2013 NHL Draft: UMD, Area Represented

The 2013 NHL Draft brought plenty of interesting moves and decisions.

While we didn't get the blockbuster trades that were rumored (does that ever really happen in any sport?), it's always fun to see the best player in a draft (Seth Jones in this case) go fourth overall.

And you wonder why the teams in the top three were in those positions, and why two of them seem to have been there quite often, at least lately.

(I'll get off my soapbox now. Nathan MacKinnon is a good hockey player, but Jones is a special talent, and this reeks of the years where NFL teams felt they had to take a quarterback with the first pick, even if the quarterback wasn't the "best player" on the ol' board.)

Anyway, the Wild didn't have a first round pick. It was sent to Buffalo in the deal to acquire Jason Pominville. Efforts to move into the first round failed, so the Wild moved to acquire a recent first-round pick via trade.

Minnesota sent forward Cal Clutterbuck to the New York Islanders -- along with a third round pick -- for forward Nino Niederreiter. "El Nino" was a first-rounder in 2010, fifth overall. He was rushed to the NHL, with some speculating he was only on the Islanders' roster so they would hit the payroll floor mandated by the CBA. Niederreiter struggled in a fourth-line role, was banished to AHL Bridgeport, and demanded a trade when he wasn't invited to training camp after the lockout.

The Wild also dealt defenseman Justin Falk to the Rangers, hopefully ending the endless stream of "Didn't he play for UMD?" tweets. No, that's Justin FAULK. This is Justin FALK.

Anyway, the draft was also successful for college hockey. 63 current or future NCAA players were picked Sunday, marking the 12th straight year that number was at least 60.

The Wild picked up a future UMD defenseman, Carson Soucy, in the fifth round. Soucy will start at UMD this fall. He's a big body at 6-4 and the Wild like his ability with the puck. He will be the first Wild draft pick to suit up for UMD.

Grand Rapids star and (most likely) future college player Avery Peterson went to the Wild in the sixth round. Peterson is undecided on a college, and also undecided on high school or junior hockey this winter.

(Unsolicited advice: Stay in school. Peterson can still get better with Rapids, and he'll have memories he can't duplicate anywhere else in life. Play in juniors next season, then go to college.)

2014 UMD recruit Blake Heinrich -- a defenseman -- went in the fifth round to Washington. Future Bulldogs Adam Johnson and Neal Pionk were among those passed over. Both will join UMD after plying their craft in the USHL.

Central Scouting Rankings Include Numerous UMD Recruits, Local Faces

The NHL is locked out, but the process of scouting players for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft is underway.

(Of course, if the NHL season is cancelled, we don't know when that draft will happen. Or who will pick first.)

(Then again, if they use the same lottery system they rigged so Pittsburgh could win used in 2005, Toronto will be practically a shoo-in to win. Which means someone else will. Maybe Pittsburgh.)

Anyway, NHL Central Scouting has released a preliminary list of top prospects for the 2013 draft. The players are grouped by league, and then assigned a letter grade, A, B, or C.

"A" prospects are considered potential first-round picks, while "B" players are said to be second- or third-round picks. "C" level players are believed to be candidates for selection in later rounds.

As usual, UMD and local high school teams are represented on the list. Here is a rundown.

Freshman forward Austin Farley is the only current UMD player listed. The former Fargo Force (USHL) star is a "C" skater, along with four other WCHA freshmen (two of them are from Denver).

As far as recruits go, defenseman Blake Heinrich (Hill-Murray) is a "B" skater, and fellow blue-liner Willie Raskob (Shattuck-St. Mary's) is a "C" skater, as is Hibbing forward Adam Johnson.

Waterloo defenseman Ian McCoshen is listed at the "A" level. McCoshen is uncommitted, but has listed UMD among those still in the running.

Hermantown defensemen Neal Pionk and Jake Zeleznikar are both listed as "C" level skaters.

The rankings will be updated next in November, with a final listing due out before the draft.

Central Scouting Releases Mid-Term Rankings, Including UMD Recruits

NHL Central Scouting released its mid-term rankings Wednesday morning. A number of players with local ties -- including some UMD recruits -- are included.

North American skaters are here. Follow the links to check out the other lists.

UMD recruits on the list are as follows:

100. Austyn Young, F, Sioux Falls (USHL)
139. Adam Johnson, F, Hibbing
187. Austin Farley, F, Fargo (USHL)
34 (goalies). Matt McNeely, Cedar Rapids (USHL)

Local players on the list:

132. Jake Bischoff, D, Grand Rapids
178. Trevor Olson, F, Duluth East
198. Dom Toninato, F, Duluth East

Not all these players will be drafted. For many of them, they're probably better off if they don't.

But it's nice recognition for some young players who have bright futures.

2011 NHL Draft: Wild Provide Reasons for Hope, Excitement ... Just Not This Year

There are many ways to rebuild, reload, or just flat-out get started on something. For some sports organizations, a complete tear-down is required before anything else can be built. A good example in the present-day NHL is what is happening in Edmonton.

Others can build through their organization so effectively that they are simply reloading whenever someone leaves or retires. The Detroit Red Wings are a shining NHL example of this.

For the Minnesota Wild, the opportunity to do what Detroit has done simply hasn't existed. They've never been good enough to draw the kind of respect the Wings get. It's a respect that makes players want to sign there for less money, and it's a respect that drew guys like Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen into insanely long-term contracts to stay there.

