The 2009 NHL Entry Draft has the possibility of going down in the record books as a major turning point the turning point for the New York Islanders franchise. For a franchise who’s tank has been running on empty for quite some time, this draft brought along several things that the Islanders needed so direly: excitement, possibility, and relevance. Excitement, in the sense that they were placed in a position to draft a franchise player who could reestablish their presence in the NHL. Possibility, in the sense that the Islanders were presented with the opportunity to bring in a game changing, and more importantly, franchise changing, player. Relevance, in the sense that, for the first time in a long time, the Islanders were the talk of the NHL, and it was in a positive light that they were spoken of. To further on that statement, the Islanders first overall selection not only kept them as the talk of the NHL since 7:12 PM Friday night when the pick was made, but if all unfolds as it should with the development of this franchise player, the Islanders may find themselves being spoken of in a positive light continuously.
**(Pictured Above: NYI Draft Party 2009 - 5:30PM - Click on the picture to enlarge it. It was taken with an iPhone 3G S, so I apologize for the lack of clarity)**
For a team that is ridiculed and mocked as much as the Islanders are by the media, fellow hockey franchises, fellow hockey fans, and even more so by hockey analysts, it seems as if this redemption was a long time coming for Islanders fans. While it is premature to say they will rise to the top just because of this one pick, the feelings of excitement and anticipation have not been this strong on Long Island for as long as I can remember. What helps to encourage this excitement and anticipation is the words of many well-respected hockey analysts, who all seem to agree on one thing: the Islanders may have finally reestablished their importance to the National Hockey League. According to Pierre McGuire, and even highly respected TSN Analyst, Bob McKenzie, the Islanders have finally brought in that player that they can build a winner around. Not only do they feel that this player will help them win, but they feel he can help bring back the glory and pride that this franchise once had.
What I must add on my own, however, is that the Islanders were always relevant and important to Long Island. Although many fans lost their way to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum over the last decade due to horrible teams, and lousy management, these fans never truly disappeared. The Islanders Draft Party was a true indicator of the pride that this organization has, and it is my hope that John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and company can help the rest of the hockey world to see that.
Let us take a look at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Class for the New York Islanders. Today I will be analyzing the Islanders first two picks: John Tavares and Calvin de Haan. Part two will feature a review of the two goalies selected by the Islanders: Mikko Koskinen and Anders Nilsson. Lastly, part three will take a look at three remaining draft picks for the New York Islanders: Anders Lee, Casey Cizikas, and Anton Klementyev. My intentions are to have all three parts complete by this Friday, but it will be a very busy week. We shall see how that plays out.
For each player, there will be a small analysis, as well as an overall draft grade for the player. I would love to see if Islander fans, and hockey fans alike, agree or disagree with my grades and analysis for each player.
1st Round Pick (1st Overall): John Tavares
The drama and emotions surrounding the first overall pick this year were taken to another level, thanks in large part to the tremendous poker talent of General Manager Garth Snow. By keeping his selection a secret since the Draft Lottery, Garth Snow had every analyst and media outlet in the NHL simply guessing on who they felt he would take. If you recall, the media nonsense continued up until the very last second, with Brian Burke even stating he felt that the Islanders were going to take Matt Duchene. Bravo, Mr. Snow.
At 6 feet tall, and weighing approximately 200 pounds, John Tavares is not only the franchise, first line center that the New York Islanders have lacked since the days of Pierre Turgeon, but he is also the big name, dynamic goal-scorer that the Islanders have not had since Zigmund Palffy donned the blue and orange in the late-1990s. Since he was granted exceptional player status five years ago for the Ontario Hockey League, it has become common knowledge that John Tavares would be highly considered for the first overall draft position at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. After four long years of OHL hockey, and four long years of being analyzed, scrutinized, criticized, and praised all at the same time, he finally found his way to the top of his draft class. For a guy who has won every individual accolade possible in his time with the Ontario Hockey League, as well as all the possible accolades with the Canadian Junior team at two World Junior Championships, we can agree that it was well deserved.
Although Tavares has hardly any problems within his game, he has been criticized for his average skating ability, although that has not seemed to slow down John Tavares’ success in any level of hockey thus far (I apologize for the pun). While average skating ability may seem like a major setback for someone who is considered to be a star in the NHL, it is something that many professionals feel he can work on during his summer training with the New York Islanders. Just like his skating, John Tavares has also been criticized for his “half-court play.” Considered a pure offensive talent, several analysts feel his defensive game leaves much to be admired, while more believe it is something that he can also work on. With proper coaching and instruction this offseason, as well as throughout his first professional season, I truly believe Tavares can become an even more complete player than he already is.
As for the great things about his game, there is a tremendous list, so I will focus on some of the major parts. Tavares has been given a gift in the form of his sublime hockey IQ, which is considered to be his biggest asset. He always seems to be one or two steps ahead of everyone else on the ice, and this might be a reason for his perfect positioning at all times, and a major reason why coaches love to coach him. From the offensive face-off circles and into the net, there may not be better, or more dangerous player in his age group, and anytime you give him some space in the slot, it is all but guaranteed to be a goal. Pierre McGuire was quoted as saying that he believes that Tavares will be one of the best from the face-off circles and in next year when he joins the NHL, and the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. How accurate this statement may be cannot be determined at this time, however, we will know by April of next year just how dangerous he can be in that area. Blessed with a wicked and accurate wrist shot, phenomenal hand-eye coordination, and a knack for always playing hard around the net, Islander fans can only hope that McGuire is dead on with his statement.
