Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.

Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.

Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the twenty-ninth overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.

Jim Nill: With the twenty-ninth overall selection in this years draft, the Dallas Stars' are pleased to select...

Rankings: CSS (26 NA), ISS (NA), TSN (20), Hockey Prospectus (18)

Hockey Prospectus:

"Erne features the ideal power forward style that NHL teams love, as his high-end north/south game is coupled with good skill. His best attribute is his skating; he frequently bursts through the neutral zone, drawing penalties, creating chances, and downright embarrassing defensemen with his speed and acceleration. His willingness to drive to the net combined with his strength are deadly when combined with his speed. One scout described him as a "horse" in terms of his raw physical attributes."

AIH Draft Board

Community Draft Board

Going into the 2013 SBNation Mock Draft, we were excited to have three first round picks at our disposal. In most cases, the safe play would be to not choose all three players from the same position, instead choosing say, a pair of forwards and a defenseman; or maybe one forward, a lone defender and a goaltender.

Nah, we didn't go that route.

The Jackets have the NHL's top goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky. Last year, they drafted two very good goaltenders in the second and third rounds in Oscar Dansk and Joonas Korpisalo. Not to mention prospect Anton Forsberg looks like a serious contender for a job with the Jackets down the line.

Thanks to trades and the draft the Jackets are well-stocked with great young defenders, led by last year's second-overall pick Ryan Murray. Dalton Prout had a breakout campaign in 2013, while Tim Erixon, David Savard, Mike Reilly, Will Weber and Cody Goloubef are the future on the back end.

Outside of Boone Jenner, who is the organization's top forward prospect, the future isn't as bright up front. Michael Chaput, Lukas Sedlak, Daniel Zaar, T.J. Tynan and Josh Anderson each offer different levels of promise, but none are elite prospects.

With this in mind, we decided to bring the talent and depth of the forward prospects at least up to par with the goalies and blueliners, using all three 2013 first round picks on forwards.

With the 14th overall pick, we drafted Max Domi, an offensive dynamo with NHL bloodlines. At 19, we went with Valentin Zykov, a Russian power forward who's already in North America playing junior. With the 27th overall pick, we wanted to add a player who could bring serious toughness, competitiveness, a winning attitude, and some offensive ability.

Ryan Hartman, ladies and gentlemen.

Check out his numbers:

For more info and scouting reports, check out his draft prospect profile.

The draft, thus far:

That concludes the 2013 SBNation NHL Mock Draft for the Jackets. To add to the strong group of defense and goaltending prospects, we added Domi, Zykov and Hartman. Each player brings something different to the table, and the addition of this trio will do nothing but add to an already budding core of players on the verge of being contenders.

Now that Mike Gillis and staff have found their man in John Tortorella, they will now focus their efforts on trading Roberto Luongo, most likely at the NHL Draft on Sunday, according to TSN.

"I think it's a strong draft," said Gillis. "I think there's opportunity, but we don't have a second-round pick, because we traded it at the trade deadline to try and get stronger for the playoffs. That's a practice that I don't like, and I haven't liked, and I'm not sure what we can do with that."

While many see Luongo as an elite goalie (which he is), and that is $5.3 million cap hit is decent for a super goalie, the term still may scare most people off. Roberto's deal expires in 2022. He will have earned $43.57 million over the first 6 seasons (an average of over $7 million per season). At that time he will be 37 years old. The second half of the tenure will cost an owner $20.4 million, as the latter yearly costs drop dramatically, because of the cap circumvention Mike Gillis pulled. That will bring Luongo close to 43 years of age. Yea yea, he can be a good mentor in his 40's to some new punk kid goalie, but not at a $5.3 million cap hit!

With the Flyers buying out Danny Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov, many project Lou to end up in Philadelphia. Flyers GM told the media yesterday:

"I don’t see how that would work."

(LINK)

Yea, he's been known to be full of shit before. But he also said yesterday that he is willing to go with Steve Mason as the #1 goaltender, because, you know, the Flyers never go with a bonafide goaltender, do they?

Take it for what it is.

The Islanders were another projected Luongo destination. But given their fails with Rick Dipietro and Alexei Yashin's uber-fail long term contracts, can you really see them taking in another one of those? According to NY Post writer Brett Cyrgalis yesterday:

Brett Cyrgalis@BrettCyrgalis

League source says #Isles not one of the teams inquiring about Luongo. That certainly doesn't mean they won't try to upgrade in net.

8:59 AM - 26 Jun 2013

Is it just me, or the options of moving Luongo becoming very limited? The Leafs are out after acquiring Jonathan Bernier. Most teams have a #1 goaltender in place.

Why the hell wouldn't teams hardball Gillis and force to use the compliance buyout on Roberto? Then the Canucks can assume the buyout penalty over the next many years and the few teams that want Luongo can negotiate a new contract with him as a free agent? And by a new contract, I mean one that doesn't run until he is 43 years old. Of course Canucks management is not going to like that, but they made their bed so they may have to sleep in it.

It's not like there are no other top tier goaltender options out there to acquire besides Luongo. Right Ryan Miller?

And that is my prediction. I predict Gillis will not be able to trade Luongo at the draft and that he will be forced to buy him out before the free agency period hits July 5, which is really not all that far away. After all, Luongo said it himself:

"My contract sucks."

Red Wings News

Best pick at No. 4: Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings - NHL Dream Draft
That's almost an understatement.

Datsyuk's end-to-end dangle wins Play of the Year Showdown | TSN

You know that Datsyuk is awesome when he beat himself for play of the year.

2013 Detroit Red Wings Player Review: Gustav Nyquist

The future is looking bright for Mr. Nyquist.

The Datsyukian Geek: 2013 NHL Draft and the Red Wings

Some more takes on who the Wings may draft.

The top bargains and busts from the past 20 years of the NHL draft - The Globe and Mail

Datsyuk and Zetterberg are #1 and #3 (respectively) in the "bargains" category.

Darren Helm to join Wings prospects at Traverse City camp in July | The Detroit News

:)

Will Red Wings woo Vincent Lecavalier? - The Macomb Daily

They will woo him. The question is, will they woo him enough.

1998 re-draft would put Pavel Datsyuk over Vincent Lecavalier - 2013 NHL Draft

Tanguay number 4? What a weak draft. Also, Mikael Samuelsson is number 21.

NHL News

Mark Messier leaves the NY Rangers | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Sore loser.

