PIERRE MCGUIRE'S In the Crease

The value of a big, top-flight defenseman cannot be overstated, especially when he has the smarts to go along with raw skill. Watch for 6'4", 195-pound Erik Gudbranson to be among the top five picks in the entry draft. Tenacious, strong and savvy, he was the Scholastic Player of the Year in the OHL. ... Finnish center Mikael Granlund(below) is one of the best playmakers in the draft. There are doubts about his size (5'10", 180 pounds), but he's one of the few prospects who has played in a true professional league, and he should be among the first 12 players taken. ... The player climbing draft boards the quickest is American goalie Jack Campbell. The 6'3", 175-pound 18-year-old has great size, strength and quickness. In January, he helped the U.S. win gold at the world junior championship in Saskatoon.

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RICHARD WOLOWICZ/GETTY IMAGES (GRANLUND)