HabsWorld.net -- 

The 2011 NHL Entry Draft will be held at the
Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota this coming Friday and Saturday.  As is the
tradition, here is our official mock draft.  The past two years, the Habs
have drafted a forward and a defenceman with their top pick, which route will
they take this year with the 17th pick?

Joining me to pick the draft was HW Editor Norm
Szcyrek.  Norm had the odd numbered picks and I had the even ones. 
Our thoughts about each pick are included in the scouting reports and commentary
following each player’s ranking on other sites.  Those rankings are from
the following 4 places: Central Scouting Bureau (CSB), International Scouting
Services (ISS), The Hockey News (THN), and The Sports Network (TSN).

Players denoted with an * have been moved by
the team that originally drafted them.

With the 1st overall pick,
Edmonton selects:
Adam Larsson, D,
Skelleftea (SEL), 6’3", 200 lbs
37 GP, 1 goal, 8 assists, 9 points, 41 PIMS
Although the Oilers could use
help basically everywhere, Larsson is very close to (if not) NHL ready, and
the team needs help sooner than later.  He has all the tools to become
a #1 defenceman for any team, as he represents a nice package of both
offensive & defensive skills.  With some good young forwards in the
system, it’s time to look at the back end.
Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Taylor Hall, LW (1st overall)

2009: M. Paajarvi-Svensson, LW (10th overall)
2008: Jordan Eberle, RW (22nd overall)		 CSB:
1 (Euro)
ISS: 2
THN: 2
TSN: 2
BLR: "I
agree with the logic but at this point, it’s hard to see the Oilers not go
with Nugent-Hopkins."



With the 2nd overall pick,
Colorado selects:
Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins,
C, Red Deer (WHL), 6’0", 164 lbs
69 GP, 31 goals, 75 assists, 106 points, 51 PIMS
One of the few knocks on
Nugent-Hopkins is that he probably isn’t physically ready to step into the
NHL.  Colorado already has good depth at centre so they can afford to
let him fill out in junior.  He is a very well rounded offensive player
and is a future front line forward in the making.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Joey Hishon, C (17th overall)

2009: Matt Duchene, C (3rd overall)
2008: Cameron Gaunce, D (50th overall)		 CSB:
1 (NA)
ISS: 1
THN: 1
TSN: 1
NS: "Good
fortune for the Avs as they can afford to wait on him."



With the 3rd overall pick,
Florida selects:
Gabriel Landeskog,
LW, Kitchener (OHL), 6’0", 207 lbs
53 GP, 30 goals, 36 assists, 66 points, 61 PIMS
The Panthers will go with the
feisty winger, who is a good leader and two way player.  He’s a
tireless worker and should develop into a solid top-6 player for Florida,
who may allow him to start his apprenticeship a year or two early.  His
playing style would easily allow him to start in the NHL as a bottom-6
forward if new coach Kevin Dineen wants to ease him in.
Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Erik Gudbranson, D (3rd overall)

2009: Dmitry Kulikov, D (14th overall)
2008: Jacob Markstrom, G (31st overall)		 CSB:
2 (NA)
ISS: 5
THN: 3
TSN: 4
BLR: "Not the
best offensive talent on the board but the Panthers have lacked an
all-around presence for a long time."



With the 4th overall pick, New
Jersey selects:
Jonathan Huberdeau,
C, Saint John (QMJHL), 6’1", 170 lbs
67 GP, 43 goals, 62 assists, 105 points, 88 PIMS
Arguably the most prominent
riser in the draft rankings during the season, he will provide some
offensive depth to a team lacking in it (and one who may lose Zach Parise to
UFA next year).  He is a premier offensive player that continued to
improve as the year went along.  He likely needs at least one more year
in junior to build up his strength.
Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Jon Merrill, D (38th overall)

2009: Jacob Josefson, C (20th overall)
2008: Mattias Tedenby, LW (24th overall)		 CSB:
3 (NA)
ISS: 3
THN: 5
TSN: 3
NS: "New
Jersey in particular needs help at centre down the road and won’t need to
rush him right away."



