Every NHL draft year, numerous questions arise regarding the young talent and how they are ranked. Some wonder why Player A is expected to go so high when he only had 10 points while playing in Sweden, or why Player B is expected to go late considering he scored 40 goals in major junior.

Even more unpredictable, however, is the order goaltenders are drafted. The rankings at this position vary greatly among NHL teams because of trends, team needs, and what kind of talent is available.

Last year was no aberration.

While 2009 wasn’t expected to be an especially deep pool of goaltender talent to draw from, it was surprising where the tenders were taken and the order in which they went.

According to International Scouting Service’s final ranking, five North American goalies were ranked higher than any Europeans and the first two, Edward Pasquale and Olivier Roy, were expected to go in the second round.

But Matt Hackett of the Ontario League’s Plymouth Whalers, who went in the third round (77th overall) was the first North American goalie taken after four European goalies had already been picked. Only three of the five top-ranked North American goalies were taken in the first 117 picks of the draft, as Pasquale and Roy dropped to the late fourth and fifth rounds, respectively, while European goaltenders Mikko Koskinen, Robin Lehner, Anders Nilsson, and Igor Bobkov were at the top of their class.

“Everyone’s evaluations of the goaltenders differ, while evaluations of defenders and forwards are a little more mainstream,” said one Western Conference scout.

It’s difficult to get a read on a 17-year-old goaltender who doesn’t play as often as the more experienced 18- or 19-year-old goalie on his team. So one reason the rankings vary so much is because some teams decide to pick the older, more secure goalie. This year two European goalies benefited from that plan of attack: Koskinen, in his third draft year, and Nilsson, in his second.

Another trend prevalent in the 2009 draft—and one that has become common in recent years—was picking big goalies, because, as one Western Conference executive pointed out, many successful NHL goalie have fit that template.

“Like Pekka Rinne, Evgeni Nabokov, guys like that,” said the executive.

Koskinen and Lehner are both larger than 6-foot-4, while Bobkov and Nilsson also pass the six-foot mark. At the other end of the spectrum, only three goalies of the 21 goalies chosen in the 2009 draft were less than six-feet tall.

One of those three was Roy, the No. 2-ranked North American goalie who wound up going much later than expected, 133rd overall to the Edmonton Oilers. At 5′11″ and 165 pounds, Roy is one of the smallest goaltenders in the draft, something that played heavily into his drop down the order.

“The guy is technically sound and he works hard,” the executive said. “But if you ask me why he dropped, I think it’s going (to be his size).”

As far as why the 6′2″, 218-pound Pasquale dropped so far down, the executive did not believe his on-ice technique or off-ice work ethic would translate to the NHL, and that he didn’t assert himself when he had the chance in June.

“I was the biggest booster of (Pasquale), but he came to the combine…not in great shape,” he said. “He’s 50 pounds heavier than Matt Hackett, same height.”

This isn’t to say the larger and more mature goalies will always be selected before the younger, smaller types. When it comes down to it, scouting staffs will always look for the player with the best projected potential, and skill will ultimately determine how player stacks up.

The goaltender position is different than any other in hockey. If a goalie’s career was easily predictable, Al Montoya would not have gone sixth overall to the Rangers in 2004 and Miikka Kiprusoff would surely not have dropped to 116th to San Jose in 1995.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Every NHL draft year, numerous questions arise regarding the young talent and how they are ranked. Some wonder why Player A is expected to go so high when he only had 10 points while playing in Sweden, or why Player B is expected to go late considering he scored 40 goals in major junior.

Even more unpredictable, however, is the order goaltenders are drafted. The rankings at this position vary greatly among NHL teams because of trends, team needs, and what kind of talent is available.

Last year was no aberration.

While 2009 wasn’t expected to be an especially deep pool of goaltender talent to draw from, it was surprising where the tenders were taken and the order in which they went.

According to International Scouting Service’s final ranking, five North American goalies were ranked higher than any Europeans and the first two, Edward Pasquale and Olivier Roy, were expected to go in the second round.

But Matt Hackett of the Ontario League’s Plymouth Whalers, who went in the third round (77th overall) was the first North American goalie taken after four European goalies had already been picked. Only three of the five top-ranked North American goalies were taken in the first 117 picks of the draft, as Pasquale and Roy dropped to the late fourth and fifth rounds, respectively, while European goaltenders Mikko Koskinen, Robin Lehner, Anders Nilsson, and Igor Bobkov were at the top of their class.

“Everyone’s evaluations of the goaltenders differ, while evaluations of defenders and forwards are a little more mainstream,” said one Western Conference scout.

It’s difficult to get a read on a 17-year-old goaltender who doesn’t play as often as the more experienced 18- or 19-year-old goalie on his team. So one reason the rankings vary so much is because some teams decide to pick the older, more secure goalie. This year two European goalies benefited from that plan of attack: Koskinen, in his third draft year, and Nilsson, in his second.

Another trend prevalent in the 2009 draft—and one that has become common in recent years—was picking big goalies, because, as one Western Conference executive pointed out, many successful NHL goalie have fit that template.