Numbers Game: Avs, Flames make 2-for-2 swap | TSN
Tanguay is back in Colorado.

Report: Penguins offer Letang an eight-year, $54 million deal | ProHockeyTalk
If you don't accept a deal like that you must really hate your team or severely overvalue yourself.

2013 NHL Mock Draft: Stanley Cup Final Edition | The Hockey Writers
They have the Wings taking Josh Morrissey. I wouldn't mind that one bit.

Avalanche's Sakic again implies MacKinnon will be No. 1 pick in NHL draft - The Hockey News

I really hope that he's just messing with us.

Shanahan staying with the NHL, not headed for Calgary | ProHockeyTalk
Good. Who would want to go to Calgary?

Sabres re-sign D Weber to three-year, $5 million contract | TSN

Weber emerged as a solid player for the Sabres last season.

Deal to send NHL players to 2014 Sochi Olympics could be finalized by Monday | ProHockeyTalk
Sign the papers already.

Marian Hossa won’t get buyout from Blackhawks; Dave Bolland, trade bait? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
I wouldn't want him on the Wings but Bolland would be a good 2nd line center for a lot of teams in this league.

Canucks looking to finally trade Luongo at the NHL Draft | ProHockeyTalk
We know.

Let's Go Red Wings!

I'm listening to the Rolling Stones this morning as I finish off another week of work. Through The Past, Darkly is an pretty great as far as compilation albums go and if you could only have one Stones disc in your collection, it would be a pretty solid choice . Unfortunately, the compilation of players below is not so great. As we gear up for Sunday's Entry Draft, let's take a look at my five worst first-round draft choices in Florida Panthers history.

5) Keaton Ellerby (D) First Round - 10th Overall 2007

We start off with a tough one as I strongly considered Rostislav Olesz and also Anthony Stewart for this spot but decided on Ellerby, who was drafted from the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. In five seasons with Cats organization, Ellerby played in 125 NHL games, scoring 2 goals and 15 assists. Not particular physical or able to provide much offense from the back-end, Ellerby seemed to be nothing more than a spare part for Florida, who would only play when injuries or a simple lack of depth opened up a spot for him. Part of my reasoning for picking Ellerby over Olesz and Stewart was the Panthers decision to go defense with this pick instead of forward. The jury is still out on Ellerby who seems to be in a much better spot since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Better choices for the Cats would have been Max Pacioretty, David Perron or if they had to go with a defender, Kevin Shattenkirk.

4) Denis Shivdki (F) First Round - 12th Overall 1999

Ukrainian-born Denis Shvidki was drafted by the Panthers after an impressive debut season with the OHL's Barrie Colts, which came after two years with Torpedo Yaroslavl of the Russian Superleague (the forerunner to the KHL). In Shvidki's second junior season he broke the 100-point barrier leading to high expectations in Sunrise. As a rookie, Denis played 34 games with the AHL's Louisville Panthers (15G/11A) and 43 games with the big-league Cats (6G/10A). He seemed to be on his way to becoming a solid offensive provider for the Panthers but it wasn't to be. Shvidki would play only thirty-three more games and score five more goals for Florida over the next three seasons. In 2004, Shvidki returned to Russia and has been in Europe ever since. In May 2013 he signed a contract with second-tier German team Heilbronner Falken. Better selections for the Cats that year were Martin Havlat, Nick Boynton and Barret Jackman.

3) Kenndal McArdle (F) First Round - 20th Overall 2005

Forward Kenndal McArdle was drafted from the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL after a 37 goal second season, which was a 29 goal increase from the prior campaign. McArdle spent four years as part of the Panthers organization but most of that time was spent producing lackluster numbers in the AHL. Kenndal managed to play 33 games for the Panthers tallying only one goal and two assists before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for fellow bust Angelo Esposito. Tuukka Rask was taken right after McArdle and would have been a much better choice for the Panthers, who traded Roberto Luongo after the 2005-06 season.

2) Mike Brown (F) First Round - 20th Overall 1997

Surrey, BC native Mike Brown was drafted by the Panthers after playing two seasons with the WHL's Red Deer Rebels. Brown never played for the Cats and is most notable for being part of the package that netted Florida "The Russian Rocket" Pavel Bure. Brown played professionally for seven seasons, most of which was spent roughing it up in the AHL. In 34 career NHL games that included stints with the Canucks, Ducks and Blackhawks, Brown managed one goal, two assists and 130 PIMs. Two much better choices who were taken after Brown in the first round were Brenden Morrow and defenseman Scott Hannan.

1) Petr Tatíček (F) First Round - 9th Overall 2002

Tatíček was tabbed by the Panthers after putting together a 63 point season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. After spending considerable development time with the San Antonio Rampage, the Czech center played three games for Panthers during the 2005-06 season. He failed to register a point in what turned out to be his one and only stint in the NHL. Tatíček was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 9th, 2006 for defensemen Richard Jackman and was promptly sent to the Penguins AHL affiliate in Wilkes Barre-Scranton. He signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Capitals the next season but after one more game in the AHL, he returned to Europe where he spent 10 games with HC Kladno before quickly moving on to HC Davos in Switzerland where he has played ever since. Players the Panthers could have taken instead of Tatíček include Alexander Semin, Cam Ward and Keith Ballard... oops.

Did I leave someone out or maybe I just got the order wrong? Speak your piece in the comments section. It's always fun to relive the draft-day horrors of the past.

Five is the number of trades that Chuck Fletcher has made on draft day. Rumor has it that the Minnesota Wild will aggressively pursue a first-rounder, or at least to move up in the draft. Can we glean anything from Fletcher's draft day trade tendencies? Do any of those trades provide a framework for the Wild this weekend? Let's take a look, shall we?

(Draft Day Trade information taken from the Minnesota Wild's 2013 Draft Guide. Much thanks.)

2009: Minnesota acquired a first-round pick (16th overall – Nick Leddy), a third-round pick (77th overall – Matt Hackett) and a seventh-round pick (182nd overall – Erik Haula) from the New York Islanders in exchange for the Wild’s first-round pick (12th overall – Calvin de Haan) in the 2009 Entry Draft.

Could Chuck pull a trade like this is in this year's draft? No. Not a shot. If the Wild get a first round pick at this point, it will be because they've targeted a guy, not because they want to trade down after paying the price to move up.