With the 5th overall pick,
New York (I) selects:
Sean Couturier, C,
Drummondville (QMJHL), 6’4", 197 lbs
58 GP, 36 goals, 60 assists, 96 points, 36 PIMS
The Isles could use a #2
centre to help Tavares and Couturier fits that bill nicely.  Despite the
high expectations of a #1 ranking before the season started, he reportedly
battled mononucleosis which caused him to slip in the final rankings. 
Couturier should really shine with a full, healthy season in the Q, but
given his size, skill and competitive nature, he stands a good chance at
cracking the Islanders lineup in the fall of 2012.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Nino Niederreiter, LW (5th overall)

2009: John Tavares, C (1st overall)
2008: Josh Bailey, C (9th overall)		 CSB:
6 (NA)
ISS: 4
THN: 4
TSN: 5
BLR: "I
know Couturier is starting to be thought of as the next Angelo Esposito but I
think he’ll be the top QMJHL’er to come out of the draft."



With the 6th overall pick,
Ottawa selects:
Ryan Strome,
C, Niagara (OHL), 6’0", 175 lbs
65 GP, 33 goals, 73 assists, 106 points, 82 PIMS
After shoring up their
defence in recent years, it’s time for Ottawa to turn their attention up
front.  Strome plays bigger than his size while he is  crafty with
the puck.  He also has a knack for scoring some highlight reel goals. 
With no notable centre prospects in the organization, we could see him in
the NHL sooner than later.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Jakub Culek, C (76th overall)

2009: Jared Cowen, D (9th overall)
2008: Erik Karlsson, D (15th overall)		 CSB:
8 (NA)
ISS: 9
THN: 6
TSN: 7
NS: "I
had him going to Winnipeg next if he was still on the board."



With the 7th overall pick,
Winnipeg selects:
Mika Zibanejad,
C, Djurgarden (SEL), 6’2", 191 lbs
26 GP, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points, 2 PIMS
Mika really impressed this
year at the Combine, and he’s a very similar styled player to Huberdeau.
Winnipeg has more young depth on the D, and are likely to go with a forward
with their top pick. Zibanejad has a high compete level, good size for the
pros, and decent skating. He’s a very coachable prospect who can play either
center or the wing.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Alexander Burmistrov, C (8th overall)

2009: Evander Kane, RW (4th overall)
2008: Zach Bogosian, D (3rd overall)		 CSB:
2 (Euro)
ISS: 7
THN: 11
TSN: 9
BLR:
"The first pick that I think could be a reach
by a couple spots, I’m not sure he won’t be more than just a high end 3rd
liner down the road."



With the 8th overall pick,
Columbus selects:
Dougie Hamilton,
D, Niagara (OHL), 6’4", 187 lbs
55 GP, 8 goals, 47 assists, 55 points, 14 PIMS
The most well rounded
defenceman in the draft who is pegged by some to go as high as 4th overall. 
The Blue Jackets desperately need to inject some young talent onto their
blueline and he has the skill set to do whatever they ask of him, whether
it’s play physically, be a shut-down guy, or quarterback a powerplay.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Ryan Johansen, C (4th overall)

2009: John Moore, D (21st overall)
2008: Nikita Filatov, LW (6th overall)		 CSB:
4 (NA)
ISS: 6
THN: 10
TSN: 6
NS: "Ryan
Murphy is another good option for Columbus at this pick."



With the 9th overall pick,
Boston selects:
Nathan Beaulieu,
D, Saint John (QMJHL), 6’2", 174 lbs
65 GP, 12 goals, 33 assists, 45 points, 52 PIMS
The Bruins are not shy from
drafting players from the QMJHL in recent years (such as Brad Marchand and
Jordan Caron), and Beaulieu has a nice 2-way game.  He is a good skater
with good passing skills, above average size, and good decision making with
and without the puck.  He could eventually slot in as a #2 on the
Bruins’ back end while Zdeno Chara is still around. 

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Tyler Seguin, C (2nd overall)

2009: Jordan Caron, C (25th overall)
2008: Joe Colborne, C (16th overall)*		 CSB:
5 (NA)
ISS: 14
THN: 18
TSN: 11
BLR: "The
B’s have a lot of good forwards coming up, it’s time they look at shoring up
the D."



With the 10th overall pick,
Minnesota selects:
Joel Armia, RW,
Assat (FIN), 6’3", 191 lbs
48 GP, 18 goals, 11 assists, 29 points, 24 PIMS
The Wild need some
gamebreakers to get their offence going again.  They got one last year
in Mikael Granlund and Armia would be the perfect complement for him. 
His offensive numbers are quite impressive for an 18 year old in a men’s
league and quality natural goal scorers are certainly becoming harder and
harder to come by.  His defensive game does still need some fine tuning
though.
Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Mikael Granlund, C (9th overall)

2009: Nick Leddy, D (16th overall)*
2008: Tyler Cuma, D (23rd overall)		 CSB:
4 (Euro)
ISS: 13
THN: 15
TSN: 14
NS: "The
first left field, off the reserve type of pick of the draft here."



