Draft

With their 3rd round pick, #77 overall, the Lightning select:

C Alexander Killorn, 6'0" 161 lbs, Deerfield (USHS)
23 GP, 19-14-33, 56 PIM

The Lightning hope to strike gold in the US high school ranks for the second year in a row selecting Alexander Killorn out of the Deerfield Academy program. Killorn, the youngest player in the 2007 draft pool, combines great skating ability and playmaking ability with a surprising amount of grit for such a slight frame. Killorn has committed to play for Ted Donato for Harvard in the ECACHL in two years and currently plans to take the Kevin Quick route and stay in high school one more year before moving on to college. Killorn is a long term project who could have high end returns.

Rankings
NHL CSS: #55 (North American Skaters)
Redline Report: #62
ISS: #97
THN: NR

With the 3rd round pick acquired from Anaheim in the Shane O'Brien deal, #75 overall, the Lightning select:

LW Luca Cunti, 6'0" 185 lbs, GCK (SUI NLB)
5 GP, 1-1-2, 2 PIM

Here's your swing for the fences folks. Cunti was considered one of the wild cards going into this draft and there were some who believed he was the best pure offensive talent in this draft. But, he plays in Switzerland which isn't exactly a hotbed for NHL scoring liners and he hasn't played much at the men's league level yet. Still, he's a captivating mix of speed and skill. Considered one-dimensional at this stage of his career. Cunti doesn't take the body, doesn't backcheck. He just scores, a lot. There are rumors Luca may be interested in crossing the pond to play US college hockey and could play in the USHL for Chicago next season. Erik Erlendsson blogs he's interested in St. Cloud State and Clarkson. Or, he could go the Canadian junior route as well.

Rankings:
NHL CSS: #12 (European Skaters)
Redline Report: #54
ISS: #113
THN: #23

With their 2nd round pick, #47 overall the Lightning select:

C/RW Dana Tyrell, 5'10" 185 lbs, Prince George (WHL)
72 GP, 30-26-56, 51 PIM

Tyrell is a high character player who has a junkyard dog mentality. He's incredibly tough for a small player and loves to go to the high traffic areas and crash the net. He has the versatility to play center and right wing and is universally praised for his leadership abilities, coachability, tenacity and versatility. Skates well too. Plays in all situations for Prince George. Solid, safe, nearly bust proof pick. He was selected with several top Canadian prospects to play for Canada in the Canada-Russia Super Series this Fall.

Rankings:
NHL CSS: #15 (NA Skaters)
Redline Report: #30
ISS: #35
THN: #34

Like I said, the only thing that's for certain in this draft is that nothing's for certain. For those of you who sat through the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft Friday night (a bizarre decision by NHL higher ups hell bent on running the league into the ground, I think) you witnessed one of the more scrambled draft boards in recent memory as several teams went well off the board with one of the top 30 selections in the draft. For the Lightning, they made an appearance, but little else, and with no guarantee the Panthers won't exercise their option on pick #47 (the Gratton re-re-acquisition) the Lightning might not have much to do until the 75th and 77th overall picks in the third round. Still, if you like speculation, here's speculation. In no particular order, here are some of the top forward prospects still remaining in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft heading into day two:

"The only thing that's for sure is nothing's for sure."