(above) The boys at TSN had plenty to say about DU recruit Joe Colborne's selection by the Boston BruinsFrom: Boston.com
by Kevin Paul Dupont
The NHL Boston Bruins, believed to be in trade talks much of the day Thursday and early yesterday with the NY Islanders, stood pat with their No. 16 pick and selected DU Recruit Joe Colborne, a Junior A center from Alberta who reminds some of ex-Bruin Joe Thornton. In fact, Colborne's nickname is Jumbo (the moniker hung on Thornton prior to his arrival here as the No. 1 pick in September 1997).
"I'm not buying it," said TSN's Pierre Maguire, during the network's broadcast from the arena floor. "He's got a long way to go to be Joe Thornton."
Maguire added that Colborne, who will attend the University of Denver this fall, is at least three years away from making the NHL. Draft guru Bob McKenzie, another of the TSN cognoscenti, categorized Colborne as "a home run or a strikeout," and added that Colborne's speech and mannerisms are very reminiscent of Thornton.
By the view of Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli, Colborne is likely a couple of years away from cracking the lineup, but he and his staff are impressed by the big kid's hard shot and ability to put the puck in the net.
"I think the comparison to Joe is fair, in a sense," noted Chiarelli, commenting a few minutes after selecting Colborne. "He's big and rangy, like Joe. But Joe is more of a passer, and this kid is a pretty good finisher . . . he really snaps off a hard wrist shot, with a really impressive release."
Chiarelli said he tried to move up in the draft, with an eye on acquiring one of the top handful of picks, but his talks were all but finished by Thursday night. His target all along, said Chiarelli, was Colborne.
"I know that's said all the time," said Chiarelli. "But we like this kid a lot . . . he's who we wanted all along."
"I'm not buying it," said TSN's Pierre Maguire, during the network's broadcast from the arena floor. "He's got a long way to go to be Joe Thornton."
Maguire added that Colborne, who will attend the University of Denver this fall, is at least three years away from making the NHL. Draft guru Bob McKenzie, another of the TSN cognoscenti, categorized Colborne as "a home run or a strikeout," and added that Colborne's speech and mannerisms are very reminiscent of Thornton.
By the view of Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli, Colborne is likely a couple of years away from cracking the lineup, but he and his staff are impressed by the big kid's hard shot and ability to put the puck in the net.
"I think the comparison to Joe is fair, in a sense," noted Chiarelli, commenting a few minutes after selecting Colborne. "He's big and rangy, like Joe. But Joe is more of a passer, and this kid is a pretty good finisher . . . he really snaps off a hard wrist shot, with a really impressive release."
Chiarelli said he tried to move up in the draft, with an eye on acquiring one of the top handful of picks, but his talks were all but finished by Thursday night. His target all along, said Chiarelli, was Colborne.
"I know that's said all the time," said Chiarelli. "But we like this kid a lot . . . he's who we wanted all along."
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