First guys, I know I brought up that idea for the 2nd round but then I got a new job and havent been able to do it. Sorry about that, but we will use it for next year. Anyways to make up for it I did a draft preview for the top 5 picks (lottery teams). Hope you enjoy!

Draft - 2004

This was the first year the CTCHL has used the lottery draft to determine who would have the top five picks in this upcomming draft. A draft that features two possible franchise players, a handful of good goalies, and prospects that can go anywhere between 3-15 and not be a suprise pick.

This being the first ever draft lottery you know that there was going to be something interesting happening and ure enough it did. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the team that help the 3rd overall pick, jumped all the way to #1. The funny thing is every other team got drafted in their expected order. Now onto the preview:


1st overall: Anaheim

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks are a team that underachieved all year. A new GM came into place and tried to balance a strong future with a strong vetran team, something only a few CTCHL teams have ever been able to accomplish. Now the Ducks sit with the #1 overall pick in the draft. A draft that features the highly anticipated arrival of Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin has been dubbed the best prospect since Jaromir Jagr. Looking at the Ducks rosteryour not sure where they will go with the pick. With vets like Allison, Elias and Guerin making the team look like they could go far into next year splayoffs you would think they should take the most they can get for the pick, which would be a ton, and try to put them into contention for the cup. But then you might look at their future with Michalek, Zherdev, Vishnevsky and the majority of their roter being under 28 you would think they should use the pick and get themselfes a stud to add to their future arsenal. Projection: They will use the pick on Ovechkin unless a team highly overpays.


2nd overall: St.Louis:

The St.Louis are this years cinderella story. They traed away a very "vet" heavy team and built almost exclusivly through youth. And despite this they still made the playoffs. Congratulations to them, but lets look at this realistically. They should not trade the pick for vets to maybe put them over the top next year. They know they are riding on pure energy. Its a bunch of kids with a couple vets playing their hearts out and if they try to trade this pick to change that philosophy they will not be as succesful yet. Thet deal might make sense for a Colorado but the Blues have a chance to add to an already very impressive young team that boasts names such as Staal, Erat, Nash, Kotalik, Brewer, Dipietro a handful of good prospects and three first rounders. Projection: The Blues should keep this pick and pick Evgeni Malkin, a player some say might not be far behind Ovechkin in terms of potential and make their future maybe the brightest in the league.


3rd/4th overall: Ottawa:

The Ottawa Senators went into the lottery as the only team with two picks in the draw. The chances were hugley in favor that they would get either the #1 or #2 pick and get to take one of the two studs in the draft. But it just wasnt their day and they got stuck with the 3 and 4. Stuck you might ask? Yes. Because even though there are some great prospects in the draft the 2nd to 3rd pick has a masive drop off and a huge dropp off in terms of trade value. The Senators are an older team and could use these picks to trade for more vet help and they could ad go for a strong 2 more years before totally deflating as a team. We however think Ottawa might start to look to build move youth oriented next year while still trying to have Sakic lead them deep into the playoffs. With Lehtonen already a great start to rebuild these young prospects can just beging to shine by the time the vets on this team retire. A smooth transition that most teams can never have. Projection: The Senators will take the 3rd and 4th picks despite their GM commenting on maybe trading then and choose Can Barker the best d-man available in this years draft and Andrew Ladd, a high scoring Canadian winger to make them one of the deepest teams in the league future wise.


5th overall pick: Montreal

Finally we see a trade. The Montreal Canadians are a team built with solid youth. The Canadians also year after year keep dissapointing their fans by not making the playoffs. The top player available at this point in goalie Al Montoya and with Grahme, Theodore and Michaud alreay there the Canadians trade this pick for immediate help to try to finally get them into the playoffs. Teams will be offering up big with the chance to get Montoya and many will be suprised he has already fallen this far. The Canadians will get great return and hopefully make the playoffs.


And there you have it. Hope you enojoyed it. Should be an excited day at the draft.