POINT BLANK SCOUT POLL: TAVARES OR HEDMAN?
The margain is slimmer than you might think
Over the last week, Point Blank polled 12 scouts from across the National Hockey League. We tracked down two scouts to represent each of the NHL’s six divisions. We did not seek the opinions of scouts from the league’s bottom 3 teams: the Islanders, Colorado and Tampa Bay.
Point Blank asked the scouts two questions:
1. Who would you draft first overall in June - John Tavares or Victor Hedman?
2. Of the 30 NHL teams, how many would you estimate have John Tavares No. 1 on their draft lists?
The results of this admittedly unscientific poll:
1. Of the 12 scouts, 7 said they would take Tavares and 5 selected Hedman. In each case, there was no deliberation. None of the scouts said they needed more time to watch them play.
2. The 12 scouts polled all predicted Tavares would be tops on 15-20 team lists. One scout told us “No more than 15.” Another replied, “No more than 20.”
Everyone we spoke to said Tavares and Hedman are 1-2 in no particular order, but also that Brampton center Matt Duchene has nudged himself into the conversation. Duchene is right behind them at 3, in his own level.
After Duchene, the next grouping of top prospects includes Jared Cowen, Evander Kane and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson.
One scout - well aware of our team-sponsored blog - said, “If the Islanders finish last, they cannot go wrong. That’s even if they lose the lottery.” Referring to the Islanders’ lottery odds if they finish 30th, the scout said, “No one is going to feel sorry for them if their 48% doesn’t come in. Tavares and Hedman are that good, and you could also make the case that Duchene at 3 would be a perfect fit for their program.”
ETC: Joel Rechlicz has been sent to Bridgeport. Islanders don’t play again until Wednesday in Washington, Thursday home to Montreal. He will probably be back.
Tavares/Hedman graphic borrowed from TSN. Comment Guidelines.
161 Responses to “POINT BLANK SCOUT POLL: TAVARES OR HEDMAN?
The margain is slimmer than you might think”
Please Wait
I’d like Tavares anyway. This team needs more offense.
I don’t care so much which pick they get but all I want is that guy to be on the opening day roster. Not sure that Hedman is a lock to come over right away??? Even though the isles have been out since New Years I have been compelled to watch every game. Maybe it is wishful thinking or horse blinders but I feel like this team may actually be doing things the right way for once and have a bright future(this is of course with the lighthouse being a green light)
Tavares
I still think that Tavares for many reasons on and off the ice is who we pick if we get the top pick overall. The one question i ask to all the Hedman supporters is how many Defenseman that have been the top pick overall other than Potvin have been organeyezation changers? If you look at the top overall picks in NHL History you see two things, one is that forwards are mostly chosen, and two that the defenseman that are chosen are duds, see Berard, Chris Phillips, Jovo, Hammer and Eric Johnson. If we get Hedman at two fine, but take the talented goal scorer that can sell tickets and merchandise and that we can market to Long Island.
If I had to guess, Tavares goes first overall. We do need a franchise blue liner though.
one thing I disagree with is the islanders “can’t go wrong.” I don’t think we will but I wouldnt be shocked if garth trades the 1 or 2 pick for 6 4th rounders.
My heart says Tavares and my head says Hedman. How many 18 year old 6 ft 7 inch defensemen are there?
CB wat current nhlers would u compare duchesne taveres and hedman to?
Will someone give me Duchenes’ Ht and Wt?
Apparently he’s 5 11 but he can fly and his skating is much better then taveres
Milbury was on Hockey night in Canada and said the Isles should trade Taveres for Lecaviler if they get the #1 pick!….Thank god he is no longer in charge!! He has no patience to build thru the draft.
Tavares all the way … I think he’ll have a quicker impact … and other intangables that will make him an all around better player … His marketability is off the charts in comparisson to Hedman … Goal scoring will always be the more glamourous attraction in hockey. As stated above … forwards drafted early on have a bigger impact on who wins the Stanley Cup … A Niedermayer or Scott Stevens didn’t win cups on their own … they were a 1-2 punch with stellar goaltending … but in the end … you can’t win cups unless you can over power your opponents.
Is it me or does everyone in hockey think he’s a bigger joke than barry melrose
I still say Tavares is the no-brainer here, not only for what he can bring on the ice ,but for the intangibles, including the publicity and excitement and TV exposure he would bring the Islanders. The bigger question is who would the Avalanche pick first! I really think they could go win less for the rest of the year! i have a funny feeling that we are going to end up with the 3rd pick, behind Col. and a wildcard who wins the lottery!
IMO- Tavares needs to be first. Goal scoring has been our problem for some time now. We need another 40-goal scorer (or three) before we can even consider challenging for the playoffs. To be honest, given our roster since the Lockout, I think we have been relatively STRONG defensively and relatively WEAK scoring goals.
