needs won’t be met through their positioning in the draft. Like the teams before them, they’re weak on the blue line as well as the right side. What they can hope to do is pick a forward that they can try to move to the right side. Again, they would just pick the best available player. Pick: C/LW Jake Virtanen, Calgary (WHL) 8. Toronto Maple Leafs Depth Chart Needs: The Leafs seem to be the only team who will benefit from where the talent will be at this year’s draft. The back end is young, but capable of playing top minutes under Phaneuf. The right wing is good in spots, as the top two or Kessel and Lupul can perform well and there are many capable of making the roster this fall. This leaves the center and left wing postions with room for improvement. Pick: LW Nikolaj Ehlers, Halifax (QMJHL) 9. Winnipeg Jets Depth Chart Needs: The Jets are weak on left wing. There’s nothing else to say. With Ladd, Kane and Tangradi being the only proven big league players on the left side, this should be an easy fix for the Jets who have a great pick in a draft that is heavy in left wingers in the first round. Pick: LW William Nylander, Soldertalje (SWE) 10. Anaheim Ducks (Ottawa Senators) Depth Chart Needs: Trading Bobby Ryan could have been the greatest thing that could have happened to this franchise. Nothing against Ryan, but with the Senators’ pick, the Ducks will add a high caliber player to a team that’s already poised for elite status now and into the future. With Daniel Winnik being released, the left wing opens up for a rookie. Whether the prospect they pick fills that spot or not is yet to be determined. Pick: LW Brendan Perlini, Niagara (OHL) 11. Nashville Predators Depth Chart Needs: The Predators are one of those teams that has a decent depth in almost every position, but relies heavily on their goalie. This was evident when Rinne went down and pulled the Preds’ playoff hopes with him. Therefore, I think some scoring depth and size would help this team in a tough Central Division. Pick: LW Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa (FIN) 12. Arizona Coyotes (That’s going to take some time to get used to) Depth Chart Needs: The Yotes seem to have a great prospect pool throughout their depth chart. I think this team is well off up front, with Domi, Korpikovski, and Klinkhammer on the left. However the right side is a bit weak, leading to this pick. Pick: RW Kevin Fiala, HV71 J20 (SWE) 13. Washington Capitals Depth Chart Needs: Washington has done well selecting forwards in the past, and if they hadn’t dealt Forsberg to Nashville, they’d have a pretty solid prospect pool up front. What the Caps would like is a defenseman that could come in this year or the next and round out their top 6. Pick: D Haydn Fleury, Red Deer (WHL) 14. Dallas Stars Depth Chart Needs: Having seen Fleury go right before they have a chance to get him is going to sting this Dallas team, as a defensemen would be wonderful fit with the Stars. This doesn’t mean that the team is perfect elsewhere, but defense is a priority. I see them picking a forward capable of flexibility. Pick: C Jared McCann, Sault Ste. (OHL) 15. Detroit Red Wings Depth Chart Needs: The Wings aren’t getting any younger. With the likes of Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Cleary running out of time, Detroit needs to start adding to their forward depth, which is what this draft was built for. This isn’t even fun anymore. Look for a center or left wing. Pick: C/LW Robby Fabbri, Guelph (OHL) 16. Columbus Blue Jackets Depth Chart Needs: The Jackets would also be a team to benefit from more defensemen in the draft. They are pretty solid at left wing with Kerby Rychel filling in the 6th spot in that position. Center could use some depth which leads to this pick. Pick: C/RW Alex Tuch, USA (NTDP-18) 17. Philadelphia Flyers Depth Chart Needs: Even with the acquisition of RJ Umberger, the Flyers are not very deep at left wing. Sure a defenseman would be nice, but they’re just not growing on trees in this draft. Pick: LW Dylan Larkin, USA (NTDP-17) 18. Minnesota Wild Depth Chart Needs: The Wild seem to be moving quickly in the right direction. Lots of youth coming up front and some solid defensemen behind Suter. Look for the Wild to just add to their top forwards. At this point in the draft, these are they players that are on the 2-3 year track to the NHL. Pick: LW/RW David Pastrnak, Soldertalje, (SWE) 19. Tampa Bay Lightning Depth Chart Needs: Left Wing is set with Drouin coming up this year, center has depth through 6 players and right wing has some question marks, but has enough to compete. Defense is not really an issue either, not that it could be addressed in this draft anyway. Tampa is just going to pick the best player available. Pick: LW Sonny Milano, USA (NTDP-17) 20. San Jose Sharks Depth Chart Needs: The Sharks are weak on the wings, but particularly on the left. With the possible departure of Patrick Marleau, Tomas (Teenage Mutant Ninja) Hertl is at the top of the depth chart at that position. This player won’t be able to jump in and help right away, but a good start is needed for the Sharks. Pick: LW Ivan Barbashev, Montcon (QMJHL) 21. St. Louis Blues Depth Chart Needs: The Blues have great depth at almost every position. Left wing is obviously a strength, with a plethora of young talent itching to get into the big leagues. Look for a right wing. Pick: RW Josh HoSang, Windsor (OHL) 22. Pittsburgh Penguins Depth Chart Needs: The Pens are finally starting to draft better. With good prospects at almost every position, look for the Penguins to pick a center that can fill in in a few years to replace Goc or any other player Pittsburgh fills in to play a depth role. Pick: C/LW Adrian Kempe, MoDo U-20 (SWE) 23. Colorado Avalanche Depth Chart Needs: The Avs are in the middle of a youth movement at every position except on the right wing. Tanguay and Tolbot only have a few years left and might not even stay in Colorado too long. Pick: C/RW Jakub Vrana, Linkopings (SWE) 24. Anaheim Ducks Depth Chart Needs: With already selecting in Ottawa’s spot, the Ducks are once again in prime position. Look for the rare blue liner. Pick: D Travis Sanheim, Calgary (WHL) 25. Boston Bruins Depth Chart Needs: The Bruins are one of the most well-built teams in the league. Their strength is on the back end with so many young prospects hoping to make the jump. While center is a strong spot now for the B’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if they went up the middle with their pick. Pick: C Conner Bleackley, Red Deer (WHL) 26. Montreal Canadiens Depth Chart Needs: A team that has drafted well over the past decade, the Habs look to add to an already impressive group of prospects. Well off in nearly every position, I think the Habs go for a left winger, and get a pretty good one. Pick: LW Nikita Scherbak, Saskatoon (WHL) 27. Chicago Blackhawks Depth Chart Needs: If the Blackhawks are in the middle of building a dynasty like many claim they are, they will know that defense wins championships. The likes of Rosival and Oduya will need suitable replacements soon and this draft gets better at that position in the later picks of this round. Pick: D Roland McKeown, Kingston (OHL) 28. Tampa Bay (New York Rangers) Depth Chart Needs: This just seems unfair. A team with two nominees for the rookie of the year now gets two picks in the first round. Here they will look to add on the back end which has its own young guns as well. Pick: D Jack Dougherty, USA (NTDP-18) 29. Los Angeles Kings Depth Chart Needs: It’s hard to say that a team who has won the cup twice in the last three years has any needs in their depth chart. With that being said, this is a great opportunity for the champs to pick one spot higher due to the Devils miscue. Defense. Defense. Defense. Pick: D Julius Honka, Swift Current (WHL) 30. New Jersey Devils Depth Chart Needs: Thanks to Ilya Kovalchuk’s blunder in New Jersey, the Devils were given this pick out of pity. I think the Devils have a great young group coming up on the back end and even at center. Their real problem area is on the right wing. With Jagr playing in what will be his last season, the time to rebuild in that spot is now. Pick: RW Anton Karlsson, Frolunda Jr. (SWE) What do you think? Anyone to look out for? Thanks for the read! Ian ihabs1993