They've also never been bad enough to do what Edmonton has done, which has included having the No. 1 overall pick in the last two NHL Entry Drafts. They've been really bad in Edmonton, and it's helped them get their team into a spot where fans are genuinely excited about the future.

Wild fans have little to be excited about after another non-playoff year and another year where they weren't bad enough to be a factor in the draft lottery. Instead, general manager Chuck Fletcher has been forced to get creative in re-building organizational depth.

He was able to take a big step towards that goal over the weekend at the NHL Draft, swinging a huge deal involving defenseman Brent Burns that netted the Wild an accomplished young forward in Devin Setoguchi, along with two top prospects.

When you look at the team's depth chart for the upcoming season, it isn't terribly impressive, to be blunt. The expectation is that youngsters like Colton Gillies, Casey Wellman, and maybe even much-maligned James Sheppard will vie for big minutes. On defense, Burns doesn't leave a bare cupboard, but someone (Marek Zidlicky?) needs to step into Burns' role as the top offensive defenseman. Perhaps this opens a door for Jared Spurgeon to become a consistent presence on the power play.

Down the line, guys like Mikael Granlund (pictured above), Johan Larsson, Brett Bulmer, Tyler Cuma, and Jonas Brodin will help. But none of these guys should be looked at as answers for the 2011-12 questions. They are future cornerstone players, but they don't provide hope for the present.

They provide hope for the future.

Granlund could be a star ... the kind of player you build a Cup run around. Larsson and Bulmer were great finds outside the first round. Fletcher has signed young free agents like Justin Fontaine and Chay Genoway to help with the depth in the short-term.

There is plenty of reason to have hope that this franchise is headed in the right direction after years of questionable direction.

Just don't look for much this year. The Wild will probably not be all that good, frustrating fans who haven't heard -- or choose not to understand what they year -- about this new direction. It's up to Fletcher, Craig Leipold, Mike Yeo, and others to make this abundantly clear.

To be good in the future, the franchise has to go through some pain now. That doesn't mean they'll lose 55 games, or have the worst record in the league, or anything remotely that bad.

It just means a playoff spot might be too much to ask for right now. And that's the last thing some fans want to hear.

2011 NHL Draft: Brent Burns Trade Signals Real Change for Wild

In his blogging and an online chat prior to the NHL Entry Draft, Minneapolis Star Tribune ace Michael Russo made it clear. The Wild would look to trade defenseman Brent Burns, but it had to be a good deal, or they wouldn't take it.

This was especially true with the draft taking place in front of the home fans in St. Paul. General manager Chuck Fletcher isn't an idiot, and he didn't want to tick the home fans off. The previous season had already done plenty of that, after all.

As it turned out, Fletcher found a way to hit a home run, impressive considering that he was trading a player with one year left before he can walk, and he was not dealing from a position of strength. As Russo noted Friday night, Burns was the team's only tradeable asset, and Fletcher flipped him Friday for more than anyone could have expected.

The Wild traded Burns to San Jose -- along with a second-round pick in 2012 -- for forward Devin Setoguchi, college forward Charlie Coyle (the Sharks' first-round pick in 2010), and a first-round pick in 2011 (No. 28 overall, used on Saint John center Zack Phillips).

In essence, Fletcher moved a player he virtually had to trade (assuming he wasn't going to pay Burns around $5 million a season on a long-term deal), and he still was able to net a goal-scoring forward to put on his team full of pass-first players, along with two first-round picks (granted, one was a first-rounder last year, but it's not like Coyle isn't an important piece).

Setoguchi has proven he can score. He had 22 last season, and added seven more in 18 playoff games. On the Wild, he has the chance to become a star, because he immediately becomes the team's most dangerous scorer. No more second fiddle to guys like Heatley or Marleau (or up-and-coming Couture). He's the guy. And he's signed for three more years.

Coyle had a good season for Boston University, and you can expect him to play one more season there (this isn't a totally safe bet, because I heard from a few people last winter that felt he was ready to turn pro). He had 26 points in 37 games, not bad for a freshman. He also played very well for Team USA in the World Junior Championships. He'll use another year to add to his production while also adding to his bulk, making his body more NHL-ready.

Phillips was one of the better players left on the board when the Wild picked at No. 28. He was highly productive at Saint John, as the Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup. He has to work on his skating a little bit more, but there's no reason to think he won't be a candidate for the Wild roster in 2012 or 2013. I'd expect him to play in Saint John again this winter, before taking a shot at the Wild roster. If all else fails, he'll head to Houston, and that's hardly a bad place to go.

In the end, this is probably a frustrating day for a lot of Wild fans. I hate to continue invoking the name of Doug Risebrough, but let's face it. He didn't leave Fletcher much to work with. And look at what Fletcher has done in just two years. He's infused this organization with the young talent it so desperately lacked for so long. He's found a way to make the team younger, and the farm system younger, without having the kinds of seasons Edmonton just endured.

Now, after years of spinning its wheels, the Wild finally has a clear and obvious path. There is a plan in place, as opposed to random moves, bad contracts, and a franchise too willing to let players walk in free agency with no compensation.

It might not be exciting to think about another bottom ten finish in the final standings, but there's no way of saying this Wild team will be locked into that fate. Fletcher has just added a major piece that can help the franchise compete now. With no expensive moves expected in free agency, the Wild could simply add some role players and maybe more veteran presence to their NHL roster.

