2004 Draft

If the 2004 Draft were held today, the Thrashers would be drafting in the 9th position. Are the Thrashers looking at the playoffs or draft position?

I would say the Thrashers definatly looking to make the playoffs (they won't be tanking to get a higher pick if thats what you're shooting at) but at the same time 2004 isn't going to be the Thrashers year (unless they gte extremely lucky) so they would be also be looking at the draft. I doubt we'll see them move their first round pick for a player to help them do better in the playoffs, their focus should still be on the future (though that future is getting very close).

I would guess their priorities (in order) are 1) a top, pucking moving D-man 2) a big, powerfoward type center who could possibly play with Kovalchuk and Heatly and 3) Scoring wingers, I would think to play Slater in the future.

As of right now (Jan 29th) the Thrashers would get the 11th overall pick, and realisticlly I can't see them moving much higher then the 15th or 16th pick. Ladislav Smid or Mike Green fit the puck moving D-man bill, and realisticlly could be avaible. Drew Stafford or Evan McGrath would fit the big center bill, and again could be avaible. Alexander Picard would be a great #2 LWer for the Thrashers, Andrew Ladd would add some size up front too. Jakub Sindel and Adam Pineault would also be good foward additions.

Wow, atlanta is looking more and more like ottawa. Had some great early picks, one dud, and after 5 years of being terrible, are looking like they will be a force. 1997, ottawa drafted 12th, taking Marian Hossa. Hey, maybe you will get your Dman around 12-15, who might turn into a Brian Leetch. Good luck to your future, you have all the building blocks

Going at the rate they have been the past month (2 wins in their last 18 games or something), the Thrashers on pace to finish with the 5th worst record in the NHL. That would give them an 8% chance of winning the lottery and picking up Ovechkin. Yeah, very long odds indeed, and they probably will finish with a better record than that anyways, but ya never know.

No, they couldnt move up more than 2 or 3 spots anyways. So even if they did finish with the fifth worst record, they couldnt win the lottery.

I'm pretty sure the maximum to move up is 4 slots.

yep, i can even confirm that =)

max up is 4 spots, max down is 1 spot (cause someone else that isnt more then 4 picks behind you won ;=)

also only non-play off teams participated in the lottery... its weigthed advantage aswell so the winning chance for 2nd last in standing is higher then for the 5th last...


Yep, if you win the lottery, you can move up 4 spots. So the 5th worst record winning the lottery means they get the first overall pick.

yep, i can even confirm that =)

max up is 4 spots, max down is 1 spot (cause someone else that isnt more then 4 picks behind you won ;=)

also only non-play off teams participated in the lottery... its weigthed advantage aswell so the winning chance for 2nd last in standing is higher then for the 5th last...

Thrashers are tracking at the 8th spot in the 2004 Draft and slowly making their way down to claim the top drafting pick! Ovechkin hear we come! Watch out Penquins. :yo:

2/5/04 Thrashers slide to the seventh position and that's putting the Panthers ahead of the Thrashers after last nights victory. Thrashers are on a serious nose dive!

Back into the Ovechkin race.

Perhaps our new #2 centerman?

Back into the Ovechkin race.

Perhaps our new #2 centerman?

NO! We more, more D-man.

Who would you perfer (why or why not?) in the 1st and 2nd round?

- Cam Barker (Tigers, WHL)
- Mike Green (Blades, WHL)
- Wes O'Neill (UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, CCHA)
- Ladislav Smid (Liberec, CZ)
- Jeff Schulz (Hitmen, WHL)

We need everything. The best player available is who DW should take.

Ovechkin is the best player available!
Malkin seems #2,
Olesz probably #3.

If the Thrashers are drafting in the top 3, I expect that these guys will be the choice. Now if people want to talk trade, that's different.

Ps: I like Cam Barker's potential too, but he's not a top 3 guy this year. If the Thrashers draft around 8-10, then Barker is in play.

The players I want, in order of preference:

1. Ovechkin
2. Malkin
3. Barker
4. Olesz
5. O Neil

If we can't get Ovechkin, we really should draft either a Dman or a Center, preferably a Dman. I would LOVE to get Cam Barker. That guy is going to be an absolute stud.

Too bad we probably won't get a pick higher than #7. I would be happy with getting ONeil, a huge defeseman from Notre Dame. He might be still available at that pick.

[QUOTE=Pachoo]absolute stud.

Too bad we probably won't get a pick higher than #7.QUOTE]


Hey, Pachoo Thrashers have 26 games left to play. Let me tell you, since the Thrashers have only won 2 games in the past 20, it's possible to be in the top 5.

Since the season is over and the Thrashers have folded their tents and are looking to take a long vacation, let's start talking about DRAFT PICKS TOP 10. :handclap:

The players I want, in order of preference:

1. Ovechkin
2. Malkin
3. Barker
4. Olesz
5. O Neil

If we can't get Ovechkin, we really should draft either a Dman or a Center, preferably a Dman. I would LOVE to get Cam Barker. That guy is going to be an absolute stud.

Too bad we probably won't get a pick higher than #7. I would be happy with getting ONeil, a huge defeseman from Notre Dame. He might be still available at that pick.
I like the order but I would switch Barker and Malkin. That would give us a nice 1-2 of Coburn-Barker down the road. If we are going to keep up this horrible play we've seen for the last month then I would be happy with a top 5 pick, if we are going to suck we need to lose the rest of the games and be in the 1 or 2 spot after the lottery to make up for this display of crap hockey.

I like the order but I would switch Barker and Malkin. That would give us a nice 1-2 of Coburn-Barker down the road. If we are going to keep up this horrible play we've seen for the last month then I would be happy with a top 5 pick, if we are going to suck we need to lose the rest of the games and be in the 1 or 2 spot after the lottery to make up for this display of crap hockey.




:handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap: :handclap:

College Player and Jimmy Slater's teammate at MSU.

http://www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=61337&page=2&pp=15

Here some comments on him:

AJ Thelen - I can not for the life of myself understand why there is no hype surrounding this kid, it must be becasue of the chance he will no opt into the draft. This kid is huge, physical, ripping up the NCAA ranks with his all round game. His favorite player is Pronger.....damn the similarities are scary.

A.J. Thelen: he?s my #2 defensman in the draft, although he might not even opt in. I?m completely sold on this guy. He?s a very young freshman. He started off very well and he has improved threw the season. He has very good size. 6-3 220 was the listing on FSN coverage of him this past weekend. Great skater for his size much like Barker. Offensivly he?s very impressive, and he?s already better defensivly then Cam is. This kid really goes for it and joins the rush more often then not. He likes to shoot the puck, and he shoots very well. Has a wrist shot that reminds me of Brad Stuart. Huge offensive upside, he also likes to play physical. He?s a nasty player as well. He?s the real deal. I have seen enough of him to say he well be better then Cam Barker. But Barker has proven more in there young careers. Thelen has to be thought of as a top 10 prospect in the 2004 draft.

A.J. Thelen is number 1 if he decides to opt in. It isn't even close, I don't think. This kid has it all. He was voted the top CCHA defenceman as a 17 year old freshman. He has a good chance of being a first team All American. Only Brian Leetch had a comparable debut of any college defenceman that I can recall. Also Leetch was a year older at the time, a lot smaller, and much more of a one dimensional player. My prediction is that Thelen will be the first defenceman drafted and will go third overall.

I will bet money that Thelen goes in the top 5 picks, and Al Montoya in the top 10 picks. Also, I don't agree with your statement about Komisarek's "elite status coming into question". When they drafted him, most people didin't think he would turn pro until the end of this season. He is well ahead of projections, and if the Habs didin't have so much depth at his position he would be in the running for the Calder Trophy.

Sounds good to me. What do y'all thinking?

DW's drafting strategy should be as follows:

1st Round Pick - Draft best d-man available such as Barker or Smid or trade the pick for an established young d-man with upsize such as Eric Brewer. Quality is a must and if the quality d-man are gone before our pick we should then trade the pick.

2nd and 3rd Round Picks - Draft high scoring forwards. We desparately need to top up the offensive talent in the system with Gamache and Piros now gone and no one else capable of possibly being able to make the NHL has a top two line forward except Jim Slater.

4th Round Pick - Thrashers don't have one.

5th Round Pick - We need a goaltender with Dafoe going, Hurme status uncertain and Lehtonen likely to play in Atlanta for the season. Most of the good NA goalies would be probably gone by now but we still could snare a good european one. Remember didn't that thrashers draft Nurminen out of the 5th round?

6th Round onwards - Who we draft from now onwards depends on what happens in the summer. If Enstrom and Nikulin finally come over to NA then we probably don't need to draft more than one d-man. I personally hope they draft more forwards this season as I believe that we are loaded with d-man prospects.

Thelen looks good.

However I think the Thrashers must get another power forward type player. There is not much forward size in the farm system outside of Baby. The Top 6 forward/scorer spot should be a priority.

The cupboard is not too bad as far as defenseman go.

That being said, I think the depth is at a point now where DW might just take "the best player available" but lean towards a scoring winger.