Saturday’s NHL Entry Draft brings with it only one certainty: The Pittsburgh Penguins will choose 17-year-old Sidney Crosby with the first overall pick. The immensely talented center from Halifax, Nova Scotia, has taken the hockey world by storm, drawing comparisons to Wayne Gretzky even from “The Great One” himself.

When he suits up for his first game with the Penguins this fall, Crosby will be carrying the weight of the franchise on his shoulders, much as Mario Lemieux did just over 20 years ago. The Penguins appeared to be on their last legs when they drafted him in 1984; two Stanley Cup victories and a slew of offensive records later, the Penguins had been dragged out of the doldrums and into the sport’s forefront.

By the mid-1990s, then-owner Howard Baldwin had been seduced by the success and ignored the team’s floundering finances. Eventually, Lemieux took ownership control when it became clear that was the only way he could collect on the millions in deferred payments he was owed. Lemieux’s on-ice comeback has kept the Penguins running on fumes, but the 39-year-old’s bad back won’t hold up for much longer.

Enter Crosby. The dynamic youngster tallied an impressive 168 points in just 62 games for the Rimouski Oceanic last season, leading the team to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship and the finals of the Memorial Cup.

After Crosby, there are five top-tier talents who would vie for no. 1 in any other year. The likely no. 2 is Benoit Pouliot, a left wing from Ottawa. Pouliot played the last two seasons for the Sudbury Wolves, and demonstrated spectacular puck-handling ability.

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have the second overall pick, but are rumored to be shopping it. With only two defensemen signed for 2005-06, GM Brian Burke might look to trade the pick for a blueliner who can immediately step into the lineup. A possible candidate for a deal is the Montreal Canadiens, who have the fifth pick and might be willing to swap puck-moving defenseman Andrei Markov to Anaheim as part of a larger deal.

If the Ducks keep their pick, Pouliot will slip to no. 3, where the Carolina Hurricanes would happily call him to the draft table. The Ducks, meanwhile, would choose defenseman Jack Johnson, who plays in the U.S. Development Program. Solid with the puck, Johnson dishes out his fair share of mayhem in the defensive zone. If the Ducks decide to move down in the draft, they might well be passing on the next Scott Stevens.

The Minnesota Wild have been successful thanks to the NHL’s lenience with regard to obstruction, but they are not well-positioned for an offense-first NHL. Eighteen-year-old New Jersey native Bobby Ryan probably won’t suit up at right wing in the NHL this season, but power forwards with goal-scorers instincts are few and far between.

Vancouver native Gilbert Brule played for the hometown Giants of the Western Hockey League the past three seasons, and his all-around game evokes memories of a young Steve Yzerman. If Brule’s still available when the Canadiens make the fifth selection, expect them to grab him.

Perhaps the most intriguing player in the draft is 17-year-old Anze Kopitar. The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound center from Slovenia has drawn rave reviews for his tireless work ethic and on-ice creativity. Should he fall to the sixth pick, the Columbus Blue Jackets would be thrilled to slot him between Rick Nash and Nicolai Zherdev in the organization’s first line of the future.

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Islanders GM Mike Milbury is always a threat to take aggressive action on draft day. He will be the first local GM to step up to the podium, and could use the pick to select left wing Ryan Stoa. The Minnesota native has the size of a power forward combined with stickhandling ability generally associated with smaller players.

Though they received the maximum number of balls in the draft lottery, the Rangers were slotted with the 16th pick in the draft. Should he fall that far, Alex Bourret would be an excellent choice. Only 5-foot-9, the stocky Bourret is built like a 210-pound tank. His combination of flashy stick-handling and tenacious physical play means he may not fall this far, but he’s the type of player the Blue shirts need.

Strangely, Rangers GM Glen Sather has remained silent regarding his plans for the team this off-season. When the NHL announced the results of its draft lottery, Sather was on a fishing trip with Rangers owners Charles and Jim Dolan.

Given that the NHL has just launched an entirely new operational model, one would expect the hapless Rangers’ GM to be more hands-on at this critical moment in franchise history.

In sharp contrast, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was extremely involved in developing a resolution to the labor dispute and with the sport’s newly-changed rules. He is very creative on draft day, often selecting players who weren’t on other GMs’ radar screens. Last year, that player was the unknown Travis Zajac, who the Devils selected with the 20th overall pick. Having now completed an impressive freshman season with the University of North Dakota, Zajac looks to be one of the biggest steals of that draft.

Tomorrow, the Devils must wait until the 23rd overall selection, where they could take a flier on Czech forward Petr Kalus. A high-energy forward with grit, Kalus could develop into an Esa Tikkanen-like pest in the offensive zone.

Given that the Ducks are actively shopping the second overall pick, it’s a safe bet that there could be a lot of drama unfolding in Ottawa Saturday afternoon (televised on MSG Network, 12-3 p.m.). Expect a number of high-profile players to be dealt in cost-cutting moves as teams prepare for this coming Monday, when the largest pool of free agents ever available in any North American major sports league will be available to the highest bidders. Hundreds of players could change teams, and the NHL’s power balance will have shifted dramatically when all is said and done.

2005 NHL Mock Draft – Round 1

1. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Sidney Crosby, Center
Canada 5’11”, 195, 17 yrs
Without question, the best prospect since Eric Lindros.

2. ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS
Jack Johnson, Defenseman
Faribault, MN, 6’1″, 200, 18yrs
Could he be the second coming of Scott Stevens?

3. CAROLINA HURRICANES
Benoit Pouliot, Left Wing
Canada 6’3″, 180, 18yrs
Lecavalier-like offensive skills; the only question mark is his maturity.

4. MINNESOTA WILD
Bobby Ryan, Right Wing
Collingswood, N.J., 6’1″, 210, 18yrs
Goal-scoring power forward could be the next Bill Guerin.

5. MONTREAL CANADIENS
Gilbert Brule, Center
Canada, 5’10”, 175, 18yrs
Could a plethora of attributes and great intangibles make him the next Stevie Y?

6. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Anze Kopitar, Center
Slovenia, 6’4″, 220, 17yrs
The hulking center will be only the second Slovenian ever drafted.

7. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Martin Hanzal, Center
Czech Republic, 6’4″, 200, 18yrs
Excellent playmaker could develop into the ideal center for Tuomo Ruutu.

8. ATLANTA THRASHERS
Ryan O’Marra, Center
Canada, 6’1″, 195, 18yrs
Warrior-like mentality could mean a bright future for O’Marra in Hot-Lanta.

9. OTTAWA SENATORS
Carey Price, Goaltender
Canada, 6’2″, 210, 17yrs
This draft isn’t deep for goalies, but Price is most heralded of the bunch.

10. VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Marc Staal, Defenseman
Canada, 6’3″, 195, 18yrs
Is the younger Staal’s stock based mostly upon pedigree?

11. LOS ANGELES KINGS
Marek Zagrapan, Center
Presov, Slovakia, 6’1″, 200, 18yrs
The talented center has fluidity and maturity that belie his age.

12. SAN JOSE SHARKS
Jack Skille, Right Wing
Madison, Wisc. 6’1″, 200, 18yrs
Has an explosive first-step and uses his size very well.

13. BUFFALO SABRES
Luc Bourdon, Defenseman
Canada, 6’2″, 200, 18yrs
An absolute rock on the blue line, he already has an NHL-ready physique.

14. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Ryan Parent, Defenseman
Canada, 6’2″, 190, 18yrs
Has shown leadership skills as captain and bolster the penalty kill.

15. NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Ryan Stoa,C Bloomington, Minn., 6’3″, 200,
18yrs Solid power center could be groomed to replace Yashin.

16. NEW YORK RANGERS
Alex Bourret, Right Wing
Canada, 5’10”, 214, 18yrs
Could this “human tank” with Bure-like skills slip all the way to #16?

17. PHOENIX COYOTES
Tuukka Rask, Goaltender
Savonlinna, Finland, 6’1″, 190, 18yrs
Calm Finn looks to follow in the footsteps of fellow countryman Miikka Kiprusoff.

18. NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Kenndal McArdle, Left Wing
Canada, 5’11”, 200, 18yrs
Hailing from Joe Sakic’s hometown, McArdle is a hard-nosed two-way forward.

19. DETROIT RED WINGS
Brendan Mikkelson, Defenseman
Canada, 6’2″, 180, 18yrs
Great-skating two-way defenseman reminds some scouts of Paul Coffey.

20. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Ryan Parent, Defenseman
Canada, 6’2″, 190, 18yrs
This smart and steady blueliner has excellent leadership skills.

21. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Jakub Vojta, Defenseman
Czech Republic, 6’0″, 195, 18yrs
The highest-ranked European defenseman is an excellent skater.

22. BOSTON BRUINS
Dan Bertram, Right Wing
Canada, 5’11”, 175, 18yrs
A solid freshman season at Boston College bodes well for the talented winger.

23. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Petr Kalus, Forward
Czech Republic, 6’1″, 185, 18yrs
Passionate and gritty, could develop into an Esa Tikkanen-like pest.

24. ST LOUIS BLUES
Matt Niskanen, Defenseman
Mt. Iron, Minn. 6’1″, 195, 19yrs
A great skater and shooter, Niskanen’s a future power play quarterback.

25. EDMONTON OILERS
Kirill Starkov, Forward
Russia, 6’0″, 185, 18yrs
Great hands and a solid work ethic have significantly raised this prospect’s standing.

26. CALGARY FLAMES
Devin Setoguchi, Right Wing
Canada, 5’11”, 190, 18yrs
Speedy and steady two-way forward is the prototypical Flame.

27. COLORADO AVALANCHE
Nicklas Bergfors, Right Wing
Sweden, 5’11”, 195, 18yrs
Lacroix will be thrilled if this speedy Swedish playmaker slips to #27.

28. DALLAS STARS
Joe Finley, Defenseman
Edina, Minn. 6’7″, 240, 18yrs
The next Zdeno Chara or the next Eric Cairns?

29. FLORIDA PANTHERS
Jeff Frazee, Goaltender
Burnsville, Minn. 6’0″, 185, 18yrs
Lightning-fast goalie is extremely flashy, but not yet positionally sound.

30. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Vyacheslav Buravchikov, D
Russia, 6’1″, 190, 18yrs
Speedy skater and steady passer reminds scouts of Oleg Tverdovsky.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor-in-chief of the Web site InsideHockey.com.