NHL Entry Draft - The Defence Rests

The CHL has produced some of the finest defencemen in the history of the National Hockey League, and in particular the OHL, with the likes of Bobby Orr, Brad Park, Paul Coffey, Chris Pronger, Scott Stevens, Al McInnis, Larry Robinson and Denis Potvin all being graduates of Ontario's vaunted junior league.

While there's no guarantee that this year's group will produce any defencemen that rival the above Hall of Fame lineup, the sheer quality and depth has perhaps never been matched in one single draft.

I don't think there's been a stronger

group," noted one team's senior scout. "These guys are all can't miss; not just the first group of four, but the next tier as well. It's deep and it's good. No....actually it's a great

group."

The OHL boasts the top four prospects in the draft, including the top three rated defencemen in Zach Bogosian, Alex Pietrangelo and Drew Doughty.

All three bring offence to the table, and none are slouches in their own zones either, particularly Pietrangelo and Bogosian, who bring the combination of size, mobility and strength scouts love to see in defenders.

"I'm not sure that a single junior league has ever produced three defencemen of that quality in one draft," noted one western conference scout. "I wouldn't be surprised to see all three playing in the NHL next season,

along with (Luke) Schenn."

After Steven Stamkos is selected first overall by Tampa Bay as is expected, it's anybody's guess what the order will be, but scouts figure the top four defencemen will be off the draft board by the time the sixth pick

rolls around.

As for who Los Angeles is favouring, or which blueliner will end up in Atlanta, no one seems to be showing their cards.

"It's so quiet," said one scout the day after the NHL scouting combine had wrapped up. "People are so guarded. No one wants to talk. Usually you hear rumours of who likes

who, but this year lips are tight."

As is the annual custom, all 30 NHL teams' scouting staffs met in Toronto this weekend to poke, prod, and grill the top prospects in one final attempt to discern who should be

ranked where for the upcoming draft.

"The interviews went pretty well," said one scout.

"Guys I had question marks about like Joe Colborne said the right things, that they were committed to being hockey players, and prospects who needed to lose some weight like

Doughty and Michael Del Zotto showed up in pretty good shape. Doughty lost his belly, which was nice to see."

The star of the interviews according

to one scout was Cody Hodgson.

"He's just an energy kid, a pure leader," noted the scout, who moved Hodgson up in his rankings after the combine.

His team's scouting staff asked every player from Canada's Gold Medal winning U18 team which three teammates they would choose to play on their team.

"Every one of them said Hodgson's name first," said the scout. "I've never seen that before - he's just a really solid kid that is serious about winning. He's just a natural leader - the type of player you want on your

team."

Colin Wilson was the strongman of the combine, raising 150 pounds 21 times.

"Wilson told me he'd lift the bar until they told him to stop," said one scout. "He's already got pro strength, and he's a really nice kid. Whoever gets him will be getting a solid prospect."

Anyone with a top 30 pick in this draft will be getting a solid prospect.

To order McKeen's 2008 Draft Guide please click on the link.