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Kyle Woodlief

  (12:28 PM)

Hey hockey fans! Send me your NHL Draft questions now. I'll see you Tuesday!

Nick (Boca Raton)

What do you think of Michigan's T.J. Hensick's deciscion to opt out given the fact that he was arguably the nation's best rookie?

Kyle Woodlief

  (11:58 AM)

Frankly I'm more than a little surprised. We had him ranked right on the cusp of the first round at No. 31 overall at Red Line Report, and I don't think he'll go much higher than that no matter how well he plays next year (mostly due to his size). He was Michigan's best forward in the playoffs, and everyone in the scouting community had gotten a good eyeful, so I don't think added exposure next year is going to push him up. It's a bit of a risk to my way of thinking.

Chris Padgett (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Nashville has an organization-wide shortage of centers ... would Kyle Chipchura warrant the No. 15 pick ... will Dave Bolland still be on the board?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:01 PM)

If it were me selecting at No. 15, I'd prefer Bolland if he's still available. I just believe he can do more for you at the offensive end. But Chipchura is a safe pick in that he'll play at the NHL level. #15 is a tad high for him in my book, but would not really be too much of a stretch.

Doug (Washington, DC)

If no one had ever heard of Evgeni Malkin or Alex Ovechkin prior to last October, how close would the two be in the minds of the experts heading into the draft?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:04 PM)

They would be very close, but I really think it's a moot point because most scouts have them ranked fairly close to one another as it is. Whether or not you've seen a particular player prior to the start of the season doesn't really matter - the cream rises to the top.

Alex (San Jose)

Do you think Jakub Sindel will fall out of the first round?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:07 PM)

He's definitely a candidate to fall, but I remind you, it only takes one team to really like a player for that player to become a first round pick. Sindel is one of the absolute best pure snipers in this draft, but he's very slightly built and played very much on the perimetre this season, not exhibiting a good work ethic, so there are definitely some serious question marks.

JD Boudreau (Montreal, PQ)

Everything I have read about Mike Green seems positive, including the fact that he had decent stats on a (very) bad team. Yet, some rankings coming from the hockey "authorities" put him late in the 1st round and others say he could even slip in the 2nd. What's up with that?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:09 PM)

I'd personally be shocked if Green fell below No. 20. He's a terrific kid and a very solid prospect. Many teams do like their defence prospects to be a bit bigger than Green, but still at some point (and fairly early in my opinion) you just can't overlook the talent and character a kid like Green possesses.

allen freehold, nj

why are smaller players usually ranked so low? take a player like nigel dawes for instance... he has been unbelievably successful in juniors as well as the worlds, yet he isn't taken till the later rounds... hasn't it been proven that at the forward position size doesn't matter at much as say goaltending or defense (st.louis, gionta, elias, fleury etc.)?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:15 PM)

Good question. This has been a pet peeve of mine, and if I have a bias, it's toward the highly skilled small player. As I've said often in interview situations, the ONLY positive thing about a 30 team NHL is that it has made a place in the game again for the skilled little guy. As long as a talented smaller player has the guts to go and play in the traffic areas, is willing to compete hard for loose pucks, and will fight through close checking, I'll continue to rank them as high as their talent warrants without regard to their physical stature.

matt brick, nj

what is better advice, drafting for a team's need or taking the best player available? case: rangers have three young talented goalies in the system, but if the top goalie in the draft is available at #6 do you take him?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:22 PM)

Drafting for need is nothing short of imbecilic. Your needs today are not going to be your needs 4-5 years from now (which is how long it's going to take most players picked today to make it to the NHL). It always astounds me that fans just can't seem to grasp that simple concept. There are almost no teams that would make drafting decisions in the first 2-3 rounds based on immediate needs, and clubs that do find themselves consigned to the lower echelons. I have a question for you: didn't the Buffalo Sabres have some guy named Hasek in net for them when they spent draft picks on Martin Biron, Miikka Noronen, and Ryan Miller? The draft is all about COLLECTING ASSETS! Just get as many good ones as you can and let your GM sort out which ones he might use as trade bait.

Dave (Pittsburgh)

If you had to predict where Lauri Korpikoski will be taken on Saturday, where will he go? Is there a chance he could fall to the Penguins with the first pick in the second round? He seems to have all the characteristics needed to be a "home run pick," which is something the Penguins need after acquiring depth over the past few years.

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:25 PM)

I'd be stunned if he lasted beyond the top 15. Frankly, he should be selected within the first 12. You can quote me on this: there is zero chance that Lauri Korpikoski will be on the board when the Penguins pick at No. 31.

Larry D. - Moose Jaw, SA

Hi Kyle, With a potential lockout looming and young talent at a premium, do you anticipate that many clubs will deal away current NHL players for high draft picks? If so, which teams do you think are most likely to be the buyers and the sellers for these picks? Which players might be on the move as a result?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:28 PM)

If anything I believe the exact opposite will occur. I don't think there will be any clubs willing to trade high draft choices who can potentially be locked up for 6-8 years for a relatively inexpensive price in return for high priced veterans with the lcokout coming.

