| |
NHL
Team |
Player (College)
|
What
does the future hold? |
| |
Buffalo
Sabres |
Thomas Vanek
(Minnesota)
|
Vanek
and Ryan Miller will share a float as the Stanley Cup parade
winds its way down Chippewa Street. |
 "I
didn't think about it that much. My goal was to be in the
first round, whether it's five or twenty-five. I'm familiar
with the rink and I know what I'm getting into. It's a good
place." — Thomas Vanek
|
| |
Nashville
Predators |
Ryan Suter
(Wisconsin)
|
Ryan
will make a name for himself, instead of always answering questions
about his father Bob (a 1980 Olympian) and uncle Gary (a former
NHLer). |
 "You
can just develop more ... you can get everything. And not
just the hockey side." — Ryan Suter, on the benefits
of attending Wisconsin
|
| |
New
York Rangers |
Hugh Jessiman
(Dartmouth)
|
Jessiman
will be the next big thing to hit Manhattan, and he could be
the type of character player to help shake the Blueshirts out
of their slump. |
 "I
can't speculate right now, but I'd really love to be playing
in the NHL as soon as possible. I'd consider it this year.
I think I need to work on my game a little bit. I'd like
to be confident when I get there." — Hugh Jessiman
|
| |
New
Jersey Devils |
Zach Parise
(North Dakota)
|
Parise,
at 17 overall, may just go down as the biggest steal of the
draft. He's probably got a parking-lot Stanley Cup parade in
his future. |
 "It's
pretty awesome to put on the jersey of the defending Stanley
Cup champions. It's great for me and I'm glad my family
is here to enjoy it with me." — Zach Parise
|
| |
Boston
Bruins |
Mark Stuart
(Colorado College)
|
Stuart,
an all-around defenseman, could end up as a larger version of
Don Sweeney in Boston. |
 "Boston
is a great city. It would've been nice to get chosen by
Minnesota, but that wasn't really in my mind, actually.
I was just excitied to get drafted, and going to a team
and an organization like Boston is a bonus." —
Rochester, Minn., native Mark Stuart
|
| |
Vancouver
Canucks |
Ryan Kesler
(Ohio State)
|
Kesler
and Buckeye teammate (and Canucks pick) R.J. Umberger will demand
that Vancouver plays "Hang On Sloopy" at every game. |
 "R.J.
will be a big help. We played 20-25 games together and we
complement each other well. He's going to probably tell
me what he did wrong, what he did right. He'll help me get
there quicker." — Ryan Kesler
"We
were really happy with Ryan in terms of his play. We had
him rated high ... actually higher than we drafted him.
It was coincidence. It wasn't like we said, ' Let's go draft
another Ohio State kid. He can skate, he's big, he finishes,
he finishes checks. He's not a natural scorer, but he's
a good scorer. He's not a sniper, but he has natural scoring
ability." — Vancouver G.M. Brian Burke
|
| |
Los
Angeles Kings |
Brian Boyle
(Boston College)
|
Boyle,
the 6-foot-6 incoming freshman with the Eagles, can get a tour
of all the hot spots in L.A. from Shaq. |
 "I've
been tremendously fortunate to get the opportunity to go
to BC and tremendously fortunate to be recognized and drafted
by the NHL as well. They're two different subjects, but
their both great feelings." — Brian Boyle
|
| |
Los
Angeles Kings |
Jeff Tambellini
(Michigan)
|
Tambellini
can unleash his wicked snap shot to take revenge on Vancouver
for not picking him at No. 23, despite the fact that his dad,
Jeff, works for the Canucks. |
 "My
teammate John Shouneyia told me that he thought I'd go right
around 26 or 27, so I guess he was right. (Going to Vancouver)
would've been a tough situation one way or another. I'm
thrilled to be going to a place on the West Coast."
— Jeff Tambellini
|
| |
Ottawa
Senators |
Patrick Eaves
(Boston College)
|
Eaves
will collect a lot of regular-season wins with the Senators,
and plays the gritty game that could help the Sens in the playoffs
as well. |
 "I
think things are going to go up from here. I'm working hard
and getting ready. Our goal is a national championship this
year." — Patrick Eaves
"He's
a highly skilled, offensive-minded right winger. He'll obviously
spend at least two more years in college and it's up to
him if he wants to graduate with his class. We'll have to
watch his progression in college hockey, but he went to
the right school to be a hockey player." — Ottawa
G.M. John Muckler
|
