The Case for Luke Schenn

Well, everyone is else is speculating so I may as well do it too.

If the Islanders stand pat at 5 and Nikita Filatov is off the board, I want Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski to select Luke Schenn, defenseman from the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.

Here's why: For one thing, I've actually seen him play. He was on Canada's gold medal winning World Juniors team this past Christmas. I was impressed with the edge he brought to the ice and how composed he (and really, all of the kids) was during the tournament; which has to be the biggest pressure situation any of those players will have played in at this juncture of their young lives. Plus--and Pierre McGuire was all over this broadcasting the games--Schenn makes a heck of a nice first pass out of the zone. In the "new" NHL, that first pass is more important that ever because it stretches the defense.

Schenn is almost always compared to Adam Foote. See, to me, being mentioned as a guy who plays the game like Adam Foote is just an incredible thing. Foote has been one of the toughest, most talented, and smart defensemen of this generation of NHLers. No one questions his guts, fortitude, and leadership abilities. If there is a player coming up who is comparable to Foote and you have a chance to take him, then by all means, you have to take that guy and let him anchor your blueline for the next 10-12 years.

Don't take it from me...take it from TSN.ca. They write: (Schenn) is without question the best defensive defenseman available in the draft, a big, physical presence with an edge who perfectly understands his role as a shutdown defender. The bonus is that he makes a great first pass, doesn't try to play outside of his ability and is as mentally tough as he is physically tough.

And this is from NHL Central Scouting: He has a tough edge to him, he has the ability to, if caught up ice, to work hard and get back in time to recover. Needs to improve his decision-making.

Um, show me the kid at 18 who doesn't need to improve his decision-making. That kind of stuff comes out through attrition. He's going to be a good player in the NHL for a long, long time.

I know that the draft is tough to gauge and difficult to predict, but I am thinking that at 5 that the Islanders are going to get a crack at either Filatov or Schenn. That is going to be a difficult choice to make because in Filatov you're getting a guy who is projected to be a scorer and the fan base is desperate for goals and an improved offense. The issue there is that Filatov is, by all accounts, not ready to step into the NHL tomorrow. He is going to need some seasoning and is actually too young to be sent to the Sound Tigers. If he does come to North America, he is going to have to play in the Major Juniors somewhere to get accustomed to the style of play. Plus, the kid has to fill out some.

With Luke Schenn, he has already been in pressure situations like the WJC and by playing in the WHL playoffs. He knows how to play the style and can probably contribute in the American League if needed.

The way the draft is looking now, the key to the entire top of the first round lies in Los Angeles. The Kings ownership is committed to building through the draft and they have quite a few young defenders in the system. Still, conventional wisdom sides with the "best athlete available" no-brainer when picking high in the draft. With so many quality defensemen available--and with Filatov actually coming to North America as a wild card--you expect Dean Lombardi to pick one of the top defensemen. He just has to.

After Steven Stamkos, Nikita Filatov is the highest-rated can't-miss guy. Figure he is off the boards at five. That may line it up nicely for Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski to make the right pick for the team, Luke Schenn. Defense, while not sexy, wins championships.