NHA Entry Draft

1. Erik Johnson (D)
US National Team D.P.

2. Nicklas Backstrom (C)
Brynas IF, SEL

3. Jonathan Toews (C)
U of North Dakota, NCAA

4. Jordan Staal (C)
Peterborough Petes, OHL

5. Peter Mueller (C)
Everett Silvertips, WHL

6. Kyle Okposo (RW)
Des Moine Buccaneers,
USHL

7. Phil Kessel (C/RW)
U of Minnesota, NCAA

8. Derick Brassard (C)
Drummondville Voltiguers,
QMJHL

9. Jonathan Bernier (G)
Lewiston MAINEiacs, QMJHL

10. James Sheppard (C)
Cape Breton
Screaming Eagles, QMJHL

11. Bryan Little (C)
Barrie Colts, OHL

12. Jiri Tlusty (LW)
HC Kladno, CZE

13. Mark Mitera (D)
U of Michigan, NCAA

14. Claude Giroux (RW)
Gatineau Olympiques,
QMJHL

15. Michael Frolik (LW/C)
HC Kladno, CZE

16. Riku Helenius (G)
Ilves Tampere, FIN

17. Nikolai Kulemin (LW/RW)
Magnitogorsk Metallurg,
RSL

18. Ty Wishart (D)
Prince George
Cougars, WHL

19. Bob Sanguinetti (D)
Owen Sound Attack, OHL

20. David Fischer (D)
Apple Valley H.S., Minn

1. Yellowknife ICE DRAGONS

2. Toronto GLADIATORS

3. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS

4. AVANGARD Omsk

5. Prince George NORSEMEN

6. Summerside STORM

7. St. Paul KNIGHTS

8. Ottawa VAMPYRES

9. Mississauga DEVILS

10. Chicago PURPLE ACES

11. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Warriors)

12. Prince George NORSEMEN
(from Phantoms)

13. Toronto GLADIATORS
(from Roadrunners)

14. Baltimore BANDITS (from Panthers)

15. Prince George NORSEMEN
(from Wolf Pack)

16. Trenton TITANS

17. Balltimore BANDITS

18. Minnesota MUSKIES

19. Florida PANTHERS (from Outlaws)

20. Calgary HITMEN

21. Saskatoon WILDCATS

22. Saskatoon WILDCATS (from Bulldogs)

23. Ottawa VAMPYRES
(from Ice Breakers)

24. AVANGARD Omsk (from Eagles)

25. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Whalers)

26. Houston ROCKHOUNDS

27. Montreal BARRACUDAS

28. Ottawa Vampyres (from Canucks)

1. Toronto GLADIATORS

2. Toronto GLADIATORS
(from Ice Dragons)

3. AVANGARD Omsk

4. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Ruff Raiders)

5. Prince George NORSEMEN

6. Summerside STORM

7. St. Paul KNIGHTS

8. Ottawa VAMPYRES

9. Mississauga DEVILS

10. Chicago PURPLE ACES

11. AVANGARD Omsk (from Warriors)

12. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Phantoms)

13. Toronto GLADIATORS
(from Roadrunners)

14. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Panthers)

15. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Wolf Pack)

16. Saskatoon WILDCATS (from Titans)

17. Baltimore BANDITS

18. Minnesota MUSKIES

19. Summerside STORM (from Outlaws)

20. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Hitmen)

21. Summerside STORM (from Wildcats)

22. Dallas BULLDOGS

23. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Ice Breakers)

24. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Eagles)

25. Mississauga DEVILS (from Whalers)

26. Houston ROCKHOUNDS

27. Prince George NORSEMEN
(from Barracudas)

28. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Canucks)

1. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Gladiators)

2. Yellowknife ICE DRAGONS

3. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS
(from Avangard)

4. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS

5. Prince George NORSEMEN (from Storm)

6. Summerside STORM

7. St. Paul KNIGHTS

8. Ottawa VAMPYRES

9. Mississauga DEVILS

10. Chicago PURPLE ACES

11. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Warriors)

12. Montreal BARRACUDAS
(from Phantoms)

13. Las Vegas OUTLAWS
(from Roadrunners)

14. Toronto GLADIATORS
(from Panthers)

15. Barrie WOLF PACK

16. Hartford WHALERS (from Titans)

17. Yellowknife ICE DRAGONS
(from Bandits)

18. Minnesota MUSKIES

19. Mississauga DEVILS (from Outlaws)

20. Sydney ICE BREAKERS (from Hitmen)

21. North Carolina EAGLES
(from Wildcats)

22. AVANGARD Omsk (from Bulldogs)

23. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS
(from Ice Breakers)

24. Summerside STORM (from Eagles)

25. Hartford WHALERS

26. Houston ROCKHOUNDS

27. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Barracudas)

28. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Canucks)

1. Toronto GLADIATORS

2. Yellowknife ICE DRAGONS

3. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Avangard)

4. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Ruff Raiders)

5. Trenton TITANS (from Norsemen)

6. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Storm)

7. St. Paul KNIGHTS

8. Ottawa VAMPYRES

9. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Devils)

10. Chicago PURPLE ACES

11. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Warriors)

12. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Phantoms)

13. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Roadrunners)

14. Toronto GLADIATORS
(from Panthers)

15. Barrie WOLF PACK

16. Trenton TITANS

17. Baltimore BANDITS

18. Minnesota MUSKIES

19. Toronto GLADIATORS (from Outlaws)

20. St. Paul KNIGHTS (from Hitmen)

21. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Wildcats)

22. Dallas BULLDOGS

23. Dallas Bulldogs (from Ice Breakers)

24. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Eagles)

25. Dallas Bulldogs (from Whalers)

26. Houston ROCKHOUNDS

27. Florida PANTHERS (from Barracudas)

28. AVANGARD Omsk (from Canucks)

1. Toronto GLADIATORS

2. Yellowknife ICE DRAGONS

3. Montreal BARRACUDAS
(from Avangard)

4. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS

5. Sydney ICE BREAKERS
(from Norsemen)

6. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS (from Storm)

7. St. Paul KNIGHTS

8. Ottawa VAMPYRES

9. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Devils)

10. Chicago PURPLE ACES

11. Montreal BARRACUDAS
(from Warriors)

12. Montreal BARRACUDAS
(from Phantoms)

13. Las Vegas OUTLAWS
(from Roadrunners)

14. Calgary HITMEN (from Panthers)

15. Sydney ICE BREAKERS
(from Wolf Pack)

16. Sydney ICE BREAKERS (from Titans)

17. Baltimore BANDITS

18. Manhattan Warriors (from Muskies)

19. Las Vegas OUTLAWS

20. Ottawa VAMPYRES (from Hitmen)

21. Columbus RUFF RAIDERS
(from Wildcats)

22. AVANGARD Omsk (from Bulldogs)

23. Hartford WHALERS
(from Ice Breakers)

24. North Carolina EAGLES

25. Montreal BARRACUDAS
(from Whalers)

26. Houston ROCKHOUNDS

27. Houston ROCKHOUNDS
(from Barracudas)

28. Dallas BULLDOGS (from Canucks)

Draft Day Needs

With the regular season completed and the playoffs underway, its time for many teams to start looking ahead to the 2006 Entry Draft and possible strategies to produce long and/or short-term solutions to better competing in the National Hockey Association in future seasons. Keeping that in mind, we're providing a team-by-team analysis of what each organization might be looking for in the upcoming draft.

