Regardless of your level of faith in scouting and sports entry drafts, it's pretty much a given that the focus for this day entirely tomorrow.

Roll the dice, make your selection and then put the whole event out of your mind; check back in four seasons to see how your horse is fairing in the race to make it to the show. That is ... if you've managed to sign your horse and it hasn't run off to join another stable.

For Calgary GM Craig Button, this year's draft in Toronto will likely have a focus distinctly more present than in the future.

Patience is an important virtue for general managers to have. If you think too much about the "now" you are quite likely to find the team with a very abysmal "later". Having said that, if ever there was a time to put more stock in the needs of the day, that time is now.

Labour Armageddon is now only two seasons away, and given the speed at which 18 year old enter the National Hockey League, the system and playing field may be entirely different by the time the 2002 draft class makes their mark.

Recently the Flames have been learning the hard knocks of the draft system in contract dealings with Jarret Stoll and Chuck Kobasew, meaning small market teams take their licks on the bottom end of the player market as well as the top.

Toss in the fact that the Flames have missed the playoffs for six straight seasons and it would be easy to understand a shift in thinking from the traditional build through the draft ideology.

Still when the weekend comes to a halt on late Sunday afternoon the Flames, like every other organization, will have carried out a draft strategy, encompassing today and tomorrow's needs.

If the Flames had their choice they'd likely move the pick, or trade down in order to shore up some holes on the squad's current roster.

The draft is considered weak by comparison to other years, therefore the chances of 9th overall pick jumping into the lineup sits somewhere between slim and none.

If the Flames could secure a roster ready player for the upcoming season they'd have to take a good long look at it.

The team is fairly set in goal though they need a capable backup for Roman Turek. On the blueline things are quite deep with Jordan Leopold hoping to step in for the departing Igor Kravchuk. The big holes lie in the forward rank where the Flames could use at least two and possibly three top six forwards.

Jarome Iginla, Craig Conroy and Dean McAmmond all set personal marks in goals, and points this past season and it's seems unlikely all three will be able to keep up the pace. Conversely, two of the team's other high end forwards; Marc Savard and Rob Niedermayer, had awful seasons and are quite likely to improve. No matter how the chips fall, the team needs more offence. Now!

Assuming NHL hockey is ever played again past 2004 the Flames will have some long-term holes to fill as they go along.

The team has a stable of interesting prospects in goal, but not a clear cut, blue chip player in the wings to take the reigns from Roman Turek down the road. Levente Szuper is making the largest strides with the Saint John Flames, but his unorthodox style may be a hindrance at the NHL level. The other two top prospects; Brent Krahn and Andrei Medvedev are both fighting physical limitations that may see their progress stopped or their careers ended.

The team is basically set on the blueline for the next decade. A stable that features a solid core of current Flames and a mix of emerging talent bode well for the future. A view into a crystal ball would see Robyn Regehr, Derek Morris, Denis Gauthier, Toni Lydman and Jordan Leopold all holding down a very solid fort. Unless of course one or more are traded, a possibility for this weekend.

Just like today, the future of the team's forwards can't hold a candle to the other areas on the depth chart. In Chuck Kobasew the Flames have a young, exciting scoring prospect, that is if they can ever get his name on a contract. Oleg Saprykin has signed a contract, but has done very little since, casting doubt on the abrasive young player's chances of ever making the grade. Recent draft picks like Andrei Taratukhin, Igor Shastin, Yuri Trubachev and Tomi Maki are intriguing but largely unknown to the North American audience. The Flames will have to focus much of their scouting and selecting on this area in the next few years to better balance out the future look of the Flames.

1. Jay Bouwmeester - Florida. The Panthers need forwards with size, but they can't pass up on the three time Canadian World Junior.

2. Kari Lehtonen - Atlanta. With Kovalchuk and Heatley in the fold, the Thrashers could be a powerhouse with the best goaltender to be drafted since Roberto Luongo. That is ... if they make the selection.

3. Rick Nash - Columbus. If they had their choice they'd likely select Lehtonen, but will be happy to take the third of three can't miss players.

4. Joffrey Lupul - Tampa Bay. Tampa will likely move this pick, but whoever selects four will have a tough time turning their back on natural scoring talent.

5. Joni Pitkanen - Pittsburgh. Given the current state of the Penguin blueline they may as well start from scratch with a top defensive prospect.

6. Pierre-Marc Bouchard - Nashville. Another team unlikely to make the call when their name comes up. Nashville's playoff or else promise to their fans should see the pick dealt, but if not look for them to take the ultra offensive Bouchard.

7. Scotty Upshall - Anaheim. The Ducks are very thin up front, and even thinner in the character department. They help to solve both issues with one pick.

8. Ryan Whitney - Minnesota. The steady as she goes Wild opt for the hulking American defender.

9. Eric Nystrom - Calgary. Button opts for a sure thing NHL player in a weak draft, nabbing some bloodlines in a large left wing prospect.

