2015 NHL Draft
SHARE
Share with your Friends


Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 9:15 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Stastny goes 35th, and Kessel is last

35. Paul Stastny, Colorado, C (Team Staal)
36. Phil Kessel, Toronto, W (Team Lidstrom)


Just to be sure you all know this, Dave Lozo and I had this one nailed in Mock Draft III. We had Stastny going 35th and Kessel going 36th as the last pick inthe draft.

Kessel got a good hand from the crowd for waiting and being a good sport in being selected last.

Just for waiting, Kessel got A NEW CAR!!!!

The teams are set. It's on.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 9:13 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Backes, Eriksson go in 17th round

33. David Backes, St. Louis, W (Team Staal)
34. Loui Eriksson, Dallas, W (Team Lidstrom)


Ryan Kesler makes the pick for Team Staal and goes with Backes because he doesn't want to get hit by the guy who swears he will hit someone in the All-Star Game on Sunday.

As for Lidstrom, he simply had to pick Eriksson, a fellow Swede.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 9:12 PM

By Dave Lozo -  NHL.com Staff Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Mr. Irrelevant at the 2011 Fantasy Draft is...

...Phil Kessel!

It should be interesting to hear his reaction, considering he does get a car for his trouble. And it's not like being the worst All-Star is a bad thing. It's like being the poorest millionaire. At the end of the day, you still make more money than me.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 9:07 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Elias to Staal, Duchene to Lidstrom

31. Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils, W (Team Staal)
32. Matt Duchene, Colorado, C (Team Lidstrom)


Elias, a three-time All-Star but for the first time since 2002, will have a chance to play for a really good team again. He's used to that with the Devils, but this season has been difficult. He'll join Team Staal.

I really thought Duchene would go higher in this draft. He's having a phenomenal season for the Avalanche with 20 goals and 45 points. He's a great pick here for Lidstrom.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:58 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Southern California represented in 15th round

29. Corey Perry, Anaheim (Team Staal)
30. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles (Team Lidstrom)


A pair of SoCal boys go in the 15th round, and neither is easy to play against.

Perry could be a sleeper pick as the MVP in Sunday's game. He just does everything well and it seems like he would be the ideal underrated player to take on Sunday.

Kopitar could be in that mix, too. He's not well known enough by hockey fans, so be sure to watch him Saturday in the Skills competition and Sunday in the game because he's one of the top players in the League.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:57 PM

By Dave Lozo -  NHL.com Staff Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Team Lidstrom an early 11-goal favorite

Sure, it's an exhibition game that's meant to be fun, but let's start picking apart the picks of these guys as we wind down.

Cam Ward is a better goaltender than I'll ever be, but as the No. 1 pick in a draft like this, I think Staal sank his team off the bat. Then Zdeno Chara in the fourth round because Staal doesn't want to get hit by him? This is simply poor drafting strategy.

Look at the cagey Lidstrom, grabbing Stamkos and Weber and Byfuglien while Staal took his brother about 6 rounds too soon.

Anything can happen, but I'm going to offer an early prediction of Team Lidstrom 14, Team Staal 3.

Follow Dave Lozo on Twitter: @DaveLozo
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:56 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Karlsson last D-man to go, Havlat to Team Lidstrom

27. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa, D (Team Staal)
28. Martin Havlat, Minnesota, W (Team Lidstrom)


Karlsson is the last D-man chosen. Staal had one more round to nab him, but he went with him early.

Havlat, a replacement player here for the injured Ales Hemsky, will be motivated to play for Nicklas Lidstrom. He played against him while in Chicago and still does as a member of the Wild. Havlat is having a solid season for the Wild, who are also playing some seriously good hockey lately.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:53 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Giroux, Burns go in 13th round

25. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia, C/W (Team Staal)
26. Brent Burns, Minnesota, D (Team Lidstrom)


Giroux is having a big season for the Flyers, scoring goals in all situations. Clearly Staal is thinking about special teams with this selection.

As for Burns, Lidstrom plays against him enough in the Western Conference that he felt he had to go with him, but I'm sort of surprised he didn't go with the Swede D-man on the board, Erik Karlsson.

Giroux is having a big season for the Flyers, scoring goals in all situations. Clearly Staal is thinking about special teams with this selection.

As for Burns, Lidstrom plays against him enough in the Western Conference that he felt he had to go with him, but I'm sort of surprised he didn't go with the Swede D-man on the board, Erik Karlsson.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:52 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

High-scoring D-men go in 12th round

23. Kris Letang, Pittsburgh, D (Team Staal)
24. Keith Yandle, Phoenix, D (Team Lidstrom)


Two high-scoring blue-liners are off the board. Good picks on both sides.

Yandle is on a 9-game point streak and leads all defensemen in scoring, but not by much over Letang.
Posted On Friday, 01.28.2011 / 8:50 PM

By Dan Rosen -  NHL.com Senior Writer /NHL.com - NHL.com at the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft

Staal gets his team together, Lidstrom gets Richards

21. Jeff Skinner, Carolina, C (Team Staal)
22. Brad Richards, Dallas, C/W (Team Lidstrom)


Staal got his wish. He's got all of his teammates together and will have a real home-ice advantage. Skinner goes with the first pick in the 11th round. Skinner will be the youngest player to play for an All-Star team in the history of All-Star Games in the four major pro sports.

Staal had an entire commercial break to figure this one out, but something tells me he had it nailed after the 9th round when it was obvious that the 10th round had to be about the goalies.

Marty St. Louis was happy to make the next pick for Team Lidstrom. He went with his former teammate and former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards, who is having a huge season for the Dallas Stars
1 | 2 | 3 | Next | Last

NHL.TV™

NHL GameCenter LIVE™ is now NHL.TV™.
Watch out-of-market games and replays with an all new redesigned media player, mobile and connected device apps.

LEARN MORE

NHL Mobile App

Introducing the new official NHL App, available for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones and tablets. A host of new features and improved functionality are available across all platforms, including a redesigned league-wide scoreboard, expanded news coverage, searchable video highlights, individual team experiences* and more. The new NHL App on your tablet also introduces new offerings such as 60fps video, Multitasking** and Picture-in-Picture.

*Available only for smartphones
** Available only for suported iPads