[Edge]

Getlaf - I didn't like him very much last year, but he has improved dramatically IMO. His skating got alot better, that was his downside for me going into the draft last year.

I'll take any player who has the instincts to go to the net over a skill player. Speed can improved and offense can come and go, but if you know how to crash the net you always have that going for you. Ladd has that same mentality.

Ladd - I'm not so sure we see eye to eye on this guy. Doesn't matter, we're going to be drafting #5 or higher, at the worst we draft at #7 and I say thats too high for Ladd. I can think of 10 players I'd take before him. Just not enough skill. I'd take Berti before him, similar player, if it wasn't for his prior injuries that worry me.

Ladd is ranked #2 by CSB, he is one of the fastest rising guys on Redline and for the most part hasn't gotten any of the press he deserves. Mark my words, this kid is gonna fly in under the radar while most teams go with guys with supposed higher skill levels and more circulated names and it is gonna bite them. All the skills in the world aren't gonna get many of this years kids to the NHL, but hard work, a mean streak and a net crashing style might.

If we pick at #4-#6 i'd go for either Schremp/Radulov/Barker/Wolski. After that it's one of the big D-men : Green/Valabik/Smid/Thelen/Meszaros/Schultz - whoever the scouts decide is the best from that group.

Schremp's stock is falling like a rock, I've never seen a kid avoid contact as much as him. He simply does not want to work for his points. I was VERY disappointed when i saw him and more than a few other people were too. He is falling on CSB's list as well as a redline's as well. Barker is a long shot to last out of the top 3. Wolski scares me because he comes off as extremely one dimensional and that dimension isn't very "high energy".

Radulov had a great tournament and is still an unknown commodity for the most part. and All the defenseman you named i wouldn't take with a top 10 pick. Green does a little of everything but i am not sure about his top end or his advancement from last year. Schultz is a big guy who doesn't play very big and really looked like another Martin Biron to me {if even}.

I don't see where the comments on Andrew Ladd are coming from at all. He has scored at the same pace or higher than some of the "known" commodities in this draft, has outplayed them often, been consistent with and without Getzlaf, crashed the net, played with an edge, played two way hockey and done it all as a rookie in the WHL.

One of the things i am noticing this year more than others is a lot of "newer" users on these boards who haven't seen these kids play once and are going off other people's lists and opinions. I saw a list of most overrated by some people and Ladd was on there. What was funny to me was there was no reasoning behind it. It was kinda like one person said it and then everyone {trying to sound like they know something} agreed.

Ladd has been the most pleasent suprise i've seen all season with the possible exception of Bolland.

Schremp on the other hand has not impressed me and is only ranked as high because everyone knew him as a top candiate from the prelimiary rankings.