Hey, how did this trade work out, anyway? Weirdly enough, the principles in this trade turned out to be non-factors for their teams, thus far, anyway. Leddy was flipped for Cam Barker, but would have been a nice fit on the Wild now. de Haan has yet to contribute to his NHL team, but he's still in the AHL and his star is not yet burned out. Hackett was a major piece in bringing in Jason Pominville, and Erik Haula will enter his first pro season next year. There's no clear winner in this deal- either de Haan or Haula could tilt it towards their teams, but neither figure to do so significantly.

2009: Minnesota acquired Kyle Brodziak and a sixth-round pick (161st overall – Darcy Kuemper) from the EdmontonOilers in exchange for the Wild’s fourthround pick (99th overall – Kyle Bigos) and fifth-round pick (133rd overall – Olivier Roy) in the 2009 Entry Draft.

Could Chuck pull a trade like this is in this year's draft? Yes, but with a twist. The Wild are looking to send out Cal Clutterbuck, dropping a bit of salary for some flexibility to invest in other areas of the team (1.4 million cap hit last year, probably getting a raise). Clutterbuck is a better asset than Brodziak was, so perhaps the Wild could flip him and a fifth for a third and a fourth? Maybe straight up for a second? Hmmm...

Hey, how did this trade work out, anyway? Pretty well for the Wild. Brodziak has been a mainstay in the lineup, handling tough minutes and chipping in a bit offensively, while Kuemper has impressed at every level of hockey he's played so far, and is now the current Josh Harding Goalie of the Future recipient. Not only have Bigos and Roy not worked out, it doesn't appear that the Wild gave up the chance to draft anyone that might make them look stupid for giving up those picks.

2010: Minnesota acquired a second-round pick (59th overall – Jason Zucker) from the Florida Panthers in exchange for the Wild’s third-round pick (69th overall – Joe Basaraba) and fourth-round pick (99th overall – Joonas Donskoi) in the 2010 Entry Draft.

Those five trades in four years show that Fletcher loves maneuvering in the draft, often in a major way. When you look at them as a whole, only one of them would be considered low-impact (the Brodziak deal). So when you hear Russo saying that Fletcher is looking to move up in the draft, you'd do well to believe him.

Let the intrigue begin.

It's a little more complicated to create your salary cap-compliant Canucks team this time around. There is a new collective bargaining agreement. The salary cap is going to drop from $70.2 million to $64.3 million for the 2013-14 NHL season. That puts the Canucks in a bit of a pickle. Or not. It depends on how you want the team to be created and managed going forward. Under the new CBA, teams can execute TWO compliance buyouts up until the 2014 off season. Teams can eliminate TWO player contracts off their books that they do not want. There are financial cap implications long term if...say...the team buys out a player with a front-loaded deal (Luongo, Lecavalier, Hossa) and the player retires before his original contract expires. But in the meantime, there is no cap hit on a compliance buyout.

With that in mind...

Create your Vancouver Canucks 2013-14 salary cap - compliant roster! You can be as creative and / or realistic as you like.

Let me be of some assistance, with the help of Capgeek.com.

Canucks' Unrestricted Free Agents

Derek Roy

Manny Malhotra

Mason Raymond

Maxim Lapierre

Steve Pinizzotto

Andrew Alberts

Cam Barker

Andrew Ebbett

Jim Vandermeer

Guillaume Desbiens

Andrew Gordon

Canucks' Restricted Free Agents

Dale Weise

Chris Tanev

Derek Joslin

Bill Sweatt

Kellan Lain

Jordan Schroeder

Stefan Schneider

Anton Rodin (gone to Sweden)

Darren Archibald

Yann Sauve

Prabb Rai

So...currently...the Canucks have $31,420,000 locked up in 9 forwards (Sedin, Sedin, Burrows, Kesler, Booth, Higgins, Hansen, Kassian and Sestito. They have $23,449,444 locked up in 6 defencemen (Edler, Bieksa, Garrison, Hamhuis, Ballard and Corrado). Also, $9,333,333 locked up in 2 goaltenders (Luongo and Schneider). That's 17 players total. Not exactly a full NHL roster with only $47,222 left in cap space. Peanuts!!!

This team needs another 3-4 forwards and / or 1 more defenceman still to start the 2013-14 season. See what I mean? Not easy. Buyouts or high dollar contracts need to be traded or bought out to create cap space. Do your damndest! Buy out whoever you want. Trade whoever you want to. Let's see YOUR moves as an armchair Canucks General Manager!

Side note: David Booth CANNOT be bought out as he is still on the long term injury reserve list. What is Chris Tanev going to make going forward? Expect salary arbitration for him and the Canucks retaining him no matter the cost.

Isn't this fun?

Post your roster in the comments section. Also, feel free to add your comments / explanations on who and why certain players were let go, or traded, or bought out...etc. Let's have some damn fun and engage in conversation.

The NHL Entry Draft will be held on Sunday, and who knows what will happen with Roberto Luongo by then. You can always alter your roster if swift changes occur. I have a funny feeling that Italian f***er is getting bought out. Bless his heart.

When entering your roster, put the dollar values for each player in parenthesis behind their name. Also, enter the cap total at the end of your comment post.

Ready? GO!

Vancouver has a logjam at goalie with Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo capable of being the No. 1 guy between the pipes, but the Canucks are now open to trading the younger and cheaper Schneider, according to CBC.

The 27-year-old Schneider had a 2.11 goals against average to go along with a solid .927 save percentage in his first season as the full-time starter. He has two years remaining on a deal that carries an annual cap hit of $4 million and doesn't have a no-trade clause.

Luongo, who has also been the subject of trade rumors, is locked into a contract that has a $5.3 million annual cap hit until 2022 and has full no-trade and no-movement clauses. While many have speculated that Luongo could be a candidate for one of two amnesty buyouts each team is afforded under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Canucks would have to pay Luongo $27 million to not play for them.

Thus the trade rumors. Vancouver is sure to get a better return for Schneider, who comes cheaper and much younger. Luongo is 34 years old but is still capable of being a No. 1 goalie in the NHL, so the Canucks could afford to lose Schneider for the right return.

With high-priced players being bought out across the league and a loaded class awaiting at the 2013 NHL Draft, which begins Sunday, a flurry of movement could on the horizon in the NHL.

More in the NHL:

Follow @SBNationNHL

• Video: Bettman gets booed

• Kane wins Conn Smythe

• Blackhawks celebrate in GIF form

• Bergeron played with rib, shoulder injuries

• Complete Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage

• The best of our hockey network

"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead."― Charles Bukowski

I'm sorry friends. Here we are in Vancouver land - on the cusp of the draft when we could be talking about prospects, speculating on who to pick when, or just living in the fun moment of having F-Bomb behind the bench - but nope. We're going back to the goalies, only this time it's Ginga Bricks in play.

It's getting interesting. 2 sources say Corey Schneider is in play. 1st and a prospect part of asking price. Suspect Oilers in on talks.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 29, 2013

Schneider news might simply be a back-up plan (no pun intended)...if they're unable to move Luongo. Check what other asset is worth.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 29, 2013

#Canucks GM Mike Gillis said "you have to listen" to offers on players like G Cory Schneider. Not revealing much more.

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) June 29, 2013

Because of course.

We've debated the pros and cons of each angle to the point of lunacy here, but it's fairly cut and dry:

1. Trade Luongo: The 34 year old much maligned netminder wants out and GMMG "needs" to get him out. Unfortunately the events from last summer to now have made trading Luongo next to impossible unless Gillis takes a bath and eats a bad contract in return. The goalie market is a bit more saturated than it used to be and the Bernier trade takes one notable suitor off the table. With no obvious takers coupled with some obvious cap problems (which includes $9.3 million combined in net alone) the last option is buying Luongo out and Gillis said no to that already. Of course he may not have a choice.

2. Trade Schneider: 27 years old with two years left on an $8 million dollar deal, he's the much more attractive of the two. Imagine the yield Gillis would receive packaging someone like Alex Edler with Schneider? But the Canucks would then be left with Luongo who - while still quite capable of carrying the team - has been burned enough that you have to wonder what happens if he gets shellacked a few more times again. It also means Eddie Lack (or someone else) better be ready to step up now and be properly groomed as the starter 3-5 years down the line. If you believe Schneider is the real deal already, are you ready to watch him prove that elsewhere?

3. Move them both: Well that would certainly take the focus off Tortorella for awhile, huh?

4. Keep them both. Again: I hate you.

In a sense, the Canucks are still holding strong no matter which road they take. Take a bath on Luongo, hand the keys over to Schneider and Torts gets a focused team in September. Move Schenider and the team would get a badly needed injection of youth and perhaps a prospect or roster player as well. The worst case scenario is keeping them both for another season and Gillis would be basically begging to be fired if he tossed that card on the table again.

I'm willing to believe the best option remains Luongo heads out the door. Certainly not because he's bad, but the writing has been on the wall long enough and everyone deserves a fresh start. Gillis can dangle Schneider for due diligence all he wants, but I think his vision of younger and stronger begins from the net out.

Then again, this is the Canucks we're talking about. Who would have thought - even a year ago - that the possibility of getting nothing for Luongo would be a realistic option?

Should be an interesting few days ahead.

NHL Draft Day is always one of the most popular days on the hockey calendar, and this year is no exception. The unofficial open to trading season coincides with the final decisions on where each of junior hockey's top prospects will begin their career. When you're a team that follows of the philosophy of Jim Nill and Les Jackson, Draft Day is when rosters are built.

The NHL Draft wasn't always the league-wide spectacle that is has become the last couple decades, however. In 1963, the league's first attempt at holding a league-wide amateur draft, it was largely ignored. Not even the player that was drafted first overall had any idea what a draft was, or that he had been drafted at all, until well after the fact. The Vancouver Sun has a neat little article with more details. [Vancouver Sun]

Times have changed, and now the draft is televised on multiple networks in multiple countries. Fans tune in to see more than just which teenager is going to play a big part in their favorite team's fortunes a few years down the road. They also tune in to see how many of the rumors and speculation of big-name player movement will actually come true. A soap-opera on top of a lottery. What's not to love? [Columbus Dispatch]

Many people expect Nathan MacKinnon to be this year's top draft pick, after the Colorado Avalanche have repeatedly reiterated that they're not interested in taking Seth Jones first overall. They can't go wrong with either selection. MacKinnon is a big-time talent that would go first overall in just about any draft year, and is ready to contribute to an NHL roster today. [The Province]

Local prospect, Seth Jones, is expected to be taken by the Florida Panthers with the second overall selection, if nothing drastic changes. Jones, a big, smart, powerful defenseman that has been called a cross between Nick Lidstrom and Chris Pronger, is ranked as the best prospect in the draft according to most scouting bureaus. [Sun Sentinel]

The third of the "Big Three" prospects in Jonathan Drouin, who is every bit as good as the two I've already mentioned. The real draft order could be a crap shoot with interchangeable parts, when all is said and done. What makes Drouin special is his vision, playmaking ability, and his silky smooth hands. While I expect him to end up on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche is said to be very high on this kid as well. [Canoe]

Draft Day is expected to see a couple big name established NHLers changing teams as well, but the Pittsburgh Penguins claim they are putting no deadline on deciding Kris Letang's future. Letang turned down a very lucrative extension this week, which has led to his name being atop many rumor mills. That said, smart money is on the Penguins getting something done to keep him in Pittsburgh. [Canoe]

Former Dallas Stars netminder Mike Smith is probably staying put as well, as he is in negotiations on a long term extension to stay with the Phoenix Coyotes organization. [TSN]

At the same time, another former Dallas Star is looking for work with a new NHL team. Manny Malhotra is trying to prove that he still has something left in the tank, after recovering from a career threatening eye injury with the Vancouver Canucks. If he ends up finding a role somewhere, I wish him nothing but luck. It's hard not to like the guy. [The Province]

It won't be hard for Nathan Horton of the Boston Bruins to find a new home. He is expected to be one of the most coveted unrestricted free agents in a relatively bare market, after telling the Boston Bruins that he wants to test the waters on July 5th. [Boston Globe]

Vincent Lecavalier is another one of those coveted commodities, after being bought-out by the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he has been heavily linked to the Dallas Stars in recent days, he's been heavily linked to the Montreal Canadiens for years. They're quiet about their potential interest in his services, but you have to think Vinny would cherish the thought. After all, he wears #4 in honor of Jean Beliveau. [TSN]

Tobias Enstrom of the Winnipeg Jets is recovering from a minor injury he suffered as victim of a robbery in his home nation of Sweden yesterday. He was robbed at an ATM while at dinner with his family, but only sustained a small cut over his eye. Authorities have the suspects in custody. [CBC]

In lighter news, the NHL's top prospects skated with some youth hockey players in New Jersey, signing autographs and sharing some tips of the trade. Today's video is a small sample of their interaction. Good stuff.

