"Just met with several of the projected top 10 draft picks at the Walker Art Center in downtown Minneapolis and came away thinking the Panthers can't go wrong with several of these kids, including forwards' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jonathan Huberdeau, Gabriel Landeskog, Sean Couturier and Ryan Strome.

Notice I left out the top three defenseman, Adam Larsson, Dougie Hamilton and Nathan Beaulieu. That's because no matter what smoke screens that GM Dale Tallon may put out there, there's no way he's picking a blue liner with the No. 3 pick.

In fact, only Nugent-Hopkins, Huberdeau and Landeskog (who are all represented by the same agency) are meeting with Tallon, assistant GM Mike Santos and scouting director Scott Luce early this evening.

Huberdeau, who has a thick French Canadian accent, visits South Florida every year for the annual New Year's Eve home game against the Canadiens. Yes, he's one of the loud Habs fans who drown out the BankAtlantic Center faithful. His family hops in their RV and drive to Sunrise to attend the annual Canadiens-Panthers Christmas Eve game.

He joked that they park in a nearby Wal-Mart.

Now I know why Landeskog is being touted as the most NHL-ready player in the draft. He's built and looks like a man, while the others look like they just got out of high school (which is true)!

Nugent-Hopkins is built like Stephen Weiss, so I'm feeling that regardless of Edmonton or Colorado's selections, the Panthers will be thrilled to take either leftover – Landeskog or Huberdeau.

Tallon said he wasn't thrilled with the end of the Panthers' schedule which has them playing 11 games from March 20 to April 7. He felt it was too back-loaded with a possibly playoff berth on the line."