Don't make any mistake. Fletcher might have lost a good player, but he won this trade. And hopefully, he won over some fans as a result of making it.

2011 NHL Draft: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The NHL Draft is this week in the Twin Cities. While the big story surrounding the Minnesota Wild will be any potential maneuvering that they may attempt (more on that later this week), other eyes are on the top of the draft board.

At No. 1, the Edmonton Oilers have a tough decision. It's not that there is much question about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' status as the draft's top player. Instead, it's the quintessential question of board versus need.

The Oilers need defensive help, and Swedish prospect Adam Larsson sits there as a very real candidate for the No. 1 pick.

But Edmonton also picks at No. 19, and reports have them trying to flip that pick for a top ten selection, possibly to pick local product Duncan Siemens, a defenseman who has -- to borrow Brian Burke's favorite word -- a lot of truculence to his game. There's also fast-rising Northeastern defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, who is the biggest (6-7) player in this draft.

In the end, I've always been a believer that -- especially in the NHL, where players don't often find their way to the NHL for at least a year or two -- you need to draft the board, not the needs.

It's a mistake I believe a lot of teams made last year, when Cam Fowler inexplicably fell to the No. 12 spot when he should have been picked no lower than fifth. Teams looked at their organizations and didn't think they needed an offensive defenseman who will eventually be able to score 15 to 20 goals a season in the NHL.

And you wonder why the same teams are in the top 10 of the draft all the time.

Anyway, the Oilers need to do the right thing Friday night. And that's not filling the defensive need with the No. 1 pick, unless they truly believe that Larsson is a better hockey player than Nugent-Hopkins.

Here are videos on the two, not that you can tell much from highlight videos. We'll start with Nugent-Hopkins.



Obviously, Nugent-Hopkins has the skills to be a star. He has hands, great hockey sense, and can score goals. His size is a concern, but it's not like he's a munchkin.

(Plus, I think Rocco Grimaldi is going to be a very good pro at some point, and he's appreciably smaller than Nugent-Hopkins. So I'm not buying into that argument.)

Here's Larsson.



Larsson has some advantages, mainly because he's spent a lot of time playing with and against older players. He could be more "NHL ready" than any other draft prospect, but that's not a certainty, and the Oilers probably can get a solid defensive prospect in the first round, even if they have to stay put at No. 19.

In this situation, coming off back-to-back horrific seasons, you simply can't afford not to trust your board. Even if you need someone else more.

2011 NHL Draft: Who's No. 1?

The 2011 NHL Draft is 40 days away, June 24 at the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Last year, we saw some (to an extent, manufactured) debate over who would be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. At no point did I have much doubt that Hall should be the top player. He ended up going No. 1 overall, as he should have, and Boston got a nice consolation prize in Tyler Seguin, who has been almost criminally underutilized during these playoffs.

This year, we're not going to have a clear-cut No. 1 like we did last year. It's not that easy. Depending on what direction the Edmonton Oilers decide to go, there are a few good candidates and no easy answers.

For now, it appears No. 1-ranked center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the consensus top player among scouts. From the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Nugent-Hopkins seems to me to be a good choice for Edmonton, despite their glaring need for help on defense. The reason? For starters, it's best to take the best player in the draft when you're picking No. 1. Don't be the team that selects a specific position because you think you need to pick a player from that position No. 1, and don't be the team that picks a player only for his ability to help your crappy franchise sell tickets (Hi, Cam Newton!).

While I tend to lean toward Nugent-Hopkins as the No. 1 player, there is an argument for mid-season No. 1 Gabriel Landeskog, as well as fellow Swede Adam Larsson, a defenseman. Landeskog played this year for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, and Larsson stayed home to play in the Swedish Elite League.

Saint John (QMJHL) center Jonathan Huberdeau is an emerging prospect who could get some play for a high pick, though I don't think he'll pass Nugent-Hopkins as the top center on the board. Huberdeau does have a bit of an edge, as he is helping lead the Sea Dogs into the prestigious Memorial Cup tournament, which starts Friday in Missisauga, near Toronto. It gives him a chance to shine in front of scouts in the most well-known junior hockey tournament on Earth.

As we get closer to the draft, I'll be posting info on all these players, and you'll see my top players ranked on the site. I'm still working on a lot of that stuff, so be looking for it in the coming days and weeks. I'll be at the NHL Draft in St. Paul to provide coverage. The host Wild pick tenth, and it's another important addition to the team's young stable as they try to rebuild the system's depth.

NHL Draft: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Wins Race to be No. 1 Overall Prospect

Last year, Tyler Seguin topped Taylor Hall in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's final pre-draft rankings.

We all saw how that turned out on draft night in Los Angeles, when the Edmonton Oilers took Hall and left Seguin to go second to Boston.

It might not happen often that the CSB is wrong about the top prospect (at least when it comes to which player is actually picked first overall), but they were last year, and that might have Canadian junior star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins feeling a little uneasy on this day.

It's Nugent-Hopkins -- a star with the Western Hockey League's Red Deer Rebels -- who carries the No. 1 banner into June's NHL Draft, which will be held in St. Paul.

Nugent-Hopkins is best known for his playmaking skills, but his all-around ability is what has him atop the rankings.



He's got sick hands, great vision, and isn't too bad on a pair of skates. Simply put, he's the kind of center that bad teams crave.

And there are bad teams in the NHL.

