Burke sold on Tavares as top pick; Hedman fails to impress for Team Sweden
03.01.2009. McGran, Kevin. Toronto Star
As far as Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke
isconcerned, there is no longer any debate over who ought to be the
No.1 pick in this summer's NHL draft. It's John Tavares.
"He's proved it at this tournament as far as I'm concerned," said
Burke. "He's scoring different goals, power goals, finesse goals,
running the power play. He's a special player.
"No debate anymore. Not for me."
The other player in the debate is Swedish blueliner Victor Hedman.
But while Tavares has been Canada's best player at the world junior
hockey championship, many believe Hedman is not even Sweden's best
defenceman.
That would be Erik Karlsson, an Ottawa Senators draft pick, who has two
goals and four assists to lead the Swedish attack. Hedman has two
assists.
That may be why Sweden coach Par Marst called out Hedman, saying he
needs more from his 6-foot-6 defender, who has drawn comparisons to
Chris Pronger, Nicklas Lidstrom and Mattias Ohlund.
"He can play better," said Marst. "He can do better. He should control
the puck better, set the other guys up with the good passes, that's the
main thing Victor has to do."
Hedman, who has missed most of the season in the Swedish Elite League with a shoulder injury, agrees with his coach.
"I can be better," said Hedman. "I can be more creative with offence. I
think I play a good defensive game. It's not every game you can play at
your top level."
The Swedes take on Slovakia today in the semifinals.
Hedman's slower-than-expected start at this tournament aside, Marst
says the defenceman is the complete package, the kind of player a
general manager can build a franchise around.
"Some guys are better than him in certain things, but as a whole
package - he's strong, he's a good skater, a good shot - he is at that
franchise-player level," said Marst.
Burke said it would be a mistake to take Hedman just because you need help on the blue line.
"Otherwise you pass on a guy who becomes a star," he said.
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КАРТА ТУРНИРА |
Подгруппа А
Канада, США, Чехия, Германия, Казахстан
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Подгруппа В
Швеция, Финляндия, Россия, Словакия, Латвия
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За 7-10 места
Финляндия, Латвия, Германия, Казахстан
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1/4 финала
США - Словакия
Россия - Чехия
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1/2 финала
Швеция - Словакия
Канада - Россия
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Финалы
США - Чехия
Россия - Словакия
Канада - Швеция
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Первая страничка турнира |
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