Friday, July 22, 2005
Crosby to the Penguins; Canucks Pick 10th
The most anticipated draft lottery in NHL history was held this afternoon with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the rights to draft phenom Sidney Crosby.
In 1984, Mario Lemieux came to Pittsburgh with similar expections as Crosby will have to resurrect the Penguins franchise. Mario knows what its like to arrive with such hype - a few years after his arrival, the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups - and can ensure that Sidney will have a smooth transition to the NHL. He will be able to show Sidney how to deal with the pressure, the hype and the media. He will also be able to mentor him on simpler things like how to prepare for a game. Not a bad situation at all.
On the local front, the Canucks will pick 10th overall at the draft. Using the 2003/2004 final standings, they would have picked 26th overall. But instead, the Canucks go from winning the Northwest Division title to also having a top 10 draft pick. In a deep draft year, picking 10th will provide the Canucks an opportunity to add a blue-chip prospect to an already good nucleus of players. The Canucks' last top 10 draft picks were Bryan Allen (1998) and the Sedin twins (1999).
In 1984, Mario Lemieux came to Pittsburgh with similar expections as Crosby will have to resurrect the Penguins franchise. Mario knows what its like to arrive with such hype - a few years after his arrival, the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups - and can ensure that Sidney will have a smooth transition to the NHL. He will be able to show Sidney how to deal with the pressure, the hype and the media. He will also be able to mentor him on simpler things like how to prepare for a game. Not a bad situation at all.
On the local front, the Canucks will pick 10th overall at the draft. Using the 2003/2004 final standings, they would have picked 26th overall. But instead, the Canucks go from winning the Northwest Division title to also having a top 10 draft pick. In a deep draft year, picking 10th will provide the Canucks an opportunity to add a blue-chip prospect to an already good nucleus of players. The Canucks' last top 10 draft picks were Bryan Allen (1998) and the Sedin twins (1999).
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