Tuesday's draft lottery will determine which of those bad teams will pick first. While it might not look like Edmonton "needs" more young offensive players, and could opt for Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson with the first pick, there's also the "best player available" argument.

In other words, it might not behoove the Oilers to take a potentially inferior player. That's part of how organizations end up picking in the top five every year ... they don't draft the right players.

Same goes for Colorado, another team that needs help on the blue line, but also might have a hard time passing up a talent like Nugent-Hopkins.

The rest of CSB's top five in North America are mid-season No. 1 Gabriel Landeskog (Kitchener - OHL), center Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John - QMJHL), and defensemen Dougie Hamilton (Niagara - OHL) and Nathan Beaulieu (Saint John - QMJHL).

Larsson is the top player in Europe, followed by countrymen Mika Zibanejad (center) and Jonas Brodin (defenseman).

As far as any local ties, Wayzata's Mario Lucia (34th) is the highest-rated Minnesota high school player. Teammate Tony Camaranesi (178) is the highest-rated UMD recruit.

Central Scouting Hates Northeast Minnesota

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau is not the gospel when it comes to the NHL Draft.

That said, the analysis this group does is a good jumping-off point when discussing the draft's top prospects.

In January, CSB will release its mid-term player rankings, which will be heavy on detail and a good updated look at where the top players are at.

Tuesday, their first list of the year was released publicly. This one is simply a quick look at players to watch from North America.

In a rather surprising development, the breakdown of Minnesota high school players lists no one from our area.

Obviously, I'm exaggerating in the headline, as Central Scouting routinely lists players from the Northland. However, the fact that no one is listed indicates the potential for a rather rough year of high school hockey around these parts.

If things change in January, we'll certainly make note of that.

Only one UMD recruit is listed on the watch list. That is forward Tony Cameranesi, a small but highly-skilled player from Wayzata High School. He is in the group of "B" prospects, which means he is a player worth a look, but not thought at this point to be a first- or second-round draft pick.

Only teammate Mario Lucia is in the "A" grouping. Yes, he's Don's son. Oddly, he's not committed to a college yet. Hmm ...

Anyway, it's always fun to look at these lists. They don't mean much, but it's a chance to start getting excited for the upcoming high school season.

Report: McDonagh Will Leave Wisconsin, Sign With Rangers

Since Wisconsin Badger senior Blake Geoffrion won the Hobey Baker Award back on April 9, it's been all downhill for the longtime powerhouse hockey program.

The next night, the Badgers were annihilated by Boston College 5-0 for the national championship. That was followed up by a parade of departures.

Along with seniors like Geoffrion and Michael Davies, Wisconsin lost defensemen Cody Goloubef and Brendan Smith to the pro ranks. Then, unexpectedly, forward Derek Stepan decided to give up the last two years of college eligibility to sign with the New York Rangers.

If that wasn't worse, head coach Mike Eaves needed to replace his top two assistants.

Now, he has to replace his lone remaining captain.

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh is on the verge of following Stepan to the Rangers, according to the New York Post.

The Post has been told that McDonagh, who had been undecided between turning pro and returning to Madison for his senior season, was won over by the environment at last week's Rangers' prospect camp during which he mixed with fellow hopefuls and the team's front-office personnel, notably general manager Glen Sather, coach John Tortorella and special assistants Mark Messier and Adam Graves.

This is another development in an awful offseason for Wisconsin. The Badgers have lost a slew of top scorers, and they have now lost (arguably) three of their top four defensemen, too.

McDonagh had 18 points last season, and 46 in 119 games over his UW career. His loss leaves a leadership void, as well as a void on the blue line, where the Badgers have lost one of their best defensive zone players.

While I have argued in the past that there needs to be a firm deadline for college players to make their decision on turning pro, it's an idea that has never gotten off the ground. It's also unclear if anyone has really tried.

Moves like those by Stepan and McDonagh sometimes leave their college teams in quite a bind. It's one thing if a player you expect to leave bolts within 96 hours of your team's season ending. Coaches have recruited with that expected hole in mind. It's another if a player you don't expect to leave decides to leave after summer has already started.

Frankly, pro teams shouldn't be allowed to pursue players after an agreed-upon date, and players shouldn't be allowed to sign.

But that's the best date to use? June 1, before some pro teams are done playing? June 15, so it's before the next NHL Draft? July 1?

Or is there really no need for a deadline at all?

I've gotten mixed reviews from college people I've talked to about this over the years. Some think it's ridiculous that NHL franchises are allowed to sign players after June 1 or so. After all, it's not like those players get better between March and June, and the teams that own players' draft rights have had months to scout those players and see where they are at in their development. Others don't see where it matters, because coaches should be prepared for early departures, no matter when they come.

I'm on the fence. I don't like that players can leave virtually anytime they choose, but we rake coaches over the coals for dropping recruits or players to make scholarship room. Loyalty is a two-way street, after all. On the other hand, I do think coaches are well-prepared for almost any early departure they will encounter.

In the end, a deadline would probably be a good thing. It would put some pressure on NHL franchises to take care of their business in a timely fashion, and it would allow coaches to know that by a certain date, they can be secure in their roster and move forward with preparation for the upcoming season.

(Tap of the stick: Michael Russo)

2010 NHL Draft: Final Thoughts

The expectations played out in the 2010 NHL Draft. There was a little drama, some notable trades (defenseman Dan Hamhuis' negotiating rights going to Pittsburgh was the biggest, along with the deal that sent former Gopher Keith Ballard to Vancouver), and a real American feel to this year's picks.

