Final draft poll: Who do you want?

I am starting to really like Schenn, maybe even more so because Burke wants him in Toronto, I hate that guy! Bring on Schenn!! New partner for Brownie!

Apparently Hextall just tweeted on the Kings twitter that the price for Heatley is "1 or 2 players and the #5 pick". No surprise there....

Paul...you would choke on your breakfast burrito if he ``tweeted'' which players Ottawa is asking for.

I know it will never happen since Heatley has a no trade clause and the Islanders don't have the chips to do it, but I think it would be funny if Heatley ended up on Long Island... or Kansas City. Too bad Mike Milbury isn't still there, he would've traded the #1 overall pick to the KHL for the rights to Jaromir Jagr.

Just out of curiosity, how many of your posters do you reckon have actually seen, in person or on tv, any of these guys?

You don't need fighters and enforcers to be a tough team to play against... look at the Wings. I want MPS!

Rich, just say Doughty and Kopitar, because I bet that's what they're expected( including the 5th ).

Let Ottawa rot.

Just spoke with Hexy about what OTT is asking for in exchange for Heatley. He said "1 or 2 players and our fifth pick." DE
about 1 hour ago from TwitterBerry

Paul/Rich-

I'm betting it's Brown+(?). I'd bet my wallet it's not Fro+JJ like the media is stating.

At any rate, nice polls. I'm with the majority in that I'd take Kane first, then Schenn if Kane is taken. Have to go with the possibility of landing that additional franchise center.

Mike's question is legit. Who has seen any of these guys? I haven't and even if I had I still wouldn't really have a clue which is best. 30 GM's have far more info than any of us and they screw up all of the time.

I really couldn't care less who the Kings get really as long as they pick someone...I'd be rather upset if they trade out for that clown Heatley or anyone else I've heard is "available".

I'm wondering why Ron Hextall would find it to be in the Kings' best interest to be sending out messages regarding what Ottawa is expecting for Heatly? I don't believe that's legit...

Re burrito choke/which players:

If they're asking for one player and the #5, it's Kopitar.
If they're asking for two players and the #5, I'll go with Brown and Johnson, or Frolov and Brown.

I counter with Preissing and the rights to Calder, and the 5th (rounder! -- in 2010).

Jorn -

I've seen them all, but not live. Still, I agree with you, it's impossible to know which player is the right choice. Is MSP another Tukonen? Is Schenn really Pat Falloon? Is Tavares..."over-hyped" (yes, but to what degree?), Hedman = Aki Berg? We just don't know.

I think DL's private list is

Duchene
Kane
Schenn
MSP
Cowan

I leave Tavares off the list because I think if he were somehow in a position to pick JT, he would trade the pick. I don't think he likes Tavares much, or rather, I think he values him less than market, so he would take him to market, get the pick (player) he wants plus more picks. I think he would (per my previous suggestion) try to turn Tavares into Duchene and Kassian, or some such...

Or maybe I'm the one who thinks Tavares is a giant red flag.

I for one have seen all of the guys on that list a bunch of times, and have specifically watched their play with respect to who to draft. As for others, i know many who post here watched this year's and last's U-18 and U-20 tournaments as well as the memorial cup, so have seen a substantial bunch of these guys play at the highest levels. Aside from that, there are plenty of draft profile vids and youtube clips that show these guys playing so if anyone wanted to see them, they could.

Sure, few here have likely seen as much as the scouts and are likely relying on what they've read in scouting reports and interviews to help form their opinion, but there's nothing wrong with that. Overall, I think most around here are more educated that you'd think as to these draft prospects.

For me, I chose Cowen. I think he's the best of the bunch beyond Hedman and Tavares and would still be the consensus #3 pick if he hadn't been injured.

Actually, many scouts feel Schenn is very similar to Mike Richards.

I was able to watch some of the WJC earlier this year. Most of the guys other than Tavaras that stood out were drafted last year or year before. (van Riemsdyk, Eberle, Subban, etc)

Hedman was ok...didn't stand out to me, but that's based on one game in the tourney and it's much easier for a forward to standout than a d-man.

The only other guy that stood out to me was Ryan Ellis. For being 17, he showed great poise, skill and decision-making and seeing as how he was the only d-man on the pp, I guess the coach had pretty good trust in his defensive skills too. Will be interesting to see if he is picked higher than he's ranked.

(note: both Hickey and Teubert looked good too)

LOL- Great trade counter, Quisp!