10.Peter Taticek - Florida. Having taken Bouwmeester with their pick, Dudley takes a risk on the enigmatic Czech forward.

Calgarypuck Predictions Team Selection Avg. DM MC AM RC Var. Jay Bouwmeester 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 Kari Lehtonen 2.5 2 2 2 4 0 Rick Nash 3.3 3 4 3 3 0 Joni Pitkanen 3.5 5 3 4 2 0 Joffrey Lupul 5.5 4 7 6 5 (1) Ryan Whitney 8.0 8 6 8 10 1 Pierre-Marc Bouchard 8.8 6 5 -- 9 (1) Scottie Upshall 9.5 7 9 7 -- 1 Jiri Hudler 11.5 -- -- 10 6 (2) Alexander Semin 11.8 -- -- 9 8 (3) Petr Taticek 10 -- -- 7 1 Anton Babchuk -- -- 5 -- 0 Eric Nystrom 9 -- -- 11 (3) Jeff Deslauriers -- 8 -- -- (1) Steve Eminger -- 10 -- -- 6 DM - D'Arcy McGrath MC - Marc Ciampa AM - Aaron McCracken RC - Rich Charlton Var. - Difference in spot between CP and Experts -Players not selected given a placement of 15th for averaging

With so many teams looking to move down in the draft or out of the first round altogether a logger head forms leaving most teams selecting with their own choices, much to the surprise of the fans. ... Craig Button makes two deals on draft weekend. First he moves Marc Savard to Buffalo for Chris Gratton, a move that takes some salary off the NHL run Sabres, and a problem out of Calgary. On Sunday he moves a fourth round pick to the Islanders for backup goaltender Garth Snow. ... Mike Milbury in a fit of panic once he realizes he is no longer the focal point of the draft jumps into action, moving the Islanders up into the top ten, likely grabbing the Predators pick, fifth overall. ... Kevin Lowe trades at least one of Todd Marchant, Mike Grier and Ethan Moreau before the dust settles, in an effort to make room for Jason Chimera. ... The Washington Capitals name Glan Hanlon their next Jagr victim ... er ... head coach. ... Flyer GM Bobby Clarke has to be physically restrained in each of the first three rounds when the Capitals parlay their Adam Oates spoils into two prospects and a deal for NHL ready talent.

We've been hearing it now for well over a month. The 2002 NHL Entry Draft is the weakest class in years.

However, this draft is still full of anticipation as the date Flames fans have had circled since early April is quickly approaching. Speaking specifically about Calgary's point of view, the team needs to make a number of moves this summer to ensure a higher finish next season.

The biggest question is what will the Flames do?

"We'll look at all the options," Button told the Calgary Sun earlier this week. "We'll look at trading up, trading down, trading it away ... whatever we feel is the best option for us."

The choice that is most intriguing to Flames fans is trading it away. In the franchise's 30-year history, they have only not drafted in the first round four times (1974, 1977, 1982, 1989) so why this year? This answer is because the team needs to win now. In a week this Flames team is going to look very different up front.

Short-Term Needs: Scoring up front. Relying on Conroy, McAmmond and Iginla to each repeat his career year is a cause for disaster. The team didn't score enough with those three firing on all cylinders and any sort of substantial decrease would see the team plummet down the standings. Unfortunately, drafting in the ninth position will not result in a player who can step in right away which is why Craig Button needs to consider other options.

Long-Term Needs: With no short-term help in sight, the team needs to look further ahead into the future to assess the draft. Once Leopold steps in next season, the team's prospect pool gets real thin on the blueline. The Flames are lacking in both the offensive Jordan Leopold type of rearguard as well as the bone crushing Denis Gauthier type. In goal the team is set with Medvedev, Krahn, Sabourin and Szuper all currently in the system but with Matt Underhill likely cast away, the Flames will almost assuredly use one of their picks on a netminder. Up front the Flames have an abundance of prospects—although most of them are not of the offensive variety. Scoring forwards are difficult to find in the best of drafts but the Flames will likely give it a shot and use a late pick on either a European or a project with potential. Look for them to play it safe up until the sixth round, however.

Strategy: If I could sum up Craig Button's strategy in one sentence, it would be Trade if you can. Button knows the team needs to improve substantially this offseason to make up the 15-point gap between themselves and the 8^th-seeded Vancouver Canucks. With all the league's general managers together in one building, there's a good chance a concerted effort could result in a deal in Calgary's favour. Not to mention, teams may be likely to overpay to scoop up that ninth pick if they really like a certain prospect.

The Flames will once again be among the biggest wheelers and dealers of the day. One of the "fab four" defencemen will be dealt, along with Marc Savard and the team will not pick in the first round. … Tampa Bay will also deal their first round pick. … Washington will trade at least one of its three picks. … Jarret Stoll will be taken early in the second round.

Will be picked shortly: Taticek, Hudler, Babchuk, Nystrom