Hishon goes 17th

[hllywd99]

A SCHOCKER!

[attack fan]

Yes a shocker indeed but congrats to joey.You are now halfway there young man now go show everyone it was the right choice.

[$money]

Shocker indeed, now it's up to Joey to step up and justify that selection. In 09 he was the best player on the ice most nights, he needs to get back to that.

[Digger]

Hishon climbs draft ladder
Posted By BILL WALKER , SUN TIMES SPORTS EDITOR


Joey Hishon's already got a roommate in Colorado.

The Owen Sound Attack centre and newest Avalanche prospect received a text just prior to Friday's National Hockey League entry draft by his buddy Ryan O'Reilly.

The hotshot Avs sniper texted "Good luck roomy."

O'Reilly must have had some inside information as Colorado made Hishon the 17th overall choice in Friday's draft.

"It's unbelievable and I'm speechless right now," Hishon said in his post-selection press conference with the media at L.A.'s Staples Center.

"I had no idea at all and it was a shock to me when I heard my name called. It's a pretty surreal feeling right now. It's something I've dreamed of my entire life."

Hishon is buddies with both Matt Duchesne and O'Reilly, two forwards who helped the Avs return to the postseason in their rookie seasons.

And the club's willingness to play the kids has Hishon excited.

"What they did with Ryan and Matt, letting them play right away and giving them a great opportunity (was great)," said Hishon, who visited Denver to watch the Avs play a couple times last season.

"I understand it's a process that pretty much everyone has to go through to make it to the NHL. It's not always going to be the case that you're going to play right away. I'm going to do everything I can to play in that organization some day."

Hishon was limited to just 36 games with foot and knee injuries in the 2009-10 season.

Despite missing two months of action, he still had 24 goals and 16 assists for a team-leading 1.11 points-per-game average. Hishon tied for the club lead with a +10 plus/minus rating.

And in 2008-2009, Hishon led the Attack with 37 goals and 44 assists.

He was recently voted as the top playmaker and stickhandler in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference.

"It was definitely a very tough year and I'm glad it's over now," said Hishon. "I'm 100 per cent healthy and I can't wait to start skating again."

Hishon is one of five Attack skaters who are expected to be taken in the draft, which continues today.

"It's exciting as an organization to have so many players that (NHL) teams are interested in," Attack coach Mark Reeds said in an interview. "If we're lucky enough to have five players drafted from a poor season, we'd be pretty excited for them and to have them come back with that experience."

Centre Steven Shipley and defenceman Geoffrey Schemitsch are also highly sought after. They're rated 44th and 123rd respectively.

But a couple of other unranked Attack skaters also have a good chance of being selected.

Overager Jason Wilson had 17 goals and 18 assists along with 101 penalty minutes in just 46 games last season. Those totals are enough to garner some serious attention.

"I will be more shocked if he doesn't get drafted than if he does," Attack general manager Dale DeGray said of Wilson. "Too many teams see what he does and how valuable that is. And how few guys want to play the way he is. And teams are saying if we don't draft him, then we'll have to bid with everyone else (to sign him as a free agent) so let's just take him."

There's also a real market for 19-year-old skaters at the NHL draft. Last year former Attack captain David Kolomatis and Sauble Beach's Lane MacDermid were both drafted at that age.

"Like (Lane) last year, teams have an interest in a physical forward with his skill set," said Reeds.

Import Roman Berdnikov bounced back from a disappointing season with a solid showing at the world under-18 championships in April.

"(Berdnikov) had a real good under-18 championships and I've had scouts call and ask about him," said DeGray.

"It's kind of out of the blue but he's a high skill, high-end guy and he'd be a hell of a seventh-round pick. If you get a team with nine picks in seven rounds, you're taking a chance on a guy with a hell of a lot of upside."

[goldfish]

check out these videos!!! (the first is actually an Islander video, but scroll down after it starts to find Joey being picked)


http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/consol ... 5&id=73112

http://avalanche.nhl.tv/team/console.js ... 7&id=73042

[waudby]

Attack Fans: Congrats to Joey Hishon . . . and congrats to the Avalanche. That organization truly understands the OHL and, once again, has scooped up a winner out of our province.

Last night, I was stuck in the middle of a power outage in the Deep South . . . no TV, no Internet. As soon as the power came on about midnight, what a thrill it was to log on and read over the first-round picks. Wow!

Let's all hope today is as thrilling for the Attack . . . and for y'all who are such loyal supporters of the team.

Best regards from waudby.

[Digger]

That was pretty exciting watching him get selected last night at the 17th pick.

Congrat's Joey.

[hllywd99]

The TSN experts reaction are hilarious " OK thats off the board and I am scrambling to find my papers on Joey Hishon".
I had read several blogs and media reports that this was a deep draft, yet Fowler was ranked 3rd behind the big 2 and saw him play 6 times and yes he was good but he sure was not impressive. Then I read Futa's interview @LAKings.com " There were three or for players in an Initial group and the second group was just a very common group, and you really have to do your homework to try to get that gem ". Does that not just say Joey Hishon.
Congrats to Joey this is just a great story and the AV's have been watching the same thing we have for 3 years. GO GETTEM KID!