The biggest question mark I place upon John Tavares, in terms of molding into the NHL, comes with Scott Gordon’s system. While you should never pass up on the most talented player because they may not fit your system perfectly, it still raises some concerns for myself. I am as excited as anyone to seem him play next year in the NHL, and even more excited to watch him grow into the dynamic player he has the ability to become, however, he may experience some early struggles due to the speed at which Gordon demands his players to play. To be fair to John, however, we must also acknowledge that there are slower players on the current Islanders roster who have had little trouble utilizing the fast-paced, forechecking system of Scott Gordon. How well he adapts to the system will depend on how much work he puts in this offseason, and I am sure we all can agree that Snow has his strength and conditioning coaches working non-stop with Tavares.
Overall Draft Grade= A. While many will believe he deserves an A+, I am going to wait until I see his development before I adjust my grade for him. I do think he has all the tools to become one of the best forwards in the game, however, past accomplishments mean little when you enter the big show. Best of luck to you, Mr. Tavares. With a world of expectations upon you, I hope you take it slow and develop into the player you know you can be.
1st Round Pick (12th Overall): Calvin de Haan
While some were left scratching their heads, considering the availability of Zach Kassian at the 12 spot, it seems as if the Islanders were very adamant about getting Calvin de Haan. With a move up from 26 to 16, and then yet another trade with Minnesota to get their number 12 pick, the Islanders nabbed Oshawa General, and Canadian U-18 defenseman Calvin de Haan. While he was supposd to go somewhere between the 15th and 25th spot, according to several media outlets, Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski must have seen something very special in de Haan to move up so high and grab him. Furthermore, and this is in large thanks to BD Gallof’s research, it became evident that if the Islanders waited until the 16th pick, they would have not gotten their man.
At 6 feet tall, and weighing 175 pounds, it is obvious that the Islanders and de Haan both recognize that he will need to put on at least 15-20 pounds before he can become an effective NHL defenseman. With that being said, there is a tremendous amount of room for praise. This past season (2008-2009) was de Haan’s first year in the Ontario Hockey League, and he did not seem out of place with the Oshawa Generals. Overshadowed by Tavares for the beginning of the season, he became the highest rated draft player on his team once Tavares departed. Although Oshawa did not have a very successful season, de Haan was one of the bright spots for the Generals. As a rookie, he put up 8 goals and 55 assists for 63 points, and 40 penalty minutes to round out his stats, which are rather impressive numbers for a rookie defenseman. These numbers not only allowed him to find his way onto the U-18 Canadian National Team, but they also allowed him to participate in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects game, as well as in the OHL All-Star Classic.
The strengths of de Haan’s game lie within his great skating ability. He has a very strong, quick stride that allows him to move around the ice effortlessly. Furthermore, this stride helps him to always play sound defensive hockey, as he rarely falls out of position to a point where he cannot place himself in position again. With the puck at this stick, de Haan is as comfortable as any defenseman in his draft class. With tremendous vision of the ice, and his quick skating ability, de Haan is able to lead a rush out of his zone with ease, and his precision passing helps tremendously, as well. In the offensive zone, de Haan is considered a dangerous player, as well as a powerplay quarterback. With his very hard and very accurate shot, de Haan is a threat any time he is placed on the point at the power play, and furthermore, he does not hesitate to join a rush because of his ability to get back to defense rather quickly.
The weaknesses of de Haan’s game currently lie within his size. His lack of physicality has cost him, as he may lose a few battles in the corners throughout the game that can eventually lead to goals. While this is obviously something that will come with age and maturity, it is still something that must be watched carefully.
As for other flaws in his game, few are reported. He is not going to be the best defenseman in the game by any means, however, he is projected to be a very reliable number 2 defenseman that can play 20-24 minutes a night against opponents top lines, as well as on a penalty kill unit and the top power play unit. Considering this was his first year of eligibility, he was one of the younger players in the draft, and he is going to be playing at least one more year in the OHL before the Islanders consider signing him to a professional contract. It is over the course of next year that the Islanders are going to truly be able to analyze and gauge the success of their pick. According to several friends within the organization, the Islanders were very impressed with de Haan throughout the season, and his interview at the NHL Combine helped to raise his value. He is a player with extreme potential, and with the addition of some size, he could surprise many.
Overall Grade= B+ / B. While I was familiar with the name, and I was fortunate enough to see him play a few times this year while watching Tavares play for the Oshawa Generals, I feel that maybe the Islanders could have drafted a higher ranked player in this position. That being said, B.D. Gallof has stated that de Haan would not have been available with the sixteenth overall pick, and that leads any fan to the conclusion that de Haan’s value might have risen since the draft combine, and this was not reflected by any of the major rankings (ISS, CSS, Red-Line Report, or McKeen’s). I will give de Haan a B+ / B right now, considering how highly he was spoken of by Bob McKenzie, and by the fact that he is considered to have tremendous potential. Time will tell, but he is an exciting pick, nonetheless.
Up Next: Part II of this three part NHL Draft Analysis for the New York Islanders. The next part, as I stated before, will cover Mikko Koskinen and Anders Nilsson. Be sure to check back soon for that update. As always, all questions and comments are greatly appreciated and can either be added to the comment section below, or can be e-mailed to me at IslesNet@Gmail.Com .
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