Well folks, yours truly nailed the first pick for the Blue Jackets, Ryan Johansen. Here is the evidence of that (the article was written at 5:40 P.M., so, it was over an hour and a half before the selection):
http://www.insidehockey.com/columns/6856
Sure, I thought it would occur via trading down - very similar to LTL's guess at a 95% probability - but, let me remind you that NO ONE - I repeat, NO ONE - had Johansen as being their first pick. It was all about Gormley or Fowler.
I only wish the Dow Jones would rise as fast as Johansen's stock did. If that occured, I'd be retiring, early. Dude was barely in the Top 150, not too long ago, but, word of his skyrocketing stock/value was spreading like wildfire, thoughtout the league.
It also tells me that the vibe on Fowler and Gormley, by league personnel, wasn't as high as the print media was convinced it was.
So, for the CBJ, what does that tell you? First off, if I were Brass, I'd be either really worried, or, I'd better look into coming into camp in primo condition - meaning, having a torso slightly larger than our daugher (and, trust me, our daughter is quite tiny/slender). It's time to move forward from getting James Neal-ed, Brass.
Also, I nailed 8 of the first 9 NHL draft picks, in order. I'd ask you all to verify that with those at the R Bar, but, they're all now too incoherent. I will say that those who were still sober were in stunned silence, when I reeled off pick after pick. The Thrashers pick was the easiest - it was the highest Russian name on the board (we call that a 'slam dunk', in the biz).
So, we'll see what moves, if any, Scott Howson has up his sleeve, tomorrow. I think he'll try to get some serious organizational depth, so expect a lot of trading up and trading down.
To quote Jim Carey in Ace Ventura 2, "Damn, I'm TIRED of being right all the time"
Go Jackets!
- Mase1
