Most teams jealously guard their scouting report before the NHL Entry Draft like it's the last surviving copy of the Constitution, and the Hurricanes are no different. It's strictly classified.
But general manager Jim Rutherford has mandated that the Canes come out of the draft this week with some size — albeit not necessarily in the first round, when teams religiously "take the best player available." But if size and talent are available at No. 27, when the Canes pick, Rutherford wants it.
Given that parameter, today, the first of the Canes' first-round possibilities:
Carter Ashton, RW, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Ht: 6-3 Wgt: 205 Age: 18
Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
The skinny: Ashton is the 11th-rated North American skater in the NHL Central Scouting rankings and may not be available when the Canes' pick comes around. The power forward played at Lethbridge with Carolina's No. 1 pick last year, Zach Boychuk, and scored a team-high 30 goals for the Hurricanes last season. He skates well, has good strength, goes hard to the net and has a quick, effective shot.
Ashton has good hockey bloodlines. His father, Brent, was a first-round pick 30 years ago — taken 26th by the Vancouver Canucks — and the forward played 998 games in the NHL. Those who have seen him play say he has good hockey smarts.
Canes' call: If Ashton is still on the board, the feeling is he should be the guy. He's just what Rutherford and the Canes are looking for in the first round.
Now, if we could just get a peek at that scouting report ...
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
I do not believe Carter
Wed, 06/24/2009 - 08:48 — Otag1I do not believe Carter Anson will be on the board at pick #27, and with the number of forwards we have already in development and so close to coming up, especially the centers, I really believe defense will be the pick. I believe JR will focus on signing Jokenen, Rutuu, Chad LaRose, Cole and then Ryan or Bayda this offseason. Signing Babchuck would be nice too, but there are some other free agent defensemen that should work also.
Long term we need defense and I believe one of the following 3 will slide down in the draft and be available at #27. In order of my preference:
1.) Dmitri Orlov - slim chance he will be there but one can hope,
2.) Stefan Elliot
3.) Dmitry Kulikov
All three of these players have the size we are looking for, move the puck and should not take long to move up to the NHL, Orlov is offensive minded and can score so he could fill the void when Corvo's contract is up. Either one available at pick #27 would be considered the best player available at that point in the draft. In the later rounds we can look at development project defensemen and wingers along with a goalie.
Anyway that's my wish list.
Later Caniacs and LETS GO CANES!
Draft
Wed, 06/24/2009 - 09:30 — GoShelfUnfortunately, after around the 15th pick it's a crapshoot and at 27 who knows. We're almost better off trading our 27 in a package with another player or trading it in a deferral for someone else's first pick next year. A late 1st round pick has more value to a rebuilding team than a team in the Stanley Cup contention window because the player is at least 2-3 years away from playing if they make it at all. We should meet our immediate needs and concern ourselves with winning a Stanley Cup next year and not spend our energies trying to figure out who has the most value 2-3 years from now.
A news Flash Hockey Fans !!
Wed, 06/24/2009 - 08:06 — esteban1949According to the hockey news...Brandon Sutter's dad...is now the head Coach of the Calgary Flames !! And they added 3 new assistants behind him as well. Gee How about that !! A Sutter behind the bench...and a Sutter as GM..odd but considering his success rate in the juniors and with the devils...
should any of us be surprised ?? gee i wonder if Lavi will ever get behind the bench in the NHL for the 2009-2010 season ? I see lots of other names, but not his...hmmm
Go Canes !!
As others said
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 19:45 — esteban1949It would be good to have Him, but like others, i am NOT going to hold my breath. I have heard many of the lethbridge games this past season, and the young man does have what it takes. A year or 2 seasoning along with a couple of call ups periodically,and you will have a top grade player. But again if he were to last until the canes picked, I'd try and get him...even though if he didn't go way before then, I'd wonder if they know something the Canes didn't, and I'd be leary of him. But then again I have been told i am a wee bit off "center"...Thanks Chip...now how about those Black Aces ??? none of them still not around ?? Go Canes !!
The Hockey News mock draft...
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 16:18 — ocolumnhas the Canes getting Ashton.
It'd be nice
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 17:00 — GoShelfI just don't see him lasting that long; TSN (Bob McKenzie) has him at 18, Sportsnet.ca (McKeen) has him at 22. He's 6'3 & 205 - a big kid who plays in a very fast and rugged western hockey league, love to have him.
you know if you read that
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 14:31 — jgrant641you know if you read that fast enough if looks like anson carter!!! did that SCARE anybody else????
That's the first thing I
Wed, 06/24/2009 - 07:31 — atrioneThat's the first thing I thought of when I saw him on some mock drafts.
Allen Muir on SI.com has Ashton going 24th to the Caps. He's got the Canes picking Jordan Caron, a RW from Rimouski in the QMJHL. He's about the same size as Ashton
Carter
Tue, 06/23/2009 - 14:23 — GoShelfInteresting, NHL Central Scouting's final ranking has him at 12 for NA skaters and most draft projections have him no worst than 22. It doesn't seem likely he'll still be on the table at 27. Ryan O'Reilly, Landon Ferraro, or Kyle Palmieri seem more likely, however, after the 1st ten picks the consensus among scouts seems to fall apart and the best player available is pretty debatable.