Nick Laham
Western Conference post-draft capsules
CALGARY FLAMES
1st pick: Sven Baertschi, 13th overall, LW, 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, Portland (WHL). Baertschi is the second Swiss-born player in the past two years to go in the top 10 after Nino Neiderreiter last year and has many of the same skills. He's strong, stocky, with good hands around the net, managing 85 points in 66 games in his first junior season.
Other highlights: It was a housecleaning of sorts for Calgary, dispatching veteran defenceman Robyn Regehr plus forward Ales Kotalik to Buffalo in a deal for youngsters Chris Butler, Paul Byron and important salary-cap relief. Calgary saved almost $7.5 million by getting rid of the two vets, and it permitted them to get Alex Tanguay signed to a five-year contract extension, meaning his fruitful partnership with Jarome Iginla can continue.
How they did: Under the circumstances, pretty well. Regehr is a 31-year-old stay-at-home defenceman, who has played through a lot of injuries over the years. Just how much he has left in the tank is open for debate. General manager Jay Feaster inherited a salary-cap nightmare when he took the job; and this weekend, represented the first step in trying to extricate the organization from the mess - something that isn't going to happen overnight. The Flames may not be any better, but they are younger and in a position to do some things in free agency that otherwise weren't in the cards until this weekend's moves.
EDMONTON OILERS
1st pick: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 1st overall, C, 6-025, 171 pounds, Red Deer (WHL). Nugent-Hopkins was the consensus top choice, drawing comparisons to everyone from Joe Sakic to Wayne Gretzky for his on-ice vision and hockey sense. That poise should serve him well in terms of dealing with the expectations that will accompany his selection as Taylor Hall's future centre.
Other highlights: The Oilers took David Musil and Dillon Simpson in the second and fourth rounds respectively. David Musil is the son of Oilers' scout Frank Musil and Simpson is the son of Craig Simpson, a former Oilers' assistant, who also won a Stanley Cup with them in 1990. At some point, they may also complete the stalled deal with the Los Angeles Kings for Ryan Smyth.
How they did: With three picks in the top 31, the Oilers filled organizational needs for a No. 1 centre, and depth on defence, after taking Oscar Klefbom 19th and Musil 31st. If Nugent-Hopkins becomes a star and the defencemen both become regulars, this will be another critical weekend in helping the Oilers escape the NHL basement.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
1st pick: Nicklas Jensen, 29th overall, LW/RW, 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, Oshawa (OHL). Jensen is the Danish-born son of a former Canadian junior player, Dan Jensen, who played professionally in Denmark. Big, with a power forward's build, he was a point-a-game player in junior and hopes to follow fellow Dane Jannik Hansen onto the Canucks' roster.
Other highlights: Unlike last season, when the Canucks made the only significant deal of the draft, they stood largely pat. Much of the attention was paid to their minor-league plans and the possibility of hiring away Montreal Canadiens assistant Kirk Muller to run their new farm team, which is reportedly going to be the Chicago Wolves.
How they did: Inconclusive. As the Stanley Cup finalists, the Canucks were stuck at No. 29 in the first round and didn't have a second-round pick either. Their work starts July 1, when free agency begins and the need to negotiate contract extensions for Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff and others revs up.
WINNIPEG JETS
1st pick: Mark Scheifele, 7th overall, C, 6-foot-1, 184 pounds, Barrie (OHL). Scheifele, according to junior hockey coach Dale Hawerchuk, got better every minute in junior this year, which accounts for his quick ascent through the draft ranks. Last year, the Carolina Hurricanes made a similar sort of pick with Jeff Skinner and were rewarded when he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year this year.
Other highlights: It's hard to overlook the decision to finally name the team the Jets, which was finalized Friday; or to confirm Claude Noel as their coach, after he spent last year behind the Manitoba Moose bench. Winnipeg didn't have its second-round choice - it was traded to Chicago last year for Andrew Ladd - but grabbed Adam Lowry, son of Dave Lowry, with its third-round choice.
How they did: In a whirlwind month since moving to the Manitoba capital from Atlanta, the Jets' selection of Scheifele counted as perhaps the first round's greatest surprise, but their faith in him seems genuine and resolute. With GM Kevin Chevaldayoff still relatively knew on the job, it was probably too soon to expect that he would start wheeling and dealing players off his roster. There's time for that, once he gets to know the players better - and how they feel about the move to Winnipeg. So far, everything looks rosy.