John Tavares probably looked like someone ran over his dog today as the New York Islanders won the 2009 Entry Draft, so they get to pick first. But, and that's still a big but, other NHL teams may be tripping over themselves to try to entice the Islanders to part with that number one choice.
There's a lot of expectations that the Leafs may try a full-court press and try to wine and dine the Isles management and play up Pavel Kubina and others (likely the Leafs 7th pick overall) so that the Maple Leafs will have yet another chance to rebuild.
Brian Burke has stated that the Leafs definitely want to move up in the draft. But Toronto landing Tavares? Won't happen. Sorry to dash even more forlorn hopes of the diehards over at Leafs Nation (lots are immigrating) but if the Islanders do trade away the rights to drafting Tavares in June, it will be for a lot more than the empty cupboard Brian Burke can offer. Maybe Vince LaCavalier can be trundled off to the Isle but do you really see that happening either? Because the Islanders won the draft, the draft order remains unchanged.
So here's how the first round will play out unless teams start flipping their picks to other teams:
1. New York Islanders (John Tavares - is there any doubt?)
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Colorado Avalanche (Avs ended 3rd last? Wha' happened?)
4. Atlanta Thrashers
5. Los Angeles Kings
and so on...
Still we need to find out what happens in the NHL playoffs which are now about to start (tomorrow, yea!) and then after that we can start wondering what will happen when the draft goes ahead as scheduled June 26. Still a heck of a lot of hockey yet to be played.
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