Offline
Four years ago, the question surrounding who would be the first pick in the NHL Draft was, Taylor or Tyler? For 2015, its Mac or Jack? Erie Otters star forward Connor McDavid and Boston University forward Jack Eichel occupy the first two spots on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons debut ranking for the 2014-15 season. Click here for Buttons September Rankings. McDavid has already been on the radar of NHL clubs for a few seasons and will be much-discussed heading into next years Draft Lottery. Eichel was a standout for the U.S. National Under-18 program and was the youngest player to skate for the Americans at last years World Junior Championship. He is entering his first season of college hockey and turns 18 next month. In both players, Button sees the kind of prospect that can make a huge and immediate impact on the team that drafts him. "I think they are generational talents and as their play will show," Button explains. "They are capable of making significant imprints upon a game. As the season progresses it will not solely be about their accomplishments but about their impact on a franchise. "The excitement of a fan base will be palpable knowing that while their team is weak, one of these players could change the fortunes of a franchise." McDavid will be building on an OHL season in which he scored 28 goals and 71 assists in 56 games and finished fourth in league scoring. Eichel averaged nearly two points per game for the U-18 team with 20 goals and 25 assists in 24 games. Defenceman Noah Hanifin of Boston College takes the third spot on the list and Button believes hes a name that the hockey world will be hearing more often. "Noah is a calm in the eye of the storm type player," says Button. "The faster the game moves, his capability of maintaining control increases. He has a mastery of the game from an intelligence aspect, always seemingly two and three steps ahead of the play. Combined with his outstanding physical skills, you have a player who will play impactful minutes." Rounding out the top five are defenceman Oliver Kylington of Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League and McDavids Erie teammate Dylan Strome. When it comes to goaltending talent, Button predicts that NHL general managers arent likely to find it in the first round at next years draft in Sunrise, Florida. "There is not a goaltender in this draft who can give a team the assuredness of sound play warranted of a first round selection," explains Button. "Puck possession is a prevalent theme and having players who can excel in this aspect makes goaltenders better. The reverse is not true so unless a goalie has qualities that are obviously outstanding, the first round will continue to shut out goaltenders." But when it comes to skaters, he sees a very deep draft with plenty of intrigue for NHL teams to consider. "Drafts are so often defined by the star quality at the top of the draft but when you look at teams being built for Stanley Cup success - specific elements stand out," Button explained. "Strong two-way centres, puck moving defenceman who will join the attack and offensive wingers. This draft has those types of players available and teams picking throughout the first round and into the second and third rounds will have the opportunity to bolster their teams. "Drew Doughty was the 2nd overall pick, after Steven Stamkos, but Los Angeles also selected Slava Voynov early in the second round. Two important players on two Stanley Cup teams. The draft is the path towards success so a deep draft benefits all teams as they pursue the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup. "(Its) a draft with no certainty as to who will be the first overall selection but a belief the first two players selected will be franchise players. How does it get better than that?" Cheap Authentic Nike Shoes Wholesale .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. Cheap Nike Shoes Online . Pistorius denied the allegation that he said to the close friend of the girlfriend he killed: "How can you sleep at night?" The accusation by Kim Myers provided a bizarre twist during the trial of the world-famous double-amputee Olympian, who is facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder for shooting dead Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, at his home last year. Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U. Nike Shoes Wholesale China . Dalton completed his only pass and led the Bengals to a touchdown in his only drive -- one that took four minutes to finish -- and the Cincinnati Bengals ended the preseason with a 27-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night. Cheap Nike Shoes Free Shipping Wholesale . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers.DALLAS -- Calgarys Mike Cammalleri had a different ending in mind on another emotional night for the Dallas Stars. Cammalleri scored two goals, Corban Knight netted the winner in a shootout, and the Flames erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Stars 4-3 on Friday night. It was the first home game for Dallas since forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench Monday because of an irregular heartbeat. "Its kind of something that weve been doing pretty well as of late," Cammalleri said. "Whatever the score is coming into the third period and putting out all that we have and trying to keep going and stick with what were trying to do. Sometimes youre rewarded." The Stars blew a valuable point in their bid to hang on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and they werent happy about it. But the loss was secondary to another step toward getting back to the business of hockey. The first was a 3-2 overtime win at St. Louis, the top team in the NHL, a night after Peverleys collapse. The second was seeing their teammate for the first time at practice Thursday. And then came Friday, when he surprised them by showing up in the locker room before they returned to the bench four nights after he collapsed there early in a game against Columbus and had to be revived in a nearby tunnel. The game was postponed. "It brings a smile to your face to see him here at the arena and around the guys," forward Erik Cole said. "Hopefully, it was good for him to be around the guys. We enjoyed seeing him and just to hang out with him." The 31-year-old Peverley, who was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in training camp, is out for the season. He will soon undergo a procedure designed to correct the condition. Peverley got a standing ovation when he was shown on the video board, briefly waving from a suite but mostly clapping with a stoic look both times he was shown. A fan held a sign that said "Heart of a champion" with Peverleys No. 17 outlined in red by the shape of a heart. One of the linesmen, Pierre Racicot, clapped at centre ice while the crowd roared, and the Stars banged their sticks on the boards in front of the bench, a universal clapping sign in hockey. They were doing the saame thing Monday, but then it was a frantic attempt to get the attention of game officials after Peverley collapsed.dddddddddddd "It was awesome that the crowd gave him a great ovation," forward Jamie Benn said. "There were probably 20 smiling faces on the bench banging our sticks for him." With the Flames trailing 3-1 with 7 minutes left in regulation, Calgarys Paul Byron lifted a shot past goalie Tim Thomas from in front late in a power play. Cammalleri then got behind Thomas and stuffed in a loose puck for his second tying goal of the game with 4:30 remaining. "On both goals, we got on the wrong side of the man," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "We had some problems defensively. We spent more time in our zone than we needed to. We lost some battles." The Flames had most of the best chances in overtime, and Sean Monahan kept them alive in the shootout by slipping a shot between Thomas pads after Jordie Benn started the final round by scoring for the Stars. Calgarys Joey MacDonald, playing for the first time since Nov. 1 after getting sent to the minors, stopped Tyler Seguin to start the first extra round of the shootout. Knight easily beat Thomas with a wrist shot to prevent Dallas from winning a season-high fourth straight game. "Joey MacDonald has been very good for us since the start," coach Bob Hartley said. "He was sent down but he never said a word, kept working, and he played a big, big part in our win." Jamie Benn put Dallas ahead 2-1 with his career-high 27th goal of the season when he won a faceoff and headed for the front of the net. Seguin sent a pass through the crease to Trevor Daley, who found Benn alone with MacDonald out of position. A little more than 2 minutes later, Cole redirected a shot from Brenden Dillon past MacDonald for a 3-1 lead. "This time of year with these points being so valuable, you cant give up a 3-1 lead in the third," Jamie Benn said. "We were lucky to get one point." NOTES: Peverley is headed to Cleveland this weekend and will have his first visit with doctors on Monday before having the procedure. ... Stars C Cody Eakin missed the game with a lower body injury. Cheap Throwback Baseball Detroit Tigers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Colorado Rockies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Houston Astros Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Kansas City Royals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Angels Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Miami Marlins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Minnesota Twins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Mets Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Yankees Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Oakland Athletics Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Diego Padres Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Francisco Giants Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Seattle Mariners Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Texas Rangers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Washington Nationals Jerseys ' ' '