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| (courtesy the NHL) |
There's nothing more frustrating for me than seeing all these mock drafts when for the most part, the majority of people have never seen the players that they're demanding the team's draft other than video clips. Really when would most of the people have the time to watch all of these prospects?
I do this all year long and I don't get to watch every single prospect play. I trust my friends in the OHL and in the QMJHL just as they trust me to give them accurate reports on WHL prospects.
I won't even begin to talk about Europe because most of the people I know are in Sweden with one person in Russia. Not a chance can I say with 100% certainty that any European prospect is the right one except when I'm hearing it from one friend who has never steered me wrong.
In a way I kind of wish that the Rangers were picking 4th instead of the Islanders because life would be so much easier. I don't think anyone not even the Rangers can say for certain who they're going to take.
All it takes is one team that upsets the "balance" by taking a player too soon and everybody's draft winds up in the air. The only thing I can be sure of is that Gordie Clark has more aces up his sleeve then all the dealers in Atlantic City.
This year, Clark and the scouts will earn their money like they haven't earned it before as they have to have 27 options when the draft starts and then the number of options has to increase every time a team makes a pick.
The only clue that I might have actually have regarding the Rangers, it has to do with John Tortorella because he has been clear and firm about what he believes the Rangers need. He doesn't say I need another scorer, or I need another defenseman but rather he keys on the word "balance."
Tortorella wants more balance out of his lineup and to do such a thing you don't have to make a whole bunch of moves. You tend to expect more from what you already have and I think the Rangers are going to surprise people with the direction they take.
It's not the number of goals or the number of defensive stops that will matter the most but rather what their work ethic is. I can see Glen Sather just sitting back and waiting for the smoke to clear and then make his moves.
Glen Sather like him or not is a vulture by trade; he's gonna sit there and wait until you can't afford not to talk to him. When you do talk to Glen Sather then he will expect you to pay what he wants to pay.
I don't see Glen Sather trading for Rick Nash, it's against his nature. I think he'll try with Zach Parise but move on as soon as he finds out how serious Parise is about not being a Ranger.
Truth be told, I honestly don't expect an earthshaking pick from the Rangers at 28. I just hope get you to make the pick before midnight Eastern. My personal wish since May has been to see the Rangers trade down and gain more draft picks.
That hasn't changed as I believe the Rangers need more depth everywhere then what they can do with four picks. If you got your copy of the Blueshirt Bulletin then you know who I took at 28.
After all is Gordie Clark has said way too many times "possibilities are endless."
In any event, I'll be all over the place tomorrow from the Blueshirt Bulletin chat to basically whoever invites me to their place. Catch me on Facebook, send me an e-mail, or send up smoke signals as about the only place I won't be has to be twitter.
Sorry Twitter and I run into issues about how many tweets that I can post which makes it rather frustrating. You can catch me there post draft.
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