THE REASON WHY I WROTE “Pick one:
Tavares, Duchene, Kane, Paajarvi-Svensson”
Some readers freaked or looked for conspiracies when I wrote that line in my Forward review yesterday. My reasoning is simple. We won’t know ‘Til Tuesday whether the NYI get the No. 1 or No. 2 pick. Although my feelings about John Tavares at No. 1 are clear, we don’t know if the Islanders feel the same way. No one knows what the Islanders will do if they get the first pick. No one knows if they have Tavares and Hedman ranked 1-2 in either order. And as I will write about soon, if they get the second pick, anything can happen. Comments.
48 Responses to THE REASON WHY I WROTE “Pick one:
Tavares, Duchene, Kane, Paajarvi-Svensson”
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hextall72 says:
as i stated in the thread.. if the islanders are blessed with the #1 pick, tavares or hedman must be taken oj principal alone.. if they can trade down to 2 or 3 while still getting a guarantee to still get their guy(tavares/hedman) thats fine with me.. just this 1 draft, dont go against the tide please…
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dedshark says:
Lets be serious. We’re trading otu pick for Ryan Smyth. Thats the clear answer.
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Justin Marques says:
I have a strong feeling Snow is going to try to pull something off again, but this time with the team that has the second overall pick in the draft. I doubt Snow will tip his hand with whether the Isles have their eyes set on Hedman or Tavares for this very reason. For example, say the Lightning have the second overall pick, the Islanders could trade the first overall to Tampa Bay in exchange for Tampa Bay’s first round pick (2nd overall) and possibly Tampa Bay’s 2nd Rd pick, and maybe more? We need both Hedman and Tavares, and therefore, I feel that Garth Snow could add to his arsenal by allowing a team to take their choice, while we acquire extra picks, and we still acquire one of the top-two talents in the draft. First overall is a lot of leverage, and I’d love for the Isles to be lucky enough to have that leverage.
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Kvashinator12 says:
I am sorry, but after watching since the end of last season the battle for number 1 between Tavares and Hedman this team CAN’T justify anything, but taking one of those two. I am so sick of this team’s WE KNOW better than everyone nonsense that’s gone on the past few years. This is a major reason why I didn’t renew my season tickets. Every team would go the easy route, but not this team, they will find another way to make the fans suffer. Last year I could fully understand the trading down if you weren’t enamored with the pick at 5. HUGE difference picking at 1 or 2. Once again this a chance to set this franchise on the complete right track, but let alone to no surprise I am sure they will find away to do the complete opposite.
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If the Islanders do indeed win the lottery and Garth doesn’t pick Tavares, I think he’s gonna have to hide. Regardless of what Tavares’ career turns out to be, great,good,average,bust, right now with the way the economy is, all the marketability he has and the points he’s put up as a young OHL player, it’s the smartest move to make. There are to many positives around this kid. I might actually consider getting season tix if the Isles draft him. See how one player can change all that? Crosby, Ovechkin, Kane, Stamkos. You get the point.
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sorry for the quick 2nd post here but i agree with #4 and disagree with CB at the fact that NO WAY does garth even hint what they have their eyes on drafting.. i expect a slight smirk and possible wink when asked “what their possibly doing with the #1 pick.. happy easter everyone
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Looking back at last years draft I can say that I am relatively satisfied with the selections made by the Islanders Brass with young Mr. Bailey being a definite keeper. As such I am willing to give them some slack and support whatever decision they make coming out of the gate while reserving the right to evaluate it with the passage of time. Is Taveres the best fit? Is it Hedman? Does someone else become the choice should the Islanders end up with the second overall selection? These are all worthy topics we can discuss ad nauseum after Tuesday. CB if no-one has wished you a Happy Easter yet then let me be the first, Happy Easter to you, your family and all of your loyal readers.
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If we end up with tavares or hedman then its fine… thats it.. dont care which one. I wouldnt even mind duchene, but no reason to with tavhed in our grasp.
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rob says:
happy holidays chris…. just wondering your thoughts on ryan ellis…. maybe we can package the late first rounder to move up and snag him at about 14 15 16?… him alongside hopefully Tavares would be a solid draft day.
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Jimmy Mac says:
Steve Simmons was on TV again today saying Tavarses should pull an Elway, and pick which team he will play for.
I don’t think the Isles should tip their hand on who they will pick.
Listen to all offers… you never know what other teams will offer for the #1.
Hopefully Garth makes us proud.
I really don’t think Tavarses is going to be on the Island, when everything is said and done.
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Opt Prime says:
Bottom line is with either Tavares or Hedman we’re getting a stud, cornerstone player – period. Both have their qualities and to get EITHER one will be a great help in the rebuilding process.
