1. NYI – John Tavares
2. TB – Victor Hedman
3. COL – Matt Duchene
4. ATL – Jared Cowan
5. LA – Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
6. PHX – Brayden Schenn
7. TOR – Evander Kane
8. DAL – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
9. OTT – Nazem Kadri
10. EDM – Jacob Josefson
11. NSH – Jordan Schroeder
12. MIN – Simon Despres
13. BUF – Scott Glennie
14. FLA – John Moore
15. ANA – David Rundblad
16. CLB – Zack Kassian
17. STL – Carl Klingberg
18. MTL – Ryan Ellis
19. NYR – Carter Ashton
20. PHX(From CGY Conditionally) – Olivier Roy
21. PHI – Peter Holland
22. VAN – Dmitry Kulikov
23. NJ – Louis Leblanc
24. WSH – Nick Leddy
25. BOS – Kyle Palmieri
26. NYI(From SJ) – Calvin De Haan
27. CAR – Chris Kreider
28. CHI – Marcus Johansson
29. DET – Stefan Elliott
30. PIT – Tim Erixon

A few notes of interest, the number 20 pick is conditional. Phoenix can either choose to use Calgary’s first round pick this year, or next year, and will wait until the pick comes up to decide. I have a strong feeling that they will choose to use it this year, based on Calgary’s poor playoff performance (they now have a somewhat lower pick) so they may think that this is the best pick they can get. Also, they are desparate for a goaltending prospect, so I think the time would be right to select Olivier Roy. He’s not neccesarily first round talent, but he’s my #1 ranked goalie, and I think they would be willing to take a stab at him, especially since they also have the #6 pick.

Now, without further ado, here are picks #6-#10 in the Everything Hockey Mock Draft 09:

#6 overall – Phoenix Coyotes select: Centre – Brayden Schenn – Brandon Wheat Kings

Schenn will be added to the quickly growing crop of young stars in Phoenix. With ownership stability up in the air, and a couple rebuilding years looming, Phoenix will be looking to add the best player available. Schenn is as much of a sure bet as they come. I’m not sure if he’ll make as quick of an impact as his brother Luke did, but we’ll see. With many scouts comparing him to the Flyers’ Mike Richards, you can expect him to turn out to be a gritty, 2-way, hard working forward. Phoenix would probably like to add a legit goaltending prospect, especially with rumours of Ilya Bryzgalov being traded, but like I said before, this year’s crop is way to weak to justify a top ten pick.

#7 overall – Toronto Maple Leafs select: Centre – Evander Kane – Vancouver Giants

The Leafs would be thrilled to see Kane drop to #7 and would gladly “settle for him.” Even if the reports of an attitude problem are true, GM Brian Burke would be sure to set him straight. The Leafs are not an organization that takes a lot of crap from people (except on the ice, of course). If the Leafs do end up setting him straight, they will have made a great selection at pick #7. This is assuming, of course, that Burke fails in his attempt to move up. If he reaches his potential, he could easily carry an entire team’s offense. Brian Burke has also stated that he does not look at position when drafting, it’s all about who the best player available is.

#8 overall – Dallas Stars select: Defenceman – Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Leksands IF

Dallas needs help in a lot of places. Their list of bona fide prospects isn’t all that big, most of them are on the team already. They’ll be happy to take anyone, really. I think Ekman-Larsson just fits in nicely with the Stars’ system. A big stud on defence may help turn the tide for them. The season was very up and down for the Stars, and some solid defence may add some stability to their lineup.

#9 overall – Ottawa Senators select: Centre – Nazem Kadri – London Knights

The Ottawa Senators have a ton of firepower. Heatley, Spezza, Alfredsson and the gang sure know how to put the puck in the back of the net, but generating scoring chances was a problem for them this season. A big playmaking Centre like Kadri would be a welcome addition to their offence, and if he’s still around at #9, they’ll definitely take him. When I say “big playmaking centre” I don’t mean it in a physical sense, at 5’11 – 175 he certainly won’t be intimidating many players. I say it in a game-breaking sense. Kadri’s speed and grit can generate a ton of offense for a team.

#10 overall – Edmonton Oilers select: Centre – Jacob Josefson – Djurgardens IF

Jacob Josefson didn’t impress very many scouts at the World Juniors, but in his defense, he was very sick. He was held pointless, and was a minus 1 in the tournament. He speed is something to behold, and he put up very solid numbers in the Swedish league, especially since he was playing on the fourth line, and against grown men. He’s a bit of a project pick, but he certainly has a bright future. he is sometimes described as a “typical Swedish forward,”  and you can expect him to develop in Sweden for a few more years before heading over to North America.

That concludes the top ten picks in the Everything Hockey mock draft. Here is #1-5 in detail, and here it all is in list form:

1. NYI – John Tavares
2. TB – Victor Hedman
3. COL – Matt Duchene
4. ATL – Jared Cowan
5. LA – Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
6. PHX – Brayden Schenn
7. TOR – Evander Kane
8. DAL – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
9. OTT – Nazem Kadri
10. EDM – Jacob Josefson

I hope you have enjoyed my preview so far. Once the Stanley Cup final has concluded I will put up the rest of the results. Let me know what you think, if you agree or disagree with one of my picks. Drop a comment and see you next time!