Nothing against a 6 foot 7 inch 18 year old blueliner- but Victor won’t be responsible for sounding the goal horn
You don’t draft players based on marketing or creating “buzz”. You draft players with only one question in mind: who can best help my team be a consistent winner over the long haul? I am not at all surprised by the results of CB’s scouts poll. Tavares has great hands, but he does most of his damage on the power play standing in front of the net. Can he be a complete player in all three zones? Is his skating and defensive play good enough to make him a center in the NHL, or is he more suited to the wing? The jury is still out. I beg all of you not to get obsessed with any of these guys. Trust the scouts to make the pick based on THEIR analysis and not the Canadian press/echo chamber.
Erik Johnson is not a dud. He’s been injured. He will be a very good player for a long time.
SEAN:
Are you NOT happy with the way last years draft turned out??? Are you not pleased by the development of Bailey and with having Ness, Trivino, Hamonic, Toewes, Martin, DiBo, Niemi, Petrov et al. in the system???
At this point in time… I can’t believe that there are still so called fans that believe that GARTH’S trading down in the draft to get Bailey is still looked at as a bad move or as some sort of cruel joke pulled off by a fool???
No matter what Filatov turns into… I would have to say that GARTH did more “OK” for the present and the future of this team than most people LIKE to give him credit for.
With that said… there is NO WAY that GARTH trades out of the first 2 picks.
He’s nobody’s fool… despite what some fans still think of him.
DOC
Doc, 100% right on. Bailey will be a true #2 center but he has a great personality and leadership qualities that people forget. He was the one that carried his junior team on his back after one of the players died tragically.
(17) Steve - he is going to live up to the billing of a top overall pick? Especially when they passed up Staal Toews, Backstrom, Kessel, and Okposo (All Forwards)…thats my point…Blues Fans would trade Johnson for ANY of those guys
That is a typical Milbury bad idea. He should not be allowed anywhere the game of hockey, let alone comment on what the islanders should do with the pick. My prediction: Isles lose the predetermined lottery,pick 2nd-then trade down to #3 in order to select Duch,then pkg the other #1 and 2 #2’s to move back up and get a player the covet (Cowen,Kane,Paaj,or whomever).
2 things you can count on (as per a reliable source in the isles front office) Tavares is priority #1 for the Islanders, and if they get him, Wang will go after a major free agent.
I think that none of us know these kids the way that the scouts do. While any of us can guess which one will be better, it is nothing BUT a guess- and a fairly uneducated one at that. I also think that any of us who declare that we supposedly KNOW which one should be picked first should get the heck over ourselves. None of our guesses have any real value at this point.
Ill let the scouts decide- and not be so irrationally arrogant as to think that I somehow know any better.
It is going to be Tavares no doubt about it but the Islanders really shouldn’t sub out getting Gilroy. That should be a number one priority offseason signing for them.
Sean (6) Give us a BREAK already with this dumb joke. Jeez.
I’m going to be a contrarian and say Duchene. Great skater, very responsible defensively, natural goal scoring ability. I think he’s going to be a more complete player than Tavares.
But, I think the Isles will be well-served regardless of who that pick turns out to be.
I have to agree with #25…
Say what you want, Snow has done a fine job. At an IBC meeting over a year ago, he said he was building with youth through the draft - now he’s gotta stay the course. If nothing else, I’ve been entertained and intriguied by their youth, energy and development over the past two months.
As an Isles fan, I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel - a faint light albeit - and a tunnel I’ve been stuck in for 16 years! Be patient, good things are happening…
Let’s face it, here’s the BEST CASE scenerio for the immediate future: (a) the Lighthouse happens… (b) they win the lottery (and move UP) to draft Tavares (c) They sign Mike Komisarek
That’s ideal, and not unrealistic…
I linked to an earlier item from puck prospectus which showed ho we lead the league in losing what they define as a quality start by a goaltender. We need the offense- let’s take tavares.
It appears it’s just a debate as to whether we want a mutli time allstar who scores goals or plays d. We won’t be short changed either way
Larry Brooks had a gem in the Post today about that clown Milbury:
“Finally, if the NHL operated under the AIG theory, the Islanders would have given Mike Milbury a $30 million retention bonus in rather than dismissing him as general manager in 2006 because, after all, who better to clean up the mess than the individual who created it”.
Somebody should just tell Milbury to shut up when it comes to giving advice on what the Islanders should do. He’s screwed this team for years with all of his idiotic moves. Lecaviler’s contract is worse than DP’s. Draft Tavares and give Gilroy a shot.
Does Duchene get drafted over Hedman, if the Isles fall to 2?
At least we’ll know something in 16 days after the April 14 Lottery.
Yeah, Garth will trade down from 1 or 2…right.
Tavaras for the sizzle or Hedman for the stability you really can’t go wrong with either.
Today I say Tavaras but I’m sure I’ll change my mind before the draft.
we do have more of a need for offense so Tavares it is
John #31, Great question. I love Duchene, he’s a great skater with great hands and in my opinion will be a goal scoring machine.
Franchise D-men are very hard to get and to me, there is no question if they have the opportunity to take Hedman, they will. This kid is an absolute beast, skates like lightening and has a wrist shot not seen around here since Denis Potvin. Hedman is the right choice for the Islanders.
Well said Doc (#18).
Since that earthshattering UFA day in June ‘07, when there was a mass diaspora (that’s for Nick Classic) of players from NVMC and a rebuff from Ryan Smyth, Garth Snow has had some tremendous accomplishments:
A/Established a PLAN for the future.
B/Got KO out of school.
C/Had what at this point appears to be an outstanding draft in June ‘08.
D/Signed Mark Streit, arguably THE STEAL of the last UFA season.
E/Brought in “his” coach, who, again, at this point, appears to have a pretty good idea of what works in the 21st Century NHL.
F/Has wheedled malcontents and prima donnas out of the lineup and has at least given us a team in the 2nd half of this season that PLAYS LIKE A TEAM…regardless of it’s current skill deficiencies.
G/HAS STUCK TO HIS PLAN.
And letter “G” is the most important accomplishment. Nothing is harder to do, yet always succeeds, like consistency of thought.
Regardless of what happens between now and when the ball pops out of the hopper on lottery day….Garth Snow’s performance between June ‘07 and today has been superior.
And that’s not often easy to say about a last place team.
Good job Garth Snow, keep up the good work.
Just my opinion….from two time zones away.
If we get the #2 pick.
I wouldnt be suprised if snow traded down to number 3 and drafted duchene. We need a foward and we would also gather more picks.
If we passed on hedman, then it be a must to sign gilroy.
Does anybody know if there is more NCAA hockey games on TV ?
Rob (38),
That argument has been made numerous times on this blog, and I still disagree with it. One cannot substitute a 25 year old college free agent for a franchise player like Hedman. I’m not saying they won’t pass on Hedman, but if they do, don’t think it’s because they view Gilroy as their safety net. The two aren’t even close to comparable.
Either please.
Yea they are not comparable. If they went out and signed komi instead. I’m just saying, if they passed on Hedman. I think the right choice is to sign a D man on free agency
I think scoring is more of a need then defensive at the moment.
new arena please
Let’s stop with this trade down talk. We have more then enough picks. It’s clearly 1a or 1b- so as long as we finish last we r good
Expect us to actually move up into the mid first and still have 2 in the second.
I dont want to trade down in the draft but Snow might.
The way we are playing and the way the Avs are playing. Us coming in last is not looking to good. Avs might not get another point the way they are playing.
We are playing well and getting points against tough opponents.
I wonder if in the back of their minds, Snow and Gordon wouldn’t mind falling to #3 and picking Duchene. Everything you read about him lately makes him sound like a better fit for Gordon’s aggressive system what with his skating ability versus the lack thereof with Tavares. And it seems like it’s on the tip of many scouts’ tongues to declare Duchene the better all-around, long-term prospect, though most probably won’t be so rouge as to actually make that declaration.
Sort of reminds me of the recent NBA draft with Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. Oden was the consensus top pick, but I bet many GMs would have actually preferred the number two pick because they not only liked Durant better but they also would have been able to take him without having to deal with the fan backlash of passing on Oden.
It may be a similar scenario here. I think Snow knows the fan base is so enamored with Tavares/Hedman that he almost has no choice but to take one of those guys if he winds up in the top 2, but in the back of his mind he’d feel way more comfortable picking third should Duchene really be the guy he covets.
I don’t think anyone wants to be known as the guy who passed on John Tavares.
Scott(45),
Thats a good point. Earlier in the year I loved Tavares and did not want anybody else. Duchene might sound like a better fit but If Tavares is aviable, I cant see Snow passing on him. Maybe the Islanders do want to pick number 3 but that is probally a long shot.
I think offense is more of a priority right now. Komi has had a horrible year with Montreal and is going to cost a fortune. Sign Gilroy instead and draft Tavares.
Complete and utter hypothetical situation, but still… if you get the #1, would you trade down to #3 to pick Duchene For 2 upper tier prospects, # 3 pick, and first round in 2010? If a team falls to #3 they might be desperate enough to offer up a kings ransom to get in on tavares or hedman…of course idk that but just speculating…what would you guys take if anything?
You think the Islanders next year are this years LA Kings.
A very young team that has tons of talent but does not have enought to make the playoffs
I dont know man… Hedman skates amazing prob one of the best D skaters iv ever seen, he’d fit our system so well. JT a great scorer not the greatest skater. But most of all brings more attention to the islanders having a big name player. To be honest I’m torn on who id rather have. Plus that other 1st we have we could prob grab a good D men also so maybe JT is the way to go.
Nice article CB… Isles will have to get back to their losing ways though. 9-3-3 in their last 15 and show real signs of life while playing. I’ve watched TB and Colorado and they are totally lifeless. Lets hope we can lose out down the stretch
Duchene is perfect for this system. I’d take him if we somehow were put in that situation.
Any info on Bozak or Gilroy?
(#48) If duchene is really generating this much hype that some of us are wanting him instead of tavares, i can’t see the team with the 3rd overall pick trading a ton for the #1 when they could just draft duchene at #3. I’d say any team in the top 3 will feel comfortable where they are.
obviously, the popular choice amongst the fans is tavares….so why not give the paying customer what they want to see????
I think they care whats best for the team more then anything
Valentino (56)—couldnt agree with you more. i’d say isles fans are about 70/25/5…tavares/hedman/other(duchene) go with what your fans want for once - No more disappointments
I’m sorry but Valentino and Rob76, i couldn’t disagree more. We cannot expect Snow to do only what we fans want, because frankly, as much as we love hockey, we don’t know enough. For example, if they listened to us, bailey would not be here, but right now i am very happy he is. The idea is to put the best players on the ice, sometimes you have to go against what the fans want to do that.
While I’m on the JT bandwagon, I have a gut feeling that Duchesne will wind up being as good or better than JT over their careers. At this point, let the Isles finish out the season and the hockey gods, who have scorned us for so many years, will finally give us our due, be it Tavares, Hedman, Duchesne.
And to think, I was gonna hold up on posting this until a busier blog traffic day like tomorrow…CB
I’m sick on people saying the isles draft bad. They draft pretty good but there gm at the time didnt do teh right things with them. Who ever we get i want them to tear it up next year with our young players and shut these freaking people up for good.
When Bill Torrey asked Al Arbour if he wanted a stud defensemen or a pure goal scorer in the draft, we all know who Al picked.
His name was Mike Bossy.
Let that be a lesson learned, Mr. Snow……….SW
For today, Tavares. For tomorrow, Hedman.
Tavares would get them instant respect and attention. Hedman could get them the crucial cornerstone piece that will pay off five years down the line.
Tavares or Hedman? Spezza or Chara? If only we had a crystal ball…
Defensemen are important. But only so often does an impact offensive player come along. I love players like chris pronger, scott niedermeyer, and big Z chara. But defensive players do not have the impact on a team that an offensive one does. Tavares can come in and put up 100 pts in a season at his full potential which will be FAR more beneficial to the isles than Hedman coming in and putting up 50 pts as a dman and making a few solid defensive plays a game.
hands down, we need Tavares more than we need hedman. Pronger didnt win anaheim and cups. It was js giguere and the overall core of that team that did it. Tavares would be an impact player and the best part of a core that the islanders could hope to build around.
Just added at bottom of story that Rechlicz has been returned to Bridgeport. With the NYI off til Wednesday, he will probably be back…CB
Is there any chance Snow will trade down to get more draft choices? Would that be a good idea? I say go with Tavares but that’s because I only see his name on message boards. I’m not Don Cherry..out every night until midnight watching these pee wee minor midget games.
The Rangers should hire Milbury to run their organization.
sw… you are not only living in the past but also another century…
With the San Jose first round pick and the three from round 2 it is more likely Snow tries to trade up higher in the first round. Once the lottery has taken place, that could be a big topic.
I’m a little nervous about the final seven games,Colorado looks as if they won’t win a dam game and tampa, well there a hit and miss i think we really need to finish number one if only to have the choice between Tavares or Headman i do hope though that Tavares is an Islander come june guess only time will tell
Reverse scoreboard watching for today.
Ottawa and Tampa Bay, 6 PM.
Colorado at Anaheim 8 PM.
We would all be thrilled if Colorado just was able to get 1 point.
TAVARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys does it make a difference just pick the right one and go on . Hopefully we will see the run of the cup next year. Remember Keep the faith and “Let’s Go Islanders”
im glad gordon threw the shootout…i like him now
the more and more I think about it, I want hedman. I dunno i just feel like its a safe pick.
he didnt throw the shootout witt was doing good at practices.. nolan said somethign like that last year also. No one threw anythign
The Prongers, Lidstroms and Charas are ALWAYS on winning teams. I have to think Hedman is the way to go.
That guy taylor doherty is huge looks like a monster and hes a Dmen, anyone know anythign about him?
Tavares is a player that holds the game on his stick … he’s proved it time and again in his young hockey career … he’s confident and fearless … he proved that at this past years’ WJC. I’ve seen dozens of highlight reel plays from him over the last 3 seasons.
Hedman … a dominating young defenseman from Sweeden … compared to Pronger … that is all I know about him other than his size and that he’s a highly touted player … all the handful of highlights that I’ve seen of him were nothing sensational … but noteworthy.
Duchene?? Wild card at the top 2 spot … who knows if he’ll be better than Tavares or Hedman … that’s why they play the games.
SW is right regarding Torrey, Arbour and The Boss.
“I don’t listen to the naysayer. We’ll just play as hard as we can and wherever we land, we’ll utilize the pick.” - Garth Snow
I think Garth knows what he’s doing. I’d love to see a speed burner who can score in the lineup.