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Obs says:
I would love to see Tavares here on the Island. However, the Isles should wait to see if some team makes an offer they can’t refuse. I don’t know what that offer would be but I’m sure our imaginations could come up with a few crazy trades.
One quick question, Have you made a decision on the Sate-Of-The-Blog? Come on, ya gotta keep it going.
Happy Easter to you and your family.
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Rob76 says:
Jimmy Mac (11)… I dont think Tavares is going to listen to a tabloid columnist like Simmons over his agent and family – there is no concern that he will come to the Island.
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jethro09 says:
There is no choice: If the Isles pick #1, its Tavares. If they pick #2, its Hedman. They can’t afford to screw this draft up. They have to go with the best available player. I don’t want to see any of this crap like last year where they picked Bailey as a reach at #9 after trading down twice because of “intangibles”, when the entire hockey world had him going middle of the first round. If I hear Snow take anyone other than Tavares or Hedman in the top two and give me a line of crap like “we love his intangibles”, I’m going to throw up all over myself and will resign myself to the fact that the Isles are run by idiots.
You don’t play games with the top one or two picks in the draft. You take the best available. That will be either Tavares or Hedman, depending on how the balls bounce on Tuesday.
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JayK says:
What Simmons or anybody else recommending that doesn’t get is that with tne change in NHL free agency rules, even a year lost by a Tavares could cost him big time. You can hit UFA status so much quicker now than in the past. So let’s say Tavares tries to pull an Elway/Lindros. And let’s say the Islanders say, OK, screw you, we’ll wait for the best offer. And maybe that best offer delays the start of your career by a year. Now it’s going to take an extra year to reach UFA status, and that is going to cost you far more than any benefits delayed from waiting.
Also: he’s not even the consensus #1. I just don’t think he’s got that much leverage.
Justin #4: if we’re number 1, and we agree to swap positions with #2, we are going to get back a hell of a lot more than some team’s second round pick. Minimum asking price for that should be the #2 team’s #1 pick in 2010. And if that offer is on the table, I think it has to be considered.
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Patrick says:
#8′s weird.
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SIR WILLIAM says:
If we win the lottery, it’s welcome home John Tarvares. However, if we get the second pick, I would not be shocked at some type of move. Perhaps a switch with number 3 and pick up a prospect and take Duschene.
This team is starving for offense and Garth, I’m sure, realizes that. More than anything this team needs a goal scorer. If they think that Duschene is that guy then don’t be surprised……SW -
Michael says:
I am going to buy season tickets if the Islanders bring Tavares aboard. The Islanders cannot be so stupid as to blow this. It will be the final straw for me. I am a diehard Islander fan, but I can’t defend the moves of this franchise any longer. Screwing this top 2 pick up and I have to concede my fandom. I’ve already bragged to all of my family and ranger friends that the NYI wil add a superstar this summer.
If they fail to do just that, it’s over for me. I’ve dealt with insanity for too long.
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19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
Happy Easter Chris / Family and everyone else!
CB- I knew people would interpret you adding the rest of the early 1st round draft class as if Snow had something else up his sleeve. LOL! Ya gotta watch how you word things … Isle’s Country is on edge.
Regarding Tavares and the knock on his skating … the ONLY negative thing about his skating that I heard was his take off speed. I saw a review that JT works on his skating, and any other little thing that he feels he needs to hone in on. Scouts also said what he lacks in jack-rabbit take off speed he more than makes up in anticipation and hockey sense … plus he’s great at changing speeds with the puck. He’s been compared to Bossy in that regard with his deception in the offensive zone. So don’t worry about his skating. I still pick JT of VH.
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Julie says:
If the isles don’t end up with either Taveres or Hedman (I don’t care which one) I will be F—g pissed. Just for once go with conventional wisdom. Every time we have had a high (lotto) draft pick I have been pissed afterwards.
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I see the Kings have fallen back into the bottom 5. So it’s us, Bolts, Avs, Thrashers and Kings.
Would the Kings pick a Drew Doughty lookalike if they won the lottery? Doubtful. They’d go for Tavares.
Thrashers picked a D-man last year, Bogosian. With Kovalchuck’s future in doubt, they’d go for Tavares.
No clue on Avs.
I still think the Lightning goes for Hedman.
So let’s all say together:
Our hockey father
who art in the ice and all around us at the rinks.
Job and the Egyptians, combined, have nothing on us when it comes to plagues. Frogs and locusts might be an upgrade at this point.
You gave us Kirk Muller and Scott Scissons and Brett Lindros and four first round picks in the worst draft ever and …well, I won’t go on. You get the picture.
So, hockey deities, just this one time, can you shine down on the orange and blue and make 48.2 your favorite number?
Thank you for hearing our plea.
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LOL!!! jethro09 (15) … if you go to one of the Isles’ town halls with Janks and Snow present … read that post out loud in the Q/A session … hilarious. Just go easy on Bails, he’s still a talented kid.