1. Derick Brassard (C)
Drummondville Voltigeurs

2. James Sheppard (C)
C.B. Screaming Eagles

3. Jonathan Bernier (G)
Lewiston MAINEiacs

4. Claude Giroux (RW)
Gatineau Olympiques

5. Ivan Vishnevskiy (D)
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

1. Erik Johnson (D)
U.S. National Team D.P.

2. Jonathan Toews (C)
U of North Dakota (NCAA)

3. Phil Kessel (C/RW)
U of Minnesota (NCAA)

4. Kyle Okposo (RW)
Des Moines Buccaneers
(USHL)

5. Trevor Lewis (LW)
Des Moines Buccaneers
(USHL)

6. Mark Mitera (D)
U of Michigan (NCAA)

7. David Fischer (D)
Apple Valley H.S. (Minn)

8. Chris Summers (D)
U.S. National Team D.P.

9. Carl Sneep (D)
Brainerd H.S. (Minn)

10. Andreas Nodl (RW)
Sioux Falls Stampede
(USHL)

1. Keith Seabrook (D)
Burnaby Express (BCHL)

2. T.J. Miller (D)
Penticton Vees (BCHL)

3. Jase Weslosky (G)
Sherwood Park Crusaders
(AJHL)

4. David McIntyre (C)
Newmarket Hurricanes
(OPJHL)

5. Martin Nolet (D)
College Champlain
Cougars (QJAHL)

1. Semen Varlamov (G)
Yaroslavl-2

2. Igor Makarov (RW)
Krylja Sovetov-2

3. Yuri Alexandrov (D)
Severstal Cherepovets

4. Nikolai Kulemin (LW)
Metallurg Magnitogorsk

5. Artem Anisimov (C)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

1. Kaspars Daugavins (LW)
Riga [Latvia]

2. Reto Berra (G)
ZSC Lions [Swiss-1]

3. Korbinian Holzer (D)
Bad Toelz EC [German-2]

4. Tomas Marcinko (C)
HC Kosice [Slovakia]

5. Tomas Zaborsky (LW)
Dukla Trencin [Slovakia]

The Hitmen are one of the more consistently good teams in the NHA's Western Division, which results in them holding the 20th pick this year; and there is some decent talent to be had at this position. There are a few glaring needs, such as the center position(Patrick Berglund or Trevor Lewis might still be available) or defense (possibly Bobby Sanguinetti or David Fischer); there is the possibility that they might select a goaltender too, as several promising netminders should still be on the board (Riku Helenius, Jhonas Enroth, Leland Irving).

Barring any off-season trades, Edmonton will be watching the upcoming draft as a spectator. The Roadrunners moved their 1st to the Gladiators some time ago in return for Brendan Morrow (who has since been relocated back to the Northeastern Division Barracudas). There will be holes to fill but the Roadrunners seem to be focused on rebuilding in a few season through the draft in 2008.

The Avangard have three of the first 31 selections, including the fourth overall. Omsk already has defensemen Kris Russel, Mark Fistric, Ladislav Smid, and Keith Yandle in the pipeline, so the team will be hunting for a top forward. Nicklas Backstrom and Jonathan Toews are likely to go in the top three picks, leaving the Avangard with a choice between Jordan Staal, of the Peterborough Petes, and Peter Mueller, of the Everett Silvertips.

The Norsemen hold the 5th, 12th and 15th picks. If they decide to hold on to all three, then they should have their choice of several top-flight young players. More than anything, they could really use a future franchise goaltender and Jonathan Bernier of the Lewiston MAINEiacs appears to fit their needs perfectly, the only question being whether the Norsemen decide to take the talented netminder when they step to the podium for the 5th overall selection or they think that he might still be available later in the draft. Otherwise, another solid addition to their blueline should be in order.

With two back-to-back selections in the first round (21st & 22nd), the Wildcats will probably be looking to fill a few needs in their talent pipeline. One of their choices will likely be a defensemen, with possible choices being David Fischer, Ivan Vishnevsky and Matt Corrente. The other selection will likely be a forward (such as Patrik Berglund, Chris Stewart or Nick Foligno) but a goaltender might catch their attention, with one of Riku Helenius, Jhonas Enroth or Semen Varlamov likely still to be had.

The Canucks do not possess any selections in the coming draft, but those picks were useful in bringing the right mix of players to this Cup-contending squad, as evidenced by Vancouver's position atop the league. Their 1st was packaged in a deal with Ottawa that saw Alex Edler, Matt Stajan, Robert Nilsson and Ray Emery head to the west coast; Nils Ekman cost them a 2nd; the 3rd brought in Mayers and Klemm for depth; and their 4th brought in Pavel Bure at the trade deadline, hopefully to put them over the top in the post-season.

The question of what the Ice Dragons might need is largely irrelevant; they possess the first-overall selection in the 2006 NHA Entry Draft and simply have to decide who the best player available to them might be. There are only a few players likely to be taken with the first pick, with any of Erik Johnson, Jordan Staal, Jonathan Toews or Nicklas Backstrom having legitimate shots at the honour.

The Aces are already loaded with young talent at forward and defense. With the 10th selection, they'll be able to add to that stockpile. A forward would likely be their first choice, but look for them to go after the best player available. If Phil Kessel or Derick Brassard fall to 10th, they would likely be Chicago's choice, or they may go with a player like Michael Frolik, who could fill Chicago's need for either a pivot or a left winger.

If Columbus does hold on to the 3rd overall pick, they should be happy with either Jonathan Toews or Nicklas Backstrom, as either will fill a need for the Ruff Raiders up the middle. It also wouldn't surprise if OHL pivot Jordan Staal were to end up a Ruff Raider, or even Peter Mueller, who is a dynamic scorer himself.

The Bulldogs are loaded with defensemen at both the NHA and minor league levels. Bearing that in mind, Dallas will go for a forward with both the 11th pick (via Manhattan) and the 25th pick (via Hartford). Though all of the top-end centers slated to go in the first half-dozen spots, the Bulldogs will land a good prospect at the 11th position, possibly Czech winger Jiri Tlusty or Barrie Colts pivot Bryan Little. Expect the team to take more of a chance with the 25th selection, possibly Chris Stewart if he's still on the board, or Igor Makarov.

Houston has a number of young defensemen in its pipeline, so look for the 'Hounds to select a forward with the 26th pick. They could really use a potential first-line center; Patrik Berglund, of the SEL's Vasteras IK, or Trevor Lewis, from the the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers, may be available. If not, then a winger such as Nick Foligno or Milan Lucic might be chosen instead.

Since they moved their 1st rounder in the trade to land Daniel Alfredsson, Vegas' first pick doesn't come until 69th overall. By that time, all of the top-end talent will be gone so it'll be up to their GM to go with the best player available. Look for them to go with the highest-rated defenseman or center left.

The Muskies' top prospects are mostly forwards, so look for them to possibly go with the best defenseman available when they select with the 18th pick. University of Michigan defender, Mark Mitera, might still be available; Prince George Cougars defender could still be around; and the Owen Sound Attack's Bobby Sanguinetti looks like he may be NHA material some day.

The Knights have a superstar already playing in St. Paul in the form of Ilya Kovalchuk, but they could use some left wing depth behind him. With the seventh selection, it may prove difficult to fill this specific need, but the Knights will likely have an opportunity to land the dynamic Phil Kessel. But on the off-chance that Kyle Okposo falls to seventh, he could be the Knights' man. It is also possible that St. Paul decides to take Jonathan Bernier, and lock up their goaltending for years to come.

Barrie moved their first-round selection in a multi-asset trade which brought Matt Lombardi, Jiri Fischer and Eric Weinrich to the team. With several aging vets on their roster, the Wolf Pack will take whoever is highest on their board when their first pick rolls around in the third round at 71st overall. With a couple of good young goalies and a few decent young forwards already in the fold, the Wolf Pack will likely be looking to add a defenseman.

