Forget Hughes for a second (impossible, I know), but Ty Smith and Spokane open up the conference finals tonight!
Having stud young talent is fun.
Really want to package at least two of our seconds for another 1st rounder this year too.When was the last time that our prospect depth chart had a stud forward and defender in the top 2 slots? Assuming before hfboards existed?
Really want to package at least two of our seconds for another 1st rounder this year too.
In 2000, we drafted Hale, Suglobov, Laine, and DeMarchi in the first two rounds!When was the last time that our prospect depth chart had a stud forward and defender in the top 2 slots? Assuming before hfboards existed?
How can you forget Paul Martin?In 2000, we drafted Hale, Suglobov, Laine, and DeMarchi in the first two rounds!
How can you forget Paul Martin?
But I don't remember ever having heralded/consensus blue chip prospects...Usually writers said our prospects sucked, even back in 90's people said that. They were all just "Interchangeable Parts"
Petr Sykora was a pretty highly regarded prospect. We picked him 18th overall because he fell after a pretty serious shoulder injury. He was considered a top 5 talent in that 95 draft. He became a star player for us.
Brendan Morrison was also a highly touted prospect and became an all star center eventually in the NHL. Helped us acquire Mogilny.
And Zach Parise was considered a blue chip prospect too.
Adam Larsson was a blue chip prospect and many thought he was going to become a star. That obviously didn't happen. But at the time he was.
I remember being excited about Morrison, probably because my friend was a big U of Michigan fan. I was VERY excited about Parise. I think I was at a Devils draft party when we selected him.Sykora was definitely highly regarded but fell.
In terms of the 2003 draft...Parise wasn't highly touted at all. Who can forget the infamous Mike York comparisions here...LOL - And with the lockout and Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin waiting to get into the league all at once, Parise was largely a footnote during that period. There were a slew of anticipated prospects coming into the league then. Hell, I remember more excitement for Cam Barker than Zach back then..LOL.
I don't remember Morrsion ever being highly touted either - not only around the league but among Devils fans...At the time I remember a slew of NCAA players with sold potential..David Emma 1991 Hobey Baker winner, Scott Pellerin 1992 Hobey Baker winner, Jim Dowd 1991 Hobey Baker Fianlist, Jay Pandolfo 1996 Hobey Baker Finalist...All behind Brian Rolston 1993 Hobey Baker Finalist, who had performed very well in the 1994 Olympics the last year before the Olympics went with all Pro's -- Morrison won the Hobey Baker in 1997 and was a finalist in 1996 but he was drafted in 1993...I don't remember much fanfare regarding Morrison from 93 to 96 from writers or fans.
I think most of those players were in the same category in terms of fanfare...with the exception being Rolston. He was the most highly regarded of the bunch from my memory - but none of them reaching league wide acclaim.