A little OT but if we get first overall choice we pick tavares, then we package that late first round pick and a second rounder to move up in the first round and target simon depres provided he’s still around…he’s a big puck-moving defenseman and projected to go mid-first round, even higher in some opinions.
i think we need tavres, he can be a number one center. look at the rangers, they got two number two centers really, and they have not been playing up to par. yea, bailey is awesome, but i would like to see him playing with hunter and maybe bergie on line 2 next year. tavares, okposo, and maybe comeau would put up a lot of points
It’s simple for me. Goals = excitment So, while none of the top 3 would disappoint me, I would pick Tavares purely for the entertainment factor.
I don’t understand people that would take Hedman over Tavares. A goal scorer like Tavares is exactly what we need to get over the hump. The Isles have lost plenty of games this year by one goal, that wouldn’t happen anymore. Tavares to Okposo will be music to Isles fan’s ears for years to come. Snow should pair the late first rounder with a 2nd rounder and trade up for a defensman middle of the 1st — Oh yeah, and we have Norris trophy worthy Mark Streit locked up for the next few years…
I would pick Tavares, but not because of any “excitement” or “marketing” factor. It’s because he fills the team’s most desperate need - offense. Our D is competent, with prospects (especially if a healthy DP returns) of being “good enough to win.” Our offense has, at times, been pathetic. We need the scorer.
BTW - Sir William: the choice at the ‘77 draft was not Bossy or a Dman; it was Bossy or Dwight Foster, a more versatile, “all around” forward without Bossy’s scoring touch.
Everyone should look at the standings and see the goals for and goals against of each team currently in a playoff spot or still fighting for one.
There are only 3 teams within 10 goals scored of what we have scored this year (NYR, MIN, NAS) and only 3 teams within 20 goals given up of what we have given up this year.
We can obviously point much blame on goals given up with the loss of DiPietro, Sutton for most of the year and other defensemen for parts of the year.
We can’t put much blame on the lack of offense other than to say that the kids are still learning.
With that all being said, I think we should draft Tavares if we pick #1 and go after a free-agent defenseman like Komisarek or Ohlund.
We can win games but not scoring a lot if our defense and goaltending is better than average. It’s very hard to make the playoffs if we don’t shore up our defense.
Although I think Hedman would still be a great selection, I think Tavares is what we need….we have a bunch of young forwards who look promising, I rather have the veteran defense and goaltending that allows the young forwards to grow even more.
i just hope if the isles do elect to take hedman.. the draft party does not boo. that would be embarasing to the fan base.
Last season our leading scorer didnt reach 50 points. This season with 7 games left we Might get one 20 goal scorer but thats not even a given. We dont have plans on making a big free agent signing i.e. Sedins, Gaborik, Hossa, so how is it possible to even think of not picking the scoring forward?
Goal for Trivino!
@83:
Well, something people have been throwing around on Islanders Mania that I happen to think is an interesting idea is moving Okposo to left wing, Tavares to right wing and having Bailey at center. Tavares supposedly scores most of his goals from the right side of the net and if you look over Okposo’s goals during this season most of them have come from either center ice or the left wing. I’d want Bailey at center because he and Okposo have great chemistry.
What does everybody think of this?
Lol, I’m poster 91 in a thread about Tavares.
brian burke was funny last night when trying to play coy regarding tyler bozak being courted by the leafs -probably gilroy too
I loved his line -’when I was in Anaheim , we were the only team fishing on that lake ;now , all 30 teams are’
Defense wins championships above all else. Cornerstone blueliners aren’t available every day. When you consider the Isles already have Okposo and Bailey up front, and no one of similar quality anywhere in the pipeline, Hedman seems the logical choice.
Or do you take the Tav-Duch and get a solid 1-2-3 pairing down the middle with Tav-Duch/Bailey/Nielsen?
Aaron Ness is probably the defenseman who has the highest upside of any Islander prospect, but he’s not on the level of Hedman. For those of you that question the impact of defensemen on teams, take a look at Pronger in his one year in Edmonton. They haven’t been the same team since he left, and they wouldn’t have been in the Finals if he wasn’t there. It doesn’t matter how many goals you can score if you can’t keep them out of your own net. The Islanders MUST get a solid defenseman with either one of their first round picks. I keep saying I want them to pick Tavares, but I think I secretly want Hedman. Finding another scoring top six forward will probably be easier in the mid-to-late first round where the second pick will be compared to finding a stud defenseman. But that’s what the scouts are paid for, not me. This is why fans don’t run sports teams.
If the Tavheduch watch is down to three, and it most likely is with the Avs, Bolts and Isles, let’s say Tampa wins the lottery, they have Vinny and Stamkos. They need defense. They will take Hedman. Colorado is in an absolute free fall right now. The team to to “fear” right now. Sakic is retiring after this year or next. They need a franchise center to replace him. They will take Tavares. The Isles? Need a franchise center or a franchise defenseman. It’s 50/50 I think as to who they will take, and not one single fan’s opinion matters who it will be. It will be the kid they think will help turn the franchise around and no one else. Will they trade down? The jokes are old and stale, and not very funny since trading down and acquiring a boatload of extra picks was just what the doctor ordered for a team that had very little prospects, but if they view Duchense or someone else as having more upside than Tavares or Hedman, they just might trade down, but I don’t see it as likely. Garth Snow knows what he’s doing. Put your faith in him folks.
