2012 NHL Draft Thread, Isles pick 4th overall

Top 10 picks of 2012 NHL Draft:

1. Edmonton*
2. Columbus
3. Montreal
4. Islanders
5. Toronto
6. Anaheim
7. Minnesota
8. Carolina
9. Winnipeg
10. Tampa Bay


*Won Draft Lottery

I say we get hot in the last 2 weeks and finish in the 9th spot for drafting....further keeping us in this awful cycle of mediocre

It'd be great if we can move up(down) to a 14.2% chance. But James is right, we'll do something to worsen our position not improve it.

Even if we lost every game in regulation, I don't think Edmonton could put up 7 points and catch us.

Forgive my ignorance, but is this a deep draft coming up?

With Garff steering the ship, really doesn't matter how deep the draft is. (Cue Depot for photoshop meme).

With Garff steering the ship, really doesn't matter how deep the draft is. (Cue Depot for photoshop meme).

If we are picking 1, 2 or 3 it should be common knowledge who it should be and we should pick safe. It's only if we draft lower and also the subsequent rounds do we worry who's making the pick.

We do it every single year

When other teams are giving "kids" a shot (and really tanking), we're playing out the stretch winning those oh so important "character building" games. We've all seen how much good that has done us the past few years

Thanks to yellow snow,
Islanders fans tend to have better math scores than most other teams fans.

THEY'RE FINALLY IN THE TOP 5


DAMN REVERSE ORDER

IMO, there are four elite talents in this draft. Therefore, I'd love to finish 3rd to guarantee a top 4 pick. Those are Yakupov, Grigorenko, Dumba, and Galchenyuk.

What about Ryan Murphy? Also, haven't seen much of Galchenyuk - has been hurt, but is he considered a elite still?

There are promising talent even if we get to pick a bit further down too. My personal favourite is Sebastian Collberg from Frölunda Indians, my favourite Swedish team. He even outleveled Johan Sundström at the World Juniors earlier this winter.
I think he's projected to go somewhere around #8-15 so maybe we won't be in the mix for him...

8 - 15 with a lottery pick, no problem.

What about Ryan Murphy? Also, haven't seen much of Galchenyuk - has been hurt, but is he considered a elite still?

Ryan Murray (not to be confused with Ryan Murphy from last season), is projected to go in the top 5 in this year's draft. At 6'0, 198 lbs, maybe you're looking at a 6'1 or 6'2 defenseman weighing in at anywhere in the 215-220 lb range. While his skating is exceptional, by all accounts he doesn't have exceptional offensive skill. Depending on where you look some say he possesses a heavy shot from the point. When it comes to Canadian defensemen, maybe unfairly I tend to look at the World Jrs a little too closely. And the argument can be made that he was the only draft-eligible blueliner that Canada had so maybe that had something to do with it. But he struggled in that tournament and took a lot of criticism. Is he a player I'd want the Islanders to draft? Yeah absolutely, just not in the top 4. I feel the fast rising Matt Dumba would be a better pick. He plays in the WHL with Murray, but has better offensive production, also a great skater, and has "Dion Phaneuf like" open-ice hitting ability. I think Dumba offers a little more, but thats JMO.

As far as Galchenyuk, he had a big season as a 16 year old last year. Many believed he would improve upon that this year, but suffered the knee injury. Some are arguing that it may actually HELP his draft status this summer because he hasn't been able to be nitpicked by scouts. But he's still widely regarded as having elite talent. He actually made his season debut last night. Here is what a scout in attendance had to say:

In reading the Edmonton Journal today, their beat writer says there is NO chance the Oilers would draft Galchenyuk in the top 3. They feel Grigorenko or Yakupov are far and away the top 2 guys. They also like the above discussed Ryan Murray. Also, Edmonton much like us hasn't taken a blue chip defense prospect at the top of the draft. I'm assuming we'll be picking 4th or 5th. As we've seen in previous years, you can get very good players in the 6-8 range as well.

Here is some wishful thinking, if the isles don't get lucky and crack the top 2--my dream scenario would be to trade the pick, other lower picks and a prospect to Columbus for Nash , they could get the complete rebuild started in 1 draft and the isles get the proven scorer needed----/ just dreaming out loud

Wouldn't be opposed to that at all, but you are definitely dreaming. Nash has a list of teams he will go to. Islanders aren't on that list.

Wouldn't be opposed to that at all, but you are definitely dreaming. Nash has a list of teams he will go to. Islanders aren't on that list.

He just needs some wooing from Garth.

Wouldn't be opposed to that at all, but you are definitely dreaming. Nash has a list of teams he will go to. Islanders aren't on that list.

He just needs some wooing from Garth.

Show him a picture of Garth's parties. He'll put the Islanders on his list.

Basically if we even go 5-5 in our last 10 we can kiss picking 3rd goodbye. We do have a fairly difficult finish to the season though. I can't see us picking up more than 3-4 wins the rest of the way, if that.

What about Ryan Murphy? Also, haven't seen much of Galchenyuk - has been hurt, but is he considered a elite still?

Ryan Murray (not to be confused with Ryan Murphy from last season), is projected to go in the top 5 in this year's draft. At 6'0, 198 lbs, maybe you're looking at a 6'1 or 6'2 defenseman weighing in at anywhere in the 215-220 lb range. While his skating is exceptional, by all accounts he doesn't have exceptional offensive skill. Depending on where you look some say he possesses a heavy shot from the point. When it comes to Canadian defensemen, maybe unfairly I tend to look at the World Jrs a little too closely. And the argument can be made that he was the only draft-eligible blueliner that Canada had so maybe that had something to do with it. But he struggled in that tournament and took a lot of criticism. Is he a player I'd want the Islanders to draft? Yeah absolutely, just not in the top 4. I feel the fast rising Matt Dumba would be a better pick. He plays in the WHL with Murray, but has better offensive production, also a great skater, and has "Dion Phaneuf like" open-ice hitting ability. I think Dumba offers a little more, but thats JMO.

As far as Galchenyuk, he had a big season as a 16 year old last year. Many believed he would improve upon that this year, but suffered the knee injury. Some are arguing that it may actually HELP his draft status this summer because he hasn't been able to be nitpicked by scouts. But he's still widely regarded as having elite talent. He actually made his season debut last night. Here is what a scout in attendance had to say:

In reading the Edmonton Journal today, their beat writer says there is NO chance the Oilers would draft Galchenyuk in the top 3. They feel Grigorenko or Yakupov are far and away the top 2 guys. They also like the above discussed Ryan Murray. Also, Edmonton much like us hasn't taken a blue chip defense prospect at the top of the draft. I'm assuming we'll be picking 4th or 5th. As we've seen in previous years, you can get very good players in the 6-8 range as well.

I agree, Dumba would be one I would target because of his physicality. However,one thing to watch out for is he is small @ 5'11 and I believe 180 pounds. Is that physicality going to continue in today's NHL? How will he fare against 6'3 225 pounders?