1:30 PM PT Update: Cory Schneider Traded for the 9th overall pick, Canucks take Bo Horvat

*********************************

7:20 AM PT Update: ...annnnd right out of the gate is Bobby Mac:

Will VAN's Alex Edler get "Jeff Carter-ed"? (Traded right before his NTC kicks in). I'd say there's a decent chance Edler gets "Carter-ed."

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2013

*********************************

Mike Gills can do a lot right and a lot wrong in the next few hours. Let's hope one or two favorable decisions fall his way.

Here's the rundown; we'll update it through the afternoon:

First round pick (24th) - ??
Third round pick (85th) - ??
Fourth round pick (115th) - ??
Fifth round pick (145th) - ??
Sixth round pick (175th) - ??
Seventh round pick (205th) - ??

We took our guess at the first round pick being LW Adam Erne, so clearly that won't happen. The mothership was kind enough to produce this infographic which makes the Erne pick look even worse considering they've never taken a LW in the first round. Sigh.

Could we see a resolution to the goaltending dilemma? We took our guess it would be Schneider. Your votes leaned Luongo. So clearly that won't happen either. Sigh!

Would now be a good time to mention the Canucks still need a quality third line center? Nah, probably not.

But, hey, relevant hockey news is back. That's as good a start as any. If that's not good enough, then play the NHL Draft drinking game and take pictures of the results please. Sharing is caring.

Let's go drama...

Good morning Wilderness. Today is the day, the long-awaited day for many a young hockey player to hear their names get called from the podium. There is a lot of links to get through today folks so I won't bore you with my needless ramblings this morning.

I will however take a short opportunity to remind you to head on down to Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub on W. 7th Street in St. Paul just down the road from the X for the draft party. You will have the opportunity to meet with some of your favorite writers from First Round Bust and Hockey Wilderness. The draft starts at 2 but get there early to reserve your seats.

Wild News

Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold talks trades, buyouts at NHL draft
Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press sits down with Wild owner Craig Leipold.

Wild's Parise, Suter earn high praise from U.S. Olympic GM | StarTribune.com
Parise and Suter are going to play for team USA, expectations are gold.

Chart: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher and draft-day moves | StarTribune.com
Just what does Wild GM Chuck Fletcher have up his sleeve today?

Wild's GM in a dealing mood for draft day | StarTribune.com
It's actually really nice to have a GM who isn't afraid to pull the trigger on a deal.

Minnesota Wild, crunched by salary cap, finally buying in to buyo | ChatWild.com
With Heatley not cleared medically yet, any buyouts will have to come from elsewhere.

Bouchard leaving Minnesota after 10 seasons with Wild | ProHockeyTalk
Straight from the news you already knew category.

Minnesota Wild eyeing a deep draft and looking for more picks - TwinCities.com
The Wild are actively shopping Clutterbuck and most likely Gilbert, and easily entertaining offers for others on the roster as well.

Jonas Brodin makes All-Rookie Team; More on Cal Clutterbuck's future | StarTribune.com

Congrats to Wild Jonas Brodin on his selection to the All-Rookie team.

Tending the Fields

Wild Affiliate, Solar Bears, To Host All-Star Game
Congratulations to the Solar Bears on being selected to host the ECHL All-Star game in 2015.

Off the Trail

Zdeno Chara riding the Rowdy Rooster is the ultimate dad moment | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
If your heart-strings have not been tugged in a while, please give this a read. #Perspective

Our five favourite things from the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup parade | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Kaner wasted? Naaaaaa!

Avalanche looking at MacKinnon over Jones for 1st pick in the NHL draft | StarTribune.com
Seth Jones will likely have to wait, at least a little bit, before hearing his name get called from the podium.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma named coach of 2014 US Olympic hockey team | StarTribune.com
After his showing in the Eastern Conference Finals nonetheless.

Report: Canucks’ Schneider could be in play for possible trade | ProHockeyTalk
So, now they are trying to trade Schneider? Whoa boy ...

Winnipeg’s Enstrom robbed, assaulted in Sweden | ProHockeyTalk
Just scary ...

Canadiens' GM stays mum on plans to pursue Lecavalier
Lecavalier was bought out Thursday by the Lightning.

Preds would love to draft Seth Jones with No. 4 pick | ProHockeyTalk
I'm sure anyone would probably be happy with picking up Seth Jones at any pick.

NHL draft offers difference-makers to those picking high
Many are saying this is the deepest draft since 2003.

Shero: Penguins not looking to trade Letang…yet | ProHockeyTalk
If Fletcher wanted to grab this guy, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Of course he costs way too much, but in a fantasy world he would be awesome on the Wild's roster.

Coyotes, Smith making progress on new contract
Looks like the Coyotes will be re-signing net minder Mike Smith.

Trade, free agent rumours heat up as NHL Draft Day nears
Get yourself caught up on everything leading up to today's draft.

Avalanche have top pick in NHL Draft on TSN
But just what are they going to do with it.

Get to know a draft pick — Nathan MacKinnon | ProHockeyTalk
If the Avalanche aren't bluffing, there's a good chance he'll be the top pick.

Agent: ‘Highly likely’ Stalberg’s done in Chicago | ProHockeyTalk
Sounds like the speedy Swede is going to market.

Hello and welcome, it's been too long since we've had a live thread! As with last year, we'll update you on picks within the thread, but I'm only going to do that for the first round, after the first round things move really quickly.

Of course we'll have write ups on who the Habs draft as soon as possible.

Tweets from @HabsEOTP/eyes-on-the-prize-authors

TSN's James Duthie just got off the phone with Roberto Luongo and said that Luongo was in shock that the Canucks traded Cory Schneider at the NHL Draft today. As most people have already known for a long time, Roberto had asked to be traded in April 2012 and had basically said goodbye to the organization two seasons in a row when Schneider took over the starting job. Luongo has remained professional about this lengthy process of Mike Gillis trying to trade him. He has even been comedic on Twitter, repeatedly.

But there is no laughing from the Luongo camp today. Luongo told Duthie he will consult his agent.

Mike Gillis and John Tortorella are expected to talk to Roberto later today. They did not consult either Luongo or Schneider before pulling the trigger on the deal.

The drama is not over. Canucks management needs to convince Luongo, who had already "moved on" mentally from this organization, to stay and be the number one goaltender. Yes, Luongo is a professional who signed that contract in the first place which turned out to be an achilles heel. But management had given him an entirely different impression for a long time now and changed their mind today out of the blue.