Not only that, but it was a really good year for current and future NCAA players. Even if you take out Tyler Pitlick -- the former Minnesota State forward who has already decided to go major junior starting this fall -- you have a total of 62 players with NCAA ties who were drafted, including nine in the first round.

None of them are expected to show up in the NHL this season, but they should add to the growing influence of college hockey on the NHL.

Among the 62 players were three with ties to UMD, and a number of players from Minnesota.

We talked about the UMD players in our draft notes Friday. As expected, defenseman Justin Faulk went in the second round. No. 37 overall to Carolina. It's a good fit for Faulk and for the Hurricanes, as they could use a couple more younger defensemen who can move the puck around. Faulk sure can do that, and I think he'll really impress UMD fans with his competitiveness and drive. Don't worry about him being a really early departure, unless he has a great freshman season and the Hurricanes just can't resist.

Early in the third round, we saw former Shattuck-St. Mary's forward Joe Basaraba, another 2010 UMD recruit, come off the board. He went to the Florida Panthers, who had a great draft, loading up on big forwards (they also drafted future Gopher Nick Bjugstad in the first round). Basaraba will fill out some at UMD, and develop his skills as a two-way player while improving as an offensive threat. We saw Dan DeLisle come in straight out of high school last year, and it took him a good chunk of the season to really catch on to things. Then, naturally, as he was coming into his own, DeLisle was injured in Houghton and never really was the same. I'm not sure it's really a fair comparison, as Basaraba is maybe a bit more refined as a skater and offensive threat, while DeLisle had more, well, meat on his bones. But I think you'll see some similarity in how Basaraba really improves toward the latter part of the season.

The other UMD recruit taken was 2011 forward Caleb Herbert of Bloomington Jefferson. The former Jaguar went to the Washington Capitals. Herbert will play in the USHL this season, and he should join UMD as a better player. While a guy like Basaraba has the experience of playing at a top-flight school like Shattuck, where he traveled all over and played a lot of hockey, Herbert's experience in high school hockey doesn't quite measure up. As a smaller player of sorts, Herbert is much better-suited to play a year in the more-competitive USHL before joining UMD. It will be a help in his development.

UMD has a full roster this season, so hopefully Faulk and Basaraba are able to gain strong footing early. There will be a ton of competition for the last two or three forward spots, along with the last defensive pairing. If the new guys come in with the right mindset, captain's practices and the official start of workouts in early October should be very entertaining.

While the Bulldogs do open on the road, they took the full roster on the bus the last time they headed out to Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette for Superior Cup games. Expect the same to happen this year, and expect to see a lot of lineup tinkering over the first two weekends of play, both of which are non-conference (games at Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan, followed by a home set against Providence).

Of the NCAA players drafted, it's hard to say if any stand much of a chance of playing in the NHL before 2012. If anyone does, it could be a guy like Bjugstad, who is very strong for a kid his age and body type. He's accelerated his development and his education, so we'll see how he adjusts to the college style come October. Since he's already taking classes and working out at Minnesota, I'd say he's anxious to get started.

Derek Forbort Drafted by the Kings

In the words of immortal WWE play-by-play announcer Gorilla Monsoon, history has just been made at the Staples Center.

No, I'm not talking about at least six incompetent NHL franchises showing why they're so damn incompetent by passing on the best player available when they picked (Cam Fowler).

Instead, I'm talking about the city of Duluth, Minn., which has just seen a native taken in the first round of the NHL Draft for the first time.

Defenseman Derek Forbort -- who played at Duluth East for two years before he joined the U.S. Under 18 National Team -- has been picked by the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings, who are hosting the draft, pulled off the draft's first trade, moving from 19th up to 15th to select Forbort. They traded with the Florida Panthers to acquire the pick. While many of the fans in attendance probably wanted the Kings to pick local product Emerson Etem, a forward, the Kings did the right thing. They have helped bolster their already-strong blue line for years to come with a big, tough, growing defenseman.

Because of their stockpile of young players, the Kings can afford to let Forbort play at North Dakota for a year or maybe two. That's good news for the Kings, but bad news for the WCHA. Forbort will be a factor with the Sioux and he will do it quickly.

The fall of Fowler and fellow defenseman Brandon Gormley makes it even less likely that UMD recruit Justin Faulk will go Friday night during the first round.

NHL Draft: Fearless Predictions

I have gotten a few people asking where I think the top local prospects will go in the NHL Draft, which starts in Los Angeles Friday night.

Before I finish building my ark (it's rained a lot here the last 16 hours or so), here are a few thoughts on the proceedings.

Derek Forbort, D: I think it's a mortal lock that Forbort will become the first Duluth native to ever be picked in the draft's first round. The future North Dakota defenseman skipped his senior season at Duluth East to play for the U.S. NTDP in Ann Arbor, and that decision turned him from a surefire top 20 pick into a surefire top 20 pick.

With all due respect to the NTDP, which does great work in helping elite prospects from hockey hotbeds like California and Oklahoma develop their skills, this should serve as a sign that Minnesota high school hockey players don't have to look at it as a be-all, end-all for development.

I think Forbort has an outside shot of going in the top ten. It depends on how long the upper tier of defensemen (Cam Fowler, Brandon Gormley, and Erik Gudbranson) come off the board. My belief is he will fall no farther than No. 11 to Dallas, who has a local connection because of the drafting of Matt Niskanen a few years ago.