John Tavares + Kyle Okposo + Josh Bailey = A potential dirty team in the future
Trivino just scored for Boston University.
I thought everyone might like this line, the final draft listings from NHL.com
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=415494
duchene is not going third, and its pride and stubborness more than anything that has this blog identifying him as the third overall pick. i respect CB ofr sticking with his draft order, but i am curious exactly what these scouts had to say regarding the draft order- i wonder where they specifically had duchene or if that info was even part of CBs poll
KP @ (94)
Likewise it doesnt matter if you have the defense to keep you at less than two goals a game. If you cant score goals you cant win games. And for the past decade SCORING goals has been the islanders most obvious problem. So i do not see any of your logic in drafting hedman. If you think that KO and Bailey are enough i think most would agree that you are dead wrong. KO may put up some very good goal numbers but Bailey will never be a prolific goal scorer. So we definitely need Tavares.
I love everyones passion. CB has created a monster with this site. I think who ever they get Garth knows what he’s doing. A plan like this does not happen over night. The team is much more exciting right now then it has been in years. Lets Go Islanders. And let’s get this Lighthouse done…..
I am surprised by all the comments insinuating that a good defenseman has nothing to do with creating offense. Hedman is not projected to be a stay at home Brendan Witt type. By all accounts, his potential is a two-way dman who can carry the puck with speed, make great outlet passes, and pinch with regularity. When you have a big guy like this on the ice for 25-30 minutes a night, it generates loads of offensive. It keeps other teams out of your zone and let’s you attack off the transition. It also makes your forwards more productive when they are receiving great passes. We have ZERO prospects in the system who fit this definition. Aaron Ness is a nice little prospect, but his size makes him a crapshoot.
Just because this team needs offense, we should not write off the possibility of adding a defenseman. If we can get the ride of kind of defenseman, it would greatly improve our scoring.
# 91, i honestly don t think u can go wrong any way u make the lines. the combo of okposo, bailey, hunter, tavares, bergie, comeau, neilsen and the rest of the guys will make for a real good offense
Taveras + Bailey + Filatov = An even dirtier line/team.
I think Mikey has it right - but I’d add one thing to the points raised so far. Traditionally, if you want to build a winner, shouldn’t you build from the goal, to the defense, to the forwards? That is an argument for Hedman. Many people on this blog seem to think the upcoming draft will produce a pick that will immediately produce playoff results. Please. At this point, the Isles are 2 years away from making a playoff push, and 3-4 years away (if everything goes right) to being a very competitive team for a number of years. And that is the benefit of building through the draft. The team should be at a high level for a long time. The debate is somewhat moot because the truth is the Isles desperately need both a #1 Forward and a # 1 D man. This draft should provide one of the future building blocks, and let’s all be happy for that!
We need goals. Our D is doing a good job, with DP back D improves automatically. Lets go for the scorer. Isles didn’t win until Bossy was scoring 50 a season and haven’t won since. You need the pure goal scorer.
Offense, Offense, Offense, is all I hear here. Hedman could have possibly a bigger overall impact in the Offense department. Which player makes other players better is where my pick would go. And between Taveres and Hedman its too close to call.
I would take Lecavalier for our #1 and Tampas #1 LOL. Then take Duschene.
Its Tavares or bust!!
Filatov looks like a 12-year-old girl. Let it go, man.
i know a franchise d-man helps to win cups, but i think # 105 has a point. when you have a guy who scores 40 or 45 goals a year, it makes it alot easier on the defense
Also Gasmd, Filatov and Bailey could not be on the same line. Its one or the other
Sometimes a franchise needs a Mike Bossy & sometimes it needs a Denis Potvin. Clearly we need Bossy at this time…I want BOTH…but if I can only get one I choose Bossy.
I still hope we get Taveres none the less…Hedman might be a great prospect but I want the high caliber sniper…More dynamic and more exciting to watch means better for the fans and might help in marketing…Ultimately winning is the main thing so like the article says, nobody’s feeling sorry for the team if the don’t win the lottery…
If Sean from post #6 is wrong..If Garth trades down for quantity over quality I don’t know how I can take it anymore…I might have a nervous breakdown…
Take the best player available…
GO AVS
#113, this “end of the world”, “snow is gona trade down 5 times” type of stuff has got to stop, its one thing to trade down from 5-7, but thats not nearly the same as trading down from 1 or 2, garth would have to be mental (or mike milbury’s twin) to make that move. It will not happen.
