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About Denis Gorman

HPT's Atlantic Division beat writer, Denis Gorman is based in New York City. He covers the Rangers, Islanders and Devils for Metro Newspaper and writes NHL freelance stories for Yahoo Sports.

A lifelong hockey fan, Denis is always willing to talk about the greatest sport the world has ever known.

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Plenty of question marks facing Atlantic teams at draft Print
Atlantic
Written by Denis Gorman   
Thursday, June 24, 2010 00:26

Atlantic Division draft preview:

For a division that boasts the last three Eastern Conference champions, there are plenty of questions facing the teams in the Atlantic Divison as the entry draft approaches. Can the Devils end their drought at the draft podium? Will the Flyers find their long-term answer in goal? Is this where the Penguins pick up the scoring winger that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin so desperately need?

NEW JERSEY

The only negative about two nearly uninterrupted decades of success is that "franchise players" are rarely available in the draft year after year. Just ask the Devils, who have more often than not drafted the "best player available" instead of the best player. Their last two draft picks to make an impact at the NHL level were Zach Parise (2003) and Travis Zajac (2004).

The first-round playoff series loss to Philadelphia exposed the Devils’ flaws: Age in goal, a lack of size on the back end and up front, and a number one defenseman. Those flaws will not be remedied in the 2010 Entry Draft, as general manager Lou Lamoriello packaged the Devils’ first-round pick along with Nic Bergfors, Johnny Oduya and prospect Patrice Cormier for Ilya Kovalchuk. Lamoriello also traded the organization’s fifth round pick at the trade deadline to Toronto for defenseman Martin Skoula. The Devils only have five picks (38th, 84th, 114th, 174th and 204th) going into the draft.

Lamoriello used four of his seven picks last year on defensemen (Eric Gelinas, Alexander Urbom, Seth Helgeson and Curtis Gedig).

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

On the other end of the spectrum reside the New York Islanders. Since the organization’s last extensive playoff run in the spring of 1993, in which they lost in the Eastern Conference Final to eventual Cup winner Montreal, the Islanders have drafted especially well. An unsteady ownership situation and myriad mind-boggling personnel decisions by former general manager Mike Milbury, however, left the once-proud organization in shambles.

Due to the work of ex-GM Neil Smith and his successor, Garth Snow, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Islanders and their fans. Last year’s number one overall pick, John Tavares, is the face of the franchise and is ably seconded by Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey.

The Isles have the fifth pick in the draft following a 34-37-11 campaign. Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, the crown jewels of this draft crop, will be off the board. Hall’s teammate, defenseman Cam Fowler, could be available. From all accounts, Fowler projects to be a franchise defenseman. He and last year’s other first-round pick, Calvin de Haan, would be nice building blocks for a defense corps that includes Mark Streit and not much else.

NEW YORK RANGERS

There was a protest across from Madison Square Garden prior to a Rangers home game this past season. The protestors expressed their outrage at Glen Sather’s reign as GM and president, demanding his dismissal.

While Sather's decade-long run on Broadway won’t make anyone forget his tenure with the dynastic Oilers, his drafts have produced fruit. Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Petr Prucha, Marek Zidlicky, Fedor Tyutin, Henrik Lundqvist, Dominic Moore, Nigel Dawes, Lauri Korpikoski, Tom Pyatt, Marc Staal, Artem Anisimov and Michael Del Zotto have plied their trade for the Rangers or other NHL organizations. The Rangers also have Bobby Sanguinetti, Evgeny Grachev, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider and Ryan Bourque among others in the system. So, yes, there is talent. The question is whether Sather and John Tortorella possess the patience to not fast-track the kids before they are ready for the rigors of a NHL season.

With five picks, including a top-10 pick for the first time since 2004 (when Al Montoya was selected with the sixth pick), Sather should be able keep stocking the shelves.

PHILADELPHIA

On the eve of the Stanley Cup Final, The Hockey News predicted that the Flyers could go on multiple playoff runs due to the team’s youth. Only time will tell; for now, there's no doubt that the Flyers have a core they should be able to keep together for years to come. Only three of their high-impact players are in their 30s – Simon Gagne, Kimmo Timonen and Chris Pronger – and all are signed for at least another year.

The one area the Flyers are lacking (still) is in goal, a revolving-door position since the tragic death of Pelle Lindbergh in 1985. The Flyers have selected four goaltenders (Adam Morrison, Nicola Riopel, Joacim Eriksson and Brad Phillips) with their last 18 picks, spanning three drafts.

He doesn't own any first- and second round selections, but GM Paul Holmgren has five picks (89th, 119th, 149th, 179th and 209th) in the draft.

PITTSBURGH

Among the NHL’s pre-eminent franchises, the Penguins are one of the first organizations pointed to when debating the merits of the salary cap and rebuilding through the draft.

An examination of the Penguins’ recent draft history teaches that the organization selected key components Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang, Alex Goligoski, Tyler Kennedy, Max Talbot and Brooks Orpik.

So, yes, the draft has benefited the Penguins. Still, there are holes to plug, especially on Crosby’s and Malkin’s wings. GM Ray Shero has traded for stopgap wingers to play with Crosby and Malkin in recent years. With seven picks in the draft (20th, 80th, 110th, 140th, 152nd, 170th and 200th), Shero has a chance to continue the organization’s lineage of success.

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