Top dog
Lecavalier likely to go first in NHL Draft
Posted: Friday June 26, 1998 05:27 PM
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1-2 punch: Vincent Lecavalier (left) and David Legwand (right) are expected to be the first two picks of the NHL Draft (AP) |
By John Heid, CNN/SI
ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- Why worry?
Vincent Lecavalier isn't wasting any energy worrying about whether he goes
first in Saturday's NHL Entry Draft.
Lecavalier, the top-rated North American skater and highest-ranked player
among over 800 players evaluated by the NHL's Central Scouting Service for
the draft, will likely be taken with the first pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning. But
the 18-year-old Ile Bizard, Quebec, native isn't worrying about whether he
goes first, second or third.
"I don't know who's going to pick me," he said in a recent interview with
CNNSI.com. "Any time, the most important thing is to drafted. I'll just be
happy to go [to whoever selects him]."
The Lightning, who posted the NHL's worst record last season, hold the top
pick, followed by the San
Jose Sharks, the expansion Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Mighty Ducks,
Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks.
The Carolina
Hurricanes own the 11th pick, and the Colorado Avalanche will
then make the first of four first-round picks.
The Edmonton Oilers pick
13th, followed by the Phoenix Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens,
Colorado and the Buffalo
Sabres. The Avalanche own the 19th and 20th selections.
Rounding out the first round are the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars.
The scouting service tabbed Lecavalier as first overall in its rankings
over 400 players eligible for the draft, being held at the Marine Midland
Arena in Buffalo, New York. The draft, with nine rounds of 27 players,
starts at 12:45 p.m. ET.
Lecavalier, a center, netted 44 goals and picked up 71 assists for 115
points for Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Junior Hockey League this past
season. He played for Team Canada at the 1998 World Junior
Championships.
Don Luce, the director of player personnel for the Sabres, is pleased with
the talent level of players available the draft, especially Lecavalier,
Legwand, Allen and Stuart.
"Some of them are going to be stars," he said. Some are going to be good
[NHL] hockey players."
"Overall it's a good draft," said Martin Madden, director of amateur
scouting for the New York Rangers. "Every team expects to put in the ranks
at least one decent hockey player.
"Legwand and Lecavalier are potential stars. But there are six to seven
other players who are in the same ballpark. Bryan Allen. Manny Malhotra.
Brad Stuart."
"It's a great honor just to be there," Lecavalier said of his No. 1
ranking. "It's a good thing for me. I'm very happy to be there."
David Legwand, a native of Detroit, is the second-ranked player in North
America. Legwand played for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey
League in 1997-98 and was named the league's MVP and rookie of the year.
The center finished with 105 points, including 54 goals.
Defenseman Brad Stuart of the Western Hockey League's Regina Pats is a top-10 prospect from North America
(Regina Pats,CNN/SI) | |
Rounding out the top 10 prospects from North America are defenseman Bryan
Allen of the OHL's Oshawa Generals, defenseman Brad Stuart, Western Hockey
League's Regina Pats; right wing Michael Heinrich, OHL's Barrie Colts;
center Manny Malhotra, OHL's Guelph Storm; defenseman Mathieu Biron,
QMJHL's Shawinigan Cataractes; defenseman Martin Skoula, Barrie; defenseman
Jiri Fischer, QMJHL's Hull Olympiques, and center Rico Fata, OHL's London
Knights.
Despite being a potential first pick, Lecavalier may return for his third
season in Rimouski next season. If he doesn't make it to the NHL next
season, he can't play in the American Hockey League because the league has
a minimum age requirement of 20.
Lecavalier said he'll work hard to make the NHL team which selects him at
camp in September, but knows that's really out of his control.
"That's not really my decision to make," he said
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Lecavalier said passing is the strength of his
game. "I like making the plays," he said, noting he's going to work on
building up his strength over the summer.
Legwand admits he doesn't know if he'll make the NHL this season.
"I haven't really judged myself against that caliber of player," said
Legwand, who's played one year in the OHL and another in Junior A.
Whether or not the Sharks take him with the second pick, Legwand isn't
sure. "No one's really said anything yet," he said. "It's just a thrill
playing hockey.
"It's obviously a thrill [being rated second]. To be know as someone who
can do something to the best of his ability."
Allen, who stands 6-4 1/2 and weighs 208, doesn't have any guesses of
which team takes him Saturday. "No, it's still pretty much up in the air,"
he said.
Being ranked third overall by the scouting service is quite a thrill for
this 17-year-old. "If you said two years ago that's I be ranked that high,
I wouldn't have believed it," Allen said. "You can't come to grips with
being rated that high."
Allen said he plans on returning to Oshawa for his third season this
fall.
Patrick Desrochers, the draft's top-rated goaltender from North America,
could go anywhere from the middle to late first round.
"I have no idea as far as teams go," the Penetang, Ontario, native said.
"It's different for goaltenders. It really depends on which team needs a
goaltender. I really don't have a preference. Just a team that will give me
a good chance."
Desrochers, 18, posted a 26-17-11 record and a 3.35 goals against average
for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL last season. He allowed 179 goals in 56
games and posted one shutout.
A three-year Sting veteran, Desrochers set a franchise record with a 3.46
GAA in 1996-97 and broke it last year. He posted four shutouts in 1996-97.
Desrochers, the first goalie taken in the 1995 OHL draft, expects to
return to Sarnia this season. "I'm in no hurry [to make the NHL]," he said.
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