NHL 2009 Draft question

Watched the Brampton - Oshawa game today.

That Matt Duchene is something special. When I've watched him before, and he's shown he's a great sniper with tremendous speed, but the kid has play-making instincts as well. 3 assists today. He's also a regular PKer.

I think at this point, with Cowen's injury, Duchene should be considered the clear-cut number 3.

I'm hoping to catch Tavares and Kadri tonight as well.

I was at the game, not watching through a viewfinder this time.

Brampton vs. London this Thursday.

asq2 wrote:Watched the Brampton - Oshawa game today.

That Matt Duchene is something special. When I've watched him before, and he's shown he's a great sniper with tremendous speed, but the kid has play-making instincts as well. 3 assists today. He's also a regular PKer.

I think at this point, with Cowen's injury, Duchene should be considered the clear-cut number 3.

I'm hoping to catch Tavares and Kadri tonight as well.

Works the PK too? Nice!

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:Watched the Brampton - Oshawa game today.

That Matt Duchene is something special. When I've watched him before, and he's shown he's a great sniper with tremendous speed, but the kid has play-making instincts as well. 3 assists today. He's also a regular PKer.

I think at this point, with Cowen's injury, Duchene should be considered the clear-cut number 3.

I'm hoping to catch Tavares and Kadri tonight as well.

Works the PK too? Nice!

Most scouting reports suggest Duchene is the best defensively of all of the top forwards in this draft. Some suggest Toews comparisons.

He'd be an ideal complement to Spezza IMO, but our turn-around might not allow that to happen.

I tells ya, if Tavares hadn't put in that training in the off-season to increase his strength, Duchene might be considered the better of the two.

I didn't get to watch the London game, though. Disappointing. It's hard to find coverage.

If Murray likes him and we are drafting in the top 5 or 6, he will get him. If Murray has a top 5 pick, he will get the best player aside from Hedman and Tavares... even then he still might.

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:Watched the Brampton - Oshawa game today.

That Matt Duchene is something special. When I've watched him before, and he's shown he's a great sniper with tremendous speed, but the kid has play-making instincts as well. 3 assists today. He's also a regular PKer.

I think at this point, with Cowen's injury, Duchene should be considered the clear-cut number 3.

I'm hoping to catch Tavares and Kadri tonight as well.

Works the PK too? Nice!

Most scouting reports suggest Duchene is the best defensively of all of the top forwards in this draft. Some suggest Toews comparisons.

He'd be an ideal complement to Spezza IMO, but our turn-around might not allow that to happen.

I tells ya, if Tavares hadn't put in that training in the off-season to increase his strength, Duchene might be considered the better of the two.

I didn't get to watch the London game, though. Disappointing. It's hard to find coverage.

Aren't you in Ottawa? It was on Sporstnet.

Neely4Life wrote:If Murray likes him and we are drafting in the top 5 or 6, he will get him. If Murray has a top 5 pick, he will get the best player aside from Hedman and Tavares... even then he still might.

Duchene is rapidly emerging as the consensus #3 pick. Now pretty much every list has him there.

We'd have to trade up to get him, and I don't know how easy that is at that point in the draft.

Depends who is drafting, say it is Tampa... do you really see tampa taking ANOTHER forward? They may very well draft Cowen.

marakh wrote:

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:Watched the Brampton - Oshawa game today.

That Matt Duchene is something special. When I've watched him before, and he's shown he's a great sniper with tremendous speed, but the kid has play-making instincts as well. 3 assists today. He's also a regular PKer.

I think at this point, with Cowen's injury, Duchene should be considered the clear-cut number 3.

I'm hoping to catch Tavares and Kadri tonight as well.

Works the PK too? Nice!

Most scouting reports suggest Duchene is the best defensively of all of the top forwards in this draft. Some suggest Toews comparisons.

He'd be an ideal complement to Spezza IMO, but our turn-around might not allow that to happen.

I tells ya, if Tavares hadn't put in that training in the off-season to increase his strength, Duchene might be considered the better of the two.

I didn't get to watch the London game, though. Disappointing. It's hard to find coverage.

Aren't you in Ottawa? It was on Sporstnet.

Yeah, but at the last minute, without warning, I became otherwise engaged as a host.

Ah well. Tavares will be in an Islanders jersey anyway. Kadri might be more our range though.

Neely4Life wrote:Depends who is drafting, say it is Tampa... do you really see tampa taking ANOTHER forward? They may very well draft Cowen.

Cowen might fall because of his injury.

If that's the case, Murray has to take advantage by moving up to try to grab him.

If he can grab a high-profile forward at the draft and Cowen, a statue could be built in his honour.

Walking out of the draft with Cowen alone would be very nice in itself.

it would, but i can def see Tampa moving that pick for help on the back end. There are a few teams that need to get better now and have a lot of their best players already up front,

Neely4Life wrote:it would, but i can def see Tampa moving that pick for help on the back end. There are a few teams that need to get better now and have a lot of their best players already up front,

On the other hand, you can take Duchene, have a one-two centre punch of Stamkos and Duchene going forward and move Vinny and St. Louis for help on the back-end to complement their franchise d-man in Andrej Meszaros.

Alternatively, Tampa might be looking at MSP to play Forsberg to Stamkos' Sakic.

Who knows, either way, I have 100% faith in Murray that he can get the player he really wants.

I hope so.

Duchene had another two goal performance today vs. Mississauga, one shorthanded.

DashRiprock wrote:Duchene had another two goal performance today vs. Mississauga, one shorthanded.

D@mn he'd look nice with Spezza as a 1-2 punch going forward.

Ah well, I suppose winning a few more games this season is more important.

Also, per NHL.com Tavares' recent over-time winner was his 200th OHL goal.

Well, Duchene could very well go anywhere between 3rd overall to 10th overall, so finishing 5th or lower is decent enough if you are the Sens. I'd prefer to finish with the first overall pick, but it's no guarantee, but at least you have a (albeit slim) shot at moving up to 1st, and still have a decent pick (Cowen, Duchene, Kane, Schenn, MSP?).

Too bad the Sens are looking like they Leafs of the later half of last season.