Coyotes are hosting a draft day party. Come celebrate and watch GMDM work his magic in the first round.
2009 NHL Draft Party
Friday, June 26
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Buffalo Wild Wings -
Buffalo Wild Wings is located at 7000 East Mayo Boulevard in the Scottsdale 101 complex, just south of the Loop 101.
Well we know there are a couple of scenarios already in play. It looks pretty solidly like the top 6 shakes out with Tavares/Hedman/Duchene/MP-S/Schenn/Kane. No GM in his right mind is giving up 1 – 3 unless his balls are in a vice or he’s the DET GM who has proven capable of picking up 1st line players in the 6th round and can afford to wait for them to develop. The Islanders desperately need to make a big splash so, the much touted ‘next one’ John Tavares is really the only option.TBL may have made a buncha crazy pickups last season but I think they’ve learned the error of their ways and with Stamkos ready to help StLouis and Lecavalier carry the offense and since they haven’t been too stellar at the blue in awhile so look for Hedman to join the Lightning as scheduled in the #2 slot. The Avs need just about everything. They obviously have no depth and while their players stepped up valiantly, injuries and goaltending killed their season.The emminent loss of Joe Sakic and their solid if not spectacular blueline kinda make it look like a case for the super solid Duchene at center.
Brian Burke has made no secret of the fact that he really wants to move up from his 7th spot. Why TOR wants to move up into the top 5 isn’t crystal clear but it probably wouldn’t be stupid to think that they want matching Schenns, but if they can get higher than #3, all bets are off as the clear cut 1 – 2 punch of this draft are Hedman and Tavares. I doubt he’s willing to give up what it would take to swindle…errr sweet talk TBL out of Hedman and NYI should be summarily contracted for extreme stupidity if they gave up Tavares.
LAK dont really ‘need’ their 5th and so could be traders. But would 2 spots be enough to get TOR what they want? IDK, ask Burkie. With just these 2 scenarios alone, for me. the 4 – 10 picks get kinda murky.
MP-S, Schenn and Kane all come with their own set of baggage (none more than Kane who has been whispered to have a bit of an attitude issue). I personally like a kid with bravado. But it would take a strong coach to deal with that without breakin the kid and that would not be Phoenix, not with TGO at the helm.
So what do Atl and La need/want? or is that, what do they leave us with? Atlanta needs to find super nova LW Ilya Kovalchuk, a fast center with high potential (Kane by his own admission loves to score himself but Schenn just might be the answer to their problem of a set up man and additional scoring chances). Which leaves the LA Kings with the hyphenated-Swede and the firebrand from Vancouver to choose from.The Kings have everything they need to soar out of the basement. The netminding tandem of Quick and Ersbergh sealed that deal. With JMFJ leading the blueline and King Kopitar and Brownie leading the offensive charge, either of the remaining standouts will work but so would the kids at 6 – 10, so do they trade down for NHL ready talent to give them more depth right now and make a big push in 09? Let’s just assume no one wants to give up the key piece it will take to overpay for the priviledge of the LAK’s 5th overall. With a great working unit already in place, I go for the kid without any real question marks, if I’m the Kings I pick Paajarvi-Svensson.
Now, as a Coyotes armchair GM, I’m in a quandary. Who passes up Evander Kane if he falls into your lap? A team with a desperate need for game breaking offense really shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. But just a few short months ago Jared Cowan was riding high in the sweet 6th spot of most of the draft pundits. (The only reason Cowan dropped is apparently the knee surgery) Cowan would certainly take care of a really huge concern for the desert dawgs on the blueline. If DM believes the knee is sound then he fills BPA and needs for the Coyotes as a big, possibly NHL ready, top 4 (or close to it as such a young kid can project) defenseman.
But what about Evander Kane? Does anyone let a few whispers keep them from seeing this kid as BPA at the 6th spot? Wouldn’t TOR absolutely love us if we did? Are GMDM and KG trying to throw people off the scent about Cowan, hoping the knee will keep him off their radar? Who knows for sure, they’ve done it before.
IF we keep the 6th… GMDM is the master of the deal, (IF we keep the 6th is such an insane phrase)… and IF, GMDM doesn’t have his sights set on Jared Cowan, he could pull a Robin Hood of a trade-down for an extra set of picks in the 2nd / 3rd rounds, take a steady proven player from our victim…errr trade partner AND still grab his surprise man. (say someone like the intriguing Nazem Kadri?)
The wily GMDM has several kids in his crosshairs that could be available later in the 1st round or early in the second, he loves to maximize. The Preds have 2 early picks in that vital 2nd round and there are some sweet selections from their roster that we might have interest in and in the spirit of overpayment we could parlay for maybe something in the 3rd too (we have no 3rd round pick).
I talked to Odie and he says no way! We’re going for Cowan. BTinAZ says Cowan too. I’m leanin towards, DMGM only takes Cowan if no one at all expresses interest in trading for the pick. HTH reluctantly agrees that 1) my theory would work 2) that my theory is something GMDM would do and that it is unlikely DM is going to sit on the #6 unless he’s either in love, or no one will give up what he wants. Kane is the sexy choice but I think its time we realized that sexy can be had on any draft corner, what we need is relationship material.
I do like Kane but it seems to me that one of those nearly ready blueliners would fit better in our stage of rebuild. But if MPS or lil Schenn or Kane is still available I think we’re goin sexy. Sex sells and we desperately need to sell this team.
No matter what GMDM does, it will be interesting to say the least.
http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=PodcastPlayer&pid=335&iid=14625
Friday will also be the day that Glendale Hockey LLC officially makes their bid for the team! Keep your ears and eyes glued to the web folks. We’ll Tweet it and post it and well carrier pigeon the news as soon as it happens.
As always… Go Coyotes!