CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

I was curious about the Team Canada selections – how many of them were 1st or 2nd round picks when they were drafted by NHL teams.

All of the goalies were drafted in the 1st round, and only one forward wasn’t. It was Patrice Bergeron, who was drafted in the 2nd round in 2003.

Dan Boyle was a late bloomer, never drafted and Duncan Keith and Nashville’s Shea Weber were both 2nd round picks.

Puck Daddy wrote of Weber:

“He was the 14th defenseman taken in that excellent draft class, behind names like Suter, Coburn, Phaneuf, Seabrook, Burns, Stuart, Belle, Richmond, Egener, Klein, Ramholt, Smaby and Carle. That’s not a bad group to get drafted behind (well, except Egener and Ramholt I suppose), but Weber turned out to be the best of the bunch.”

Hockey’s Future wrote of Keith:

“No one doubts how well the almost six foot Duncan Keith his skating. He gets going quick and out- distances the guys around him. At Penticton Jr A he had a hefty 64 assists to go with his 18 goals, so he certainly displays skill, touch and instinct to carry the biscuit, jump into the plays from the defensemen position.

The question is would he actually be able to make it as an NHL defensemen at his size and strength. He doesn’t project to grow past six foot.”

“They were concentrating on Team Canada WJHC goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury…and the host of large forwards in the 2003 QMJHL draft class – the likes of Moncton Wildcats forward Steve Bernier (6′2″, 229 pounds), Rimouski Oceanic forward Marc-Antoine Pouliot (6′2″, 180 pounds), Halifax Mooseheads (now Cape Breton) forward Marc-Andre Bernier (6′3″, 200 pounds), and Montreal Rocket (now PEI) forward Maxim Lapierre (6′2″, 180 pounds).”