Holding on to the 9th overall pick, the Devils could really use a defensemen but unfortunately, there aren't likely to be any worth using that pick on, considering the offensive talents available in the top 10. Look for Mississauga to take the best forward available, possibly Jiri Tlusty or James Sheppard, or maybe even a player who can be equally effective at either center or wing, such as Michael Frolik.

Last year's Stanley Cup champions have the second-to-last of the first round and, with a plethora of young defensemen and goalie prospects, will probably go with a forward. Who that'll be is hard to say but it could possibly end up being any one of Trevor Lewis, Chris Stewart, Michael Grabner or Igor Makarov.

The Vampyres are in a great position to add to their stable of young talent with a top ten selection and two others in the first round. Expect Ottawa to take the best player available at the 8th selection, possibly winger Kyle Okposo if he should fall to them; their later selections will likely be a forward and a defenseman, Patrik Berglund might be available at 23rd overall, and either Jeff Petry or Matt Corrente are two possibles for the final selection of the opening round.

The Storm have a number of young forwards quickly moving up their depth chart. What they could use would be a left winger or another top defensive prospect (due partially to the tragic and untimely death of defensive prospect, Luc Bourdon). With the 6th selection, they likely won't get a shot at Erik Johnson, but a player such as Jiri Tlusty or Michael Frolik might be intriguing.

Sydney's first choice doesn't come until more than half-way through the draft, at 76th overall, which means the the Ice Breakers will select whoever they believe is the best player left. Look for them to go with a project winger, someone who might've fallen a little in the draft but has the potential to some day make an impact in the NHA.

The Gladiators hold the second-overall pick and, due to a plethora of young talent at their pivot position, will likely select top-rated defenseman Erik Johnson out of the USNTDP. Johnson projects to be a top-pairing all-around blueliner and the prospect of possessing a future number 1 pairing of Johnson and Dion Phaneuf should be too much to pass up.

The Bandits have some serious holes to fill in their prospect development system. Luckily, they possess two mid-round selections, so they should be able to fill some holes. At 14th, Baltimore will be able to land a decent forward, such as Michael Frolik or Claude Giroux, and at 17th (via Florida), they could pick up defenseman Ty Wishart or maybe winger Nikolai Kulemin.

Detroit gave up its first-round selection to get Pavel Datsyuk from the Avangard last year. The Phantoms went through a major re-tooling process, moving out the aging core that took the to the Cup finals in '04. Things are looking up for Detroit in coming seasons, though they have no draft selections this year due to the aggressive rebuild process that is just now coming to fruition.

The Panthers have an excellent netminder, but no depth at the position for the future, therefore a goalie such as Riku Helenius or Jhonas Enroth might be a possiblity in the number 19 spot. There is also a strong possibility that Florida considers picking a puck-moving defenseman like Bob Sanguinetti with their selection.

The Whalers sent their first pick to Manhattan last season (which was subsequently traded to Dallas) as part of the Sergei Gonchar trade. Hartford's first selection falls to 72nd overall, where the best talent remaining will probably be at the goaltender postion. Look for the Whalers to take the best player available, but if there is a potential starting goaltender among their options, that may likely be their choice.

The Warriors do not have any selections in the 2006 draft (and at this point, none in the 2007 or 2008 drafts either). They have built a fairly young club through aggressive trading, and their 1st round selection in the coming draft was moved long ago in return for Vaclav Prospal.

North Carolina sacrificed the 2006 draft in order to build a contending team very quickly. As a result, the Eagles first pick doesn't come until the 136th slot, only five selections before the end of the draft. They have needs in all prospect areas and will likely just go with the best player available, regardless of their position.

Trenton holds the 16th overall pick in the draft and with many deficiencies in their prospect system, will likely select the best player available, regardless of position. They may be best-served drafting a skilled forward, possibly Nikolai Kulemin if he's still available, or even a future starting goaltender, such as Riku Helenius.