I love to see a city like Buffalo at the top of this list. They're smart hockey fans and need their team to be better. And it's kinda sad that the team that finished dead last in the league had more interest in the playoffs than teams who made the post season. I mean, I was in that boat a few years ago when Montreal missed the playoffs by a catastrophic margin and I watched every playoff game that year. Where am I going with this.... The fact of the matter is that as popular as the games were in LA and NY, those two markets are nowhere near the top if the Kings and the Rangers don't play in the final. They are not hockey intensive markets. Can you imagine what the viewership in Buffalo would be like if the Sabres were in the final? You have to consider that those watching from Buffalo were mostly hardcore hockey fans. What if they had the casual fan too? The "fair-weather" fan that's only in it because their team is in it? That RTG could be upwards of 14-15! With that being said, the Sabres are nowhere close to that level yet

It's really funny, because if you look at Lafleur's postseason games played and his points right next to Pacioretty after their first three seasons, Pacioretty actually has the better looking numbers in only two trips through the playoffs. Love Guy, but he didn't need to say what he said. Vanek, I agree with. He didn't show up this postseason which is why he won't play for Montreal next year. Lafleur: 29GP, 4G, 14PTS (Three Postseasons) Pacioretty: 21GP, 5G, 11PTS (Two Postseasons) So in those 8 extra games, Guy only managed 1 more goal and 2 more assists than PacMan. Its a good thing no one thought like Guy did during his time, otherwise he would have been without a job very quickly.

Thanks! There are countless examples of human error costing teams valuable games. The timeout issue is an interesting one, but I think one timeout is plenty. Imagine if you had 2-3 timeouts per game. Icings would almost have no effect because you could just call timeout. Still worthy of debate though.