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Teams on the clock in deep NHL draftHockey Betting Lines05/24/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NHL Entry Draft, set to take place June 25 in Los Angeles, provides both players and general managers the opportunity to take the next step towards success. While top prospects Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin have garnered most of the attention among this year's group of prospects, the following three players also offer a unique skill set that will help make for compelling drama among those vying for their services next month. EMERSON ETEM, C, Medicine Hat Tigers The allure of drafting a homegrown athlete is often too tempting to pass up, especially if that talent is a hockey player from the sunny state of California. That is the position the Anaheim Ducks find themselves in heading into the draft. Long Beach native Emerson Etem of the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Medicine Hat Tigers is likely on the radar of the Ducks, who own the 12th and 16th picks of the first round. Aside from his California roots, Etem's ability to play right wing or center will be an attractive ingredient for the Ducks who will need to replenish an aging crop of secondary scorers, with Jason Blake (36), Teemu Selanne (39) and Saku Koivu (35) all in the twilight of their careers. NHL Central Scouting currently ranks Etem eighth among North American skaters, while various mock drafts have him going anywhere from eighth to 18th. At 6'0", 194 pounds, Etem is an explosive skater who handles the puck well at full speed. In his first WHL season, Etem compiled 37 goals and 65 points in 72 games while also chipping in another seven goals in 12 playoff games. Prior to his WHL debut, Etem honed his skills in the U.S. Under-17 National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he racked up 45 (23-22) points in 50 games. JACK CAMPBELL, G - USNTDP Another product of the USNTDP that will have GM's licking their chops is 6'2" goaltender Jack Campbell. Campbell, who has committed to play for the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Windsor Spitfires next season, is the definition of a big-game goalie. His golden resume includes a stellar performance at the 2010 World Junior Championship and back-to-back World Under-18 Championships, where he earned the best goalkeeper award last month in Minsk, Belarus, posting a 0.83 GAA and .965 save percentage in six games, including three shutouts. While there is a lot of speculation as to where Campbell will be drafted, a scout at McKeen's Hockey believes that with his international accomplishments and budding athleticism, the Michigan native will be scooped up within the first five picks. If Campbell is indeed taken in the top five, it will make him the first goalie from the USNTDP selected in the first round. One potential suitor for Campbell's services could very well be the New York Islanders (fifth pick), who drafted oft-injured goaltender Rick DiPietro No. 1 overall in the 2000 draft. Although they have DiPietro under contract until 2021, nagging knee and hip injuries have limited the 29-year old to 13 games over the last two seasons. With a solid group of prospects up front and some potential defensive studs in Calvin de Haan and Travis Hamonic coming up through the junior ranks, the Islanders could very well take another shot at securing a franchise goaltender. If the Islanders decide to pass on Campbell, the Tampa Bay Lightning (sixth pick) or the St. Louis Blues (14t) would make an optimal match, as both teams are in desperate need of help in goal. JEFF SKINNER, C, Kitchener Rangers Unlike the state of the global economy, one player who has seen his stock rise at a rapid rate is Kitchener Rangers forward Jeff Skinner. The Markham, Ont. native was the 47th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting in their mid-term report, but jumped 13 spots by the time they released their final rankings. After his performance in the OHL playoffs this past spring, the skilled sniper has likely put himself in position to land in the top 15. Skinner was an offensive dynamo for the Rangers this past season, netting 50 goals and 90 points in the regular season while torching opposing goalies for another 20 in the postseason. At 5'10" and 187 pounds, Skinner has a solid base and low center of gravity, which makes him difficult to knock off the puck. He also possess a high compete level and tenacity that has made him a fan favorite in Kitchener and an enemy in opposing rinks. Despite being a former nationally-ranked figure skater, his lack of foot speed is considered his biggest downfall. But with an acute hockey sense and a deft touch around the net, Skinner is undeniably one of the most highly skilled forwards in the draft. Every team could use a forward as talented as Skinner, but where he will be drafted is a hotly contested topic. Some mock drafts have him going as high as eighth while others don't even have him ranked in the first round. Based on his skill set, there are several teams sprinkled throughout the draft that would love to acquire Skinner's services. Within the top 10, the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Rangers could be a good fit for Skinner's offensive prowess. With the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers will be looking to add another scoring forward to complement last year's fourth overall pick, Evander Kane, while the Rangers could use some future insurance with the glass-like Marian Gaborik ranking as their only scoring threat. Where Skinner ends up will be an interesting storyline to follow on draft day, as the underrated 50-goal scorer could be the steal of the draft.
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Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attemptTerrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened. The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'" Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV. Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide. NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits. "The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said. The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday. Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine. But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened. The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'" When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself. Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong. The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday. The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV. The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said. Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident. Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine." Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram. "Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance." Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken. It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide. "This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred." Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call. "Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something." At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA. According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center. Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting. Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it. When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems. He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again. Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill. Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee. Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl. Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down. While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday. "My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room. Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule. Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your VISA Sportsbook needs. |
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