“Like Pekka Rinne, Evgeni Nabokov, guys like that,” said the executive.

Koskinen and Lehner are both larger than 6-foot-4, while Bobkov and Nilsson also pass the six-foot mark. At the other end of the spectrum, only three goalies of the 21 goalies chosen in the 2009 draft were less than six-feet tall.

One of those three was Roy, the No. 2-ranked North American goalie who wound up going much later than expected, 133rd overall to the Edmonton Oilers. At 5′11″ and 165 pounds, Roy is one of the smallest goaltenders in the draft, something that played heavily into his drop down the order.

“The guy is technically sound and he works hard,” the executive said. “But if you ask me why he dropped, I think it’s going (to be his size).”

As far as why the 6′2″, 218-pound Pasquale dropped so far down, the executive did not believe his on-ice technique or off-ice work ethic would translate to the NHL, and that he didn’t assert himself when he had the chance in June.

“I was the biggest booster of (Pasquale), but he came to the combine…not in great shape,” he said. “He’s 50 pounds heavier than Matt Hackett, same height.”

This isn’t to say the larger and more mature goalies will always be selected before the younger, smaller types. When it comes down to it, scouting staffs will always look for the player with the best projected potential, and skill will ultimately determine how player stacks up.

The goaltender position is different than any other in hockey. If a goalie’s career was easily predictable, Al Montoya would not have gone sixth overall to the Rangers in 2004 and Miikka Kiprusoff would surely not have dropped to 116th to San Jose in 1995.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Earlier this weekend, I wrote about the way the Islanders had fared after day one of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles. Today, I present to you their final grade after rounds two through seven.

As we already know, the Islanders selected Nino Niederreiter with their fifth overall selection in the first round, and would go on to trade both of their second round selections (35th and 58th) to Chicago for the 30th overall (Brock Nelson)—giving them plenty of time to ponder their selection during round three.

While trading away their second round picks—essentially a late first rounder and a great second round pick—may take points away from general manager Garth Snow and assistant Ryan Jankowski, what they did in the third round really makes up for it. The Islanders quickly found themselves one of the most talked about teams in the draft for picking their third player, Kirll Kabanov—the 65th player selected during the draft. 

Kabanov could very well turn out to be the steal of the 2010 Entry Draft, and up until the midway point of the year, many scouts and analysts had him in the top ten, in some cases even the top five, of this draft class. Problem was, Kabanov was perceived as a bad apple; countless rumors of drug and alcohol abuse, being blackballed by his Russian team, leaving his team in Moncton midseason, and being dropped by his well-respected agent all but forced the teams to pass Kabanov by until the Islanders took the chance in the third round.

Kirill Kabanov no doubt has the skill, so now he needs to prove to the New York Islanders that he means business and can focus on the game of hockey. As Garth Snow has said in post draft interviews—he can start with a clean slate.

Later in the third round, the Islanders would select Shattuck-St Mary’s High School winger Jason Clark at 82nd overall, a 6′2″ monster with the potential to grow into his frame and round out his skill set with more seasoning in the US Collegiate program—a project as many players in the draft tend to be. 

The Islanders would once again find a trading partner in the fourth round, sending their 95th overall selection in the fourth round to Colorado, for a 2011 third round selection—a something for nothing move that Garth Snow seems to pull out of his trading hat every year at the draft.

Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski would eventually find their elusive defenseman of the draft—something many (including myself) figured they would have found in the first or second round—when they picked Tony DeHart in the fifth round at 125th overall. DeHart lead all defensemen on the Oshawa Generals last season (10 goals, 40 assists, 50 points in 68 games) and was often paired with Islanders defensive prospect Calvin de Haan—perhaps a key reason as to why the Islanders were familiar with his play.

During the sixth round, Garth Snow would find himself wheeling and dealing once again—this time with the Atlanta Thrashers. The Islanders GM would move both of their sixth round selections (155th and 160th) for the Thrashers 2011 fifth round pick.

For the Islanders’ final selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, they would select goaltender Cody Rosen 185th overall in the seventh round. With the organization already chock full of up and coming goaltenders, once can only imagine that one of the previous years’ selection has been deemed ready to serve as backup to Dwayne Roloson and this pick will in essence, “replenish stock.”

Final Grade

All in all, the Islanders performed extremely well in rounds two through seven.

The Islanders picked up what can be argued as a first round talent type player with a third round pick and would pick up a work in progress player with their second of the third round. They traded a fourth round pick this year, for a third rounder next year—always dangerous in Snow’s hands (see Petrov in 2009 and now Kabanov in 2010). They nabbed a defensive prospect who at 20 years old, may just replace someone in Bridgeport, exchanged two sixth rounders for a 2011 fifth rounder, and picked up a wait and see type netminder for a grand total of six players and two picks.

I gave the Islanders an A- for their work in round one, I give them an A for their work in round two.

Final Grade: A

We may not know what some of these players will add to the organization for 3-5 years, however one or two of them may have an immediate impact. There is one thing that is for certain, the New York Islanders continue the steady rise back to being a contender with Garth Snow at the helm.

That is definitely not a bad thing, at all.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com