I Feel A Draft Coming

Can't you feel it? The NHL draft is quickly approaching. It arrives on Friday - June 26th - with a whole lot less fanfare than NFL football's draft or even basketball's. One of the main reasons the NHL draft is not such a big deal is that the players picked will dissappear into the minor leagues - so it may be a while before we hear from any of these guys again (if ever).

Anyway, the Glen Sather Brain Trust (or maybe we should just say the Glen Sather Trust) will be looking at potential draft choices and trying make picks to help their hockey club.

Of course - this is the same player evaluation team that thought it would be a good idea to lock up Wade Redden for a few years at 6.5 million per.

The Rangers - a playoff team – are slotted at 19th and so they will have to wait a while before making their first section. What we need of course is what everybody needs - a big goal scorer who changes the game each time he touches the puck.

The top goal scoring picks are supposed to be Brian Glennie and Zack Kassian – and are also supposed to be long gone when it’s our turn so forget about them. When it finally is our turn, I’m betting we snag either:

Carter Ashton – a 6’3” 205 pound left winger who went 30-20-50 in a 70 game season

Or, since the Rangers have a history of picking USA players when they can:

Center Jeremy Morin, a NY native in the US Development program who is supposed to have a goal scoring touch. Or,

Chris Kreider, a 6’2” 202 pound left winger from Massachusetts- the powerhouse skater who in 26 games went 33-23-56. Or,

Kyle Palmeri, 5’10” 191 pound Center from New Jersey who went 15-15-30 for the US Development Program.

Of course, like the NFL, teams can trade up, trade down, or do nothing. I'm no draft expert - but my bet is that Slats will take that third option.

I hope I'm wrong.

And in any event – none of these players are likely to help us next year, but maybe someday…