March 19, 2007
NCAA Tournament
INCH Wish List Draft | Round One

Related Links

Tournament Brackets Tournament Info Last Year's Wish List Draft Regional Capsules East Regional Midwest Regional Northeast Regional West Regional

We often say that playoff hockey is the best time of the year. That said, even the greatest things in life have flaws. In the case of the NCAA Tournament, even with 16 teams participating, scores of fantastic players have played their last college games of the year – and perhaps their career. Second, no team is perfect – everybody has areas where they could improve.

Here at Inside College Hockey, we set out to solve both those problems. The result? Our own one-of-a-kind NCAA Tournament Wish List Draft. We took the tourney teams and split into 16 scouting staffs to select players from teams that didn’t make the field. The Wish List Draft will feature two rounds of picks, with the first pick of each round belonging to the 16th seed.

You can follow the picks as they are made – Round One is below and Round Two followed.

Now, we know, these players won’t be taking the ice this weekend. But it's fun to see how each team could improve – and fun to picture some of our favorite players back on collegiate ice for at least one more weekend.

NCAA Team	Who They Picked
Alabama-Huntsville	Brian Elliott, G, Wisconsin
The Reasoning: There are a lot of good players on the board for the Chargers, but Elliott is one of the few who can singlehandedly win games.
Air Force	Ryan Dingle, F, Denver
The Reasoning: The Falcons have the home crowd in their favor and some terrific goal scorers up front. Nothing wrong with building on strengths, as Dingle does here.
Miami	Scott Parse, F, Nebraska-Omaha
The Reasoning: In our world, there are no injuries, so the RedHawks will grab Parse and his 197 career points to help take the scoring burden off Nathan Davis and Ryan Jones.
Massachusetts	Mike Santorelli, F, Northern Michigan
The Reasoning: Looking to bolster a lineup without a player over 13 goals, the Minutemen turn to 30-goal-getter Santorelli.
Maine	Kyle Greentree, F, Alaska
The Reasoning: Assuming Ben Bishop is healthy, the Black Bears select Greentree, who'll add scoring punch and, at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, can become a mini-Dustin Penner.
St. Lawrence	Matt Niskanen, D, Minnesota Duluth
The Reasoning: ECACHL Player of the Year Drew Bagnall already patrols the blueline for the Saints. They gladly scoop up Niskanen, an All-WCHA first-teamer and the best defenseman available, and take the Anaheim Ducks’ approach of building from defense out.
Michigan State	Sean Collins, D, Ohio State
The Reasoning: The Spartans had Niskanen in their crosshairs only to see St. Lawrence take him. They grab Collins, a finalist for both the CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman and Best Defensive Defenseman Awards, instead.
North Dakota	David Jones, F, Dartmouth
The Reasoning: Mason Raymond would work here as well, but the UMD Bulldog was scoreless in two games against the Sioux, which makes the war room wary. Instead, they trust the coaches who voted Jones a Hobey Baker finalist and count on him for secondary scoring in the unlikely event that their monster first line is held in check.
Michigan	Jeff Jakaitis, G, Lake Superior State
The Reasoning: Billy Sauer has been better during his sophomore season, but a 2.93 GAA won't cut it in a regional that includes Minnesota and North Dakota. The Wolverines grab Jakaitis, a workhorse who made 50 more saves than Sauer while allowing 33 fewer goals.
Boston University	Mason Raymond, F, Minnesota Duluth
The Reasoning: The Terriers need a spark offensively, and they’re thrilled to get that in Raymond. We’d throw him on the wing opposite Peter MacArthur and the goals would come.
St. Cloud State	Paul Szczechura, F, Western Michigan
The Reasoning: With the status of second-line pivot Nate Raduns up in the air, the Huskies grab Szczechura, one of the CCHA's top defensive centermen and a 45-point scorer this past season.
Boston College	Dylan Reese, D, Harvard
The Reasoning: This wouldn’t move Brian Boyle back to forward – he’s on the blueline for good – but would help given the injuries the Eagles D has faced. They were picking between two from the ECACHL (we won’t give away the second) and opted for the nearby Reese, who can be at practice tomorrow and not have to find a new place to live.
New Hampshire	Reid Cashman, D, Quinnipiac
The Reasoning: Might Cashman be the other blueliner the Eagles contemplated? With 125 assists in 151 career games, he's the perfect choice to get the puck on the tape of the Wildcats' talented forwards and a nice addition to the team's power play.
Clarkson	Chris Butler, D, Denver
The Reasoning: The Golden Knights are loaded at forward and David Leggio was a first-team all-league goaltender, so they opt for some scoring punch from the blue line. Butler had 10 goals and 27 points for the Pioneers this season.
Notre Dame	Andrew Joudrey, F, Wisconsin
The Reasoning: The Irish don't really have a crying need, but they grab Jumpin' Jouds for his tournament experience. The Badgers' leading scorer this season is veteran centerman – can you have enough of them? – and a product of Mike Eaves's system, so you know he's responsible defensively.
Minnesota	Grant Lewis, D, Dartmouth
The Reasoning: The run on ECAC Hockey defensemen continues as Minnesota gets some size and grit on the blueline by adding Lewis. He can also skate and move the puck, making him a good fit with the other Golden Gopher defensemen.

Check out what happened in Round Two