Forgot to mention, out of all of this, Pat's post is probably the most accurate.

Are we sure this is the real 'Hextall' you guys are "tweeting" with?

Re: Who's seen these prospects play...for starters, to kind of 'get to know' you can visit the draft central page on nhl.com and review the bio-videos on each top prospect. Its at least a way to get a general idea of what each player brings.

I personally want Schenn. I strongly agree with the idea that physical talent comes second to compete level. i.e. our boy Robitaille. If we can get the 'core' to be as hungry as the boys in Detroit or Pittsburg or even in Washington or Chicago, we can make a big jump in the standings just like the Hawks did last year.

MSP is a 6'1" 201lbs left winger. A kid playing with men at 17 yrs old.
Hey! Zetterberg a left winger who came out of TIMRA as well.
Am I reaching?

Rich, I never ask you to answer questions outside the proper blog question format, but I'm very curious to get your opinion. I earlier stated that I thought drafting Schenn could prove to be problematic if he really wants to play w his brother and if Brian Burke wants him that badly. Maybe he'd play here for two years under the entry level contract, then when the question of signing a proper contract rears it's head... do you feel that could conceivably be an issue and do you feel it could affect DL's drafting philosophy?

I haven't seen MPS play but what concerns me about him is that if he is having difficulty finishing then that begins to remind me of the famous Gene Carr... a high first round pick with blazing speed and skill who couldn't finish.

I would have to say Cowen over Schenn also. Cowen is a big tough skilled SOB and was the 2nd and 3rd pick in some books before he got hurt. Schenn was 7th/ 10th before Burke hyped him up to where he is.

MSP sounds promising, but I think his career is as predictable as a coin flip.

for those curious, here's the link to the Kings twitter
http://twitter.com/LAKingsHockey

you can also get to it from the official Kings website.

SCHROEDER, SCHROEDER, SCHROEDER.....

He's going to be the best player to come out of this draft, very much a Zach Parise

Steve Kelly was also the fastest player by far in his draft year about a dozen years ago...

WTF?

Isn´t everybodys career as predictable as a coin flip?
You can never know...Because the environment is a big factor of a players development, and in some cases, a little bit of luck..to get the right chance at the right time with the rigt teammates and the right linemates and the right coach :-)

MPS is good. Like Zetterberg from Timra. Z developed much later, MPS is much more promising than Z ever was...but as I said, environment is a BIG factor. I dont think Z have developed to what he is today on for example Atlanta?

Rich,

You funny! Can't imagine what you were eating when you wrote about the Breakfast Burrito going down the blow-pipe...

#1: Duchene
#2: Kane
#3: MSP

Oh, and if any of you believe the hooey coming out about what BB wants, you'll be choking on your breakfast burritos when he actually DOES do something totally different. He's trying to set us up, Bros. I don't want anything to do with Schenn, but I would trade up to get Duchene; liked him from the start when it looked like he would go at #5 or lower.

Speed kills.
Size matters.
Skill=soft hands.

Remember, we have everything in raw form EXCEPT that guy who dependably finishes in front of the net.

Trade up or keep the #5 pick, and wait for the kids to tell us this year who's coming to the party and who's staying home to poop in his pants.

Yes, but Detroit lets guys like Zetterberg develop in the minors or Europe for 3 to 5 years. As Kings fans are we willing to do that for MSP?

I have not chimed-in in a long time, and this is as good a place as any to do so...

I was calling for Schenn last year and we got Doughty...no complaints!

I am calling for Schenn this year, if we get Kane or Duchene...no complaints!

Go, Kings, Go!!!

Rich,

Are you having a chat tomorrow during the draft? would be great to get every together talking what the Kings do.

KINGKRAZY,

Actually, as my name implies, you do need at least one enforcer and many tough guys to be successful. Look at the Pens. They had Goddard protecting their star players during the season, and in the playoffs they had quite a few players willing to drop the mitts. How many tough guys do the Kings have on the front line? Maybe one or two...

BAKO... why is it that you don't care for Schenn? I'm just curious. I have a feeling about the guy but it's just based on instinct. They say he has potential leader qualities and that wouldn't hurt a team like the Kings who as you well know had too many important games while still in contention for the p.o.'s when they didn't show up.

@MacSwede

Agreed, but there are some players that will thrive no matter what. Some players, may never live up to their potential, because it is just that. Whether they hit a wall, want the easy life in Europe, in a crap organization or rushed.

