With Angelo Esposito going to Pittsburgh, how does this impact his fantasy value? What do you consider his upside will be playing alongside of Crosby, Malkin, Staal, etc? How soon will he be there? Will he make the team this year?

No, but next year I think he will. His upside is the sky. Any other team I would have my doubts about him...but not this team. They\'ll MAKE it work with him.

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^ what he said.

I think you will see him as a very strong complement player. Not sure that would have happened if he was drafted elsewhere.

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Being drafted by Pittsburgh, and the opportunity to play with those players, is a huge source of motivation to Esposito. If this doesn\'t light him up nothing will. Consider if he doesn\'t make the team, and is sent back to Junior, I would think that he would work his butt off to get called up to the big team. Being drafted by Pittsburgh was huge for him. I am thinking that he is now thankful that he had to watch the proceedings, as long as he did, before getting the call.

Considering that Esposito didn\'t get drafted in the top 10, he will prove to the other teams that he should have been a top 10 player.

But wow...he has to be happy to be drafted by Pittsburgh, and he\'ll work hard to make sure to play with Crosby and Malkin as soon as possible. And the Quebec connection (Talbot, Ouellet, Fleury, Letang) only helps.

He\'s now high on my list for my next keeper draft.

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I\'ve got the first-overall in my keeper and was pretty happily set on taking Kane, if I didn\'t trade down.

Pittsburgh taking Esposito has me completely re-thinking my choice. Esposito wasn\'t even a consideration, until the Pens grabbed him.

Any thoughts on taking Angelo first?

Hello Jackracket:

Have a look at Dobber\'s Top 200 Prospect List. Esposito going to Pittsburgh would certainly warrant consideration for the first pick.

Thanks, hockeylifer!

I hadn\'t seen the prospects update yet. Kind of interesting how being drafted by just the right team revives a prospect\'s value. Would any other team have made this big a difference here?

Of course, the \'hawks drafted some more offensive talent, too. And Kane with Toews, Havlat, and the other draftees is intriguing ...

Our Hawks have some pieces. I don\'t get to carried away as we always seem to have the ability to \'implode\'. There is a long ways to go, but we seem to be moving (sometimes one step forward and two back).

Yes, Esposito being drafted by Pittsburgh revived his career.

Do you suppose that Cherepanov might have stayed in North America if he had been drafted by Pittsburgh and had the opportunity to play with Crosby, Malkin, Staal? It was so close. That would have been awesome. Damn Rangers!

Another guy whose career got revived.

Post edited by: hockeylifer, at: 2007/06/25 11:36

I completely agree: Cherapanov and Espo could not have asked to be drafted by teams better suited to their needs.

As for Espo, I think that one underrated aspect of his being drafted by Pittsburgh might be a change of position. Either he or Staal (perhaps both) will likely be forced into playing on the wing, and if it\'s Espo (which seems a safe bet to me given Staal\'s defensive acumen), then say goodbye to some of those defensive responsibilities. If he can adapt to the change, it could turn out very well for him.

Espo for RW!

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