tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post1441634985421153602..comments2023-09-20T07:20:10.447-06:00Comments on Copper Blue Dreams: Earth to Lowe!Backhandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03404707854713190476noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post-58155037930252372822008-05-01T12:31:00.000-06:002008-05-01T12:31:00.000-06:00If you want to pick a Russian to grill them over, ...If you want to pick a Russian to grill them over, I'd pick taking Dubnyk over Radulov at the 2004 Draft as being more significant, because given that Radulov was already in North America, there wouldn't have been signing issues.Jonathan Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13939434026697781276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post-39126765976643250382008-05-01T07:26:00.000-06:002008-05-01T07:26:00.000-06:00Other thing to note is that Truhkno was drafted ou...Other thing to note is that Truhkno was drafted out of the Q, right?<BR/><BR/>So even the one possible success came out of Canadian juniors, same as Hemsky<BR/><BR/>The Euro amateur scouting is the suckBlack Doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03583346651230552519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post-50209537863094430632008-04-29T21:20:00.000-06:002008-04-29T21:20:00.000-06:00I'll agree taking Russians early is a big risk, bu...I'll agree taking Russians early is a big risk, but its risk you take if you don't want to be bitching year after year about having no skilled scorers.<BR/><BR/>Sean: the NCAA is for college aged players so you won't find alot of draft eligible players. These guys come from the Junior A ranks often. What the NCAA is good for is undrafted free agents who just need a few more years to bloom (Penner, Rafalski, Conklin, etc etc)Backhandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03404707854713190476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post-45188149325446735482008-04-29T21:15:00.000-06:002008-04-29T21:15:00.000-06:00As you mentioned, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin or Malkin we...As you mentioned, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin or Malkin were basically no brainer picks. Sure we need to do a better job, but I'd rather we used late round flyer picks on Russians than first rounders. Even players like Kostytin are rumored to be getting large offers from the RSL and getting them to contracts is going to be tough. I'm with you on the Cherepanov call though. Plante was just as big of a risk but Cherepanov was a bigger need IMO. Our scouting is much improved in he last couple years. If we had to increase our scouting investment in one area, I'd prefer NCAA.slopitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09154474610448142182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567399657324302848.post-30422676714512517572008-04-29T21:09:00.000-06:002008-04-29T21:09:00.000-06:00I think that the main reason that Cherry (as you h...I think that the main reason that Cherry (as you have nicknamed him, didnt know you were that tight) was the there is no deal between the RSL and the NHL which he was under contract with. I think teams were scared to pick him due to a lengthy legal battle that could ensue. Either way, the Oiler organization made a mistake in not picking the best available player at the timeJon Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15387283731433064861noreply@blogger.com