If we could guarantee, guys would never play until they were ready or close to it (like big red), my outlook would change, but at I worry at some point people will be screaming for results and some of our kids will be thrown into the fire.

number 6,

I can speak for BAKO and many others who dont like Schenn. He is more of a Stoll/Zus player that we allready have, and sure, it would be nice to have someone coming after they are gone, but we would much rather like that offensive 1st/2nd line center like Duchene or ofcourse Tavares.

I think MPS and Kane has a higher ceiling than Schenn.. You know what you get with Shenn, the other two could be superstars, or just a flop..

@number 6

Everyone compares Schenn to Richards, but what put Richards over the top was when he found his scoring touch. All the other intangibles are for when you look for character guys in later rounds. Unless he could put up solid numbers, I think he should be where he was 7-10 at the highest.

Burke has hyped this kid up and like the media telling people Brittney is hot (eeeccck), lemmings go where they are told.

lots of valid points and potential scenarios...

everyone has done an incredible job in listing all the reasoning behind the reasoning...

RE: tweeting & breakfast burritos...

both can be hazardous to yr health...
and if i a top level executive is tweeting trade proposals on a public message board...well...need we say anymore...

RE: "The Pick"...

well...
for months i've been really high on MSP and see no reason to change my mind...i have absolutely no problems w/any of the top 5/6....most everyone in the top 10 have a legit shot of becoming above average players....i have seen MSP play and i think you have to be crazy not to consider his creativity, speed, skill set and potential...it's not that i don't like schenn or kane or schroeder or duchene, etc...i just think MSP is the real foppa and can make a huge difference for us...

i do like kane a lot, but doubt he will be there...im not a big fan of cowen, but understand why he has his fans...

i said on a previous post that kassian was just the type of pick d.l. likes to do...and if he can be had, i would get him...i think this kid has got a lot of tools that should be getting more attention...

- burke can really sell ice to eskimos: the man is the most outspoken self-serving GM i've ever seen...talks and talks and talks...he even talked to eklund earlier this year...eklund, folks...?!...eklund...??

Apparently i read from a poster on someother website. May not be true, but thought it would be fun to post what he said. "burke has been rejected twice today, once with colorado for the third, i also think smyth and someother players were included, along with the phoenix at number 6 i believe, but he is currently talking to atlanta for their 5th

burke has also got a received a "significant offer" from a team who was hoping to land JBo

Also minnesota is currently the rumoured team to be the front runners for heatley, apparently ottawa really likes what they offered, LA has also apparently offered frolov and the 5th overall for heatley, KLowe said the oilers are still going to keep going after heatley hard

theres some of the stuff ive read today off of the HF Boards and TSN"

As long time King fans know some of the teams biggest mistakes in the past have been trading picks for veterans. That makes me want to pick a player and be patient. But we need a scorer and a left winger. Heatley is both. MPS is the only left winger at the top of the draft in 09. In the 2010 draft there will be a lot more left wingers but will we have a high pick and the patience for his development?

I'd like to see a deal with Ottawa: Swap the 5th for the 9th, and give up Jack Johnson, Justin Williams, a forth round pick in 2009 and if needed a mid round 2010 pick.

We then draft either Cowan/Kulikov/Ekman-Larson/Ellis to replace Johnson and sign Gaborik to replace Williams.

Top 6:
Heatly-Kopitar-Gaborik
Frolov-Stoll-Brown

Number 6-

Point taken. As lots of folks say, right here in River City, future performance is as predictable as a coin flip.

Personally, I'm just turned off by the Brian Burke connection. He manipulates public opinion like the Evil Master he- is... and his point is to value Schenn. I'm one of those taking the BB-contrarian view: BB wants someone BESIDES Schenn, so touts the guy in order to get whom he wants at #7.

Funny thing about instinct. My attraction to Duchene is instinct. Is it truly logical? In part, yes, but in largest part, no. What I hate is the news organizations manipulating my opinion.

Can't remember the draft year, but NHL Home Ice had a clip of the Toronto crowd chanting 'Doan, Doan, Doan' before Toronto's pick. Toronto's brass did not listen; they picked someone else not even on the 2009-2010 radar at this point.

But biases are biases are biases. My bias is to look against the crowd, against conformity. My bias is to 'take the shot!' Bottom line here: DL has to make the decision, it is critically important to the future of this Franchise, and may God give DL the wisdom to pick the right man for the future success of the Los Angeles Kings.