Justin Faulk, D: Faulk is UMD-bound, and nothing that happens Friday should change that. He will benefit from a chance to play against bigger and stronger WCHA forwards, whereas a move to major junior would put him with kids who won't test his body nearly as much.

TSN's Bob McKenzie ranked Faulk 30th on his list this week, but that's about as high as I've seen him. It does show an upward trend for Faulk heading into the draft, and it helps that he's part of a great group of NTDP defensemen (joined by Forbort, Jarred Tinordi, and Jon Merrill) in this upper part of the draft.

However, size matters to pro scouts, and while Faulk's strength and compete level are both very good, his body frame is not, especially compared to his three teammates. It's going to hurt him, and while he has an outside shot of being drafted Friday night, I'll tab him as an early second-round pick.

Joe Basaraba, F: The future Bulldog is smart on the ice, has a good shot, and is an intense player. He has to add muscle, but once he becomes a Man Made By (Justin) May, I'm sure he will fill out nicely.

Basaraba has moved up and down on the boards I have seen, rating in the 30s on some and into the 70s on others. For that reason, his actual draft placement comes down to timing. There are likely to be teams that really like him, and also some teams that will shy away for reasons only they fully comprehend.

If the right team is picking, it wouldn't surprise me to see Basaraba go in the second round. However, I think I'll lean towards the slight fall he's taken in the ratings, and conservatively predict he will come off the board in round three Saturday.

Adam Krause, F: Krause is a big forward who works hard, has great character, and will score some goals. But he is not projected to be a big-time offensive threat in college, and his skating might not be the best. While Krause will work hard and earn everything he gets, he will probably fall into the fifth or sixth round of the draft because of concerns about his upside.

Caleb Herbert, F: Another future Bulldog, Herbert was a dynamic scorer in high school at Bloomington Jefferson, and is a top offensive talent out of his age group. He's not very big, though, and that makes it hard to imagine anyone will take Herbert before the fifth round.

I don't think 2011 UMD recruit Chris Casto, a defenseman from Hill-Murray, will get drafted. If he does, it will happen in the seventh round.

2010 NHL Draft Notes

The NHL Draft begins Friday night in Los Angeles. Obviously, I will be covering the event as thoroughly as I can for FanHouse, but I will also try to throw a few posts up here.

To start off the week, I turn to TSN guru Bob McKenzie, who locked himself in his house until he came up with his list of the top 75 prospects in the draft.

You can find that here. For fans of local players, Duluth native Derek Forbort, a defenseman from the U.S. Under 18 National Team, is No. 11. Forbort should become the first player from Duluth to ever go in the first round, and he might add to that by becoming a top ten pick (pretty good chance this happens). Forbort heads to North Dakota this fall.

UMD recruit Justin Faulk, also a defenseman from Under 18 Team, is No. 30. While Faulk doesn't have Forbort's size, he is an impressive prospect because of his passing skill and compete level. Both are highly-regarded.

Fellow incoming Bulldog freshman Joe Basaraba didn't make McKenzie's top 75, but is listed as honorable mention. He's a big forward with a lot of skill, and he will add muscle to his impressive frame while attending UMD.

My top 35 -- published for FanHouse -- is here. I have Forbort at No. 8. You can find FanHouse's NHL Draft coverage here. Colleague Chris Botta -- as good a guy as he is a writer, and that's saying a lot -- roped an NHL scout into divulging his top ten. It's very interesting to get an insider's take on the top prospects.

This is going to be a fun draft to follow, if only because there is such a divergence of opinions about even the highest-rated prospects. That Botta's scout puts goalie Jack Campbell at No. 2 tells you a lot, because virtually everyone has been assuming that Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin were the top two prospects.

It should be a good first round for college prospects, as we could see ten of them picked. We could go over a dozen American players if things break the right way.

Beyond that, there will be a goodly number of trades this week, as teams look to reshape their rosters while facing up to a free agent class that isn't terribly deep or impressive.

Oh, and the 2010-11 NHL schedule is out Tuesday. Hockey Hall of Fame inductees will be named, too.

Should be a fun week.

Former CC Tiger Dropped by Blackhawks

The NHL and Major League Baseball drafts are different animals than the more-hyped NBA and NFL selection meetings.

In the NBA and NFL, there is usually instant gratification. High draft picks play immediately, and they're often looked at strangely if they have to sit for an extended length of time. Meanwhile, later picks often have a good chance to make an impact in their draft year. These so-called "diamonds in the rough" are what make those drafts watchable for the full time they're on television.

Baseball has 50-plus rounds in their draft. High-school players are routinely taken early, and many players will be drafted more than once, because they opt to attend college rather than sign out of high school.

The NHL Draft is seven rounds in length. While many of the first-round picks will sign and play professional hockey -- minor league or NHL -- in their draft year, very few if any of the players picked beyond the first round will see any pro hockey action in 2010-11.

In fact, the hockey draft is unique in that teams hold the players' rights for four years after they get drafted.

In 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks drafted a college-bound forward named Bill Sweatt in the second round. A talented but undersized speedster, Sweatt was headed to Colorado College, following in the footsteps of older brother Lee, who was a good offensive defenseman for the Tigers. Bill Sweatt played four years at CC, amassing 106 points, including 33 as a senior, but never really living up to his full potential.

He did develop solid two-way skills, but his offensive touch wasn't what we thought it would be coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Now out of college, Sweatt is looking for a pro team to play for. The Blackhawks have decided not sign him.