David: (Toronto, Ontario):

What do you think of these two Russians... Dimitri Vorobiev and Denis Parshin. Has Parshin declared himself for the draft or not?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:32 PM)

I love the little kid Parshin. He's the best pure stickhandler and has the most natural offensive instincts in the entire draft. And he did opt-in. I like Vorobiev more than most NHL scouts. He's big, steady in his own zone, and has (in my opinion) the most effective point shot of any defenceman in this year's draft.

George B, Edmonton, AB

The Assistant GM of the Edmonton Oilers said in an article that this draft is underrated because of the strength of 2003. He mentioned that it has come on to be average to above average. How do you feel about this assessment?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:37 PM)

I wouldn't say "above average," but I agree that it's not nearly as bad as some of the gloom-and-doomers would have you believe. It's light years ahead of the 2002 draft. Some people have short memories. Why compare only against a very deep draft year like 2003. This year's crop falls right in the average range in my opinion.

Joel (Columbus, Ohio)

Do you foresee the CBA uncertainty and the expiration of the NHL's compensation agreement with European countries causing teams to take a different approach in this year's draft than they may have normally? For example, various media sites have said the Russian's believe they should be compensated $1-$2.5 million for player's like Ovechkin and Malkin. Additionally, the owners want to drop the "Joe Thorton" model of signing draft picks in the new CBA. Could you explain what, if any, influence these concerns may have on a team's draft strategy. Could signability, either through dealing with a European country, or a draft pick who won't sign under a potentially new CBA rookie salary cap, be a factor?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:43 PM)

Excellent question. I don't think teams will alter their decisions in the first and second rounds because you only have so many chances to grab the most talented players. You can't waste valuable assets by choosing lesser players. But their may come a point in the draft where, if you're looking at roughly equivalent talents, one of whom is Russian and the other North American, you may choose the North American (or Swede, Finn, etc.) to avoid the potential hassle.

Darren, Vancouver BC

You're very high on Finnish forward Lauri Korpikoski after his performance at the under 18 tournament. Is there cause for concern for teams picking in the mid-1st round that he really came out of nowhere? And that his only real dominating performance was playing alongside Lauri Tukonen and Petteri Nokelainen?

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:55 PM)

Came out of nowhere? What planet have you been on? He's been in Red Line's top 25 for five months now. Everyone in the scouting community has known about him at least since the middle of the season. And by the way, it's Korpikoski who was the catalyst of that line, not Nokelainen or Tukonen. Korpikoski was the one doing it on his own without either of them at the Five Nations in Pori, Finland, back in early February.

Frank, Philadelphia

Every year GMs pass on quality players for bad reasons, like because of size concerns or because they don't want to "waste" a high pick on a #2 or 3 defenseman or a 2nd line forward. Who are some of the players who should be available around #16 who would be smart long-term picks? Thanks.

Kyle Woodlief

  (12:58 PM)

I think a guy like Dave Bolland or Mike Green might be available at that spot, and if so, would represent very good value long term.

Brian (Potomac, MD)

After starting the year as a possible top 10 pick, it seems Wes O'Neill has slipped a lot. Is there any chance he falls through the first round?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:00 PM)

O'Neill is a guy who might slide into the second round due to concerns about his footwork. But he does have good size and some offensive tools, so someone may take a shot at him in the first round.

Ryan M, Vancouver B.C.

Every year it seems there is a player like Lukas Kaspar or Sindel that has unbelievable potential that falls due to perceived attitude or consistency issues. To what extent is it reasonable to project a player's character. For example I remember Daniel Tkachuk (sp?) being lauded for leadership abilities, and heard similar assesments made for Josh Holden. That side of the draft really seems like a crapshoot where assessing raw talent and how that translates at the NHL level seems a little more realistic.

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:05 PM)

Personal character is a very important, and sometimes underrated factor, in prospects' ultimate success. And you're right - it is often the most difficult aspect to assess. I find it helps if you can talk to the players themselves and get a sense of who they are away from the ice. This is also why the scouting community tries to delve into players' family backgrounds; usually kids who come from classy parents and families will turn out to have good personal character, and it's definitely a factor that is taken into consideration in the decision making process.

Sean (Ottawa)

Some rank Andreij Meszaros in the top 10, and even one publication in the top 5. Then there are some who have him late in the first round. This for a player who is considered to be farther along in his development considering he's a very good defenceman in the top Slovak league already. What is your take on Meszaros, and why the descrepancy among publications as to where he ranks?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:11 PM)

The discrepancy is largely because some ot these so-called draft publications don't actually employ any scouts and don't ever see the players they are ranking (they know who they are). So most of them just go by what others tell them, or lift information from legitimate sources. If you want accurate information, you have to be careful about what sources you choose to read, At Red Line, we have over 30 personal viewings of Meszaros over the past three seasons and we rank him as the second best defenceman in this draft behind only Cam Barker. Meszaros is very poised, mature, and solid at both ends of the rink, and it would not surprise me at all if he went in the top 10.

