Blockbuster Trades Could Trump Draft

The NHL draft will be held today at General Motors Place in Vancouver, Canada, with 18-year-old defenseman Erik Johnson widely expected to be the first selection, but that may be overshadowed by potential blockbuster deals.

High-profile players such as goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere and defenseman Chris Pronger could switch teams soon -- with the Kings, who pick 11th overall, and the Ducks, who select 19th in the middle of the action.

Because Ilya Bryzgalov appears ready for the starting job, Giguere is a prime candidate to be traded, especially since he is owed $3.99 million on the last year of his contract. Tampa Bay and Toronto are interested in the former Conn Smythe trophy winner along with Detroit and Ottawa.

Shedding Giguere’s salary might help the Ducks pursue a top free-agent defensemen, such as Ottawa’s Wade Redden, who’ll probably command up to $6 million a year.

As for Pronger, he reportedly has asked to be traded from the Edmonton Oilers after signing a five-year contract last off-season and leading the team to the Stanley Cup finals.

Dean Lombardi, the Kings’ new general manager, had been interested in goalie Roberto Luongo, but the Florida Panthers traded him to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Todd Bertuzzi late Friday.

Lombardi earned a reputation as a wheeler-and-dealer when he was GM of the San Jose Sharks, picking up extra first-round picks that laid a strong foundation -- drafting Jonathan Cheechoo, Scott Hannan and Marco Sturm.

That, Lombardi said, may not be so easy anymore.

“More are trying to do that now,” he said, referring to his counterparts. “It started with only a couple guys being aggressive at the draft. Now it has become more like other sports.”

Lombardi is expected to focus on defensemen in today’s draft, given that the Kings are lacking young prospects at that position.

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Draft order

Selection order for the first round of today’s NHL draft, held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, Canada (3 p.m. PDT; TV: OLN). The draft consists of seven rounds.

*--* 1. St. Louis 16. Montreal 2. Pittsburgh 17. Minnesota-a 3. Chicago 18. Colorado 4. Washington 19. DUCKS 5. Boston 20. San Jose 6. Columbus 21. N.Y. Rangers 7. N.Y. Islanders 22. Philadelphia 8. Phoenix 23. Washington-b 9. Minnesota 24. Buffalo 10. Florida 25. New Jersey 11. KINGS 26. Calgary 12. Atlanta 27. Dallas 13. Toronto 28. Ottawa 14. Vancouver 29. Detroit 15. Tampa Bay 30. St. Louis-c

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a-from Edmonton, b-from Nashville, c-from Carolina

* Other Kings selections: Round 2 (48, compensation); Round 3 (74); Round 3 (86, from Philadelphia); Round 5 (134); Round 6 (164); Round 7 (194).

* Other Ducks selections: Round 2 (38, from Vancouver via N.Y. Islanders; Round 3 (83, from N.Y. Rangers via San Jose); Round 4 (112); Round 6 (172).

Source: NHL.com