With the 11th overall pick,
Colorado selects:
Ryan Murphy,
D, Kitchener (OHL), 5’10", 166 lbs
63 GP, 26 goals, 53 assists, 79 points, 36 PIMS
With Colorado’s second pick,
a defenceman with outstanding skating and offensive ability fits their needs
well.  While he’s currently under sized at 5’11" and 165 pounds,
Colorado is not known for rushing their defensive prospects, so he has time
to grow.  Murphy’s offensive upside may allow
him to be a spot starter as a depth forward or power play specialist, until
he becomes a fully established player.

How the pick was acquired:

From St. Louis with D Erik Johnson and C Jay McClement in exchange for D
Kevin Shattenkirk, W Chris Stewart, and a 2011 2nd round pick.		 CSB:
9 (NA)
ISS: 8
THN: 7
TSN: 8
BLR: "A
good fit for Colorado who really need to get a defenceman with one of their
first rounders."



With the 12th overall pick,
Carolina selects:
Duncan Siemens,
D, Saskatoon (WHL), 6’2", 192 lbs
72 GP, 5 goals, 38 assists, 43 points, 121 PIMS
The Hurricanes have seen a
lot of turnover on their blueline recently and don’t have a whole lot in the
system.  Siemens is a quality two-way defenceman and a very mobile
skater which will fit in well with Carolina’s up and coming young forwards. 
He also plays with a physical edge although that can get him in trouble
penalty wise at times.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Jeff Skinner, RW (7th overall)

2009: Phillipe Paradis, LW (27th overall)*
2008: Zach Boychuk, C (14th overall)		 CSB:
10 (NA)
ISS: 12
THN: 12
TSN: 13
NS: "Siemens
is a good fit for Carolina in this spot."



With the 13th overall pick,
Minnesota selects:
Mark McNeill, C,
Prince Albert (WHL), 6’2", 201 lbs
70 GP, 32 goals, 49 assists, 81 points, 53 PIMS
After losing prized prospect
Tim Erixon recently, the Flames may prefer to stick to their own backyard
for their first pick this time.  As a center, McNeill is NHL ready in terms
of size, and the Flames certainly need more depth at forward.  His
combination of size, offence and skating are his pluses, but his defensive
awareness needs more work.  That will come in time, and if he progresses in
junior this fall & winter, he could surprise.
Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Maxwell Reinhart, C (64th overall)

2009: Tim Erixon, D (23rd overall)*
2008: Greg Nemisz, C (25th overall)		 CSB:
14 (NA)
ISS: 21
THN: 16
TSN: 19
BLR: "Nothing
wrong with taking a local when he fits several of Calgary’s needs."



With the 14th overall pick,
Dallas selects:
Jamieson Oleksiak, D,
Northeastern (HE), 6’7", 244 lbs
34 GP, 3 goals, 9 assists, 12 points, 51 PIMS
Dallas is in decent shape at
forward in their prospect system but their defensive depth is lacking. 
Oleksiak has terrific size and an NHL-ready frame with pretty good skating. 
He isn’t overly physical but plays well positionally.  The Stars have
lacked a prototypical shutdown blueliner since Derian Hatcher and they will
get one here with this pick.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Jack Campbell, G (11th overall)

2009: Scott Glennie, RW (8th overall)
2008: Tyler Beskorowany, G (59th overall)		 CSB:
13 (NA)
ISS: 16
THN: 27
TSN: 17
NS:
"The Stars definitely need some more
quality defencemen in their system."



With the 15th overall pick,
New York (R) selects:
Tomas Jurco,
RW, Saint John (QMJHL), 6’2", 187 lbs
60 GP, 31 goals, 25 assists, 56 points, 17 PIMS
A dynamic offensive player,
Jurco has outstanding speed and skill, with decent size, and highlight reel
goals to his credit.  He could improve with better strength to better handle
the pro level, but that will come with time & dedication.  The Rangers could
really use an offensive prospect like Jurco at forward to complement Chris
Kreider and his blistering speed.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Dylan McIlrath, D (10th overall)

2009: Chris Kreider, C (19th overall)
2008: Michael Del Zotto, D (20th overall)		 CSB:
20 (NA)
ISS: 25
THN: 28
TSN: 29
BLR: "This was
the first pick that I felt was truly off the board, I think he’ll be picked
much closer to the end of the round."