Joe Barnes,Buffalo

What do you think of Viktor Alexandrov being available in round 2?I believe he was pretty highly touted several months before the draft but has now fallen a bit.Where do you think he will go?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:16 PM)

It's conceivable he might still be around at the top of round two, but I think there are a couple of clubs out there that are quietly trying to steal him late in the first round. I think he's a very good sleeper candidate this year.

Roger Coté, Quebec

Jannick Hansen seem to be off everyone's top 100 list, but I heard that he's the fastest skater and also have great offensive skills and work ethic. Does the fact that he plays in Denmark drop him in everyone's rankings?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:21 PM)

Excellent question. Hansen was very impressive at the World U-18s in Minsk, and he is an excellent skater with slick moves and soft hands. We left him just outside of our top 100 at Red Line because we didn't see him often enough to get a complete read, but I do list him as a real sleeper for the draft, and it wouldn't surprise me it someone jumped up and took him in the third round. In general, it does take a little more for players from the "lesser" hockey playing nations (like Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Germany) to get noticed, and for teams to be willing to select them high in the draft.

David O'Leary P.E.I.

how can you explain some thinking of some GM's? after seeing Brad Richards play so well this year and he was a second round pick and was a MVP in the QMJHL why would all those teams pass on him? or is it because Brad made himself better?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:30 PM)

Good question. And I admit that I personally only had Richards ranked around 60th overall in his draft year in 1998. My bad! Brad Richards has made me (and many others in the scouting community) look bad because he really improved two areas of his game since we saw him in his draft year: his ability and willingness to compete hard on every shift and battle through traffic; and his first step quickness and skating stride. The most gratifying picks of all are those who have some tools at age 18 in their draft year, but surprise you because they just work so hard to continue improving, making themselves into better players and rounding out the rough spots in their game. That's really great to see, and you don't mind being wrong on a player like that -- you root harder for him because you know where he was when he started and how hard he had to work to achieve his goals.

Pat (Portland, ME)

Kyle, everything said before a draft is opinion, informed or not. Can you cite a past example where you thought a player was very underrated and turned out to be a good NHL player? Conversely, are there any examples of players who you just can't believe never made it big?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:43 PM)

Excellent question. Absolutely, I don't mind admitting my mistakes - hey we all make them. There are many examples, and I just named Brad Richards as one of them in the last question I answered. Another kid I ranked too low was Simon Gagne, who had an injury marred draft year and never seemed to be able to stay healthy enough to make an impact in his draft year (1998). I thought he might turn out to be a bit of a soft, perimetre player who was in and out of the lineup with injuries, I laughed at my own stupidity as I watched him shine during the last Olympics. On the flip side, one player I felt was vastly underrated who has gone on to make me look good is Erik Cole. He's a perfect example of the whole "character" issue that I spoke about in one of my answers to an earlier question. He was dogged by rumours of poor off-ice character in his draft year, but I sat down 1-on-1 with him several times and came away highly impressed with him. He was also a kid who was supposed to be only average sized and an average skater, but I noticed that he always beat bigger defencemen in the 1-on-1 battles in the corners through sheer detremination and desire, plus he always got to loose pucks first. Sometimes you just have a deep down hunch on guys and you have to be willing to stand up and fight for them.

Devon, EP, MN

Theres alot of talk about the Wild going after hometown kid Drew Stafford at number 12. Good Pick? or do you think they should look at someone else?

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:46 PM)

I don't know whether they will or will not select Stafford, but we have him ranked 9th overall, so he's certainly worthy of being picked in that range. I know Minny has a number of players bunched pretty close together in that range on their draft board; it will just depend on what happens in the draft ahead of them and who slides down to them at No. 12.

Kyle San Jose CA

Who is your favorite player likely to be draft in round 3 or later. We have seen Detroit find gems like Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the late rounds. LA even picked up Wild Card Pushkarev in the second last year.

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:54 PM)

There are a couple who fit that category. A few who come to mind are some smaller European forwards like Finland's Valtteri Tenkanen and Switzerland's Peter Guggisberg. I don't think either will be selected real high due to their size, but Tenkanen is about 178 pounds of pure heart, and Guggisberg (who gets marked down by some just for being Swiss) is a very speedy and dynamic goalscorer. Jannik Hansen from Denmark, who was mentioned in an earlier question, also might be a nice mid-round Euro steal. Liam Reddox from Peterborough is also a little bulldog with good skills and desire who might be available in the 3rd-4th round. Among the defencemen I'd say Slovak Ondrej Sekera is an undersized, underrated guy who could make some team very happy.

Kyle Woodlief

  (1:59 PM)

Sorry folks, I'd like to be able to answer all your questions, but I do have some other commitments leading up to the draft, so I'm going to have to sign off now. I thank you all for taking the time to write in and I apologise in advance if I didn't have time to get to your question. It's great to see there are so many of you out there with a real passion for the draft. Enjoy the draft experience this weekend, and if you make it to Raleigh don't be shy about introducing yourself and saying "Hi."