“I’ve watched more hockey in the last two months than my whole life, combined,” said Rodriguez. “I never knew anything about hockey before, but I think I have a new appreciation for Canadians and the passion they have for hockey. It’s been awesome. I can’t get enough of it.”

Well, I can’t say that it makes me a fan of his, especially since the heat is still on because of his admission of taking steroids, but it is a small victory in the fight to earn my respect. Maybe he can get some of the other Yankees interested as well. Could we see him in the stands of the Madison Square Garden next season, taking in a Rangers game? Who knows. Rodriguez went on to say:

“I like that Alex guy, No. 8 (Ovechkin) and I love (Sidney) Crosby and I like the Rangers. So many of the (Canadian) baseball players were former hockey players. I like talking to them about it now.”

He’ll learn the names eventually, I guess. That got me thinking, though. What if A-Rod tries to become the next multi-sport athlete? He’ll likely stay in New York, so…

I have evaluated each team, and have a pretty good idea of who they plan on going after in this draft. Some teams need desperate help in a certain area, others will just draft who they think is the best available player at the time. Of course, all of this is barring any kind of trade where a team moves up, which is very possible. I can only go up to the first 14 picks, because the playoffs decide where all of the other teams pick. Here are the first 5 picks in this years’ draft, including a detailed explanation:

#1 overall – New York Islanders select: Centre - John Tavares - London Knights

Lets face it, there is no way the Islanders will pass on this guy. Unless someone approaches the Islanders with a hugely one-sided deal, I think this pick is a lock. Even if someone does offer up a huge trade for the first overall pick, GM Garth Snow will have to think long and hard about it. Tavares is the game-breaker that the Islanders desperately need. I really don’t think they will pass that up.

#2 overall – Tampa Bay Lightning select: Defenceman – Victor Hedman – Modo Hockey

If Tavares goes first like we all expect him to go, the Lightning will snatch up Victor Hedman. Hedman is no small consolation prize either, every team wishes they could get their hands on the 6’6 220 pounder. The Lightning have always struggled with defence, and Hedman should fit in nicely. Mike Smith will love having this guy play in front of him. Hedman’s not known for his offense, but he should contribute.

#3 overall – Colorado Avalanche select: Centre – Matt Duchene – Brampton Battalion

Colorado would love to add a top prospect goalie into their mix of prospects, but with the #3 pick, Duchene is too good to pass up. A little on the small side, but his speed and skill should provide Colorado with strength down the middle for years to come. He’s a very low risk pick, one scout even was quoted saying that the worst possible outcome of drafting Duchene would be that he would become a steady #2 centre. The Avalanche will snatch him up with the #3 pick if they get the chance.

#4 overall – Atlanta Thrashers select: Defenceman – Jared Cowen – Spokane Chiefs

The Thrashers are in need of a big-time game changing defenceman, and while they’d love to get Hedman, they’ll have to settle with the #2 rated defenceman in this year’s draft, Jared Cowan. He’s smaller than Hedman, at 6’5 218 pounds, but size is all you can compare the two with. Where Hedman is a strong two-way defenceman, Cowen is very much a defensive-minded defenceman. He is very steady in his own end, and could have been in the running for the top pick this year if he didn’t end up getting injured. He may take a few years in the minors to refine his game, but taking Cowen with the #4 selection isn’t a bad deal at all.

#5 overall – Los Angeles Kings select: Left Winger – Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson – Timra IK

The Kings have drafted a number of defenceman in the past two drafts, Thomas Hickey 4th overall in 2007, Drew Doughty 3rd overall in 2008, Colten Teubert 13th overall in 2008, and Vyacheslav Voinov 32nd overall in 2008 just to name a few. With Jonathan Bernier well on his way to becoming their #1, they have their back-end set up nicely. That’s why I think the Kings will go out and take the skilled playmaking forward Paajarvi-Svensson (or Svensson-Paajarvi, whatever floats your boat) with the 5th pick if he’s available when they make their selection. Alexander Frolov, Anze Kopitar, and Jarret Stoll are already established scorers at the NHL level, and the playmaking of Paajarvi-Svensson should compliment them nicely. I really think he’s a perfect fit for the Kings’ system, and they should enjoy what he has to bring to the table.

That’s all for now, I will slowly be releasing the rest of the draft as the playoffs finish up, and we work our way towards the big day. I hope you enjoyed, and I would love to hear who you think teams will draft and why.

Things certainly change quickly in the West. Does it have to do with the East playing the West more often, because of the re-worked schedule? The West seems to be taking points away from Eastern conference teams, making things very tight.

I’m interested in seeing how this plays into the upcoming trade deadline. Teams may think they are close and are still in it, but the reality is, 8 teams from the east make it, and 8 teams from the west make it. I have a hunch that Western teams may choose to bulk up on the deadline, and legitimate tanking teams like the New York Islanders and the Leafs will clean up. More buyers means a higher price for players like Doug Weight, Bill Guerin, and Nik Antropov. Brian Burke must be licking his lips in anticipation.

