All My Bags are Packed, I’m Ready to go…

By Shannon Penfound, Special to All Habs Hockey Magazine

WINNIPEG, MB. — Soon, I‘ll be making my way to Philadelphia with All Habs Hockey Magazine to take in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Did you hear, I’m preparing for a Trip of a Lifetime.  And I am honouring my promise to Habs fans everywhere, and will be wearing strictly bleu-blanc-et-rouge in support of the Canadiens.

Barring relevant trade deals occurring over the next few days, the Habs won’t get their hands on any prospects until late in the first round, and I am holding out for Nikolay Goldobin, ranked 28^th (ISS) out of the Sarnia Sting. Before you call me crazy, hear me out.

The Sting are no strangers to the draft, producing some well-known names in recent years, including Daniel Carcillo (Rangers) and, most notably, Steven Stamkos (Lightning). And though Goldobin’s teammate, Anthony DeAngelo, is also a draft prospect this year, I fear his lack of discipline both on and off the ice makes DeAngelo a less than ideal candidate for the Canadiens.

Aside from that, Goldobin has more than proved himself with a smooth transition into the OHL from Russia. Yes, the dreaded ‘Russian Factor’ – which, this fan believes, is overhyped.

Goldobin lead the Sting in points this year (94) and tied for most goals (38), despite the team having an extremely poor season & winning only 17 of their 68 regular season games – ouch. Goldobin is 5-foot-11-inches, 178-pounds, and has the hands and speed to break into the NHL quickly. It also helps that his former Sting teammate, Alex Galchenyuk, currently plays at the Bell Centre. Because I grew up just 30 minutes from Sarnia, I had the pleasure of watching Goldobin in action. Let me tell you, it’s not just hype – this kid can play.

At 18-years-old, Goldobin will most certainly require some time to further hone his skills and mature as a player. One thing that has been repeatedly discussed is his lack of defensive skills and whether or not he will be willing to step up and be a more physical player. Many fans would claim Goldobin doesn’t have the size to play on the wing, and I’m sure players like Brendan Gallagher would have an opinion on that.

Additionally, having three-time Stanley Cup winner and Hall of Famer, Igor Larionov, as his current agent, gives me no doubt that Goldobin has the potential to be a sought after young-gun in the NHL. But perhaps that’s the nostalgic Red Wings fan in me.

In my opinion, with the future of Canadiens right-wingers in question. I think Goldobin is a natural fit with the organization, but whether or not the brass in Montreal agree will remain to be seen. I’d love to hear your thoughts, please leave your comments below.  And you are welcome to tweet at me @ShannLeah on Twitter.

I’ll be sure to keep you up to date with more about my journey on the pages of All Habs and with live tweets in what will prove to be a very interesting draft in Philadelphia.

Go Habs Go!