2008 Draft Fast Approaching

I'm very disappointed this year that I wasn't able to produce a draft preview as I have over the past. I always enjoyed it and the draft to me is the biggest hockey day of the year. So since it is basically too late I thought I would add my two cents right here in the new blog.

So first question is, who would I like to see the Islanders draft? The young man pictured above...Nikita Filatov.

Filatov has become the consensus pick, or should I say desire, of most Islander fans among the internet. But if I may toot my own horn, some listeners of the popular web show Hockey Night on Long Island may recall I was a supporter of his back as far as April. There is no denying his skill set. He can fly and has tricks that can wow you. Just one look at the youtube videos posted and the first thing you will probably notice is Filatov possesses a toe drag move that would make even Trent Hunter stand up and applaud in awe.

Yes, there are some worries. Will Filatov suffer the same fate as Alexei Cherepanov did in 2007. Cherepanov was rated as a top 5 pick. But he slipped to the Rangers at #17 because of the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and Russia. Now, there is no transfer agreement at all between the NHL and any European countries.

There's also the question as to if Filatov can handle the NHL. If any of you readers saw him at the recent draft combine, the young Russian was a little bit overwhelmed. Even he admitted it. But the combine is not a measure of hockey skill. Filatov still has a few years to fill out. If the Islanders do decide to take him, they can't expect him to make the NHL next season. Even if he does want to come to North America right away, and the Islanders are able to get him out of Russia for whatever monetary amount they will have to give up, he does not seem physically ready yet to handy the rough rigors of the NHL.

And while this is the year of the defenseman, we all know the Islanders lacked some offensive punch last season. The fact that Filatov is a left winger, and the possibility of adding a talent like him to go along with Kyle Okposo and the rest of the youth movement, it should be something too good to pass up if he is available at #5.

At the same time, I always believe you build championships from the goal out. The Islanders are hopefully solid with Rick DiPietro in net. But they obviously do not currently have a stud defenseman. One of Drew Doughty or Zach Bogosian would truely fill that spot. And you could probably throw Alex Pietrangelo in that group as well. But will they be available when the Islanders step up to the podium. If not, and Filatov is not their choice, do they look at a defensive defenseman like Kelowna's Luke Schenn or Tyler Myers.

So many questions to be asked. But we will all find out Friday night in Ottawa.