There wasn’t much wiggle room for Chicago to shell out a big contract to a prospect with starting goalie and free agent Antti Niemi looking for a big pay raise (he made $827,000 last season) and money committed to the likes of Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

“It was purely a business decision,” (agent Scott) Nelson said.

Past second-round signing bonuses were around $250,000, said Nelson, who is confident he can get most of that back when Sweatt signs as a free agent after Aug. 15, when Chicago’s rights to him expire.

Becoming a free agent may prove beneficial. Sweatt could find an organization that has a number of openings at forward, giving him a better chance to advance to the NHL. European leagues remain an option.

“I have no personal preference,” Sweatt said. “I want to go somewhere that it is the best fit.”

It is a bit of a silver lining for Sweatt. Instead of being stuck with the deep and talented Blackhawks, he can move to an organization looking for cheap talent who can add to their speed.

Hi, Minnesota Wild!

Sweatt will be a free agent in August, and Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher would be wise to make a phone call. While Sweatt didn't become a goal-scoring machine in college, he gained a lot of experience against bigger and older players, and he's still only 21 (he'll turn 22 before the season starts).

His speed would be a welcome addition, whether he ends up being a wing or a center at the next level.

No word on if Minnesota's interested, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Seth Ambroz Decides College Can Wait

Say what you want about Minnesota hockey coach Don Lucia, but there is no question the man has some serious recruits coming his way.

Last year, we saw Jordan Schroeder leave after two years, and freshman defenseman Nick Leddy developed nicely as the season wore on. The Gophers weren't good enough to make the NCAA playoffs or WCHA Final Five, but they have more help on the way.

Possible top ten NHL Draft pick Nick Bjugstad joins this fall, and possible 2011 top five pick Seth Ambroz was supposed to join him. The thought was that Ambroz -- who left high school for the USHL after his freshman season -- would be ready to play what would normally be his senior season of high school hockey in the WCHA.

It's quite a jump, but for someone who has been on an accelerated path, it wasn't something seen as impossible.

Hold on, though. Gopher blogger Hammy reported on Twitter that Ambroz will not join the "U" this fall. His report is backed up by a story on U.S. Hockey Report, a subscription-based site.

The thinking is simple: Ambroz will benefit more from being an alpha dog in the USHL than he will from having to work his way up the ladder at Minnesota. Not only that, but the physically imposing Ambroz took over 100 penalty minutes last year for the Omaha Lancers. If there is one part about his game that really needs work, it's probably that discipline thing.

Jokes about how WCHA officials treat the Gophers aside, it's probably not a good idea for him to enter the WCHA when he's only 17, has a reputation for taking penalties, and has to deal with 24- and 25-year-old college seniors. His fearlessness in the corners will eventually suit the Gophers well, as they have been known for a shortage of hard-working, high-character players in recent years.

That size (6-3, over 200 pounds by the time he gets to college) will help him a lot, too.

In the meantime, one has to wonder what Ambroz will do this year. Will he be bored with the USHL, or will he light it up like Thomas Vanek did before he became draft-eligible and eventually started terrorizing WCHA defenses?

Worse yet, will he become a pawn in the NCAA/CHL war? Let's hope not. Ambroz is a Minnesota kid, and he grew up close enough to the Twin Cities that you have to figure he's going to live a dream of sorts by playing for the Gophers. Not only that, but his advisor is former Bulldog and NHL mainstay Shjon Podein, and I can't see him recommending a kid go play major junior when he's been committed to a college for this long.

It's a bit strange to see a guy who has been pro-active in accelerating his education and hockey development suddenly hit the brakes. But this could be a good move for Ambroz, both in terms of becoming a star at the next level and for his 2011 draft chances.

We won't know if he did the right thing until the scouts have their say next winter.

Central Scouting Releases Final Rankings

There has been a stir caused by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. The top of their final draft rankings has changed, with Tyler Seguin passing Taylor Hall for the No. 1 position among North American skaters.

You can read more about it on FanHouse. Meanwhile, here's a look at how players from Minnesota or with local ties line up among the top-ranked players.

Duluth native Derek Forbort, a defenseman with the U.S. National Team Development Program, comes in ninth. Forbort played through his junior season at Duluth East before moving to Ann Arbor. He's a North Dakota recruit.

Blaine's Nick Bjugstad ranks 13th. Bjugstad won Mr. Hockey this year, and he will play for the Gophers next year.

Minnesota State freshman Tyler Pitlick is 18th. There are rumors Pitlick will move on to major junior, but he's still a Maverick as of this writing.

Warroad star Brock Nelson, a North Dakota recruit, fell from 17th to 25th in the final rankings. He had a very good season for the Warriors, and I thought he played well in the state tournament, where Warroad finished third.

Here are some players who have been recruited to UMD.

Two 2010 UMD recruits fell to the mid-50s in the final rankings. No. 54 Joe Basaraba (Shattuck-St. Mary's) was 39th in the midterm, and No. 56 Justin Faulk (NTDP) was 40th.

2011 Caleb Herbert, a forward from Bloomington Jefferson, is 109th. Hill-Murray defenseman Chris Casto is No. 182.

McKenzie's Draft Watch Includes Familiar Names, Duluth Native

Respected TSN hockey analyst Bob McKenzie, one of the most connected people in the business, has put out his latest list of top 30 prospects for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

While it's a major-junior dominated list, as expected, there are some names on it that college hockey fans will know.

