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The State of Hockey News | MVN - Most Valuable Network » Blog Archive » Wild again make draft day splash, by trading up to take Colton Gillies

Wild again make draft day splash, by trading up to take Colton Gillies

By Derek Felska | June 22nd, 2007

Perhaps as children, on a cold winter’s day you might have gone down to the lake to play a game of pond hockey with a group of neighborhood kids. The same is true of many of the NHL hopefuls in today’s 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio. One of the more dramatic and strategic moments of playing a pick-up game of pond hockey was how the teams were selected. For myself, it usually meant the sticks were thrown in a pile and one person would jump in and start separating the sticks into two groups, and it was more about luck of the draw rather than strategy. Yet, as I got older my group of neighborhood friends went to a “picking” style; and for the player who always seemed to be picked first it was a true honor, and for the person who was the last selected it was perhaps a feeling of needing to prove everyone wrong. The NHL Entry Draft is the ultimate game of pick’em for these players and teams. Yet, for those selected early they have big expectations to live up to, and for those that felt they should’ve been selected earlier they will use that “diss” as fuel throughout their career in an effort to prove those who passed up on them wrong. Futures are decided, and careers are made and sometimes lost depending on who you select and how those players turn out.

For the Minnesota Wild and 30 other teams, the NHL Entry draft is one of the way a team attempts to build a successful franchise. Every pick could bring a potential contributor to the team. The Entry Draft is often a place of wheeling and dealing, and earlier in the day we saw the Florida Panthers trade a 1st round pick in 2008 and a 2nd rounder in 2007 for goaltender Tomas Vokoun. Some teams have a lot of “chips” in the draft, like the division rival Edmonton Oilers with 3 First round selections. Will they deal those extra picks? One only has to look to last season to hear the “oooh’s” from the Vancouver crowd when the Wild dealt a 1st round pick and Patrick O’Sullivan for Pavol Demitra. Surprises make the draft interesting, hopefully they’re good surprises not bad ones (cough, the Minnesota Vikings missing their pick, cough).

The Wild made another draft day splash by making a trade of their 1st round pick (19th Overall) and 2nd round selection (42nd Overall) to the Anaheim Ducks for their 1st round pick (16th Overall) eventually selecting Colton Gillies. Colton Gillies is a big 6′4″ Centreman from the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. The 2nd cousin of New York Islanders’ Hall of Famer Clark Gillies, the big forward is known of his tremendous speed and loves to throw big checks. Offensively, he is not a big scorer but this is a clear message the team wants to have size that can not only skate but punish the opposition. TSN’s Bob McKenzie aptly mentioned the Wild’s experience against the Anaheim Ducks this post-season as a big reason the Wild made this selection. The Saskatoon centre had just 13 goals and 13 assists in 65 games, but his 148 penalty minutes attest to his grit and love of the big hit. Central Scouting Services had Gillies rated 30th in their final report. Wild Assistant General Manager / Player Personnel Director Tommy Thompson had this to say about Gillies on Wild.com, “He’s definitely one of the best skaters in the Draft,” said Thompson. “He plays with a physical edge and he plays hard. The way the game is going, you have to have some size up front that can play. We feel that is a need in the organization and we feel he fits that need better than anyone in the Draft. You can’t just have big guys that can’t get there. They have to be able to skate and they have to play with an edge to them.” He is also an effective penalty killer, and is noted for giving a consistant effort each and every shift which will definately work to his favor with the Wild coaching staff as they like to reward those who work hard each night.

From my perspective this was a fairly good pick. While I probably would’ve opted for Nick Petrecki (since McDonagh was taken already), Colton Gillies does address a need. That need being for a big forward that can skate and be the punishing hitter this team has always lacked.

In a bit of a change of pace, the NHL is having the first round selections on Friday, meanwhile the 2nd thru 7th round picks will be on Saturday. Here is the rundown of Friday’s 1st round selections.

1st Overall (Chicago Blackhawks) - RW - Patrick Kane - London Knights (OHL)

Pros: Fantastic hands, great on ice vision who has a knack for setting up his teamates, good speed, decent shot, and excellent hockey sense. He dominated at last year’s World Junior Championships for Team USA which demonstrates he can play big in important games.

Cons: Very small, at just 5′ 9 1/2″ and 160lbs.

2nd Overall (Philadelphia Flyers) - LW - James Van Riemsdyk - US Nat’l Team

Pros: Great size already (6′3″ 200lbs) and he’s not done growing yet, great hands especially around the net, good power moves and is not afraid to go to the net to score. Some scouts like to compare him to Columbus’ Rick Nash.

Cons: Not overly physical, and some scouts wonder if playing for University of New Hampshire next season will hinder the development of an aggressive power-forward style of game that the NHL game demands.

3rd Overall (Phoenix Coyotes) - C - Kyle Turris - Burnaby Express (BCHL)

Pros: Tremendously quick release on his shot, good skater, great (and highly accurate) shot, excellent attitude both on and off the ice. Draws comparisons to Joe Sakic.

Cons: Very skinny, some scouts question the competition he faced in the BCHL as well as his ‘ok’ performance at the WJC’s.

4th Overall (Los Angeles Kings) - D - Thomas Hickey - Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Pros: Great puck mover, solid positionally, can contribute offensively, poised and has experience quarterbacking the power play, and anticipates well on defense.

Cons: Smallish for a defenseman, offensive totals are just ‘ok’ and that is supposed to be his best attribute, and struggles mightily in battles along the boards.

5th Overall (Washington Capitals) - D - Karl Alzner - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Pros: A decent sized and skilled two-way defenseman, can get involved physically, can get involved offensively, decent skater, exuberant personality, and plays well under pressure.

Cons: Is a bit of a ‘tweener in terms of ability as he’s not really great at anything basically just good all around; if you’re looking for another Dion Phaneuf; Karl Alzner is not that guy.

6th Overall (Edmonton Oilers) - C/W - Sam Gagner - London Knights (OHL)

Pros: Great bloodlines (son of former North Stars winger Dave Gagner), fantastic hockey sense, a good playmaker, and a tremendous puckhandler.

Cons: Not all that great of a skater, and is at times hesitant to get involved physically to create scoring chances.

7th Overall (Columbus Blue Jackets) - RW - Jakub Voracek - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Pros: Solid all-around game, where he plays well at both ends of the ice, has a seemingly endless amount of moves to use 1-on-1, great passer, and works hard each shift.

Cons: Not a gifted scorer, will likely be more a gritty role player than go-to type of scorer.

8th Overall (Boston Bruins) - C - Zach Hamill - Everett Silvertips (WHL)

Pros: Tremendous hockey sense, great finisher, absolutely lethal on the power play, and is a good passer.

Cons: Small at just 5′ 10 1/2″ and 180lbs, not a great skater, poor acceleration and top end speed is lacking.

9th Overall (Toronto Maple Leafs to St. Louis Blues to San Jose Sharks) - C - Logan Couture - Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Pros: Great hockey sense, good passer, tricky puckhandler, great work ethic, a competitor who can be used in any situation.

Cons: An average skater with poor acceleration, fairly modest size 6′ 1/2″ considering he’s not fleet of foot.

10th Overall (Florida Panthers) - D - Keaton Ellerby - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Pros: Fantastic skater for a player of his size, good size with a large 6′4″ frame to fill out, and plays with a mean streak.

Cons: Not overly strong for his size (he did just two reps at 150lbs at the combine), decision-making skills are a big question mark as his poor choices led to his team being routed from the playoffs in the 1st round.

11th Overall (Carolina Panthers) - C/RW - Brandon Sutter - Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

Pros: Fantastic bloodlines, great versatility where he can be used in virtually any situation (on the power play, on the penalty kill, quarterbacking the power play, etc), and a good sized 6′3″ frame, and tremendous game-awareness.

Cons: Not a great skater and not overly impressive offensively, a very skinny kid who really needs to get stronger in order to make the next step in his game.

12th Overall (Montreal Canadiens) - D - Ryan McDonagh - Cretin Durham-Hall (USHSW)

Pros: Great skater, solid two-way defenseman, likes to get involved physically, great passer, good shot, and solid hockey sense. He was Minnesota’s ‘Mr. Hockey’ (the award given to the best boys high school player in the state) in 2007.

Cons: Offensive plays sometimes lead to bad turnovers, just average size (6′1″ 200lbs), and game effort is not always consistant.

13th Overall (St. Louis Blues) - C/W - Lars Eller - Frolunda (Swedish Jr)

Pros: Great speed, good shot, knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage, and good hockey sense.

Cons: Withers in competition for the puck along the boards, and a bit injury prone.

14th Overall (Colorado Avalanche) - D - Kevin Shattenkirk - US Nat’l Team

Pros: Good skater and puck mover, makes smart choices in transition, decent shot and passing skills, and has good leadership qualities.

Cons: Smallish at only 5′11″, defensive game is inconsistant and needs work.

15th Overall (Edmonton Oilers) - D - Alex Plante - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Pros: Good size (6′ 3 1/2″ and 225lbs), solid positionally, and possesses a good shot from the point.

Cons: Mobility is not all that great, and struggles in pressure situations.

16th Overall (Anaheim Ducks to Minnesota Wild) - C - Colton Gillies - Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Pros: Best skater in the draft, versatility (can play all 3 forward positions), punishing hitter, good penalty killer, and works hard each shift.

Cons: Not a great scorer, positioning needs work, and needs to have better touch around the net.

17th Overall (New York Rangers) - RW - Alexei Cherepanov - Omsk (Russian Superleague)

Pros: Great scoring touch, tremendous stickhandler, and outstanding offensive awareness. Some scouts compare parts of his game to Alexander Ovechkin. Broke Russian Superleague rookie goal scoring record with 18 goals (which was previously held by Pavel Bure).

Cons: Very inconsistant in his level of play, only ’plays when he feels like it’, skating is just above average.

18th Overall (Calgary Flames to St. Louis Blues) - D - Ian Cole - US Nat’l Team

Pros: Very consistant, solid positionally, good point shot, and makes a great first pass out of the zone.

Cons: Not a big offensive contributor, and just average size (6′1″ 211lbs).

19th Overall (Minnesota Wild to Anaheim Ducks) - C - Logan MacMillan - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Pros: Good acceleration, had a tremendous 2nd half, very coachable, and good bloodlines.

Cons: Is not tremendously skilled, effort not always consistant, and needs to work on protecting puck better.

20th Overall (Pittsburgh Penguins) - C - Angelo Esposito - Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

Pros: Great quickness and excellent puck skills, and is a good finisher even though his production did slip this season.

Cons: Lacks consistancy in terms of his effort, does not battle for pucks along the boards, and needs to find ways to work more effectively with his teamates.

21st Overall (Edmonton Oilers to Phoenix Coyotes) - C - Riley Nash - Salmon Arm (BCHL)

22nd Overall (Montreal Canadiens) - LW - Max Pacioretty - Sioux City (USHL)

23rd Overall (Nashville Predators) - D - Jonathan Blum - Vancouver Giants (WHL)

24th Overall (Calgary Flames) - C - Mikael Backlund - Vasteras (Sweden Eliteserien)

25th Overall (Vancouver Canucks) - C - Patrick White - Grand Rapids Thunderhawks (USHSW)

26th Overall (New Jersey Devils to St. Louis Blues) - LW - David Perron - Lewiston (QMJHL)

27th Overall (Detroit Red Wings) - D - Brendan Smith - St. Michaels (OPJRA)

28th Overall (Buffalo Sabres to San Jose Sharks) - D - Nick Petrecki - Omaha Lancers (USHL)