Luongo could still demand a trade, or to get bought out or put on the waiver wire. This could get ugly. All on a day when the matter was supposed to be settled.

Luongo will not be speaking to the media at this time.

Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini came to Luongo's house in Florida and told him about the Schneider trade moments before it was announced.

— James Duthie (@tsnjamesduthie) June 30, 2013

Schneider did not know about the trade when it was announced. When you saw Gillis on the phone right after, it was with Schneider.

— James Duthie (@tsnjamesduthie) June 30, 2013

I'm sure that Gillis / Schneider convo went something like this:

Hours after the Schneider trade, Luongo composed himself a little and finally said on Twitter:

#NOtradeclause

— Strombone (@strombone1) July 1, 2013

Gillis talks about the Schneider deal and how the new CBA fucked up his plans:

Name: Cole Cassels

Born: May 4, 1995 in Dublin, Ohio.

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 179 pounds

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

2012-13 Team: Oshawa Generals

His Father:Andrew Cassels. Super set-up guy. Gritty. Could pot goals too. Versatile.

Twitter:@ColeCassels19

Very excited to be part of the Vancouver Canucks organization!!

— Cole Cassels (@ColeCassels19) July 1, 2013

Stats:

Awards: Won bronze at the Under-17 World Hockey Championships in 2012. Played in the 2013 Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game.

Scouting Report:

Via MyNHLDraft.com:

On a roster laden with offensive talents such as that of the Oshawa Generals, it is refreshing to see a player such as Cole Cassels flourish, one who prides himself on being more of an agitator and is a strong penalty killer. The son of former NHL player Andrew Cassels, Cole does not employ the same point production that his father had during his OHL career with the Ottawa 67's, but he has found himself to be useful in other ways. Cassels thrives on playing a physical game that allows him to be one of the more feared players on the ice when he is out there. He has really good skating ability and he is as tenacious as they come. His defensive game is quite sound and he has already demonstrated the leadership that his father had during his professional career. Cassels will find himself elevated to the top two lines in Oshawa next year with veterans such as Boone Jenner, Lucas Lessio and Scott Sabourin all leaving after this year. A player much like Sabourin himself, Cassels could surely find himself becoming more of an offensive producer as his ice time increases, especially if he is given the opportunity to play with Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Scott Laughton, if the latter does not remain in the NHL next season. Cassels is a model teammate and he plays with such energy that it rubs off on all of his teammates.
Submitted by: Margann Laurissa - May 28th 2013

Via McKeen's Hockey:

...clever two-way pivot who displays good vision .. thinks ahead – anticipates plays before they happen .. particularly effective distributing the puck from the neutral zone .. executes accurate and crisp passes – both forehand and backhand – and requires minimal time and space – can make it look effortless .. propelled by a looping skating style and moderate first-step quickness .. could add power to his stride – straight-ahead speed is average at best, however these areas should improve with physical maturity and added leg strength .. defensive instincts are sound which earns him time on the penalty-killing unit .. shows no fear blocking shots or sacrificing his body .. can excel neutralizing opponents along the boards with solid hits and checks, yet isn’t overly large or powerful at six-foot and 180 pounds .. must guard against letdowns however as he can become static in his own end at times .. must continue to refine his faceoff technique – clearly falls behind on draws .. needs to be encouraged to be more selfish about exploiting shooting opportunities as he too often tends to operate in ‘pass-first’ mode .. should benefit from a more sheltered role playing behind Boone Jenner and Scott Laughton– and not having to face top-line opponents every night.

Favorite NHL Team:Columbus Blue Jackets

Favorite Player:Joe Thornton

Favorite Movie: Braveheart

Those little factoids and more at OshawaGenerals.com.

Cassels Video:

That's about all I could find on him.

Welcome to the club, Cole!

Name: Jordan Subban

Born: March 3, 1995 in Rexdale, Ontario

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 175 pounds

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

2012-13 Team: Bellville Bulls (Ontario Hockey League). The same team the Canucks' 2012 first round pick Brendan Gaunce plays for.

Twitter: @jordansubban

Welcome to the #Canucks family! RT @jordansubban So excited to be apart of the @VanCanucks organization!!

— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) July 1, 2013

Stats:

Impressive season he had. I believe he was 6th in scoring for defencemen in the OHL.

Awards: Won a gold medal at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Won a bronze medal at the 2012 Under-17 World Hockey Championship

Scouting Report:

Via Hockey's Future:

Subban has received a lot of attention in this league -- and most definitely will at the NHL Draft -- simply due to his name. With older brothers P.K. and Malcolm being second- and first-round selections, respectively, he has a lot to live up to.

While Subban likely will be drafted in the third or fourth round, he just doesn’t have the same upside as his brothers. He’s got a good, heavy shot and solid skating abilities, but is shorter than what’s usually desired. Subban also needs to work on his defensive responsibilities.

What the youngest Subban brother brings to the table is intelligence – he named to the OHL’s Scholastic Team this year. He transfers that intelligence on the ice, where he plays a solid, smart offensive game.

Via P.K. Subban on NHL.com:

"Jordan plays more of a cerebral type of game and is more of a thinker and I play off my instincts and try to do a little bit of everything,"P.K. Subban said. "I think Jordan's skill level is much higher than mine. I'm on the ice with him every day during the summer doing skill stuff, and he's the one demonstrating the drill."

"He kind of wants to do more than what I've achieved, so he's a special individual and a lot different than I am," Subban said. "He will be an amazing player, and I think that a lot of people might look past him, but they're going to be surprised in the near future how good he is because I really do think he has a lot more potential than both myself and Malcolm."

"Put it this way: There are seven people in our family, and if there are six slices of pizza on the table, Jordan's getting one. He's that type of kid, and he has that type character."

Via TheHockeyHouse.net:

Pros:

Jordan Subban is a very, very talented offensive defenseman. He is fantastic on the power play and has blazing speed. Subban is so gifted on offense. He has a terrific wrist shot to go along with a very good slap shot. His passing is just as good (if not better) than his shooting. He shows poise and composure when he has the puck on his stick and has a passion for the game. He has a tremendous work ethic and is committed to getting better and bigger. Subban also is steady in his own zone.

Cons:

The biggest thing holding back this Subban from being a high round selection in the NHL is that Jordan Subban is undersized. Not only is he shorter than what scouts would like, he also needs to add weight to be able to make an impact right away. While he is steady in his own end, Subban could work on his defensive game and try to not do too much.

Subban Video:

So, we won't see the wild antics of PK in Jordan, but that's ok. I hope PK's analysis of his little brother is accurate because this could be a steal.

Welcome to the club, Jordan! Good luck!

Via PK Subban on Twitter:

History sure does look good! Congrats boys! we did it! @SubbZero30@jordansubban#subbanationpic.twitter.com/uBez4aY0U0

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) July 1, 2013

Name: Anton Cederholm

Drafted: Round 5, 145th overall

Born: February 21, 1995 in Helsingborg, Sweden

Position: Defence (of course)

Shoots: Left

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 207 pounds

2012-13 Team: Rogle Angelholm of the Swedish Elite League

Stats:

Don't let those scare you. Canucks European scout Thomas Gradin has been watching this kid for a while now. Gradin is good at it.

Analysis:

Via Eliteprospects.com:

A big, fearless stay-at-home defenseman. Limited in terms of offensive upside and puck skills, but usually plays a simple and smart game. Not the fastest of skater, but decent mobility. Has the tools to become a reliable depth defenseman logging big minutes on the penalty kill.

****************************************************************************************************

Name: Mike Williamson

Born: September 5, 1993 in Leduc, Alberta

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 187 pounds

2012-13 Team: Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League

Stats:

Analysis:

Not a lot out there, so I will go with what Pass It To Bulis said about him:

With the 175th pick, the Canucks select defenceman Mike Williamson out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He’s 6’3″ and headed to Penn State University, which fits Mike Gillis’s strategy of going with players enroute to the NCAA with late round picks.

Via the Saints' website:

"Mike brings the full package, he is a big strong defenseman that is extremely mobile and possesses a heavy shot," Says Penn State Head Coach/General Manager Jason McKee. "He has been a positive influence on our dressing room for the past two seasons and I am confident that he will carry these traits forward to the next level.

Via Zanstorm:

I would love to be a scout for the Canucks. I would like to have seen this kid play and see the potential that they see in him, because from an outsider's perspective, this looks like a lousy gamble.

*****************************************************************************************

(Photo via metronews.ca )

Name: Miles Liberati

Born: June 21, 1995 in Cheswick, Pennsylvania

Position: Defence. Geez, Gillis went heavy on D in the later rounds didn't he?

Shoots: Left

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 195 pounds

2012-13 Team: London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League

Twitter: @miles_liberati

Unreal feeling. Such an honor to be selected by the @VanCanucks!! An awesome organization to be a part of! #NHLDraft#speechless

— Miles Liberati (@miles_liberati) July 1, 2013

And then all of Springdale became Canucks fans. Congrats @miles_liberati ! :) #LTD#inspirational

— Diana Killian (@dianakillian) July 1, 2013

Stats:

Analysis:

Via Eliteprospects.com:

A smooth skater with offensive instincts. Must improve his physical game and play without the puck. (Tyler Parchem, EP 2013)

I like how Mike Gillis focused on the Canucks' glaring lack of depth with forwards first in this draft and went with defencemen at the end.

Welcome to the bigs, boys!

The simple answer was no. The Minnesota Wild were unable to swing a deal vaulting them back into the first round of yesterdays NHL Draft. You can however put the GMCF spin on it and go with the Wild traded themselves into the 5th overall selection, of the 2010 NHL Draft. In a trade we all saw coming a mile away, the only variable being where, the Minnesota Wild traded away rights to RFA Cal Clutterbuck. The trade made "solely to piss me off " says my wife, the Wild move buttercup to the New York Islanders for 2010's 5th overall selection Nino Niederreiter, whom the Wild had their eyes on during that draft as well.

The Wild also moved defenseman Justin Falk to the New York Rangers yesterday morning for Benn Ferriero and a 2014 6th round pick. Both players are restricted free agents and I'm not even certain the Wild will tender Ferriero an offer at this point unless it is to provide some depth for the Iowa Wild. Falk's ice time here was plummeting fast and this move came as no surprise.

For more on the Wild trades as well as our draft selection, I bring you, the links! Enjoy!

Wild News

Wild drafts Gustav Olofsson with first pick | StarTribune.com
Picked by the Wild as the 46th overall pick in the draft, picked by me in the Hockey Wilderness mock draft with the Washington Capital 114th overall selection.

Minnesota Wild draftee Gustav Olofsson patterns his game after Jonas Brodin - TwinCities.com
He will get a good close look at just how Brodin plays real soon. Welcome to the State of Hockey Gustav Olofsson!

Wild brass likes size, grit in this draft class | StarTribune.com
Size was definitely a concern going into today's draft. Flahr and company did a pretty good job putting some size back in the prospect pool.

Chart: Minnesotans in the NHL draft | StarTribune.com
Honestly, I don't know much about any of these kids, but I'm a little surprised Besse didn't go a little sooner. Kid scored what, a thousand goals in the state tourney last season?Congrats to all the Minnesota kids that were drafted yesterday.

2013 Wild draft overview | State of Hockey News
Clipped simply for the awesome picture of Dany Heatley.

Wild 2013 Draft Picks - Wild.com
Profiles of your new Minnesota Wild prospects.

Trade winds bring 'El Nino' to Wild | StarTribune.com
Fair warning Wild players and staff, my wife is super pissed at this. Although, you did save me money on a Clutterbuck jersey.

Clutterbuck dealt to Islanders, reunited with Tavares; Wild acquires El Nino | StarTribune.com
Fletcher did trade into the first round today ... of the 2010 draft. This Russo Rant includes a good story about Clutterbuck and Tavares from a few years ago as well.

Wild trades Justin Falk to the Rangers; Wild needs defensemen | StarTribune.com
Justin Falk to the New York Rangers for a 2014 sixth-round pick and the rights to right wing Benn Ferriero.

Off the Trail

Jones ‘definitely’ wants to prove Avs, Panthers and Bolts wrong | ProHockeyTalk
Glad we are not on that list...

Tyler Seguin criticized by Bruins GM: ‘He’s got to commit to being a professional’ | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Ouch ....

Dave Bolland traded to Maple Leafs, less than week after Stanley Cup winning goal | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Thank you, now get out of here!

Report: Pens agree to terms with Letang on eight-year, $58M deal
So much for those rumors the Pens were shopping Letang.

Caps letting Ribeiro go to market | ProHockeyTalk
The 1-season Capitals center has been getting paid 5 million/year. If that number were to come down say, significantly, perhaps the Wild could have a suitable replacement for veteran Matt Cullen? Ah, glorious pipe dreams ...

