Columnists
National Hockey League draft – 2012
For many young hockey players, the annual NHL Draft is just another stepping stone on the way to a career in the game. For others, it has proven to be the highlight of their careers.
Personally, I seem to have better things to do than sit in front of the television set and watch players hug their parents, walk to the podium, pull on a hockey jersey, and get photographed with Gary Bettman. The results are always interesting, but can be picked up in a fraction of the time spent in the cattle call, which was held in Pittsburgh this year.
For the sixth straight year, a player from the Canadian Hockey League was drafted first overall. The Edmonton Oilers drafted Nail Yakupov from the Sarnia Sting with their first pick. This is the third straight year that the Oilers have had the first pick, an honour obtained by being frightfully bad in the previous season. Last year, the Oilers chose Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and the year before Taylor Hall was their choice.
In 2009, John Tavares was the first selection by the New York Islanders. Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar was their first choice the year before. In 2007, the Chicago Black Hawks took Patrick Kane from the London Knights.
All of the picks have been impact players for their teams. Most first round picks have a reasonably good chance of making the NHL team in the first year; however, now and again teams like to “send players down” to their minor league affiliates for some experience before their baptism into the big time.
Four Belleville Bulls were chosen in this year’s draft. Malcolm Subban was the first Bull drafted in the 24th position by the Boston Bruins. There has been some chatter out of Beantown that their Number One goaltender, Tim Thomas, may be requesting a leave of absence this year. That would certainly enhance Subban’s chances in the organization. I would expect that the team will have Malcolm play at least another year in Belleville.
Just two places later, the Vancouver Canucks took Brendan Gaunce, another Bull. Gaunce is a centre with size. He improved his game this past season, scoring 28 goals. He tallied 11 in his rookie season.
Danny Zharkov came to the Bulls midway through the season two years ago from Russia. He was also an Oilers pick, joining fellow countryman Yakupov in Edmonton.
Brady Austin was the last Bull chosen in the draft, by the Buffalo Sabres. He had career high totals this past season, tallying six goals and 20 assists. He celebrated his nineteenth birthday prior to the draft. Interestingly, he was ignored in last year’s draft, even though he was eligible. Definitely a late bloomer.
As is always the case, there were a few trades made during the weekend. The Toronto Maple leafs traded Luke Schenn to the Philadelphia Flyers for James Van Riemsdyk, a forward. Schenn joins his brother Brayden in the city of “Brotherly Love.” How appropriate.
One of the Staal boys, Jordan, was moved to join his brother Eric in Carolina. Several players chosen were the sons, brothers , nephews, cousins, and grandsons of other past and present NHL players. One big happy family!
No family has yet to top the Sutters from Viking, Alberta. Six of them played in the NHL at one time. And yes, one of them, Darryl, had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s mug this year as coach of the Los Angeles Kings.
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