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Sir William (18) That is definitely within the rehlm of possibility. Duchene + top prospect, not a project, would have to be considered to trade down from 2 to 3 … just based on the level of promise on which ever player available at #2 is at … I’m still holding out on the hope we are holding the #1 after Tuesday’s lotto though. -
I am sure KC fans are going to be watching as well on Tuesday. Isles could be interested in Duchene but Hedman would have to be picked at #2. You should never draft for position, always take the best player on the board, right Garth!
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Doug F. says:
How about this…if the Islanders get the #1 they pick Taveras…then trade the late #1 and the 3 #2 picks to Tampa Bay for their #1 pick…
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I just spoke to a colleague in the TV industry that works in sports. He said it is conceivable according to conversations / debates he’s had with his other colleagues that the Isles can wrestle a good chunk of the NY area hockey market away from the Rangers ratings wise with Tavares on board. It wouldn’t happen right away … but it’s very conceivable it may happen… He also said it could make the Devils more of an afterthought in the NYC hockey market than they already are. Apparently the Isles / Devils are neck in neck at this time … which surprises me. CB ~ Maybe you and Neil Best can hook up and do a “What IF?” study on this … scientific survey or just what you guys feel is a hunch.
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mrlbem says:
JayK (#22):
Amen, brother. Amen.
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puck-o says:
I think #1 = Tavares
I think #2 = Hedman
The more interesting debate is how high into the first round can the Isles climb with their other picks or do they sit tight and draft. Remember they have the San Jose pick prob. 30th then the 1st pick of round two then I believe the 6th or 7th pick of round 2(Torontos) PLUS Bostons. -
blitz says:
If the top 2/3 teams in the lottery are rebuilding (which they are), then why on earth does said team trade a “top prospect” to move into the Tavares/Hedman territory?
Keep your prospect and take the Duchene. Seems like a very short-sighted move for instant gratification, then TB and NYI have a history in this situation.
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geduffer says:
#26 – Whoever is telling you that is feeding you a line of crap. Neither the Isles nor the Devils can wrestle any chunk of anything in this area from the Rags. That’s just the way it is. Deal with it.
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Anthony says:
I agree with #4 and #28…
Why would you declare your choice after the lottery when you have all the leverage with the #1 pick if we’re lucky enough to even get it… Either one is a franchise changing player.
IF you could trade down one spot and can parlay what we acquire (along with the extra early picks we have) into a high #1 pick, I’d do it in a heart-beat. Every year, a player slides longer than he should (ala Parise) If Duchene, Kane, the Swedish winger etc. slide a bit, the draft would be unbelievable… -
BTW, we could juggle all the line combo’s for next year all we want, we could rank the players we have… In the end, we still need a few more players (in addition to either Hedman or Tavares) before we can seriously compete deep into the playoffs… I’m a die-hard, but facts are facts, right CB?!?
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geduffer (30) … Deal with what? I don’t make any cash from the Isles’ ratings … I was only relaying what someone I have dealings with in the TV industry stated that there is a debate on how the Isles’ landing of a Super Star would have an impact on the local hockey market … namely the ability to lore a larger % of new fans within the market than they had been able to do so in the last 15 years thusly taking some of the market share from the Devs and the Rags … he never said the Isles would have a larger market share then the Rags … just that the Isles would share a larger piece of the pie then they do now .. and I was asking CB if there was a way to analyze that … Deal with it.
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Jmont6 says:
Steve Simmons is a complete idiot so I don’t anyone should listen to what he or anyone else on the TSN has to say. They should focus on how big a mess their team (THE LEAFS) is and not comment on the Islanders. Tavares should go to who drafts him.
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In the immortal words of Marv Albert… YESSSS!!!! The service I’m doing at work is the Bruins / Isles’ game!! They have that big beautiful Orange and Blue Isles logo on the screen!!! To bad I’ll only catch the first period … miss the second … get home intime for the end of the game.
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Fist of Gillies says:
Let’s keep Luongo and draft Danny Heatley.
Oh wait, what year is it?
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Robert says:
“Anything can happen if we get the second pick”…. that’s what I’m talking about baby!! Bailey and Okposo need true first/second line talent to work with… the heck with Hedman… if we get the second pick, trade down a spot or two and take Duchene or Kane, get that team’s top defensive prospect and maybe a third round pick…. OR if the team that gets the first pick wants Hedman and doesn’t ask us for the sun, moon, and stars to move up a slot and grab Tavares, by all means do it!!
