At this point it's considered protypical for this blob
- BulliesPhan87

I've been away too long. Off again... as you were.

we were talking briefly the other day about draft picks and the Flyers lack of good picks beyond the first round. this list is crazy

Notable Picks:

Niklas Lidstrom (53, 1989), Tomas Holmstrom (257, 1994), Pavel Datsyuk (171, 1998), Henrik Zetterberg (210, 1999), Niklas Kronwall (29, 2000), Jiri Hudler (58, 2002), Valtteri Filppula (95, 2002), Jonathan Ericsson (291, 2002), Kyle Quincey (132, 2003), Jimmy Howard (64, 2003), Johan Franzen (97, 2004), Justin Abdelkader (42, 2005), Jakub Kindl (19, 2005), Darren Helm (132, 2005

we were talking briefly the other day about draft picks and the Flyers lack of good picks beyond the first round. this list is crazy

Notable Picks:

Niklas Lidstrom (53, 1989), Tomas Holmstrom (257, 1994), Pavel Datsyuk (171, 1998), Henrik Zetterberg (210, 1999), Niklas Kronwall (29, 2000), Jiri Hudler (58, 2002), Valtteri Filppula (95, 2002), Jonathan Ericsson (291, 2002), Kyle Quincey (132, 2003), Jimmy Howard (64, 2003), Johan Franzen (97, 2004), Justin Abdelkader (42, 2005), Jakub Kindl (19, 2005), Darren Helm (132, 2005
- nastyflyergirl

This is why yesterday I said the red wings don't let many diamonds in the rough get away. It's unreal their ability to draft talent in the later rounds.

This is why yesterday I said the red wings don't let many diamonds in the rough get away. It's unreal their ability to draft talent in the later rounds.
- funmaster18

One would think they draft better in the later rounds than in the first round. Don't have any evidence to prove that but just felt like saying that.

This is why yesterday I said the red wings don't let many diamonds in the rough get away. It's unreal their ability to draft talent in the later rounds.
- funmaster18

From 1994-2009, Detroit was the worst drafting team in terms of % of players drafted that made it to the NHL.



Getting lucky with two superstars makes up for it, however, imo.

Happy birthday Pelle! May you R.I.P.

From 1994-2009, Detroit was the worst drafting team in terms of % of players drafted that made it to the NHL.



Getting two superstars makes up for it, however, imo.
- bradleyc4

Exactly. It's not about quantity in the draft, it's quality. Finding the talent they did so late in rounds tough.

One would think they draft better in the later rounds than in the first round. Don't have any evidence to prove that but just felt like saying that.
- stveshdy

I like the disclaimer. You know some bumhole would come along eventually with some stats proving otherwise if you didn't say that

Exactly. It's not about quantity in the draft, it's quality. Finding the talent they did so late in rounds tough.
- funmaster18

I call it luck. If they knew they would be this good, they never would have waited until the later rounds to draft them. But kudos for unearthing and developing them into the superstars they are today.

I call it luck. If they knew they would be this good, they never would have waited until the later rounds to draft them. But kudos for unearthing and developing them into the superstars they are today.
- bradleyc4

I dont think thats always true.. there are certain cases where things kind of scare ppl away.

Think Bobby Clarke being diabetic, or in Timonens case his size... some russians because of the whole transfer issues...

There is also a lot that goes into looking at skill sets and how they would fit in your system.. but i agree with you for the 2nd part.

I like the disclaimer. You know some bumhole would come along eventually with some stats proving otherwise if you didn't say that
- funmaster18

sad truth

I call it luck. If they knew they would be this good, they never would have waited until the later rounds to draft them. But kudos for unearthing and developing them into the superstars they are today.
- bradleyc4

Trust me, what Håkan Andersson does is NOT luck. He might be the world's best scout. Because he's based in Sweden, he specializes in finding under-scouted players from Sweden and Finland but his takes on prospects from all over the world are spot on a high percentage of the time. He knows where the sleepers are.

Trust me, what Håkan Andersson does is NOT luck. He might be the world's best scout. Because he's based in Sweden, he specializes in finding under-scouted players from Sweden and Finland but his takes on prospects from all over the world are spot on a high percentage of the time. He knows where the sleepers are.
- bmeltzer

I will have to disagree with you. Please state more facts to support this opinioN. It's simply a matter of luck.
KIDDING

Trust me, what Håkan Andersson does is NOT luck. He might be the world's best scout. Because he's based in Sweden, he specializes in finding under-scouted players from Sweden and Finland but his takes on prospects from all over the world are spot on a high percentage of the time. He knows where the sleepers are.
- bmeltzer

There's a lot more misses than hits, though. Names like:

Juho Mielonen, Johan Ryno, Christofer Lofberg, Nils Backstrom, Anton Axelsson, Mikael Johansson, Tomas Kollar, Stefan Blom, Daniel Larsson, Andreas Sundin, Christian Soderstrom, Johan Berggren, Andreas Jamtin.

All guys from Sweden or Finland drafted by the Red Wings from 2001-2007 that haven't sniffed the NHL.

I understand that the nature of the draft is that only 30-40% of the guys you draft are going to make it to the NHL. I just don't see how Håkan Andersson's numbers look much better than everyone else.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings -- Young D, Pelle's 53rd
- bmeltzer

thanks for the pelle excerpt today, bill. it made my day.

thanks for the pelle excerpt today, bill. it made my day.
- hammarby31

Hammarby, did you read his book? Great read....crazy

There's a lot more misses than hits, though. Names like:

Juho Mielonen, Johan Ryno, Christofer Lofberg, Nils Backstrom, Anton Axelsson, Mikael Johansson, Tomas Kollar, Stefan Blom, Daniel Larsson, Andreas Sundin, Christian Soderstrom, Johan Berggren, Andreas Jamtin.

All guys from Sweden or Finland drafted by the Red Wings from 2001-2007 that haven't sniffed the NHL.

I understand that the nature of the draft is that only 30-40% of the guys you draft are going to make it to the NHL. I just don't see how Håkan Andersson's numbers look much better than everyone else.
- bradleyc4

I think its about pulling the best out of those 30-40%, and Detroit does that extremely well.

Hell Id be willing to bet that if we compiled those late round picks over the past decade... No team would have done a better job at pulling elite players in later rounds than the Redwings.

So sure it is a hit or miss, but when they do hit.. they are dynamite players.

Hammarby, did you read his book? Great read....crazy
- phi1671

i'm embarrassed to say i haven't. i actually ordered the book a long time ago, and the seller cancelled the order for some bizarre reason, and i just never pursued obtaining another copy. i really have to read it.

i know i'll thoroughly enjoy it - as much as i can anyway, knowing what we know.

i'm embarrassed to say i haven't. i actually ordered the book a long time ago, and the seller cancelled the order for some bizarre reason, and i just never pursued obtaining another copy. i really have to read it.

i know i'll thoroughly enjoy it - as much as i can anyway, knowing what we know.
- hammarby31

i really enjoy how the book was put together.
how it was broken up but as much as i enjoyed it, i went back in time and almost lived through each chapter. I was in my teens at the time and death was a still a new concept to me. the only people that passed at that time in my life were my great grandparents. So, hearing about a young person dying was a new. Then you add in the fact that it was a from my favorite hockey team...well to say the least i was devastated.
to this day i can remember where i was...

I've also driven by where it was by chance and it's a scary turn. It sort makes you think that something is not being told in that he could've steered away from the crash site but something must've happened in the car to lock the car up...
we will never know...never know...

sorry for the rant

i really enjoy how the book was put together.
how it was broken up but as much as i enjoyed it, i went back in time and almost lived through each chapter. I was in my teens at the time and death was a still a new concept to me. the only people that passed at that time in my life were my great grandparents. So, hearing about a young person dying was a new. Then you add in the fact that it was a from my favorite hockey team...well to say the least i was devastated.
to this day i can remember where i was...

I've also driven by where it was by chance and it's a scary term. It sort makes you think that something is not being told in that he could've steered away from the crash site but something must've happened in the car to lock the car up...
we will never know...never know...

sorry for the rant
- phi1671

He was going way too fast and didn't hit the brakes until he was only about 10 feet away. Unfortunately, the point of impact was in the worst possible place -- right were the steps met the small retaining wall.

There has been an urban legend for years that Kathy McNeil turned off the ignition but, according to policeman Jack Prettyman -- who inspected the car afterwards and had ridden in it many times as a passenger -- that would have been impossible. First of all, the ignition's location would have been virtually unreachable for her. Second, the key was in the ignition, turned to the on position and the car was in drive.

He was going way too fast and didn't hit the brakes until he was only about 10 feet away. Unfortunately, the point of impact was in the worst possible place -- right were the steps met the small retaining wall.

There has been an urban legend for years that Kathy McNeil turned off the ignition but, according to policeman Jack Prettyman -- who inspected the car afterwards and had ridden in it many times as a passenger -- that would have been impossible. First of all, the ignition's location would have been virtually unreachable for her. Second, the key was in the ignition, turned to the on position and the car was in drive.
- bmeltzer

good to know Bill...
Good to know...

when i drove by there...even going less then the speed limit the turn is crazy.

He was going way too fast and didn't hit the brakes until he was only about 10 feet away. Unfortunately, the point of impact was in the worst possible place -- right were the steps met the small retaining wall.

There has been an urban legend for years that Kathy McNeil turned off the ignition but, according to policeman Jack Prettyman -- who inspected the car afterwards and had ridden in it many times as a passenger -- that would have been impossible. First of all, the ignition's location would have been virtually unreachable for her. Second, the key was in the ignition, turned to the on position and the car was in drive.
- bmeltzer

Interesting. I'd never heard that. If ever one needed proof that alcohol can impair judgment, that night is it. The decision-making at both the planned and spontaneous levels were impaired. Planned decision-making in deciding to drive while intoxicated, at high speed while intoxicated. Spontaneous in that Pelle did not react to the impending wall/crash until just ten feet from it, which is just tenths of a second before impact.

*sigh*

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings -- Young D, Pelle's 53rd
- bmeltzer

Cool photos that you posted on twitter

Interesting. I'd never heard that. If ever one needed proof that alcohol can impair judgment, that night is it. The decision-making at both the planned and spontaneous levels were impaired. Planned decision-making in deciding to drive while intoxicated, at high speed while intoxicated. Spontaneous in that Pelle did not react to the impending wall/crash until just ten feet from it, which is just tenths of a second before impact.

*sigh*
- Flyskippy

That curve, though...that can be a bad one even if you're sober and just driving fast. I used to pass it all the time, going to play pick up hockey at the Yellin School in Hi-Nella.