The NHL’s cognoscenti will converge on Columbus Friday for the start of the annual entry draft. Televised live on Versus at 6:30 pm, this annual exercise forces general managers to project the potential of 17- and 18-year old players who in all likelihood won’t suit up for their first NHL game for at least two to three years.

Making the draft even more difficult is the fact that with the exception of one two-week tournament — the World Junior Championships — the competition these prospects face is spread across the globe. Needless to say, comparing a player in the Swedish Elite League (competing against seasoned professionals) with one in the Western Hockey League (competing against other youngsters) is a nearly impossible task.

But the challenge of the draft is part of what makes it so very important. Just as the free agent market played a critical role in the Ducks’ Cup win, so too did the draft. Not only did they select twothirds of their dangerous second line (Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry) in the 2003 Entry Draft, but two other draft picks (Joffrey Lupul and Ladislav Smid) were the centerpiece of the trade that brought Norris Trophy finalist Chris Pronger to Anaheim last summer.

Over the past 15 years, the Devils have been one of the NHL’s most successful franchises, and they have consequently had to wait until near the end of the first round of the draft before making their first selection. The purpose of this, of course, is to enforce parity, giving lesser teams the opportunity to improve themselves.

But in direct opposition to this theory, the Devils have managed to thrive despite having the odds stacked against them year after year, largely because David Conte has done a fabulous job running the team’s scouting department. From Scott Gomez to Patrik Elias, and from Zach Parise to Travis Zajac, the Devils have consistently made the most of their draft picks, restocking the organizational cupboard with high-quality talent to make up for the inevitable free agent departures and deadline day trades.

This year, GM Lou Lamoriello will have to wait until the 57th overall pick to make his first selection, as he dealt the Devils’ first round selection to the San Jose Sharks as part of the trade that excised Vladimir Malakhov’s onerous contract from the Devils’ payroll. But because the scouts are so very divided on this talent pool — numerous players on one scout’s top 20 list are likely not to appear on another’s top 50 — there is a very real opportunity for Conte to once again step up with a draft day steal or three.

Back in 1994, the Devils added three future top-line NHLers when they selected Patrick Elias (51st overall), Sheldon Souray (71st overall), and Steve Sullivan (233rd overall). They landed two excellent shutdown defensemen in 1996, Colin White (49th) and Willie Mitchell (199th). And of course, Brian Gionta (82nd overall, 1998) and Paul Martin (62nd overall, 2000) have turned out to be far better than dozens of players picked before them.

Critics of this year’s draft will point to the lack of certain top-end talent. But every year, a considerable number of future stars are selected, and the question marks surrounding this year’s crop should play right into Conte’s hands. Exceptionally skilled at finding market inefficiencies, he was drafting “small” when it wasn’t in vogue to do so (Parise and Gionta), setting up the Devils with two of the game’s most dangerous young forwards.

Looking to the near side of the Hudson River, Rangers GM Glen Sather won’t have to wait nearly as long to step to the podium. Holding the 17th overall pick in the first round, the Rangers are a good bet to land a player many scouts would consider “top 10 worthy.” With Marc Staal (12th overall, 2005) and Bobby Sanguinetti (21st overall, 2006) expected to battle for jobs on the blue line — and with Henrik Lundqvist (205th overall, 2000) and Alvaro Montoya (sixth overall, 2004) providing the organization with uncommon stability between the pipes — the Rangers will likely use this year’s pick on a forward.

Adding intrigue to the matter, there is a possibility that the Blueshirts will look to trade up in the draft, perhaps offering Montoya as collateral in a deal for one of the top three picks. Lundqvist was a Vezina Trophy finalist in each of his first two seasons, and it’s clear that he represents both the organization’s present and future in goal.

The Blackhawks are expected to select Patrick Kane (London Knights, OHL) first overall, and the Canucks are reportedly attempting to deal for the Flyers’ second overall pick, with which they would select British Columbia native Kyle Turris. If things do in fact go down that way, Middeltown, N.J., native James Van Riemsdyk will still be available to the Phoenix Coyotes at no. 3. Phoenix is incredibly thin in goal, and new GM Don Maloney (Sather’s former assistant) thinks very highly of Montoya.

A lifelong Rangers fan, Van Riemsdyk has committed to play for the University of New Hampshire this coming fall. A power forward with excellent finishing skills, he projects to develop into a top-line NHLer. And if the Blueshirts don’t intend to commit at least 15–20 starts to Montoya in 2007–08, dealing the highly touted netminder to Phoenix in exchange for Van Riemsdyk would appear to be a trade that would help both clubs immensely.

Critics might point to the ill-fated selection of Hugh Jessiman (also a Rangers fan) back in 2003, but to do so would be to sell Van Riemsdyk short; he’s no Jessiman. As things stand today, Alex Bourret (acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Pascal Dupuis at the trade deadline) is the Blueshirts’ finest forward prospect. But while Bourret has the potential to develop into a solid second-liner, Van Riemsdyk is on a different level entirely. Put simply, he would immediately become the finest forward prospect in the Rangers’ system.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.