With the 16th overall pick,
Buffalo selects:
Sven Bartschi,
LW, Portland (WHL), 5’10", 181 lbs
66 GP, 34 goals, 51 assists, 85 points, 74 PIMS
Bartschi will be the second
Swiss player to be drafted from Portland in as many years (joining Nino
Niederreiter).  His combination of skill and speed will fit in
perfectly with the likes of Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe.  There are
some who feel he is a top-10 talent; the Sabres will be thrilled to get him
with this selection.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Mark Pysyk, D (23rd overall)

2009: Zack Kassian, RW (13th overall)
2008: Tyler Myers, D (12th overall)		 CSB: 7 (NA)
ISS: 11
THN: 8
TSN: 16
NS: "More
skill and speed is just what the Sabres need, this pick makes a lot of
sense."



With the 17th overall pick,
Montreal selects:
J.T. Miller,
LW/C, US NTDP (USHL), 6’1", 198 lbs
48 GP, 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points, 78 PIMS
The Habs will continue their
tendency to draft U.S. college/college eligible players by selecting Miller,
a power forward in the making.  For a bigger player, he’s a strong skater
with good acceleration, who dishes out big hits and is defensively
responsible.  As with several of these types of prospects, Miller has been
inconsistent at times, and some scouts are torn whether he’ll become a top-6
or a bottom-6 player in the pros.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Jarred Tinordi, D (22nd overall)

2009: Louis Leblanc, C (18th overall)

2008: Danny Kristo, RW (56th overall)		 CSB:
23 (NA)
ISS: 17
THN: 59
TSN: 18
BLR: "I also
see Miller being picked in the 1st round but if he’s the guy the Habs want,
I think they could trade down a couple spots."



With the 18th overall pick,
Chicago selects:
Zach Phillips,
C, Saint John (QMJHL), 6’1", 178 lbs
67 GP, 38 goals, 57 assists, 95 points, 16 PIMS
His offensive numbers took a
quantum leap this past season after being paired up with top-5 pick Jonathan
Huberdeau.  With the Hawks, he’ll one day be paired with another
Jonathan (Toews) and certainly has the offensive skills to keep up. 
There are concerns about his skating and physical play but both can improve
over time.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Kevin Hayes, RW (24th overall)

2009: Dylan Olsen, D (28th overall)

2008: Kyle Beach, LW (11th overall)		 CSB:
15 (NA)
ISS: 34
THN: 9
TSN: 28
NS: "The
Habs will likely be looking at him with their pick as well."



With the 19th overall pick,
Edmonton selects:
Ty Rattie,
LW, Portland (WHL), 5’11", 163 lbs
67 GP, 28 goals, 51 assists, 79 points, 55 PIMS
To balance out the Larsson
pick earlier, the Oilers will select Rattie, one of the most dangerous
offensive players in this draft.  With a range of slippery moves, he has
great hands with the puck and can make tough plays at top speed.  He’s
undersized for the pros, but he could become a great complimentary top-6
forward to go with the Oilers still developing their forward talent. 
It doesn’t hurt that he’s an Alberta kid too.

How the pick was acquired:

From Los Angeles with D Colten Teubert and a conditional 2012 3rd round pick
in exchange for W Dustin Penner.		 CSB:
17 (NA)
ISS: 28
THN: 33
TSN: 25
BLR:
"Complements the likes of Hall and Eberle well but this may be a little
early for him."



With the 20th overall pick,
Phoenix selects:
Mark Schiefele,
C, Barrie (OHL), 6’2", 182 lbs
66 GP, 22 goals, 53 assists, 35 points, 75 PIMS
Though the Coyotes have
selected a few centres early on in recent years, they haven’t panned out as
above average offensive players.  Schiefele has a chance to be a
legitimate top-2 centre who plays reasonably well in his own end.  His
physical game is concerning given his size but that should improve as he
bulks up.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Brandon Gormley, D (13th overall)

2009: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D (6th overall)

2008: Mikkel Boedker, RW (8th overall)		 CSB:
16 (NA)
ISS: 18
THN: 41
TSN: 12
NS: "Phoenix
should be leaning towards a forward with their pick.  I like Schiefele
here."



With the 21st overall pick,
Ottawa selects:
Oscar Klefbom,
D, Farjestad (SEL), 6’4", 200 lbs
23 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points, 2 PIMS
Given the home run the team
hit with Swedish defenceman Erik Karlsson and the recent acquisition of
David Rundblad, Klefbom should complete the Swedish trifecta for Ottawa’s
blueline.  He has huge offensive skills, and great size but needs work on
the defensive side.  He has time to work on that though; having Karlsson
and Rundblad ahead of him may help as mentors.

