NHLHS Mock Draft: With the Number Three Pick…
NHLHS Mock Draft is our latest feature where we collectively predict the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The draft is a crapshoot and we will be wrong… …but we thought it would be fun to try.
With the third overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Florida Panthers select…
Brett Connolly
Despite worries over his extended hip injury, new GM Dale Tallon will select the best forward available. Connolly plays a rugged game for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL and projected as a top five pick at the beginning of the season. In only 16 games, the 18-year-old managed 19 points after scoring 30 goals the year before. Tallon wants a player with NHL readiness and took a forward with his last #3 pick, although he was far from the consensus pick. Other names mentioned included Nino Niederreiter, Cam Fowler, Vladimir Tarasenko and even Kirill Kabanov.
NHLHS Staff
Connoly is going to be a great player, if he can stay away from the injury bug. Like I said in our discussion, I think Cam Fowler of the Windsor Spitfires is the guy the Panthers should go after.
This guy is a big defenseman and clearly the NHL is moving towards an era of small fast forwards and strong big defenseman. Fowler is a big body that has the ability to chip in on offense. Erik Gudbranson would be another solid pick, but I believe Fowler is the consensus #3 pick.
Brandon you make a solid point but after drafting Ellerby and Kulikov with their last two firsts, I think they go after a forward.
Booth and Horton are huge injury risks, leaving Weiss as their best forward. Can’t say I am that confident in his ability.