NASHVILLE, Tenn., 24 June 2003 — North American players dominated the National Hockey League’s deepest draft in more than a decade, with only four European-born players gaining selection in the first round.
Of the 292 prospects selected through nine rounds, 188 were either American or Canadian, marking the highest North American total since 1994.
The number of prospects selected from traditional European hockey powers was down on every front, and in some cases dramatically.
Only 13 Finnish players were selected, half the number selected a year ago and the fewest since 1998, confirming views expressed by scouts prior to the draft that this year’s crop of Finns was of a low caliber.
Sweden, whose junior program has come in for harsh criticism in recent years, produced just 16 draftees, eight fewer than 12 months ago.
The 59 Americans drafted overall included a record seven first-round selections. An eighth American, Patrick Eaves, was taken 29th overall.
Eaves, son of former Olympian Mike, was born in Calgary but raised and trained in the United States.
After a rousing start to the two-day event Saturday with the trading of the first-overall pick by the Florida Panthers and the promise of trades involving prominent players, the balance of the draft passed with little fanfare.
The final six rounds were completed in record time Sunday, an indication of the changing economic landscape confronting the NHL. “A lot of people would talk it up because they think there’s lots of buyers out there,” Toronto Maple Leafs coach and general manager Pat Quinn said.
“Everybody that’s been talking have been people that want to get rid of salary. I’m not so sure there’s lots of takers out there at this point.” The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ association ends in September 2004 and both sides are bracing for a long labour stoppage.
The feeling heading into the draft was that some teams would make bold moves to bolster a last-ditch effort to win a championship.
However it appears as though teams are already planning for a new agreement that will almost certainly include some form of salary cap. Building from within is now a priority.
“I think the money’s been kind of pulled back in, even by teams that most people think have money or extra money to spend,” Quinn said.
“Everybody’s very cautious right now. We don’t know where that market is right now.”
One of the persistent rumors over the weekend was that the Washington Capitals were intent on unloading former scoring champ Jaromir Jagr, who is the NHL’s highest-paid player with an annual salary of $11 million.
“We saw some crazy signings last year,” Quinn added. “They’re the teams that are trying to get rid of those big names right now. It’s probably going to be worse next season.”
