McKeens August-September Draft Update

2005 NHL Draft: Analysing the Top 10

Hockey fans can expect a rebound draft in 2005, after a relatively mediocre collection of talent was selected this past June. Already Rimouski Oceanic centerman Sidney Crosby is expected to lead the pack, perhaps as strong a guarantee as ever for first overall before the start of the preceding hockey season.

The operative word of next year's NHL draft is depth. The McKeen's preliminary top 75 draft list is one overflowing with great talent from top to bottom, an indicator of the draft's potential, but also a precursor to inevitable further alterations.

Not surprisingly, most of the early candidates for the first round are North Americans, but this is largely due to the context of many of our viewings - consider that Canada dominated the U-17 Hockey Challenge last winter and was victorious at the recent U-18 Cup. The usual wisdom is that a greater grasp on the extent of European talent will be developed over the course of this season.

An important factor in the upcoming draft class is the resurgence of the QMJHL as an elite root of premier talent, beyond the goaltending position. So far, five Quebec league players have made the McKeen's top 20, with Sidney Crosby and Drummondville's powerful winger Guillaume Latendresse occupying spots in the top three - first and third respectively.

Latendresse and Crosby offer a 'complete package'-type flavour to the draft, something that we have not seen as much in the QMJHL since Vincent Lecavalier. Both players offer impressive physical pedigrees - Latendresse more in stature - in the style of the modern robust, hard-driving North American forward.

Crosby's rather Forsberg-esque determination and drive has nearly made his otherwise average stature an afterthought.

"It's important for me to use my speed to go to the net and create," said Crosby about his style. "I am willing to sacrifice my body to help my team win."

Latendresse's all-around range screams power forward upside - his combination of elegance, creativity and no-nonsense demeanor extends to elite standards.

However, Crosby's only real competition for the top slot appears to be WHL's Vancouver Giant wunderkind Gilbert Brule. Although similar to Crosby in stature, the British Columbia native is bullish, powerful, and a mature all-around presence with excellent work habits.

"I just work as hard as I can every game and I don't quit until the game's over," said Brule of his approach to the game.

The leading European vying for a top-five position at the draft at the moment appears to be Czech rearguard Jakub Kindl. Well-built and crafty, Kindl opted to come to North America this season and will contribute with OHL's always youth-oriented Kitchener Rangers.

Here is how McKeen's stacks up the top 10 at this juncture:

1. Sidney Crosby - C - Rimouski Oceanic

Scout's take: "His physical gifts are unsurpassed in this draft. His dogged determination on the puck and keen, yet seemingly effortless, ability to explode with an unmistakable instinct for attacking has cemented him as every team's dream selection. A franchise-quality junior reminiscent of the days of Lemieux and Hawerchuk."

2. Gilbert Brule - C - Vancouver Giants

Scout's take: "There is a rare quality in him, where he can dominate even when he does not enter the scoreboard. Once he gets possession of the puck, you always get a sense that he is in control of the flow of the game and, as if Murphy's Law to the chagrin of the opponent, the puck always follows him."

3. Guillaume Latendresse - LW - Drummondville Voltigeurs

Scout's take: "He can dominate with his frame, his speed and his hands, so he has all the tools to be a great pro. Where he trails Crosby and Brule is that he has not been able to show that extra gear that would put him at that level."

4. Jakub Kindl - D - Kitchener Rangers

Scout's take: "If he grows well into his frame over the season, he could dominate at either end. There is considerable playmaking range here, along with excellent shooting skills and great wingspan to develop into a shut down rearguard. We're curious if there will be any culture shock."

5. Jack Johnson - D – USNTDP

Scout's take: "Smooth and astute. He and Ryan Suter may represent the future of America's defense at future international competitions. What makes him stand apart from other skilled rearguards is his sixth sense with the puck - he is not afraid to take risks and go long with it. He is grittier, but smaller than Kindl."

6. Daniel Bertram - C - Boston College

Scout's take: "An outstanding competitor and perhaps the fastest skater among North Americans in his age group. He is a crafty playmaker, but is bullish and aggressive enough to stick his nose into traffic areas and attack the net with abandon. A second-nature talent."

7. J.P. Levasseur - G - Rouyn Noranda Huskies

Scout's take: "The premier elite netminder of the draft, in front of both Tuukka Rask and Carey Price. The first thing you see are his superb reflexes and a kind of serpentine flexibility, however it is the poise and mental toughness that have earned him comparisons to Martin Brodeur."

8. Andrew Cogliano - C - St. Michael's Buzzers

Scout's take: "Impossible to ignore. Has demonstrated dominance in every tournament we have seen him in thus far, despite some concerns about his size. His keen eye and offensive savvy make up for whatever he lacks in stature. A terrific scorer with slippery, elusive moves."

9. Chris Durand - C - Seattle Thunderbirds

Scout's take: "Explosive, underrated playmaker showed flashes of utter dominance last season and poise beyond his years. A very versatile player, he can play the point, drive the net and kill penalties. Astounds with outstanding composure and excellent vision, but is not a physical presence."

10. Bobby Ryan - RW - Owen Sound Attack

Scout's take: "The only concern appears to be his quickness. He needs to get the grand piano off his back, but otherwise he's got it all. This is a big guy with great hands, exceptional puck skills and a mean streak. At his best, he overpowers guys along the boards and in traffic, but he, at times, is too casual."

Note: Be sure to check out the McKeen's country-by-country scouting reports from the U-18 Junior Cup that took place this August in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Our scout Robert Neuhauser was all eyes and provides comprehensive analysis on all eight countries involved.