Who are the legitimate contenders in the West, and who do I see falling out of contention shortly after the deadline? If Steve Mason can return from his bout with Mononucleosis (and from what I’ve heard, it can zap the energy from even the healthiest of people) Columbus certainly stick around until the end. I think Anaheim is in there for good. They have battled through injuries the entire year, and have really come together as a team these past few weeks. Jonas Hiller is looking like one of the best signings Brian Burke has ever made. LA, believe it or not, is picking up steam. With shooters like Oscar Moller, and Anze Kopitar, young stud Drew Doughty on defence and an acrobatic Jonathan Quick backstopping them, I can see them turning a few heads. I don’t believe that Nashville has the horses to pull off a comeback, and Colorado simply doesn’t have the goaltending.

With that all said, only 2 teams that were out of the playoffs at the All-Star break last year were in the playoffs at the end of the year. Washington and their miraculous stretch of games at the end was one of them, so it will take an effort similar to that to make it in.

It will be an interesting few weeks indeed, and I’m really looking forward to it. I apologize for the lack of podcasts lately, but school has been very hectic, especially on Thursdays when we are supposed to do the podcast. I promise that Andy and I will drag ourselves to the studio sooner or later, and we’ll get one done before the trade deadline. We will have a trade deadline recap show for sure.

I love reading the previews like The Hockey News Yearbook and The Score Forecaster, not to take any of the predictions to heart or for the fantastic articles, but just so I can look back and see how wrong they were! Sure they may get a few things right, but it’s the unexpected twists that we as hockey fans live for. Definitely pick up one of the magazines I mentioned above if you want a quick refresher on what to expect for the upcoming year, or if you just want a head-start for your fantasy pool.

If you’re like me and you need something to hold you over until the season starts, I suggest you pick up a copy of NHL 09. It was rated 9.0/10 by IGN, making it not only one of the best hockey games ever made, but also one of the best sports games ever made. Take that, Madden! It’s extremely addicting, with great new features building on NHL 08′s success. I really enjoy the new custom soundtrack feature that’s on the Xbox 360 version. It lets you choose songs for goals, breaks in play, penalties, the whole bit. It makes the game much more realistic hearing “Vertigo” blasted after the Habs score a goal.

So there you go ladies and gentlemen. The pre-season is just around the corner believe it or not. I can’t wait for this season to get started! How about you?

(PS: Mats Sundin, hurry the f**k up already!)

(PSS: Podcast is still being worked on! I’m swamped with work for college. Please be patient!)

While Steven Stamkos’ name is being mentioned frequently when speaking of the Calder Trophy, it would be a mistake not to consider the likes of Patrik Berglund, Kyle Okposo, Shawn Matthias, Bobby Ryan, Fabian Brunnstrom and Kyle Turris, among others.

Turris, drafted third overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Phoenix, is coming off a remarkable season with the Wisconsin Badgers from the WHCA (Western Collegiate Hockey Association). In 38 games, he garnered 11 goals and 35 points which were high enough to lead his team in scoring. He also played in the 2007 Super Series, an eight-game challenge series between Russia and Canada’s national under-20 teams. He went on to lead the series in goal scoring with 7 as Canada won the series 7-0-1. He finished the series in his hometown of Vancouver where he scored 2 goals and was named MVP. Turris also led Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, placing as the team’s top point producer after successfully capturing the gold medal.

Turris is said to be a dynamic player with offensive skills matched by few in his age category. He’s fast on his feet, has a very accurate shot and can handle the puck very well. A balanced offensive player, Turris has the ability to either take the shot himself or set-up a teammate. All this combined with his defensive awareness and ability to find holes are surfacing comparisons of a young Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic.

While he’s not an overly physical player, his endurance and hockey sense allow him to avoid being rattled by the opposition. His 6-1, 170 pound frame will help him adjust to the NHL game in a smoother transition too.

At age 19, there are concerns he may start slow with the Coyotes, but Turris will be moved as the teams #2 center — moving teammate and possible linemate Peter Mueller to the wing — so playing behind Olli Jokinen should help his confidence.

Turris is no stranger to success either, accumulating many awards and honors throughout his short hockey career:

• 2006 BCHL Coastal Division Rookie of the Year
• 2006 World Junior A Challenge Most Valuable Player Award
• 2006 World Junior A Challenge All-Star Team
• 2006 World Junior A Challenge Scoring Champion
• 2007 RBC Financial Group Canadian Junior A Player of the Year
• 2007 BCHL Player of the Year
• 2007 WCHA Preseason Freshman of the Year
• 2008 All-WCHA Third Team All-star
• 2008 WCHA All-Rookie Team

All in consideration, it will be an interesting competition for the Calder Trophy. While there are candidates who might break-out and surprise, this year’s crop is expected to be led by Stamkos and Turris.

I choose Turris.

Predicted stats for Kyle Turris:

GP 80

G 24

PTS 66