How the pick was acquired:

From Nashville with a 2012 3rd round pick in exchange for F Mike Fisher.		 CSB:
6 (Euro)
ISS: 10
THN: 27
TSN: 21
BLR: "With
this pick, Ottawa’s defence will be on the verge of becoming one of the top
young cores in the league."



With the 22nd overall pick,
Anaheim selects:
Matt Puempel,
LW, Peterborough (OHL), 6’0", 196 lbs
55 GP, 34 goals, 35 assists, 69 points, 49 PIMS
Once projected to be a top-5
pick, Puempel has seen his stock take a tumble this year.  This should
bode well who could benefit from his offensive talents.  He’s
a uni-dimensional player but the talent of Ryan, Perry, and Getzlaf can
insulate those deficiencies while his offensive abilities are more than good
enough to play with those guys down the road.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Cam Fowler, D (12th overall)

2009: Peter Holland, C (15th overall)

2008: Jake Gardiner, D (17th overall)		 CSB:
28 (NA)
ISS: 27
THN: 21
TSN: 27
NS: "He
has good offensive skill & size; still needs time to work out a more
complete game but they don’t have to rush him."



With the 23rd overall pick,
Pittsburgh selects:
Tyler Biggs,
RW, US NTDP (USHL), 6’2", 210 lbs
48 GP, 17 goals, 11 assists, 28 points, 112 PIMS
A good power forward
prospect, with great work habits, Biggs would fit in well in the Steel City. 
The Penguins could use more winger prospects given their depth at C, and
Biggs has pro size now.  He hails from nearby Cincinnati, and is a
complete team player, tough as nails, and willing to do anything asked of
him.  His physical style would be handy to have to protect the likes of
Crosby and Malkin.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Beau Bennett, RW (20th overall)

2009: Simon Despres, D (30th overall)

2008: Nathan Moon, C (120th overall)		 CSB:
22 (NA)
ISS: 31
THN: 20
TSN: 15
BLR: "Every
star player needs a protector, it’s even better when that protector has some
offensive skills to boot."



With the 24th overall pick,
Detroit selects:
Nicklas Jensen,
LW/RW, Oshawa (OHL), 6’2", 187 lbs
61 GP, 29 goals, 29 assists, 58 points, 42 PIMS
He isn’t as gritty as Biggs
who was just picked but aside from that, their games are very similar. 
The Red Wings can use some more size in their system and he has the
offensive skills to fit in with both their current roster as well as their
most recent picks.  His skating didn’t improve as much as scouts wished
it would have this year.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Riley Sheahan, C (21st overall)

2009: Landon Ferraro, C (32nd overall)

2008: Thomas McCollum, G (30th overall)		 CSB:
21 (NA)
ISS: 22
THN: 19
TSN: 24
NS: "Detroit’s
forwards are starting to get up there in age, they could use some more
youngsters in the system."



With the 25th overall pick,
Toronto selects:
Brandon Saad,
LW, Saginaw (OHL), 6’1", 208 lbs
59 GP, 27 goals, 28 assists, 55 points, 47 PIMS
The Leafs management love
size up front, and he has that as well as good skating and acceleration with
decent hands also.  Saad is a safe pick, a player that will certainly
end up playing pro but some scouts are not sure how high his ceiling is at
this time.  He is reliable defensively and is one of the more NHL ready
prospects in this draft.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Brad Ross, LW (43rd overall)

2009: Nazem Kadri, C (7th overall)

2008: Luke Schenn, D (5th overall)		 CSB:
19 (NA)
ISS: 24
THN: 14
TSN: 22
BLR: "There
are some who simply just fit in perfectly with an NHL team, this is one of
those players."



With the 26th overall pick,
Washington selects:
Alexander Khoklachev,
LW/C, Windsor (OHL), 5’10", 188 lbs
67 GP, 34 goals, 42 assists, 76 points, 28 PIMS
The Capitals have had a
tendency to go with higher risk but higher ceiling players and have shown no
hesitancy to draft Russians in the past.  Khoklachev fits all of those
characteristics and possesses a quality offensive game while playing with
some feistiness.  Skating is an issue but this is one Russian who gives
it his all consistently.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Evgeny Kuznetsov, C (26th overall)

2009: Marcus Johansson, C (24th overall)

2008: Anton Gustafsson, C (21st overall)		 CSB:
29 (NA)
ISS: 23
THN: 13
TSN: 44
NS: "A perfect
choice for Washington."