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AZS says:
Listen …it’s very simple …if they pick #1 – take Tavares …
if they pick #2 – take whomever wasn’t taken #1 (Tavares or Hedman)
if they trade down and wind up without either of those two gentlemen Wang will have to sell the team because the Draft Party will turn into a bonfire and the Isles will have no place to play …
I’m confident Garth will take one of those two guys so I’ll leave my pitchfork and flame thrower at home that draft night
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Rob at #10…. from one Rob to another, as far as moving up for Ryan Ellis, he is an undersized extremely skilled offensive defenseman… If you look at how CB (and other people) rank our prospects, our #1 prospect is Aaron Ness… Aaron Ness was taken high in the second round last year and is an undersized extremely skilled offensive defenseman…. No team has room for so many undersized D-men… so I don’t think the Isles look to move up and grab him…. Aaron Ness plays for the University of Minnesota, and coincidentally, the guy I’d like to see the Isles trade up to get is from the same school, his name is Jordan Schroeder… Schroeder is super skilled and being compared to Parise and Patrick Kane because he is also a bit smallish… I think we need to add more skill to our top two lines, and the following ain’t a bad start for our future:
(I apologize for the spelling of some of these names):
Okposo-Tavares-?(Weight-for now)
Schroeder-Bailey-?(Hunter)
Bergenheim-Neilsen-Comaeu
Jackman-Park-? take ur pick between…Tambelli, Colliton, Jonseau, etc..
**however, I do feel we need A TRUE heavyweight that isn’t a liability on the ice to protect Tavares, Schroeder, Bailey, Okposo… as the team and these youngsters get better, without decent protection, other teams will be taking runs at them..
As far as defense, use our later round picks to add depth and hopefully hit a home run… Wait for Katic, Ness, Niemi, Hamonic and other draft picks from this year to pan out…. and make a serios run at Boumeister or Komisarek… I think we have a shot at one of them if that is the only real free agent we are making a run at… Show them the money!!! -
Jordan Schroeder is as skilled (if not more) as Duchene, Kane or MSP, but is slotted to go a bit lower because of size… around the tenth pick, he is an absolute steal…
Trade:
30th overall pick (San Jose’s #1)
31st pick (our 1st pick of 2nd round)
and a few other pieces such as a second rounder next year, or third rounder this year, or a Jyri Niemi, For:
9th pick overall and grab Schroeder!! -
jeff norton says:
We get Number 1 this Tuesday take Hedman,than trade (SJ) number 1 all 2nd round from this year next years number 1 and Josh Bailey to Tampa and maybe ,maybe Tampa will go for it.All of you want Tampa to just give away their second overall. Not gonna happen!
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The Av’s network is doing a piece on Tavares and Hedman … I’ve seen the same exact B-Roll and interviews on TSN… Their announcers are salvating for Tavares, and added that Hedman would not be your typical second pick. He’s a first pick in any other draft year. They also added that with all the top 5 as centers and Hedman as the only blue liner listed in the top 5 that make’s Hedman perhaps more valuable of a pick.
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I agree, if we have the 2nd pickl and Garth trades it, the draft party could get ugly and the Coliseum will possibly be torched!!Keep it simple!
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Booten says:
My ideal draft: Isles retain 1st overall selection and choose John Tavares…Isles trade late first round pick and a second round pick or prospect of said value to move up in the first and target Simon Depres.
Just my two cents.
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KO21 says:
I hope Garth shows us fan’s that he cares about how we feel…He knows most of us passionate fan’s are pining for our very own Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin or our next Mike Bossy to score 50 plus goals a year…This team had the worst season of any other team in the NHL and the fan’s deserve something to be proud of after suffering, not just this season but for the last decade and a half…
Please, Garth, please don’t be an arrogant jerk like some are painting you out to be…I am happy with his moves thus far…He made one block buster trade for Smyth who never wanted to be on Long Island and he learned from it…That’s all you can ask is that he doesn’t make the same mistakes…
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Marc says:
I have a bad feeling that the Isles’ won’t select either Taveras or Hedman. I hope my gut is wrong!!! (It WAS pretty funny watching all of the fans tell Snow to draft Taveras on today’s pre-game show even though most or all of them probably never saw him play. In fact the majority couldn’t even pronounce his name!)
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Jon Mac says:
I really believe the Islanders should draft Hedman. After watching the Islanders over the course of the last month, we need a big two way defensemen to help this team get to the next level. Imagine a power play with Streit and Hedman on the points! I say we draft Hedman and trade some picks to move up and get a scorer in the middle of the first round. With that being said, I will be happy if the Islanders get Taveras.
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19 Isle in NJ 22 (23): I’m not hating on Bailey, I like the kid, but he was a reach at #9. When you have the first or second overall pick, you don’t pick a kid who would be a reach at that spot or trade down to take a player that’s a reach. You play the percentages and the odds and take the best available player, the one that gives your team the greatest probability of selecting a franchise player. That’s Tavares at #1 and Hedman at #2.
your starting to scare me