Getting Drafty, Misc Stuff **UPDATED**

Ottawa's dusting and spit shining in preparation for the draft. The word is heavy on defensemen. The Wild pick at #24, and there have been some cookies (red herring-flavored?) in the media about intrigue at the draft tables and whatnot.

Like the NFL, every year I tell myself I won't watch the draft, only to pull one of these right around the time it starts (7pm ET Friday, Versus/NHL Network):

"Well, maybe I'll just turn 'er on to see Bettman get booed by the locals and find out who goes first....man, why don't they ever raise the mic up high enough for Gary? He always looks like he's standing on his tippy-toes and still has to tilt his head up to talk into it...yeah, yeah, yeah, great job Red Wings, blah, blah, blah nice show by Ottawa, just get on with it already...okay, first pick...great, come up on stage, put on the jersey, smile with the owner and Bettman...well that's that, I guess I'll go read a book or something..............actually, maybe I'll just watch a couple more to see if there are any trades..."

And the next thing I know the first round is over, I'm sweaty and breathless like I just came out of some kind of fugue and I'm pouring over tsn.ca to find out what McKenzie thinks about our pick.

Compelling stuff, I know.

I'm horrendous at mock drafting (though apparently better at draft mocking), so I'm not going to gouge your free time by offering up some half-baked thoughts on whom will go to whom.

Other stuff

*There's talk that Wes Walz will follow Barry Melrose to the coaching staff in Tampa Bay. I presume he'll work with the defensemen since he was twice as good in his own zone as Kuba ever was.

*Russo, etc, are reporting that the Wild and Rolston are still dancing. Actually, it also sounds like the Wild has their hand on Rolston's ass by this point and it's only a matter of time before they start making out. And that Demo is most likely gone.

**UPDATE** Russo is saying the Wild got a little too fresh, a little too fast, offered Rolston a skosh (technical term) under his idea of market value, was rebuffed and the ball's back in their court. So, I suppose that would mean that Rolston's crying in the girls' bathroom surrounded by four friends offering support/sympathy/kleenex, and the Wild is standing at the refreshment table saying uncouth things about Rolston's virtue to it's buddies. With the prom theme song ("American Boy"?) coming up soon, will they kiss and make up in time to dance the last dance? Tune in tomorrow!

*Blake Wheeler is expected to sign with the Bruins. I hope he's not planning on spending too much time with Kessel as big Blake is probably looking at a decent chunk of his immediate future being spent in Providence with the baby Bs.

NiNY