THE HURRICANES 2012-2013 DRAFT; KEEPNG THE FORWARD MOMENTUM

THE DOUG ABRAMS MOCK DRAFT WITHOUT MOVING UP:

1 Edmonton Nail Yakupov RW Sarnia (OHL) 5' 10" 175

2 Columbus Filip Forsberg LW Leksands (Allsvenskan) 6'1" 176

3 Montreal Mikhail Grigorenko RW Quebec (QMJHL) 6' 2.5" 183

4 NY Islanders Alex Galchnyuk C Sarnia (OHL) 6'2" 186

5 Toronto Ryan Murray D Everett (WHL) 6'0" 185

6 Anaheim Morgan Reilly D Moose Jaw (WHL) 6'0" 190

7 Minnesota Jacob Trouba D US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 1" 196

8 Carolina Tuevo Teravainen RW Jokerit Helsinki (SM-liiga) 5'10" 157

9 Winnipeg Matthew Dumba D Red Deer (WHL) 5'11' 165

10 Tampa Bay Cody Ceci D Ottawa 67's (OHL) 6' 3" 203

11 Washington Radek Faksa C Kitchener (OHL) 6'2" 183

12 Buffalo Sebastian Collberg RW Frolunda HC (SEL) 5' 11" 174

13 Dallas Brendan Gaunce C Belleville (OHL) 6' 2" 205

14 Calgary Griffin Reinhardt D Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 6'3.75" 202

15 Ottawa Zemgus Girgensons C Dubuque (USHL) 6' 2.25" 195

16 Florida Pontus Aberg LW Djurgardens IF (SEL) 5' 11" 187

17 San Jose Derrick Pouliot D Portland (WHL) 6' 0" 192

18 Chicago Slater Koekkoek D Peterborough (OHL) 6' 2" 183

19 Tampa Bay Olli Maatta D London (OHL) 6' 2" 198

20 Boston Andrei Vasilevski G Ufa (KHL) 6' 3" 193

21 Pittsburgh Jordan Schmaltz D Green Bay (USHL) 6' 2" 170

22 Vancouver Matt Finn D Guelph (OHL) 6' 0" 195

23 Washington Ludvig Byström D Modo Hockey (SEL) 6'0" 190

24 Los Angeles Brady Skjei D US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 1" 183

25 New Jersey Tom Wilson RW Plymouth (OHL) 6' 4" 194

26 Philadelphia Hampus Lindholm D Rogle BK (Allsvenskan) 6' 3" 185

27 Buffalo Tomas Hertl C Praha Slavia (Czech) 6' 2" 194

28 Phoenix Oscar Dansk G Brynas IF (SEL) 6' 2" 185

29 St. Louis Henrik Samuelsson RW US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 2.1" 192

30 NY Rangers Phillip Di Giuseppe LW Michigan 6' 0" 190

For a comparison, http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2012/ and http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/ have excellent 2012 NHL Mock Drafts. I used the format of the chart from draftsite because it seemed to be well-organized and easy to read

. THE DOUG ABRAMS MOCK DRAFT WITH HURRICANES MOVING UP:

1 Edmonton Nail Yakupov RW Sarnia (OHL) 5' 10" 175

2 Columbus Filip Forsberg LW Leksands (Allsvenskan) 6'1" 176

3 Montreal Mikhail Grigorenko RW Quebec (QMJHL) 6' 2.5" 183

4 Carolina Alex Galchnyuk C Sarnia (OHL) 6'2" 186

5 Toronto Ryan Murray D Everett (WHL) 6'0" 185

6 Anaheim Morgan Reilly D Moose Jaw (WHL) 6'0 190

7 Minnesota Jacob Trouba D US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 1" 196

8 NY Islanders Tuevo Teravainen RW Jokerit Helsinki (SM-liiga) 5'10" 157

9 Winnipeg Matthew Dumba D Red Deer (WHL) 5'11" 165

10 Tampa Bay Cody Ceci D Ottawa 67's (OHL) 6' 3" 203

11 Washington Radek Faksa C Kitchener (OHL) 6'2" 183

12 Buffalo Sebastian Collberg RW Frolunda HC (SEL) 5' 11" 174

13 Dallas Brendan Gaunce C Belleville (OHL) 6' 2" 205

14 Calgary Griffin Reinhardt D Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 6'3.75" 202

15 Ottawa Zemgus Girgensons C Dubuque (USHL) 6' 2.25" 195

16 Florida Pontus Aberg LW Djurgardens IF (SEL) 5' 11" 187

17 San Jose Derrick Pouliot D Portland (WHL) 6' 0" 192

18 Chicago Slater Koekkoek D Peterborough (OHL) 6' 2" 183

19 Tampa Bay Olli Maatta D London (OHL) 6' 2" 198

20 Boston Andrei Vasilevski G Ufa (KHL) 6' 3" 193

21 Pittsburgh Jordan Schmaltz D Green Bay (USHL) 6' 2" 170

22 Vancouver Matt Finn D Guelph (OHL) 6' 0" 195

23 Washington Ludvig Byström D Modo Hockey (SEL) 6'0" 190

24 Los Angeles Brady Skjei D US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 1" 183

25 New Jersey Tom Wilson RW Plymouth (OHL) 6' 4" 194

26 Philadelphia Hampus Lindholm D Rogle BK (Allsvenskan) 6' 3" 185

27 Buffalo Tomas Hertl C Praha Slavia (Czech) 6' 2" 194

28 Phoenix Oscar Dansk G Brynas IF (SEL) 6' 2" 185

29 St. Louis Henrik Samuelsson RW US-Under-18 (USAH-NTDP) 6' 2.1" 192

30 NY Rangers Phillip Di Giuseppe LW Michigan 6' 0" 190

The obvious prize of the forward UFA class is Parise. He is going to be pursued seriously by almost all thirty teams. At least twenty-five of the thirty NHL teams will be able to make a presentation that might be persuasive to Parise. I think Detroit and New Jersey have the inside track. I don't see Parise moving anyplace other than a team that proves to him it is committed to winning a Stanley Cup and that has the resources to put together a consistent top six team. Of course, any team that gets Parise is that much closer to being a top six tier team. For the Hurricanes, one key to signing Parise is moving up in the draft. The message needs to be the there is a new day with the Hurricanes; and that the Hurricanes organization is serious about adding more elite talent. Another key is signing Allen. The pieces need to be in place such that Parise can analyze the Hurricanes with him and see a team that will be a playoff team. It is insufficient, I believe, for Parise to look at the Hurricanes and conclude, if all things go just right, the Hurricanes will make the playoffs in 2012-2013.

It might also take signing another defenseman UFA in addition to Allen to make that kind of statement. As I look at the situation, I tend to believe Jordan Staal is more within reach. The Hurricanes could potentially make a trade for Jordan Staal mid-season if the Penguins conclude either Jordan Staal is going to UFA status and that they cannot afford to re-sign him. With the Penguins, Jordan Staal will be the third line center. With the Hurricanes, Jordan Staal will be paired with Skinner and/or Ruutu. Jim Rutherford may well have to pay a king's ransom for Jordan Staal, but he is worth what it takes.

One intriguing player who is reaching UFA status is Dustin Penner. He has been much maligned by commentators, coaches, and fans; but in the second-half of 2011-2012, he began playing much better. He has been a force in the playoffs. He will have to take a dramatic pay cut in 2012-2013; but Carolina is a very good fit for him. For the right price, the Hurricanes would do well to add him. To add a big, hard-hitting fourth line player, the Hurricanes ought to consider Shawn Thorton and/or Steve Bernier. Thorton was healthy scratched by Boston for the final game, which I did not understand. Bernier has been doing an excellent job for New Jersey. I thought the Hurricanes should have signed him in 2011-2012. Taylor Pyatt is another big-bodied, physical UFA who could help the fourth line and who could easily work his way to the third line.