2009 NHL Draft: Who Will Go Number One?

With the 2009 NHL entry draft coming up June 26, the question remains whom will the Islanders choose first overall? Experts can't agree whether they should choose flashy London Knights forward Jonathan Tavares or Modo's Victor Hedman. John Tavares is NHL Central Scouting's top-rated North American skater. Tavares was born September 20, 1990 in Oakville Ontario. He's 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds and is a flashy centerman with the London Knights of the Ontario hockey league.

The OHL star is believed to be the easy pick for first overall. Tavares has been a phenom since the age of 15. The only question revolving around Tavares is whether his numbers in the OHL will translate to big numbers in the NHL. Scouts agree that while Tavares has had an extraordinary junior career, it doesn't necessarily mean he should be put into the basket with greats such as Gretzky and Lemieux.

Most scouts see that Tavares will be a very good player in the NHL, a top 10 in scoring every year for a long time. Tavares has one weakness in his skating, but there is no denying his scoring abilities and taking his game to the highest level when the pressure is on. His shot is wildly accurate from the hash marks in and he is not afraid to play around the dirty areas of the net. He doesn't have a lot of speed but when he gets to where he needs to go he knows what to do with the puck.

Last season playing for the Oshawa Generals, Tavares put up 45 goals 32 assists and 77 points. He was such a gifted player that the OHL changed its rules to allow 15-year-old Tavares to play in the league. His first game he scored a shorthanded goal on his first shot. Over four seasons with the Oshawa generals Tavares scored 215 goals, an OHL record. Tavares was so popular in London playing for the Knights that they had the hire a security guard to watch him while they played on the road. Whichever team decides to pick Tavares, he will be a successful offensive forward for years to come.

Victor Hedman on the other hand will be one team's building block on defense. The 6 foot 6 defensemen will be a vital part to any team's top four. Hedman is certainly the number one defensive prospect in this year's draft, but the question is, who is the better choice for the Islanders? A flashy forward? Or a stay at home defenseman?

While Tavares certainly will bring fans to Nassau Coliseum, Hedman will give the Islanders the chance to build their defense from the backend. Hedman can certainly handle himself in his own end, but he can also move the puck with the best of them. His vision and ability to move the puck up the ice gives the Islanders forwards that all important breakout pass. The only thing lacking from Hedman's game is his offensive production.

Last year with Modo Hedman played in 34 games and recorded 25 points. Hedman is projected to max out at about 50 points per season once he hits his potential. Hedman will have no problems moving from the Swedish elite league to the NHL. He is a boy amongst men in the Swedish elite league and has performed marvelously. Scouts are comparing Hedman to a composed Chris Pronger.

Although Hedman is considered a nice player he's not afraid to mix it up in front of the net. Come October, Hedman will have a home in North America and I believe if the Islanders truly want to rebuild their club to compete with elite NHL teams they should choose Hedman first overall.