If he gets an Eric Lindros like ransom for the #1…nah
just saying never say never, but it’d have to be an insane deal
Hedman over Tavares IMO. A stud defender is much more valuable than a stud forward, few if any pro scouts will tell you that. Not at all knocking Tavares and if the NYI take him then great, no issue WHATSOEVER. But I think you can find scoring at lot easier than a # 1 D-man which the Isles clearly do not have now nor do they have one in the system.
Meant to say few if any pro scouts will DISPUTE that, sorry.
118 - you can teach defense but you cannot teach skill…
#120 agreed buy you can’t teach 6′7″ with puck handling and skating skills like a 5′11′ forward.
Oops, I meant okie, not bailey.
Please i am begging all of you Hedman supporters - please inform me of the time that a defenseman was picked number 1 overall and made a significant impact - other than Potvin over 30 years ago??? Here’s a hint - you will find 20 forwards before you find the impact d-man
everyone says we need a franchise d-man, but we already have streit. true, he’s a bit older, but hes nhl-fresh and shown he’s a great two-way player. you cant pass up tavares when you can train our good young d-core how to play
I want Tavares. I want a freaking goal scorer. We havent had one since Palffy. I want an islander to score 45 goals. I want an islander to get a hatrick. I want to have a “top line” that other teams need to match up with. I want Tavares. He is a game changer and will change the face of the franchise.
I do think it matters that he will help with marketability. Why are people underestimating that? It will help us be a more respected franchise, I want to draw free agents and get a new building. A flashy young goal scorer helps with that. And it also makes the canadians crazy with jealousy that we got him and they didnt.
I think it is easier to get a defenseman in free agency than it is an elite goal scorer.
I think it is a good position to be in, having to decide on either prospect. Both would bring a dynamic the isles lack so either way we are getting a top notch prospect.
I’d be happy with either one.
I just know I have visions of people storming out of the draft party when Hedman is announced like last year when the trades went down (scenarios people)
Hedman sounds great, but this team needs finishers, and because of that, I say Tavares. Plus I’m a little concerned about things said about Hedman maybe being a little soft.
FWIW…Tampa lost…Avalanche are losing in the third.
Assuming Colorado joins Tampa in posting a loss tonight, the Isles need to finish 3-3-1 (7 points) or worse in my opinion. That way, they’d only need one win from Tampa and one win from Colorado in order to finish 30th. Any finish from the Isles that requires Tampa or Colorado to record two or more wins is probably not going to get it done.
Updated Standings
Tampa Bay 65 points 6 games remaining
Colorado 64 points 6 games remaining
NYI 59 points 7 games remaining
it’s going to be real tough not to pass Colorado. they have given up and look like they just want to go home.
remaining schedule is caps, habs, bolts, canes, penguins, flyers and bears. i see losses to the caps, pens, flyers, bears, maybe canes and habs. no way the bolts try and beat us
In response to Rob’s question (123), I don’t find the lack of impact defensemen chosen first overall to be a compelling reason for preferring a forward at first overall. If anything, it suggests that true franchise defensemen are extremely rare.
2 big games that will have a huge impact on the Tavheduch race. Phoenix is at Col. Wed. night and TB-Isles next W/E! This may be the only game Col. might win the rest of the year!
Everyone on the NHL .com mock draft has us taking taveres #1 as expected…the second first rounder though gets interesting…. one guy has us picking a goalie, another a foward and another a D man…very interesting..
A secondary concern when considering Tavares vs. Duchene is that in a salary cap world, that might be a two or three million dollar difference, seven years down the road. There are teams all over the league that are in salary cap hell because of their superstars.
CB: Last year, you wrote that the Islanders were planning on having Mike Bossy announce (at the lottery drawing) that they would be picking Stamkos (were they to win the lottery). Do you think that the Islanders will do that this year, or will they play it closer to the vest?
I think the observation that Colorado has packed it in. They are old, they are tired, they don’t give a damn. They may not win again this year. Remember, if we finish second lowest overall, it is the four teams behind us that could push us back to third. The sixth-worst team could win the lottery and move to second. So even a second pick is not guaranteed, unless we finish dead last.
When is the lottery ?? April 13 ??
I love kane in this years draft. He looks good
He- hits fights scores skates
He looks real good.
With the response to this topic, it appears that we Islander fans are more excited what is going on now than the teams that barely finished 8th and had no chance of going anywhere. It would be one thing to make the play-offs with a young team (like the run St. Louis is on) and that is great.
(136) I had completely forgot that I wrote that about Bossy and Stamkos. I had to look it up on the old blog. Thanks for reminding me. I’ll wait to see how this NYI-Colo-TB race ends up before speculating or recommending lottery plans…CB
I personally have never seen Hedman play and I have only seen a few highlight clips of Tavares. Who’s highlight clip would be boring anyway. Duchene; I have seen even less of. I can only base my opinion on what I read. I will have to leave this in Garth’s hands and I hope he trusts a guy like Ryan Jankowski who is a behind the scenes guy who is very, very smart and is a rising star. I would say that a 6′ 7″ skating D-man who is over 200 lbs and only 18 years old would be a solid pick. If he develops into a top “3″ D-man in terms of points it would be great. If he ends up producing less in terms of points I think it would be safe to say that someone with his physical stature and skill would still be a solid top 2 D-Man. Tavares does seem to have the character intangible Garth likes. Tavares is a winner and a leader, he has the same kind of intensity as DP (for better or worse).
