The Canucks continue to be active, grabbing Derek Dorsett off the Rangers for a third rounder. So technically they got Bonino, Sbisa, Dorsett and a 1st for Kesler.

The live draft chat is open and rolling – join the fun here. I’m (Dobber) there now!

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It's Draft Day!!! No, not that Draft Day (if you film it, they won't necessarily come). NHL Draft Day!

If you haven't picked up the 2014 Dobber Prospects Report by now you are doing it all wrong.

Also make sure to check out our live chat tomorrow in the forums. Dobber, Brendan Ross, and Austin Wallace will be around all day in the forums and throughout the draft, answering questions and offering up to the minute analysis of picks.

The Dobber Sports mock draft is up, I picked third for the Oilers.

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It looks like changes are ahead for the 2015 NHL Draft Lottery:

A source informed ESPN.com that the changes approved when the board of governors met Thursday in Manhattan include the compression of odds among the 14 non-playoff teams as well as increasing the number of selections determined by draft lottery law.

I sincerely hope that some team coming just short of the playoffs is fortunate enough to win the lottery and snag the top pick. I also sincerely hope that team is Edmonton but everyone keeps reminding me that they've had their chances.

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The Capitals officially announced the addition of goalie coach Mitch Korn to the team. If you are unaware, Korn had been Nashville's goalie coach for much of Barry Trotz's tenure there so the two will continue their relationship in Washington. This was expected but still great to see it official.

I think that this is great news for Braden Holtby who could probably use a new goalie coach after Olaf Kolzig went messing with his mechanics last season. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I'd also keep an eye on any goalies that the Capitals draft as there is a good chance Korn will be able to work some magic with them. And to be fair, the Capitals were already something of a goalie factory having pumped out Holtby, Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth and Philipp Grubauer in recent years. That's not exactly a murderer's row but all four have been fantasy relevant, which is all that matters.

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Some more great nuggets in Elliotte Friedman's latest 30 Thoughts:

20. So, Bill Peters, is Eric Staal a centre or a winger? “Both. But, to me, he’s a centre to start.

I prefer Staal playing up the middle with some combination of Jiri Tlusty, Jeff Skinner and Alexander Semin on the wings. They've dabbled with Staal on the wing but the lack of dynamic playmaking center makes moving him there a negative for his production. When Staal moves outside his brother Jordan Staal has often stepped into the top center role and he just isn't as strong an offensive weapon.

Really though, unless you play in a league that counts FOW where Staal plays doesn't matter that much. He's one of the most consistent producers out there. He had a down year but consider that a bit of regression after 2013's overachievement. Also keep in mind that Staal had only 12 power play points last year. He's normally around 20. Expect regression to work in his favour next time around.

What would really make a difference in Carolina is an improvement on defense. I count two defensemen I'd want on my favourite NHL team (Justin Faulk and Andrej Sekera), three if you count Joni Pitkanen coming off a broken heel. He's only 30 so he should probably rebound but I'm skeptical.

If you do consider Pitkanen a viable option then maybe steer clear of Sekera who definitely benefited from the lack of competition for power play minutes.

But even if Pitkanen is back that's still only three NHL calibre defensemen and the team just gave Ron Hainsey a new contract so there's only so many improvements they can make. Poor Cam Ward… on second thought, I think he's doing just fine.

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Adam Gretz suggests that NHL teams shouldn't fear Ales Hemsky in free agency:

After turning down a multi-year contract offer from the Senators last week, Hemsky is headed for the open market on July 1 and it’s going to be fascinating to see what sort of interest and contract is out there waiting for him. His reputation around the league is pretty well established, and once a player has reached this point in his career, that can be a difficult thing to change. (Just ask Alexander Semin.) You’re going to hear a lot about him being a soft, perimeter player. How he’s constantly injured. How his career has been a bit of a disappointment at times and his offensive production has dwindled in recent years.

I love that Semin comparison – I think it's perfect for us in the fantasy world. Hemsky could do just what Semin has in Carolina these past couple of years. I definitely think he's worth a shot. Unlike for NHL teams, Hemsky won't cost you much but the upside is still there.

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Patrik Berglund has signed an extension with the St. Louis Blues. This is much ado about nothing. Berglund probably needs to land elsewhere to become a more productive player. There's some talent there but he seems better served simply being a load to deal with in a more defensive role. That's all well and good for NHL value but he's on the cusp of irrelevance in fantasy depending on how deep your league runs.

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Great news for my salary cap team, it looks like Anders Lee will be back for the Isles on a really cheap deal:

Both sides want to see A. Lee for a full year in NHL before pursuing long-term deal. QO believed to be around $850K for next season. #Isles

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) June 25, 2014

I love that it's a one-year "show me" type of deal. Sure, Lee probably would've been hyper-motivated to make the team and excel anyway, he's just a competitive player, but this is an extra big carrot to dangle. I'm expecting big things from Lee next season.

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You can follow me on Twitter @SteveLaidlaw.