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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 MICHIGAN
031 .. 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 PLAYER
061 .. 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 UPSIDE
079 .. 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 STATE
091 .. 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 UNIV
103 .. 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 TOURNAMENT
121 .. 085 NA. BOHUNICKY, LUKAS .. WHL .. KOOTENAY ...... 10/30/1987 .. 6-02 .. 213 ..D L
STATS: 59 .2-.7-.9 .52
PHYSICAL STAY-AT-HOME DEFENSEMAN
151 .. 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

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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.

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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.