The Tomorrow’s Blues Mock Draft

By Brian Weidler

Following is a summary of a mock draft I particpated in at "Hockey's Future," where I was acting as the Blues' GM.

One change: in the mock draft, I took over after the Blues' second-round pick. I didn't like the player that the orignal drafter had chosen for the Blues at 27th overall, so I substituted the player I would have chosen there, from the list of players still available at that point of the draft.

PICK.. RANK... PLAYER............. LEAGUE TEAM........... BIRTHDATE.... HT..... WT. POS/S
====== ======= =================== ====== =============== ============= ======= === =====
001 .. 001 NA. JOHNSON, ERIK ..... USA .. US NATL U-18 .. 03/21/1988 .. 6-04 .. 222 ..D R
STATS: 38 11-22-33 .57
POTENTIAL FRANCHISE DEFENSEMAN WITH SIZE AND MEAN STREAK

027 .. 030 NA. LEWIS, TREVOR ..... USHL . DES MOINES .... 01/08/1987 .. 6-01 .. 192 ..C R
STATS: 56 35-40-75 .69
SCORING FORWARD WITH GREAT SKATING SKILLS; HEADED TO UNIV OF MICHIGAN031 .. 019 NA. FOLIGNO, NICK ..... OHL .. SUDBURY ....... 10/31/1987 .. 6-00 .. 188 .LW L
STATS: 65 24-46-70 146
TWO-WAY FORWARD WITH SCORING UPSIDE; SON OF FORMER NHL PLAYER061 .. 005 EU. KANA, TOMAS ....... CZE .. VITKOVICE ..... 11/29/1987 .. 6-00 .. 202 ..C R
STATS: 42 .5-.9-14 .50
TWO-WAY FORWARD WITH GREAT WORK ETHIC AND OFFENSIVE UPSIDE079 .. 060 NA. NODL, ANDREAS ..... USHL . SIOUX FALLS ... 02/28/1987 .. 6-01 .. 196 .RW L
STATS: 58 29-30-59 .16
SCORING FORWARD WITH GREAT SKATING SKILLS; HEADED TO ST CLOUD STATE091 .. 066 NA. GRYBA, ERIC ....... USHL . GREEN BAY ..... 04/14/1988 .. 6-04 .. 215 ..D R
STATS: 56 .3-12-15 205
BIG STAY-AT-HOME DEFENSEMAN WITH A MEAN STREAK; HEADED TO BOSTON UNIV103 .. 003 NAG ZATKOFF, JEFF ..... CCHA . MIAMI-OHIO .... 06/09/1987 .. 6-01 .. 150 ..G L
STATS: 20 GP 1217 MIN 41 GA 3 SO 2.02 GAA 0.928 SV%
TOP-RANKED US COLLEGE GOALIE LED TEAM DEEP INTO NCAA TOURNAMENT121 .. 085 NA. BOHUNICKY, LUKAS .. WHL .. KOOTENAY ...... 10/30/1987 .. 6-02 .. 213 ..D L
STATS: 59 .2-.7-.9 .52
PHYSICAL STAY-AT-HOME DEFENSEMAN151 .. 070 EU. RAMSTEDT, TEEMU ... FIN JR IFK JR ........ 12/09/1987 .. 5-11 .. 183 ..W L
STATS: 38 19-30-49 .30
SMALLER PLAYER WITH GRINDING MINDSET AND SCORER'S TOUCH

181 .. 076 NA. GILIATI, STEFANO .. QMJHL. LEWISTON ...... 10/07/1987 .. 5-11 .. 200 .LW L
STATS: 70 21-28-49 .72
PLAYMAKER AND GRINDER IN ONE PACKAGE

With the 34th pick in the 2008 Entry Draft, the St. Louis Blues are pleased to select, from the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, defenseman Jyri Niemi.

..

Defense, shoots left. 6'02", 192 lbs. Born June 15, 1990 in Hameenkyro, Finland.

2007-08 CLUB/LEAGUE ,,, GP GL AS PTS +/- PIM PP SH FG GW
======================= == == == === === === == == == ==
SASKATOON (WHL) ,,,,,,, 49 14-20-034 - 1 57 9 1 4 1

RANKINGS:

CENTRAL SCOUTING PRE ... 007 WHL
CENTRAL SCOUTING MID ... 029 N/A
CENTRAL SCOUTING FIN ... 025 N/A

INT'L SCOUT SVCS NOV ... 088
INT'L SCOUT SVCS JAN ... 055
INT'L SCOUT SVCS MAY ... 056

McKEENS PRELIMINARY .... 000 N/R
McKEENS MIDTERM ........ 028

SCOUTING REPORT

PLUS:
-- Excellent skating ability and hockey sense.
-- Cannon of a shot from point (won CHL Top Prospect Game Hardest Shot competition).
-- Gritty and physical.
-- Has shown steady improvement all season.

MINUS:
-- Played only 49 games due to injuries (groin pull).
-- Has not gotten exposure to high-level international junior competition.

GAME TIME PROJECTION: Top four defenseman; second-unit power play QB.