One name in particular will be familiar to local hockey fans.

Duluth native Derek Forbort, who skipped his senior season at Duluth East to play for the U.S. Under 18 National Team (based in Ann Arbor, Mich.), is rated 18th by McKenzie, meaning he's a likely first-round pick this summer.

Forbort is headed to the University of North Dakota next year, and barring something unforeseen, he won't be a four-year guy there.

Other Minnesota-based players on the list include future Gopher Nick Bjugstad, a Blaine High School senior rated No. 14. Minnesota State freshman Tyler Pitlick, an impressive-looking young player who played his prep hockey at Centennial, comes in at No. 20. Warroad center Brock Nelson is 25th. He's a very impressive playmaker who will also play at North Dakota.

Obviously, there is going to be some tweaking done to these ratings. Not only that, but despite McKenzie's impressive pedigree and contacts, it's hardly gospel when it comes time for the draft.

However, it's obvious that plenty of Minnesota kids are impressing NHL scouts, and there is likely to be an increased number of college or college-bound players going in the first round this summer. That's good news for the NCAA as they try to defend their reputation as a developmental tool for young hockey players against the assault by major junior leagues in Canada.

Pierre McGuire's One-Man Crusade Against College Hockey Continues

Longtime readers know that TSN/NBC hockey commentator Pierre McGuire grinds my gears. While the media star has no shortage of contacts, and he usually possesses great insight to the game, his seemingly never-ending shots against college hockey are getting old. Fast.

During the 2009 draft, he beat the "major junior over college hockey" drum so many times that it damn near broke. He asserted that multiple U.S. college-bound players would be better off going to major junior hockey, despite a mountain of evidence that it's not the "fast track" to the NHL they make themselves out to be.

He got his wish when John Moore decommitted from Colorado College to join the OHL, and he was probably doing a happy dance when goalie Jack Campbell blew off Michigan to sign in the OHL.

Monday night, NHL Network aired a special edition of "On The Fly," its magnificent nightly highlights/analysis show. This show focused on the announcement of NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings of 2010 draft prospects. McGuire -- one of the preeminent hockey voices in Canada, certainly when it comes to the draft -- joined the program to discuss the top three.

One of those, defenseman Cam Fowler, is an American kid who turned down a scholarship to Notre Dame to play major junior. That was all the ammunition McGuire needed to throw another cheapshot at the college game. Watch just after the 4:00 mark.



Now, college hockey is a "soft route" for development. Nice to know, but it seems that there is a growing percentage of the overall NHL population that would argue this point with McGuire.

I maintain the position I have held for years. Neither major junior nor college hockey hold all the answers for everyone.

There are players who will benefit more from the major junior environment, and there are guys who would be much better off going to college. The fact that Fowler chose major junior doesn't mean college hockey is less of a developmental tool.

It means Fowler decided it wasn't right for him.

The problem with McGuire -- and numerous analysts, bloggers, and fans who want to opine on this topic -- is that their tendency is to speak in absolutes, in black-and-white terms.

Issues like this aren't that simple, and McGuire does a tremendous disservice to his audience when he speaks as if he has an axe to grind against American colleges, even if this isn't the real case.

There is simply no reason for Fowler to become the latest poster boy for the college/major junior dispute. After all, no one bothered to talk about Notre Dame freshman Riley Sheahan's meteoric rise to fifth in the latest rankings. Why doesn't that validate the college game as much as Fowler's development seems to discredit it?

Just think: Had Fowler chosen a different path, he and Sheahan would be teammates at Notre Dame right now. Then what would McGuire have to say?

First NHL Central Scouting List Full of Minnesotans

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau puts out a number of different rankings every year. The first of their lists came out Tuesday, and it is simply a rundown of the top players to watch throughout North America.

Here is the explanation of this early list.

A Rating -- A 'must see' player who is predicted to be a potential First or Second Round Draft selection in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft

B Rating -- A player to note if you are in the area, a potential selection in the Third to Fifth Round Draft Selection in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft

C Rating -- A player that Central Scouting is tracking, a potential late round selection in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft

There are a number of players with Minnesota ties, including some UMD recruits, on these lists.

First off, let's list the UMD recruits.

A Rating
Joe Basaraba, RW, Shattuck-St. Mary's

B Rating
Mac Carruth, G, Wenatchee (NAHL)
Caleb Herbert, C, Bloomington Jefferson

C Rating
Adam Krause, C, Hermantown

Basaraba is from Fort Frances, and played in Duluth Marshall's Christmas tournament a couple years ago. Very impressive kid who will be on campus next year. He was a high pick in the OHL Draft, with rights going to the Erie Otters, but there are no indications he will go that route.

Herbert is a bit undersized, but a very impressive playmaker who can skate like crazy. Krause is the top local player this year, and he could lead Hermantown back to state.

Other names worth watching on this list:

B Rating
Tyson Fulton, RW, Breck (Jordan's younger brother)
Garrett Hendrickson, C, Virginia/MIB

C Rating
Will Corrin, D, International Falls
John Skrbec, RW, Grand Rapids

Players from the USHL and U.S. Under 18 National Team program are not on this list. They will be ranked separately in November. Duluth East's Derek Forbort should be quite high in those rankings, as he is a possible high pick next year, too.

Want proof? Kevin Pates notes International Scouting Services rankings that have Forbort 15th among North American skaters.