Penton: Sure things are rare at NHL draft
By Bruce Penton
The ghost of Nail Yakupov annually hangs over the National Hockey League draft, which is being held at the Sphere in Las Vegas this Friday and Saturday.
Hockey scouts, you see, are not perfect. The general consensus in 2012 was that Yakupov, a Russian forward who played junior with the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League, was clearly the best player available. “Fail for Nail” was the refrain by many fans who wanted their favourite teams to play poorly to enhance their chances at getting the first pick.
Eventually, Yakupov went to Edmonton Oilers at No. 1, and the Russian subsequently turned into one of the biggest No. 1 duds in NHL draft history. He wound up playing 350 NHL games and scored a total of 62 goals. Meanwhile, Filip Forsberg went 11th to Nashville in that same draft and he’s since scored 287 goals in 698 games. Others in that first round were Morgan Rielly of Toronto, Jacob Trouba, now of the Rangers, and Vegas’s Tomas Hertl, who so far has 220 goals in his NHL career.
A single scout is usually not responsible for choosing players for his team. It’s a consensus among scouting staffs, coaches, general managers and the occasional psychologist. In 2010, the L.A. Kings made an astute second-round pick at No. 47, grabbing Tyler Toffoli, who has had a nice NHL career with 260 goals in 812 games for four different teams. In that same draft, Boston Bruins took somebody named Jared Knight, who went at No. 32 and didn’t play a single game in the NHL.
This year’s consensus No. 1 is Vancouverite Macklin Celebrini of Boston College, expected to go to San Jose Sharks.
Some No. 1s are obvious: Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor Bedard were slam-dunks. But the Arizona Coyotes scouting staff may have had some explaining to do in 2014 after they chose Alex Ruttu at No. 51 in the second round when probable Hall of Famer Nikita Kucherov was still on the board and eventually went at No. 58 to Tampa.
In 2014, Dallas took defenceman Julius Honka from Swift Current at No. 14 in the first round. He played 87 NHL games and tallied two goals. Chosen one spot later, at No. 15 in the first round, was Dylan Larkin of Detroit, who is a perennial all-star and probable Hall of Famer with 506 points in 652 games. Boston’s David Pastrnak and Tampa’s Brayden Point were also available when Honka’s name was called.
Besides some obvious misses over the years, there have also been some outstanding steals. Hats off to the Minnesota Wild scouting crew who grabbed superstar Kirill Kaprizov at No. 136 (fifth round) in 2015.
What was Boston thinking in 2015? Trade manoeuvring gave them three consecutive picks in the first round — Nos. 13, 14 and 15. They whiffed at 13, picking Jake Zboril (one career goal), got a winner at No 14 (Jake DeBrusk) and struck out at 15 (Zach Senshyn, one career goal).
It’s called a draft, but it’s really a crapshoot.
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “I told my wife to buy Tom Brady’s self-help book: not because it'll make me a gifted QB, exceptionally handsome or very rich, but because I live with a supermodel. She said: ‘We’re still not getting an 80-inch TV.’”
Bob Molinaro of pilotonline.com (Hampton, Va.): “For the next Lakers’ coach, the best part of the job will be working with LeBron James; the worst part will be working for him.”
Molinaro again: “For those competing in the July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest, the banishment of multiple champion Joey Chestnut for endorsing plant-based dogs doesn’t change the nature of the gluttonous competition. It’s still wiener take all.”
Grabbed from Jack Finarelli’s ‘sportscurmudgeon.com', quoting former NFL coach Hank Stram: “When I have the urge to get back to coaching, I lie down and wait until it passes.”
A groaner from RJ Currie: “A bit of a hiccup at the Oilers practice as it was rumoured they couldn't open the locker room door. This according to their coach – Kris Knoblocked.”
Headline at fark.com: “Scottish football fans show Germans in Munich how it’s done, drink place dry in hours before Friday game.”
Hall-of-Fame coach Don Shula: “Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.”
Comedy writer Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver: “So far the only thing the Toronto Blue Jays are leading the league in is eating the most hot dogs on Tuesday nights.”
Peo golfer Bryson DeChambeau, to fans around the 368-yard 13th tee Saturday at the U.S. Open who were hoping he’d pull out a driver and try to reach the green. “Don’t boo me. I’m sorry,’ as he chose an iron.
Pro golfer Tyrell Hatton, on Pinehurst No. 2 being an advantage for him, due to its difficulty: “With it being harder and a lot of guys sort of losing their head, it sort of brings them to my level because I just lose my head every week.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca