Five Alive

Stu MacGregor said today that there are 5 guys left in the running for 1. Yakupov, Grigorenko, Murray, Forsberg, and Reinhart. This is a pretty interesting list, and we should be thankful because teams don't often release this kind of info, especially pre-draft.

What surprises me is the lack of one Alex Galchenyuk (far right in photo). I know he was hurt all year, but his scouting report is a very good one. Corey Pronman does an excellent write-up on him, and everyone else. His injury might have long term repercussions that I wouldn't know about, because I'm not a doctor, but reading about his game makes me like him a lot. 

Griffin Reinhart and Filip Forsberg shouldn't be in the conversation at all, so I'm not going to discuss them. Let's just say they aren't first overall material.

We are now left with Nail Yakupov, Mikhail Grigorenko, and Ryan Murray.

Ryan Murray is a very good defenseman. He played about 8 minutes a game at the IIHF World Championships (draft eligible players never play in WHC), and he played in the World Junior Championships. I saw him live playing for Canada, and he was impressive, but he doesn't have enough of a killer instinct as a defenseman to be the first pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. There's not enough aggression in the offensive zone.

If there is one defenseman to be considered for first overall, it's Morgan Reilly. Watching him in the WHL playoffs really impressed me. He has such good speed and he's so smooth. He isn't the biggest guy, but he has the all around game, the tools in the offensive end especially. Drafting shut down defensemen in the lottery slots is suicide.

This is Mikhail Grigorenko, he reminds me an awful lot of Sean Couturier. They both played in the World Junior Championships placing second, both played in the QMJHL, both have tremendous size, both play center, and both played through Mononucleosis during the year. They aren't carbon copies, of course, but they have a damn close resume leading up to their draft year. After taking a late barrage of criticism, Couturier, who was rated #1 on most lists through the first half of last year, fell to number 8 on the draft board. He made the NHL 4 months later, facing tough competition (3rd among forwards) and had the worst offensive zone start percentage on the team at 40.3%. Sean Couturier is a hell of a player and he has a bright future ahead. Mikhail Grigorenko is eerily similar and I think a team might notice that. Doing a re-draft of 2011, does Couturier last until 8 again? Grigorenko deserves to be in the running for 1st overall. Fuck the Russian reputation portrayed by behind-the-times MSM.

He's last to be talked about here, but he will be the first person selected on June 22nd in Pittsburgh. As much consideration there should be for the other guys listed, there isn't a competition. Nail Yakupov is the best player available from what we know. If Alex Galchenyuk played this year we could be talking about something different, but we're not. The chips have fallen and this is the man of the hour. He is a great interview and is very competitive. Two Taylor Halls are better than one. Welcome to Edmonton, Nail Yakupov, I don't have to justify the Oilers selecting you, because they already know.

There's only true love once, Nail had the Oilers at hello.