About Schenn--
The farther he slips in the draft, the better he'll do in the NHL, IMHO. There is something about having something MAJOR to prove...

Truth be told, though: If the Kings keep the pick, the #5 pick this year is going to produce a good NHL player someday. There's talent out there, between #5 and #10.

FWIW- it was apparently daryl evans (DE), not hextall who tweeted that. also there's some recent hextall and futa interviews about the draft over here: http://kings.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=729&id=43934

tron are you drunk? Why should we give them so much for a lower pick?

26 more hours, I'm not going to be able to work tomorrow, I think in gonna take a sick day... I feel the flu comming on...

Not to get all Lynchian on y'all but I thought I would share a dream I had last night about who the Kings will pick.

(For the record, I would like the Kings to trade up and get Hedman.)

But last night I had a dream where the name that appeared in the Kings slot on the board was Jordan Schroeder. Someone next to me said, "So HE answered the question correctly."

That's all, good night now.

WESTY,
I also like Westgarth, Ivanans not to mention O'Donnell, Greene. But then there's simmonds, zeiler, and JJ that dropped the gloves a couple times.
I just think we need a big, skilled left winger right now and that MPS "might" best fit that roll. There is heart on this team we just need the talent to hold that heart up.

BAKO, thanks for that feedback. Yes, I really personally don't have a clue. Being totally honest, I had "doubts" about Doughty when I read the interview that was done w him for this site. Boy was I wrong!! I have no problem admitting it either.
Then again I always think of what I read in the Hockey News the year of the 03 draft. A scout called Zach Parise "magical" and said how he loved everything about the guy. Don't know if it was NJ's scout, but someone sure saw it. On the other hand I think there is uncertainty after the first three this year. You may well be right about Schenn.
Then again, Jaromir Jagr flew in "under the radar". Everyone was talking about Owen Nolan, Petr Nedved, Ricci and Keieth Primeau. Well, guess who had the best career. A European. I wouldn't mind repeating that scenario this year! I will say that I absolutely agree w you in one regard... this team lacks pure speed and creativity so in that regards MPS could definitely help.

Sorry my post was a little dispersed and sloppy but probably got my idea across. It was the 1990 draft where Jagr was picked after the other four who were mentioned.
In the case of Parise although he was chosen late middle of the 1st round someone sure saw his capabilities from the git go.

I take it you all have seen this

With all the people talking about Zach Kassian, and who is going to drop the gloves for the Kings, it strikes me to wonder how much is it really a concern any more if the Kings have anyone proficient in the fisticuffs. Looking at this year's playoff, and this year's season in general, it really does appear that fighting in the NHL is going the way of the dodo. While the NHL will never likely ban fighting, the emphasis on skill is so great that it seems those teams that succeed do not waste space on their roster on a player whose primary benefit is their ability to punch a guy in the face. While Dean Lombardi and Terry Murray may still value such a player, it simply does not seem wise to be pursuing such things. I believe that if your team is a cohesive unit that sticks up for one another, that is all that is needed to limit the physicality against one's top players. Pittsburgh drops George Laraque, and they win the Stanley Cup. Detriot hasn't had an enforcer since Sandy McCarthy, and they have been to the Finals how many times? While Kassian may bring much more than just fighting prowess, I just do not see the Kings benefiting from having such a player on the team.

It's no secret everyone is wondering if Burke will get Schenn. And as, right now, all we have is speculation... Anyone be willing to trade our fifth, teubert, and boyle for the 7th and kaberle from toronto? Kaberle has done well on a team that has been on par with the kings the past few years and could be a better mentor for doughty this year as I think drew has learned all he can from S O'D. At 4.25, he is reasonably priced, not to mention a 4-time all-star. Also he's a left shot and Doughty is a right. We'd have a D that looked like...
Doughty- Kaberle
Johnson- Quincey
O'D- Greene
Drewiske

A total of approx. 15.5 million. I think I would be okay with that. And we could still get MPS at 7 (I would guess PNX to take Cowen at 6), which would help towards solving our problem at left wing.

Quisp, If the Kings are not planning on Frolov longer term then trade him. But
I would like to see Heatley and Frolov both on the left side. If we give the 5th,
lets get their 39th back. Going to be some gems in the 2nd round this year.
To bad we lost that pick to Carolina, maybe we can do better thn that.