| 22 June 2009
So we've seen the guy who is the obvious fan favorite, but there's an old saying, "Start listening to the fans, and you'll soon be sitting with them." Jacob Josefson is a popular guy, popular enough that he'll likely be wearing another sweater before the Capitals are on the clock, and that's where plan B comes in.
Unless the Capitals are willing to trade up, or have some amazing insider information concerning draft selections 1-23, expect the Capitals to go with the "best player available" pick, a.k.a., the safe pick. Safe because no matter the position, size, or experience, if they are on the board, it's best to go with the sure thing rather than gamble with a player who could be taken in a later round.
Not quite a blue-chip but anything but a bust, here's the safe pick. In the event of Josefson being picked, here's who we think is the fail-safe.
Ryan O'Reilly - Center - 6'0'' - 190
Varna, Ontario
What the scouts are saying about him:
"He's a special player. He's nowhere near the level he's going to be. He really accepts the challenge of getting better. He really believes in the team winning, not himself. I haven't had a kid that's so focused on preparation and just working on getting better. He's got such a work ethic you almost have to pull him away. We always talk about the will to prepare -- well, he's got a phenomenal will to prepare." - Erie GM Sherry Bassin.
"This young player showed an incredible drive to achieve on a team that lacked much talent and direction. He possesses excellent on-ice vision and has a nice set of hands. He has worked himself from a poor skater, to an average skater with a lot of effort. He is very smart without the puck for a young player and is quite reliable defensively. Is one of the OHL’s most effective penalty killers." MyNHLDraft.com.
"The people that pass him up in the draft at the appropriate spot will regret they passed him up...We've just seen the tip of the iceberg on this guy." - Erie GM Sherry Bassin.
Why we want him:
Intangibles. Players with storylines like O'Reilly's tend to turn into leadership guys that have qualities that you can't find in other players. O'Reilly promises to be defensively sound and potentially potent on offense. He probably isn't going to be a league leader in goals or assists, but his penalty-killing repertoire and team-minded play would be a perfect fit in Washington.
Odds and ends:
"After being the first overall selection in the 2007 OHL draft, he had a solid rookie season, recording 52 points (19-33-52) and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2007-08."
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