Note: This "re-draft" is for fantasy purposes only. For more information, visit Cycle Like The Sedins or the official NHL Re-Draft message boards.
Evgeni Malkin
Center
6-3
195
Jul 31, 1986
Cap hit: $8,700,000
We've spent the past day or so wondering who to draft at the #4 spot and the consensus was pretty much settled on Pavel Datsyuk. This was with the assumption that Ovechkin, Crosby and Malkin were gone. Yet the Tampa Bay Lightning threw a curve ball into the proceedings (don't they always), selecting Henrik Lundqvist with the 3rd pick. Honestly, I don't think that's as crazy a decision as it first sounds but it's certainly.....different.
So with Malkin available we still needed to decide between him and Datsyuk. He and Malkin are both incredible offensive talents but Datsyuk is the better defensive player. He also would cost $2 million less. Yet in the end there is perhaps no better offensive player in the NHL than Evgeni Malkin (yes even better than Ovechkin, but perhaps that's a debate for another day) and the overall consensus on the Defending Big D poll yesterday was to go for Geno.
The Stars won't pick again until late in the 2nd round, due to the snaking format of the draft. Since we now have the cornerstone of the team, what direction should we go in? Should we go after a defenseman next? Or a goaltender? What type of team are we trying to build here? Flashy and high scoring, or a complete team that is balanced throughout the roster? Also, we've decided that trades will be allowed throughout the draft.
Things will start to fall in place and the picture will become clearer as the rest of the teams make their picks. I'll update the site once the first round is over and we can start planning from there.