The pick is Bailey

Josh Bailey, center from Windsor of the OHL is the pick at number nine. Ranked as the 14th North American skater... word on TSN was that he was the player the Isles had identified all along. Maybe a bit of a reach at nine, with Hodgson and Beach and Boychuk available, but that was clearly Snow's plan. He liked a guy he knew would drop, and used the higher picks to acquire additional picks.

Not a strategy that fans love, but other GMs would applaud. Especially in a deep draft, you pile up picks and that gives you not just more players, but flexibility.

Bailey last season - 67 games, 29 goals, 67 assists for 96 points. Regarded as a two-way player and a good playmaker, especially on the power play. We'll meet him soon on the video board here.

The draft is a crap shoot, people. And it's only part of what the Isles need to do before the new season. There's always free agency.

The question is whether the Isles will try and trade back into the first round since they have so many second-round picks, and it is certainly possible. Again, in the end, if they can get two first-rounders and the player they wanted all along, the team will consider the draft a success.

UPDATE: Draft party host John Buccigross of ESPN just interviewed Bailey. He described himself as an offensive player who sees the ice well and has a head for the game, adding that the players he looked up to the most were Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic.

Asked if he thought he was ready to play in the NHL now, he said, "Yeah, definitely," and that he wanted to keep building up his strength. Bailey received a warm round of applause from the remaining fans -- the most disgruntled and disappointed have already, like Elvis, left the building.

Another trade, and the exodus begins

Fans are walking out as another trade is announced - the Isles trading seven to Nashville for the ninth pick and Nashville's 40th pick overall.

This one I can't defend as much - although in what is supposed to be a very, very deep draft, the Isles now have four second-round picks. And the difference between Hodgson, Wilson, maybe Kyle Beach - isn't that much. So to recap, the Isles traded the fifth pick for the ninth pick and added two second-round picks this year, and either a second or third round pick next year.

Again, armchair GMs love getting value when moving down, and maybe that's what the Isles have gotten here.

Wilson is taken by Nashville, by the way. Good luck, fellow Terrier.

But the fans, who were hoping to get an impact player, a top-five player, are very disappointed and have voiced that displeasure here at the draft party, which has become less of a party and more of a mob gathering.

Oh, well - no Filatov

Columbus took Filatov, and the reaction here at the Coliseum isn't as bad as I thought it would be, though I just heard the first "Garth Snow... YOU SUCK!" chant. And they just booed the announcement that the Isles were on the clock, so maybe it took a few minutes for a Filtov-less reality to settle in.

But look at it this way - the Isles will either get Cody Hodgson or Colin Wilson, both forwards -- the feeling here that it may be Wilson -- and they are both very good players, both solid picks at this spot. And to get two extra picks, that's not a bad play.

Unless Filatov becomes the next Ovechkin, in which case Isles fans will be talking about this move for a looooooong time.

The deal... a good one?

The trade: Isles and Leafs swap five and seven, the Isles get either a second and a third in 2009, or a second and a second in 2009, at the Isles' option.

That's a lot of value to move down two slots. The Isles will still get a very good player at seven, Schenn or Hodgson, or maybe even Filatov, which will at least keep the fans happy.

UPDATE: Leafs take Schenn. So what does Columbus want? I've heard they're not looking at Filatov but wanted defense -- but all the top D-men are taken. Unless they Meyers or DelZotto, which would be a little high. If Columbus likes Hodgson, the Isles fans who love Filatov should build a statue of Garth Snow.

Four for four, but...

OK, so the first four went as I predicted, but we're hearing word that the Isles may have traded down to seven with Toronto...

If they can do that and still get Filatov, peace and joy will flourish here in Hempstead.

If they make the deal and Filatov goes somewhere else, I'll be under the table hiding from the angry mob.

UPDATE: They just announced the swap of picks -- let's just say the mood of the fans here isn't a happy one.

Could Toronto and Columbus take some combo of Schenn and Hodgson and leave Filatov with the Isles? We'll know soon.

Last-minute predictions

OK, almost ready to start and the fans are already yelling for the Isles to take Filatov. If he goes in the first four picks, they may tear this place down and we'll REALLY need the Lighthouse Project.

For posterity, my prediction:

1- Lightning - Stamkos
2- Kings - Doughty
3 - Flames - Bogosian
4- Blues - Pietrangelo
5 - Isles - Filatov

Maybe some wishful thinking.

Already a trade with the Kings ending up with 2 of the top 12 picks after a three-way deal that saw them move Mike Cammaleri.

"Lots of activity at the Islanders table." "Number 5 pick may be up for grabs."

We shall see...