With the 27th overall pick,
Tampa Bay selects:
Scott Mayfield,
D, Youngstown (USHL), 6’4", 197 lbs
52 GP, 7 goals, 9 assists, 16 points, 159 PIMS
Mayfield has a chance to be a
monster on the blueline for the Lightning.  He is huge and tough with
good skating and quickness to go with quality hockey sense and passing skills. 
His defensive skills are strong though his panic level is occasionally
high, causing him to turn over the puck at bad times.  Good coaching,
patience and experience should help him to correct that deficiency, and
allow him to become a top pairing defenceman.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Brett Connolly, RW (6th overall)

2009: Victor Hedman, D (2nd overall)

2008: Steven Stamkos, C (1st overall)		 CSB:
24 (NA)
ISS: 32
THN: 24
TSN: 46
BLR: "For a
player believed to have offensive potential, it wasn’t there this year. 
If he can recover that aspect, this could be a steal."



With the 28th overall pick,
San Jose selects:
John Gibson,
G, US NTDP (USHL), 6’3", 205 lbs
17-10-3 record, 2.64 GAA, .918 SV%, 1 SO
Even with Antti Niemi locked
up long-term, the Sharks could stand to benefit a lot from adding a top
notch goalie prospect to their system.  His reflexes aren’t the
greatest but he is technically sound and plays the angles well.  It
will be a few years before he is ready but he should be well worth the wait.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Charlie Coyle, RW (28th overall)

2009: William Wrenn, D (43rd overall)

2008: Justin Daniels, C (62nd overall)		 CSB:
1 (NA-G)
ISS: 1 (G)
THN: 27
TSN: 37
NS: "Taking a
goalie in the 1st round is never popular but I could see them going this
way."

 
With the 29th overall pick,
Vancouver selects:
Jonas Brodin,
D, Farjestad (SWE), 6’4", 212 lbs
42 GP, 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points, 12 PIMS
Brodin is more of a
cerebral-type defenceman, and although an excellent prospect, will likely
require a couple more years of seasoning before
turning pro with the Canucks organization.  Vancouver could use a prospect
like him, who has great skating skills and nerves of steel while
handling the puck.  He played last season in the Swedish Elite league, but
could use some time to bulk up to better handle opponents.

Recent
Top Picks:

2010: Patrick McNally, D (115th overall)

2009: Jordan Schroeder, C (22nd overall)

2008: Cody Hodgson, C (10th overall)		 CSB:
3 (Euro)
ISS: 20
THN: 22
TSN: 10
BLR: "If
Brodin falls this far, Vancouver may have themselves the steal of the 1st
round."



With the 30th overall pick,
Toronto selects:
Joe Morrow, D, Portland (WHL), 6’0",
197 lbs
60 GP, 9 goals, 40 assists, 49 points, 67 PIMS
The Leafs can go a lot of
ways with this pick but they would be wise to add to their blueline depth
having graduated a couple of their prospects to Toronto in recent years. 
Morrow doesn’t shy away from the physical play and brings a decent offensive
game to the table.  He isn’t the greatest in his own end or at skating
but he is good enough to improve those elements.

How the pick was acquired:

From Boston with C Joe Colborne and a 2012 2nd round pick in exchange for D
Tomas Kaberle.		 CSB:
12 (NA)
ISS: 33
THN: 34
TSN: 20
NS: "Good
two-way defenceman who should help replace some of Kaberle’s offence down
the road."

There were a handful of other players whose names
came up at different points for consideration throughout the selection process. 
Those were:

C Boone Jenner (Oshawa, OHL)
D David Musil (Vancouver, WHL)
D Robbie Russo (US NTDP, USHL)



With the 77th overall pick,
Montreal selects:
Austen Brassard,
RW, Belleville (OHL), 6’2", 191 lbs
67 GP, 19 goals, 15 assists, 34 points, 78 PIMS
Brassard is a poor-man’s
power forward; the physical part of his game is there but his offensive one
needs refining.  Even without that part developing, the rest of his
game should be good enough to warrant a 4th line role and at this juncture
of the draft, the Habs should be content with a safe pick that also has some
upside.

Other Players Considered:

Olivier Archambault, LW (Val D’Or, QMJHL)

Guillaume Cloutier, D (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)

Michael Paliotta, D (US-NTDP, USHL)		 CSB:
64 (NA)
ISS: 79
THN: 81
TSN: HM