EOTP Headed To NHL Draft?

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 4:24 AM EDT Comment 16 comments

Call me stoked and stroked, primed and boosted, blasted into delerium, and virgin anxious!

I'm happy and proud to announce to readers here that through Sports Blog Nation, I could very well be granted press credentials to attend and cover the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal on June 26 and 27. The odds are looking good by all accounts, I am told.

Long story short: Seven months ago, when SBN asked that I join their rapidly growing project, the press cred promise was the clincher to me signing up with this organization. Honestly, such an alluring notion at the time was too big to resist!

The possibility of covering the 2009 NHL Entry Draft looks promising for the moment. I have filled out the required applications, and word should come in a week to ten days, whether I have made the grade.

Other Sports Blog Nation site managers have also applied for the press creds, including cohorts from the New York Rangers(Jim / Blueshirt Banter), Dallas Stars (Brandon / Defending Big D), Philadelphia Flyers (Travis / Broad Street Hockey), Atlanta Thrashers (Matt / Bird Watchers Anonymous), Pittsburgh Penguins (Frank / Pens Burg), Buffalo Sabres (David / Die By The Blade) and Toronto Maple Leafs (Julien / Pension Plan Puppets). From The Rink's James Mirtle may also be on hand.

Whether or not we are all rubber stamped to head to Montreal, Sports Blog Nation is planning to cover the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in some very unique and interesting ways in the three weeks leading up to the June 26 weekend.

Along with profiling potential draft picks on every site, there will also be a mock draft held by all 30 sites that should begin in about 10 days time. I will have more news about this and other events surrounding our SBN coverage as it unfolds.

Beginning in the next week, I will be concentrating on posting profiles of all potential first rounders before focusing in on players that would look good in the Canadiens jersey. With the 18th selection, the Canadiens are bound to grab a future NHL'er from what is being called an above average draft crop this season, as it is said by scouting experts that all first round choices are solid NHL candidates.

Going forward with all this excitement, my ideas are to poll readers here on a variety on subjects in the coming days and weeks, in order to determine which consensus player readers here would like the Canadiens to select with their 18th selection in round one.

By June 26, we may find out if our choice is the Canadiens choice.

In the interim, I would like to hear as many opinions as possible at this site about who the Habs should choose at the draft. Beyond the polling results, I will give reader comments triple the weight of poll voters.

So speak up, and speak loud!

This should be fun!

For information on the players available come June 26, here are just a few informative links.

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Comments

Congratulations Robert. I hope it works out for you. While I have nothing to contribute to draftee analyses, I will be interested to read what you and others have to say.

by Anvilclloud on Jun 6, 2009 10:00 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks. I am keeping fingers and toes crossed. I would be great to go and return with ahandful of interesting hockey stories and a sort of insider’s perception of the day.

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like a great gig, Robert. Just make sure that the Habs grab a good sized forward in the first round, preferably a centre.

by 24 Cups on Jun 6, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

I have a pair of centers in mind for the mock draft. Time will tell how accurate all this conjecture will be.

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Congrats and good luck!

Good Luck Robert!

You should have no trouble getting it. :)

Especially happy for you after the events from 5 months ago ;)

Ya! The Habs Rule!

by yathehabsrule on Jun 6, 2009 1:26 PM EDT reply actions

It’s very satisfying to be involved in these new things. I gives me a greater appreciation for the folks involved in the massive big picture of things.

There’s a movement afoot of sorts, calling bloggers “new media journalists”, and I just could never wear such a worded tag. I’ve too much respect for journalists to assume that name. That’s partly why those unfortunate past events cut so deep, because it involved a couple of men I had and still have a great deal of admiration for. Gladly, it’s in the past now.

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Good to hear! re: In the past

Yeah I was surprised that JT dropped her post from “The Other Wing” too.

But her reasoning was along that line as well.

She basically didn’t want to step on the toes of the guys on the site who are paid to report on the Habs.

Ya! The Habs Rule!

by yathehabsrule on Jun 6, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

They miss her there, and it is unfortunate.

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Well Deserved!

Good stuff Robert …. You deserve to be invited. You are a terrific writer and do an excellent job of covering the habs. The habs truly need a big strong and gritty center. All the best to you Robert, hope everything works out well for you.

by bolder on Jun 6, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks much. This event might just encourage me to take up J school, cause as a writer I have miles to go to be where I could accept a compliment without blushing.

by Robert L on Jun 6, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Web Journalists

I was a journalist many decades ago—long before the Internet was conceived—and my view is that It’s long past the time when organizations covered by the media recognize that more and more people are getting their news and comment through websites whose content appears only on the Internet. Sports organizations have been very slow in reaching that recognition.

It would be impractical to give media credentials to every Tom, Dick and Harry (and Jane) who blog about ice hockey, of course, but whatever the requirements for full recognition as a media representative, this website meets them. It is a serious and continuing endeavor with original content appearing on a regular basis and a regular readership. There is nothing fly-by-night or second-rate about it. I do a great deal of my reading about the Canadiens on this very website; I count on it for news and comment that I do not get anywhere else. I will be very disappointed if Robert is not accorded full credentials to cover the draft—and eventually every hockey event he wishes to cover.

by Peter Young on Jun 6, 2009 11:55 PM EDT reply actions

Thank you sir!

I’m quite at a loss for words. Simply – thank you.

by Robert L on Jun 7, 2009 2:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Web Journalists -- Correction

“recognize” in my first sentence above should read “should have recognized”

Why is there no edit function available?

by Peter Young on Jun 6, 2009 11:58 PM EDT reply actions

I know, that’s a valid question. I’ll bring it up to the site designers and post the answer I receive. When I need to edit my own errs, I must delete and start over.

by Robert L on Jun 7, 2009 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like it could be an awesome experience. You’ve earned that shot, Robert.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Jun 8, 2009 12:15 AM EDT reply actions

Hopefully, when it is all said and done – I have represented my medium well. There’s some new ground being broken here in a sense, and all those attending should do well to respect that notion. I’m anxiously awaiting the final word – let me tell ya!

by Robert L on Jun 8, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions