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NHL 100 (US Division) · Monday June 25, 2007

Kudos to the WHL. This year they placed 19 of the top 100 in the NHL entry level draft, better than the 13 in 2006, and 18 in 2005. In that three year span Portland placed 2 (Michael Sauer, Brendan Mikkelson), Everett 5, Seattle 3, Spokane 2, Tri-City 1, and the Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants 8.

The WHL as a whole is amazingly accurate in its assessment of hockey talent evaluating players at the age of 14-15 years old. 8 of the top ten 2004 bantam picks are in the top 125 picks of the 2007 NHL entry draft. The top talent does rise to the front even at a young age.

Vancouver not only can turn top draft picks on the scouting lists into productive players, but can find NHL talent not on other team’s radar (i.e. Jonathon Blum, 134th as a bantam pick, Michal Repik, 21st in the Import draft, Spencer Machacek not selected in the draft, and their highest draft pick (14th), low in the top 100 (91st), Tyson Sexsmith).

The top teams know how to evaluate and develop talent. New Hawk’s management has an up hill climb to recover from a poor 2003 bantam draft and have not yet been able to develop any gems from the lower rounds.

For Portland to become an elite team again, it will have to come from the Bantam drafts starting with the class of 2005 (Thomas Frazee, Ty Ariss, Colin Reddin), 2006 (Riley Boychuk, Brett Ponich, Cole Grbavac), 2007 (Bradley Ross, Kyzen Loo, Joe Morrow) and with all Championship teams a few guys that nobody knew existed at draft time. Guys that developed later in life and are determined to make their hockey dreams come true. Time will tell if this group of picks will step out and show that they are worthy of the next generaion of NHL 100.

WHL Players in the Top 100

— S. Blanchard

US Divisional News · Friday January 18, 2008

— S. Blanchard

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