The Big Day - First Round Fever

NEVER trust recipes from books. What takes them 3 minutes takes a flub like me 20. Sorry I'm late. Show just started and Balsillie has had his cut off... gonna be a good show...

5:10 pm - No action yet but the Globe and Mail is reporting that Chicago and Phoenix have a deal to swap picks. (EDIT: Guess not)

5:17 pm - Bettman gets a warm welcome.

5:30 pm - Chicago takes Kane at #1 ... its a start

5:37 pm - Philly takes vanReimsdyk at #2 ... so far ... yawn ...

5:45 pm - Gretzky (or Phoenix as some say) takes Turris at #3 - nice welcome for Gretz btw.

5:50 pm - like clockwork here - Los Angeles takes THOMAS HICKEY at #4??

Best ranking on that guy was #13 (TSN) - didn't show on Redline, McKeen's, THN, or anyone else for that matter.

Wow. Small defender goes #4. First big surprise in the draft.

Voracek for Edmonton now (though we hear it will be Gagner).

5:54 pm - TSN reporting that Edmonton almost made a deal. wheeeee....

5:59 pm - Washington takes Alzner at #5 - Voracek is ours if we want him...

6:04 pm - Oilers take Steve Kelly... I mean Gagner at #6

sigh

6:14 pm - Oilers take Voracek ... oh ... Columbus takes Voracek at #7

sigh again - thank god for good steak off the BBQ

6:20 pm - Neely - classy - I like that - Bruins take Hamill at #8

6:25 pm - TRADE

St. Louis send #9 to San Jose for #13, #44 and a 3rd (2008)

Nice trade. San Jose AGAIN trades up. These guys know who they want and go get them.

6:28 pm - San Jose take Couture at #9

6:33 pm - Florida takes Ellerby at #10

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So the top-10 actually taken compared to the aggregated list.

Kane ......... Kane
vanReimsdyk .. Turris
Turris ....... vanReimsdyk
Hickey ....... Voracek
Alzner ....... Cherepanov
Gagner ....... Gagner
Voracek ...... Alzner
Hamill ....... Couture
Couture ...... Ellerby
Ellerby ...... Esposito

Hickey is the wildcard, Hamill was #11 on the aggregated list so no surprise there. Cherepanov's exclusion is driving the TSN staff nuts.
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6:40 pm - Carolina takes Sutter #11

I'll call it - Cherepanov to Colorado. They are the first team who can afford to take a chance like that. Montreal takes Esposito next. St. Louis takes Eller.

6:44 pm - TSN is saying Gainey likes some American d-men so maybe Shattenkirk? nope. Montreal takes McDonagh at #12.

Look for something to come out of this is Quebec (well duh)

6:50 pm - St. Louis thanks their fans in Tuktoyaktuk. As do I. Jarmo kingmaker takes my call: St. Louis takes Eller at #13.

Damn. I liked him.

McGuire is freakin' out a bit over Cherepanov. I think Colorado takes him. If Colorado passes and we don't take him I will be very disappointed in Lowe.

6:54 pm - Colorado ruins my streak and takes Shattenkirk at #14 (who I think Edmonton wanted).

Will Anaheim get Cherepanov?

7:00 pm - Lowe gives up his chance to take a world class talent. Edmonton takes Plante at #15.

F*&k. Can't have enough defensive defencemen. Who needs scorers?

7:04 pm - TRADE

Anaheim sends #16 to Minnesota for #19 and #42.

Well played by Anaheim. Knowing it was Plante I think Edmonton could have traded down pretty easily imo.

7:07 pm - Minnesota takes Gillies at #16

TSN saying it is all Anaheim fear factor at play. Who knows. All I know is Cherepanov is still out there.

7:12 pm - New York gets, possibly, the best player in the draft, Cherepanov at #17

wow. lucky them. Oilers couldn't trade down at that point? yeesh.

oops - time warp!

7:06 pm - TRADE

Calgary sends #18 to St. Louis for #24 and #70

Another good trade by St. Louis. They get who they want. Lowe taking notes? Dammitt.

7:08 pm - St. Louis takes Cole at #18

7:12 pm - Anaheim finally pulls the trigger and gets MacMillan at #19

No idea on this one. 3rd line forward to pencil in.

Esposito, Backlund, Mayorov, Sweatt, Petrecki, Perron and Katic are left from the aggregate list. Can't see Pittsburgh taking him but who knows eh?

7:19 pm - heh. Pittsburgh takes Esposito at #20

Great for Esposito. Hope he can play wing.

7:24 pm - TRADE

Phoenix sends #21 to Edmonton for #30 and #36

Wow, did we pay a lot for those 9 spots. Sweatt?

7:26 pm - Edmonton chooses Riley Nash at #21

Sorry - but I officially hate that trade for that pick. Niinimaki the Second. He would have been there at 30 imo.

7:31 pm - Montreal takes Pacioretty at #22

Power forward type apparently.

7:36 pm - Nashville picks up Blum at #23

7:44 pm - Calgary takes Backlund at #24

Potentially a great pick-up for them. Aggregated rankings had him at #12.

7:47 pm - Vancouver takes White at #25

Off the board there - though TSN does report that ISS had him #23.

7:53 pm - St. Louis takes Perron at #26

Nice pick imo. Guy can score.

Eller, Cole and Perron plus the #44 and a 3rd in 2008 less the #70 pick. Clinic put on by St. Louis imo.

7:57 pm - Detroit takes character and potential with Smith at #27

Good pick.

8:03 pm - TRADE

Washington sends #28 to San Jose for #41 and and 2nd rounder in 2008

Nice trade

8:04 pm - San Jose then takes Petrecki at #28

Great pick. Like TSN says, was top-15 on most lists.

8:10 pm - Ottawa takes O'Brien at #29

Who? Oh well. Echoes of the Foster pick New Jersey made so many years ago.

8:14 pm - Phoenix takes Ross at #30

Wow. Guys like Mayorov, Sweatt, Katic - all still on the Board at #30.

Crazy draft imo.

Winners are Cherepanov (goes to the big show in New York), Esposito (he gets to play with Crosby, et al), St. Louis (lots of movement and good assets to show for it), Columbus (get a real player in Voracek), San Jose (getting Couture and Petrecki) and Phoenix (Turris and fleeced the Oilers).

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Have a great evening everyone.