Canucks trade Cory Schneider to Devils for 9th pick; how will Roberto Luongo take this? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
The Canucks have just traded one goalie controversy for another. I know Luongo is a professional, but this has to sting a little.

Lamoriello insists Brodeur is still a No. 1 goalie | ProHockeyTalk
Yes, but is that 1A or 1B?

Martin Brodeur announces son’s selection by NJ Devils in classic draft moment (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
In probably the feel-goodiest (not a word) moment of this years NHL Draft, father Brodeur selects son, Brodeur for the New Jersey Devils.

Report: Columbus shops Bobrovsky following $6M per year demand | ProHockeyTalk
All is not well in Columbus.

He’s on the case: Bobrovsky to sign two-year deal with Columbus | ProHockeyTalk
JUST KIDDING! LOL!

On the Pitch

Minnesota scene: United falls to Edmonton | StarTribune.com
Minnesota United FC dropped out of contention for the NASL spring championship with a 3-1 loss to host Edmonton on Sunday.

Nashville Predators News

2013 NHL draft: Seth Jones drops into perfect position with the Predators - Yahoo! Sports

"Defense wins championships"- Something I've heard people say, so it must be true.

Nashville Predators couldn't pass on Seth Jones | The Tennessean

Forgive me for thinking the talk of him playing on the top line with Weber this year is a bit, I don't know, insane.

Preds add ‘underdogs’ in draft | Predators Insider

"The rest of the Predators' draft didn't appear high in skill or scoring."

Smashville 24/7 - Yip, Mueller will not return

A couple more spots have opened up.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Winners and losers of the 2013 NHL Draft | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

Martin Brodeur, 41, was "a little surprised" the Devils acquired a goalie. Huh.

Roberto Luongo "In Shock" After Canucks Trade Schneider - Nucks Misconduct

The Canucks were always going to get more for Schneider...but the drama isn't over yet.

Bryan Bickell To Stay In Chicago. - Second City Hockey

The Hawks were able to dump some salary to keep him around.

Caps letting Ribeiro go to market | ProHockeyTalk

If you get a call from the 615, PLEASE pick up.

Bobrovsky agrees to contract with Jackets | BlueJackets Xtra

Looks like a two year deal...a good move for Columbus.

Kris Letang close to signing eight-year deal with Penguins - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I guess he's staying after all.

Martin Brodeur drafts son Anthony for New Jersey Devils | Puck Drunk Love

A fantastic story.

Coyotes agree to six-year, $34M deal with goaltender Smith-TSN

I hope he likes seafood and rain.

The Summer Of Kaner Doesn't Really Begin Until Jimmy Buffett Shows Up-Deadspin

Hey, it's two of my least favorite people! (Buffett is worse)

It was a whirlwind day for the New Jersey Devils, Martin Brodeur, and Cory Schneider. Just as Dallas Stars fans were gearing up for the possibility of having Valeri Nichushkin gracefully fall into their laps at the #10 slot (when some had him ranked as high as fourth), the Vancouver Canucks swooped in to grab the #9 pick from the New Jersey Devils.

After years of speculation in Vancouver about the future of Roberto Luongo and Schneider, the Canucks dealt away the younger starting goaltender in favor of re-installing the oft-maligned veteran, Luongo. The rumor mills went from penciling in Luongo onto the lineup cards of the Philadelphia Flyers or Toronto Maple Leafs, to the reality of having Schneider split time with the legendary Martin Brodeur. [The Province]

Does the end of Vancouver's on-going goaltender controversy mean the start of one in New Jersey? Who exactly is their starting goaltender now? The aging, but untouchable, future hall of famer, or the up-and-coming new addition that is already much too old to be considered an up-and-comer? [Yahoo!]

The goaltending pipeline in New Jersey didn't stop growing with that trade, however. Corey Schneider was joined by another goaltender that may one day challenge him for playing time... one with a familiar name, and eerily familiar face. Anthony Brodeur, the son of Martin Brodeur, will begin his NHL career in the New Jersey Devils organization, just like dear old dad. [USA Today]

While it may be hyperbole to describe the wheeling and dealing at the draft as a "flurry of trades," there were still quite a few key transactions of interest for established NHLers. The Chicago Blackhawks, just as the last time they were defending champs, were one of the most active traders.

Chicago sent Dave Bolland, the man who just scored their Stanley Cup clinching goal, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for an impressive package of three draft selections. [TSN]

They then sent Michael Frolik to the Winnipeg Jets, in a deal that made me a little bit jealous. Chicago added two draft picks, while Winnipeg added a deceptively talented penalty killer in Frolik, who really came into his own for the Blackhawks, after starting his career in Florida. [NBC]

The reason for these trades, in lieu of keeping the band together? The NHL is a salary cap world nowadays, and they needed the space to extend Bryan Bickell. Bickell was rewarded with a four year deal, worth 16 million over the life of the contract. [Chicagoist]

Former division rivals, the San Jose Sharks, also got into the action, when they added Tyler Kennedy from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a second round selection. [Globe and Mail]

The New York Islanders ended their sometimes contentious relationship with Nino Niederreiter, when they shipped him to the Minnesota Wild for Cal Clutterbuck. Two very talented players in one of the best hockey-name for hockey-name swaps I can remember. Was Zarley Zalapski involved at any level? [ESPN]

Dallas's own Seth Jones saw his stock fall a bit from his originally predicted first overall slot, as he was passed over by the first three teams, in favor of Nathan MacKinnon, Sasha Barkov, and Jonathan Drouin. Sadly for Stars fans that held out hope that he'd end up on a harmless team as far as rivalries go, Jones ended up on the Nashville Predators. Don't let that spoil the historic nature of his accomplishment, however. [Post Crescent]

Of course the most important drop of the draft, as far as I'm concerned, belonged to Valeri Nichushkin, who ended up on our Dallas Stars at #10, despite being ranked fourth on the ISS Rankings. Valeri became the latest victim of the NHL's new anti-Russian bias, but does that bother him? "I don’t care, it’s even better for me that I wasn’t selected earlier, because I happened to get into Dallas." Now that is what I like to hear. [R-Sport]

Today's video is the heartwarming moment that is one of the rarest occasions in all of sports. Having your name called out on draft day, not only by the team your father made famous, but having that very same man get the honor of making the selection. Good stuff.

And to all our readers north of the border, Happy Canada Day!