New draft ranking

Redline just released their final draft ranking.

For those just getting up to speed on this whole draft ranking business there are three key independent services; International Scouting Services (ISS), McKeens & Redline.

The NHL also has their own scouting service called Central Scouting Service. Their final rankings can be found here.

Its interesting to follow all the rankings including the independent services - especially when your Columbus and are always drafting so high in the first round.

Last month the 3 services were pretty tightly ranked in the top 10. They each had Stamkos #1 and then Filatov #2 and then Doughty/Bogosian mixed and matched at 3 and 4. That hasn't changed with Redline's new ranking but there is a lot of differences after the top 4:

NO. PLAYER POS HT/WT S DOB TEAM

1 Steven Stamkos C 6-1/180 R 7-Feb-90 Sarnia

2 Nikita Filatov LW 6-0/172 R 25-May-90 CSKA

3 Drew Doughty D 6-0/213 R 8-Dec-89 Guelph

4 Zach Bogosian D 6-2/199 R 15-Jul-90 Peterborough

5 Mikkel Bodker RW 5-11/201 L 16-Dec-89 Kitchener

6 Alex Pietrangelo D 6-3/198 R 18-Jan-90 Niagara

7 Luke Schenn D 6-2/210 R 2-Nov-89 Kelowna

8 Kirill Petrov RW 6-3/218 L 13-Apr-90 Ak Bars Kazan

9 Cody Hodgson C 5-11/182 R 18-Feb-90 Brampton

10 Tyler Myers D 6-7/210 R 1-Feb-90 Kelowna

Interesting that there is no Wilson or no Hodgson in the top 10. Also Mikkel Bodker is really climbing at #5. From there are two defensemen sitting pretty (potentially for us) at 6 and 7 in Pietrangelo and Schenn.

So what does this all tell us?

Perhaps the top 6 isn't quite as set as we/I thought. A month ago Pietrangelo was thought to be a sure fire top 4 pick but he seems to be slipping. Bodker was more in that 8-10 range and now he's managed to climb into the top 5 at Redline of an impressive playoff performance. For those that have the NHL Network you can actually catch Bodker playing for Kitchner in the Memorial Cup.

..and how about Filatov? This kid is consistantly getting ranked the 2nd best prospect in this draft behind Stamkos. Of course there is that nasty lack of transfer agreement with Russia that is hanging over team's heads as they put their own draft lists together. Will he drop? He says he wants to come over which may be enough for a team in the top 5 to grab this offensive dynamo.

For Columbus, a team that could really use a defensive stud in their system, this is all good news. The question for me will be if both Pietrangelo and Schenn are indeed available at 6, which I still think is unlikely, who does Columbus choose? That would be a nice problem to have.

I am certainly liking Columbus' chances to land one of Doughty, Bogosian, Pietrangelo or Schenn though the more and more I read these rankings. Especially with Bodker really climbing and Filatov staying locked at #2.

Stay tuned for more draft coverage on lightthelamp!

-LTL