Junior hockey has a lot of top NHL prospects, whereas minor league hockey has a lot of minor league players, and some young players who might work their way up to NHL. Kinda like the defference between NCAA basketball and the CBA or IBL. I don't really go to Winterhawks games these days, but I'd prefer the WHL to ECHL or AHL.
Here is a list of the 2008 NHL draft first round, almost all are from junior hockey (OHL, WHL).
1. Tampa Bay Lightning - Steven Stamkos, center
(Sarnia, OHL)
2. Los Angeles Kings - Drew Doughty, defenseman
(Guelph, OHL)
3. Atlanta Thrashers - Zach Bogosian, defenseman
(Peterborough, OHL)
4. St. Louis Blues - Alex Pietrangelo, defenseman
(Niagara, OHL)
5. Toronto Maple Leafs (from NY Islanders) - Luke Schenn, defenseman
(Kelowna, WHL)
6. Columbus Blue Jackets - Nikita Filatov, left wing
(Moscow CSKA, Russia Div. 2)
7. Nashville Predators (from NY Islanders/Toronto) - Colin Wilson, center
(Boston Univ, NCAA)
8. Phoenix Coyotes - Mikkel Boedker, left wing
(Kitchener, OHL)
9. New York Islanders (from Nashville/Florida) - Joshua Bailey, center
(Windsor, OHL)
10. Vancouver Canucks - Cody Hodgson, center
(Brampton, OHL)
11. Chicago Blackhawks - Kyle Beach, center
(Everett, WHL)
12. Buffalo Sabres (from Los Angeles/Anaheim/Edmonton) - Tyler Myers, defenseman
(Kelowna, WHL)
13. Los Angeles Kings (from Buffalo) - Colten Teubert, defenseman
(Regina, WHL)
14. Carolina Hurricanes - Zach Boychuk, center
(Lethbridge, WHL)
15. Ottawa Senators (from Nashville) - Erik Karlsson, defenseman
(Frolunda, Sweden Jnr)
16. Boston Bruins - Joe Colborne, left wing
(Camrose, Alberta Jnr)
17. Anaheim Ducks (from Calgary) - Jake Gardiner, defenseman
(Minnetonka, U.S. high school)
18. Nashville Predators (from Ottawa) - Chet Pickard, goaltender
(Tri City, WHL)
19. Philadelphia Flyers (from Columbus/Colorado) - Luca Sbisa, defenseman
(Lethbridge, WHL)
20. NY Rangers - Michael del Zotto, defenseman
(Oshawa, OHL)
21. Washington Capitals (from New Jersey) - Anton Gustafsson, center
(Frolunda, Swe Jr)
22. Edmonton Oilers (from Anaheim) - Jordan Eberle
(Regina, WHL)
23. Minnesota Wild (from New Jersey/Washington) - Tyler Cuma, defenseman
(Ottawa, OHL)
24. New Jersey Devils (from Minnesota) - Mattias Tedenby, left wing
(HV-71, Sweden Jnr)
25. Calgary Flames (from Montreal) - Greg Nemisz, center
(Windsor, OHL)
26. Buffalo (from San Jose) - Tyler Ennis, center
(Medecine Hat, WHL)
27: Washington Capitals (from Philadelphia) - John Carlson, defenseman
(Indiana, USHL)
28: Phoenix Coyotes (from Anaheim) - Viktor Tokhonov, right wing
(Severstal, Russia Superliga)
29. Atlanta Thrashers (from Pittsburgh) - Daulton Leveille, center
(St. Catharines, Ontario Jnr B)
30. Detroit Red Wings - Thomas McCollum, goaltender
(Guelph, OHL)
