The 2008 NHL Entry Draft has ended, and to no-one's surprise, Steven Stamkos of the Sarnia Sting was drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightnings. It seems that the effort by the Lightning on their terrible season was well rewarded by the one of the best forward prospect since Crosby and Ovechkin. Whether or not the much-hyped Stamkos can help Tampa Bay turn back into a cup-contender remains a mystery, but one thing is certain, the new owners of the Lightnings have found their focus of public relations for years to come.
This year's draft is consider the deepest draft for defensemen. Four out of the top five picks were defensemen, and perhaps the most notible move was Toronto Maple Leafs trading up to capture Luke Schenn of the WHL Kelowna Rockets. Another interesting move was by New York Islanders picking up Central-ranked 12th overall Joshua Bailey from the Windsor Spitfires with their 9th overall pick. Whether or not skipping over Cody Hodgson to pick Bailey is a smart move remains to be seen, but this has definitely opened up the option for the Canucks to choose between skillful leader Hodgson versus unpredictable powerforward Kyle Beach.
The Canucks at the end chose the best player the can get according to central scouting, which coincidentally fit with Canucks' need to rebuild the team. With Trevor Linden retiring and Captain Markus Naslund contemplating open market, young Hodgson maybe the piece the Canucks need to move on in years to come. Characterized by some as " a slower Steven Stamkos", Hodgson who also played minor hockey with Stamkos maybe the real deal. He offers strong leadership on and off the ice, and whether he is slow on the strides, you can see for yourself...
This year's draft is consider the deepest draft for defensemen. Four out of the top five picks were defensemen, and perhaps the most notible move was Toronto Maple Leafs trading up to capture Luke Schenn of the WHL Kelowna Rockets. Another interesting move was by New York Islanders picking up Central-ranked 12th overall Joshua Bailey from the Windsor Spitfires with their 9th overall pick. Whether or not skipping over Cody Hodgson to pick Bailey is a smart move remains to be seen, but this has definitely opened up the option for the Canucks to choose between skillful leader Hodgson versus unpredictable powerforward Kyle Beach.
The Canucks at the end chose the best player the can get according to central scouting, which coincidentally fit with Canucks' need to rebuild the team. With Trevor Linden retiring and Captain Markus Naslund contemplating open market, young Hodgson maybe the piece the Canucks need to move on in years to come. Characterized by some as " a slower Steven Stamkos", Hodgson who also played minor hockey with Stamkos maybe the real deal. He offers strong leadership on and off the ice, and whether he is slow on the strides, you can see for yourself...
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