Puck Daddy - NHL

Screenwriter William Goldman famously once said, "Nobody knows anything." We find this especially true about the NHL Draft. So with our time-honored cynicism, we present these pithy profiles of 2008's top prospects and five completely nonsensical reasons why they'll be busts.

Drew Doughty is a star defenseman for Guelph, which sounds like a noise my father makes in the bathroom in the morning, but it's also an OHL team called the Storm. He is a projected top-four pick by nearly every measure, and many mock drafts have him going second overall to the Los Angeles Kings. Here he is, pretending to shoot TIE Fighters at the combine.

E.J. McGuire, the NHL's director of Central Scouting, said that Doughty is "a defenseman around which a team is going to build the next 10 years." So no pressure, kid.

Universally praised, it becomes our job to mine the depths of his life to discover five somewhat ridiculous reasons why you don't want to draft Drew Doughty:

1. Down on the Upside. Brian Burke is a pretty smart dude, to the point where he's been able to hire a coach for the Leafs while still being under contract with the Ducks. (Kidding ... sort of.) Burke said that Doughty is ready for the NHL now because he's "become the player he's going to be," while fellow blue-chip defensive prospect Zach Bogosian has more upside. So, in the end, there's a chance the Bogosian will end up being a better player. Even if that player is Chris Pronger.

2. Once a Fat Kid, Always a Fat Kid. Doughty has had weight problems. Not severe ones. He doesn't look like Brando in "The Island of Dr. Moreau" or anything. But it's something he's battled, to the point where he's been working out five times a week since the end of the season to shed weight and keep it off. But it worries us that ESPN would evoke and slightly alter the old John Kruk adage for Doughty: "Lady, I'm not an athlete, I'm a hockey player." It really, really worries us that a guy with what can be called a rather "relaxed" temperament away from the rink could end up in California, home of burgers both Fat and In-n-Out.

3. He May Have the Worst Nickname in the Draft: Because of his history as a chubby kid and the spelling of his last name, Drew Doughty's nickname is actually "Doughnuts." Problem No. 1: In a League with legends nicknamed "Killer" and "Little Ball of Hate," Doughty's nickname makes him sound like a Beanie Baby. Problem No. 2: Don Koharski already completely owns the name. Potential Saving Grace: Fans throw Krispie Kremes on the ice whenever he scores.

4. He's a Bandwagon Fan. Doughty was a Wayne Gretzky fan as a kid. Seeing as how he's 18, that means he started watching hockey when Gretzky was on the Kings. So a young man from London, Ont. became a Los Angeles Kings fan and remained one, to the point where his bedroom had both a Kings telephone and a Kings trashcan. While he earns points for not being an out-of-market, post-MJ Bulls fan and abandoning his team when the star leaves, he still isn't the guy who supports the local club. Which would have been the Leafs, in his case.

Eh, maybe we'll just let him off the hook on this one.

5. The Can't-Miss Thing: As we said in our Steven Stamkos write-up, the idea of a can't-miss prospect scares us a little.

There's no doubt Doughty has the goods, and by all accounts he's ahead of schedule. But his lack of physical play combined with his potential physique gives us pause. Not enough that we wouldn't snatch him up with a lottery pick, of course; but we've come to learn that the only sure things in hockey these days are low ratings for the all-star game, suspensions for the Flyers, and that one of these No. 1 picks won't pan out.

Up Next: Five reasons you don't want to draft Zach Bogosian.

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16 Comments

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  1. Wilf
    1. Posted by Wilf Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    "a defenseman around which a team is going to build the next 10 years."
    Wait-- so does that mean the building process will take 10 years? That doesn't sound like a very good idea.
    It does, however, sound very much like the Kings.
  2. Wilf
    2. Posted by Wilf Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    Also, by "Kings trashcan," does he mean "Marty McSorley"?
  3. Matt
    3. Posted by Matt Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    +2, Wilf....one for each of those. Well done.
  4. Wyshynski
    4. Posted by Wyshynski Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:21 pm EDT

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    Wilf, I'm pretty sure we're going to have to hire you as our Kings beat writer.
  5. Joe
    5. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    Kings have a history of lousey drafts....going back a long way... they need a big tough hard working kid who is willing to give 110%.... this kid sounds soft. it is a tough man's game is hockey.. they drafted a soft player last year in Hickey.... if this kid has a weight problem then if they draft him put a clause in his contract making sure he maintains a certain weight.. if he goes over he loses big money.. he would be tested weekly or bi monthy... be smart Kings... don't blow this one too..
    joe t
    guadalupe, CA
  6. Wilf
    6. Posted by Wilf Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    Wysh, if Ray Shero's stupid enough to trade Malkin to the Kings, I'll gladly take that job.
  7. B S
    7. Posted by B S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    Kings have also gotten some damn good players in the 1st round... only about a 25% chance it will be Doughty this year. I kind of doubt the Malkin tale though
  8. B S
    8. Posted by B S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    top 10 (and one for good luck)... yes only one's a defenseman, that's the problem:
    Larry Murphy
    Anze Kopitar
    Alexander Frolov
    Dustin Brown
    Jimmy Carson
    Olli Jokinen
    Darryl Sydor
    Martin Gelinas
    Jim Fox
    Jay Wells
    Brian Boyle
  9. moonflyer
    9. Posted by moonflyer Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    There's 3 dmen in that top 10 + 1 list
  10. Pittyman
    10. Posted by Pittyman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    Hey! No mocking Guelph!
    We've got awesome...ummm... Hippies?
    damnit.
    well at least we're not Kitchener.
  11. Vince L
    11. Posted by Vince L Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:09 pm EDT

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    one more thing thats automatic in the nhl, the pens are gonna tank games
  12. Pope
    12. Posted by Pope Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    If you want another input on the draft check out theondeckcircle.net
  13. lardy125
    13. Posted by lardy125 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    If one of your biggest reasons not to draft somebody is a problem of his PAST and a bad nickname, i'd say you need new material to write about. I hope this was written more to be funny than seriously, otherwise...wow.
  14. Steve W
    14. Posted by Steve W Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    I think these reasons have got to be the dumbest reasons for not drafting a highly skilled offensive defensemen. What kind of idiot places any stock ina "nickname or fast food choices?" This guy should be hanged publicly for such idiocy. Go back to your small 1,000 total circulation newspaper and get ready for the big leagues. You stand as much a chance of making here, as you Doughty in the NHL!
  15. Andrew
    15. Posted by Andrew Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    What an idiot! Drew is as solid a NHL blue liner as I've seen. Hey greg have you ever played hockey or do you just write these stupid articles? A weight problem? These guys are skating almost every day.
  16. Sarah
    16. Posted by Sarah Sat Jan 02, 2010 5:03 pm EST

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    DREW DOUGHTY MADE THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC TEAM! So it would appear that you have no idea what you are talking about. Oh, and since when is it a bad thing for a hockey player to want to be as good as the Great One?

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