By the way CB; any future blogs in the works on Ryan Jankowski and his background and knowledge of all the players eligible for the draft? His name was referenced several times during the MSG broadcast of the Isle, Red Wing game on Friday.
Man, Colorado is simply terrible.
Colorado better not blow this for us… 7 in a row?? are they kidding me??
CB (140): Don’t worry about forgetting. The 350 days since then have been mildly eventful, after all. My opinion on the matter is that the organization and the entire fanbase would be better served with an immediate announcement either way. That gives the Isles two extra months to market the draft and their chosen players. That’s two less months of the fanbase tearing itself up over the question you posed earlier, and two less months of agita as fans (remembering past drafts) wrestle with the possibility of cataclysmic disappointment.
I think that the Isles go with Tavares.
Anyone who thinks Garth will trade down for 6 4th round picks is just whining.
Lastly, never move KO from his natural position. Gordon did that once, and KO struggled. No need to make him struggle again.
138-Kane is about 160lbs I wouldn’t rate fighting as being in his skill set nor hitting at the NHL level. I could never see the Isles selecting him. Other then the top 3 think Kassian, Aston, Caron, Budaj, and d-men Moore and Dougherty.
Isles are rightfully focused on getting bigger so no matter how skilled Kane is I can’t see them selecting him.
Colorado is tanking it…no doubt about it. I can’t stand any team that does this. TB, I understand. Other then a couple of big names…they don’t have much. Colorado - Joe Sakic = team that was supposed to contend for the playoffs. Can’t tell me this team isn’t trying to tank it.
I was just lurking through an Avalanche forum site.
http://forums.coloradoavalanche.com/index.php?showtopic=44964&st=120
There are a lot more Islander fans two time zones away now… than there were 10-14 days ago.
The Tavheduch watch is equally strong out here.
Let’s not turn an easy decision into a difficult one… especially with our history.
I just have a funny feeling the Isles will finish 28th. Then someone else wins the lottery from the 5th spot, and we fall to 4th. Cant fault me for thinking that way.
I forgot who said this quote but its a hockey great, something along the lines where your born with scoring ability, you can teach great defense…
draft JT
Regarding Milbury’s draft prowess: Someone with enough time on hands & media access should set up a “Draft PECKS” bit. Have a chicken peck out random names from each of the drafts from which Mad Mike selected a player, then see whose picks turned out better.
No wagering please.
we need a #1 center, Bailey is good and will probably be a consistent 20- 30 goal scorer, but i think he is a 2nd line center. 1st line- Bergenheim- Tavares- Okposo
2nd- Hunter- Bailey- Comeau
3rd- Tambellini-Nielsen-hilbert?
4th- Jackman-Park-Wrecker. dosent sound half bad
hey dk7937, where is Wieght, Park, Macammond? You need at least one or two veteran players.
25yearfan (153): I know you are trying to make a joke (as oft-repeated as said joke might be) but it doesnt really add up when you look at real life. The truth is that the Islanders are one of the top 10 most successful franchises draftwise of the last 15 years insofar as the number of players who have become NHL regulars and even stars. Aside from random years here and there which were busts, the Islanders have generally not had problems drafting quality NHL players over the last 15 years- their problem was in KEEPING them.
Colorado is so tanking it. They should be ashamed. Ryan Smyth is to the Isles what Mike Hampton was to the Mets. Leaving for greener pastures elsewhere after the organization who pursued and ultimately traded for you, then basically giving you the keys to the team, only to snub them. I’ve never had a prob with you Ryan, but you could have been a part of something special here on L.I.-I can only hope that you never get a sniff of the playoffs for the remainder of your playing days. Peace!
If we don’t stop winning, we are going to be forced to trade UP for one of these players.
SW#63 Hockey is played totaly different in the 70’s and 80’s then now. Back then hockey was 100% offense 8-6 scores.
#108 i’m still laughing my $%# off. That’s funny but true.
I know I’ll get ripped here, but I honestly believe its either Hedman or Duchene. I’m not at all saying that Tavares is not a great player, but everything I have read questions his skating ability. Would you want to draft a player at #1 that needs to improve on his skating?
Hedman and Duchene are great skaters and great players. Duchene can simply fly, along with being point productive. We’ve seen what skating can do from the defence side to help out the offence (Streit).
I would hate to see Tavares have a tough time keeping up with Okposo, Bergenheim or Comeau with his skating.
Whatever happens the Isles are going to get a great player. Lets just hope if it is Tavares, he doesn’t become the next Alexandre Daigle.