29th Overall (Ottawa Senators) - C - James O’Brien - U of Minnesota (WCHA)

30th Overall (Anaheim Ducks to Phoenix Coyotes) - D - Nick Ross - Regina Pats (WHL)

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The State of Hockey News | MVN - Most Valuable Network » Blog Archive » Slow(er) day for Wild on second day of draft

Slow(er) day for Wild on second day of draft

By Theresa Ferries | June 23rd, 2007

After the relative excitement of trading spots with Anaheim in Round One, draft day two seems rather anti-climatic. Between the drama of the “where will they go” saga of yesterday’s first round regarding Alexei Cherepanov and Angelo Esposito combined with the fact that Wild didn’t have another pick until Round Four, it’s not been the world’s most exciting draft for Minnesota.

The Wild’s two picks in Round Two were involved in trades of sorts. Obviously, the 42nd pick went to Anaheim because of yesterday’s bid to pick earlier than 19th and the 50th pick had gone to Dallas, which was left over from the Willie Mitchell deal. However, there was a strong Minnesota connection with the pick that went to Dallas. Not only did that pick go to our former NHL team, but it was also a Minnesota-born player going to Dallas. With the 50th pick, the Stars picked Nico Sacchetti of Virginia, Minnesota.

With the 110th pick overall, Minnesota drafted Spokane Chiefs (WHL) defenseman, Justin Falk. In the 62 regular season games this past season with the Chiefs, the 6′5″ 215 pound native of Snowflake, Manitoba netted 3 goals, 12 assists as well as 88 penalty minutes. Even though Minnesota desperately needs quality defensemen (it’s been this way from the beginning of the Wild’s existance), the 18 year-old will need time to mature before coming to Saint Paul. And as the old saying goes, it takes much longer for defensemen and goaltenders to mature.

In the 5th round, the Wild again went to the fountain known as the Western Hockey League. This time, the Wild went with a foward. With the 140th pick overall, the Wild selected Cody Almond of the Kelowna Rockets. Almond, a 6′2″ 199 pound center and native of Calgary, Alberta in his 68 games this past season, netted 15 goals, 28 assists and tallied 72 penalty minutes. With the traffic jam at center in Saint Paul, the 17 year-old is going to have to work hard in his remaining time in juniors as well as his future time with the Houston Aeros.

The 6th round found the Wild again addressing the need for defensemen, however this time, they crossed the pond. With the 170th overall pick, the Wild selected 17 year-old Harri Ilvonen of Tappara-Jr. In this past season with Tappara, the 6′2″ 187 pound native of Helsinki, Finland he only played seven games, however he has spent time since 2003 with Tappara’s feeder system. In those seven games with Tappara-Jr., Ilvonen tallied no points and 2 penalty minutes. Ilvonen will definitely need to bulk up to find a place in Minnesota. However, he could simply be a future version of Petteri Nummelin. If and when we see Ilvonen in North America is anyone’s guess. Like every one of his fellow Finnish citizens, he will have to complete his compulsory military duty. It was this same military duty that delayed the North American debut of fellow Finn, Mikko Koivu.

In the final round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Wild once again selected from the Western Hockey League. With the 200th overall pick, Minnesota picked Brandon, Manitoba native, Carson McMillan. The 18 year-old right wing from the Calgary Hitmen played 72 regular season games this past season and notched 7 goals 15 assists as well as tallied 76 penalty minutes. At just over 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, McMillan could be the stocky presence needed on Minnesota’s third or fourth line.

While it’s great to see the Wild addressing the needs at defense this draft, there are still many questions to be answered. It is noteworthy that the Wild were unable to deal goaltender Manny Fernandez as many fans expected, even for draft picks, especially with the lack of picks in the second and third rounds. With the advent of free agency on the horizon and the trade frenzy about to begin, it will be interesting to see if Wild General Manager, Doug Risebrough will be able to move his high-price, injury-prone, moody goaltender.