Hockey fans who expect entry-draft picks to produce immediate results are following the wrong sport. Be patient. NHL draftees are much younger than their NFL counterparts, and the final grade for any draft class can't be posted for several years. (Case in point: Carolina's Jeff O'Neill -- fifth overall in 1994 -- didn't blossom into a big-time player until 1999-00). Say hello to the skaters we think will go in the top eight in this year's entry draft in Toronto, June 22-23. But don't expect to greet most of them again for a good while.

1. Florida -- JAY BOUWMEESTER, D (Medicine Hat, WHL). Scouts zeroed in on him when he was 15. At 6'4", 206, he's a rare package of size and skill. Can be a franchise D. But he's a quiet kid, and some scouts wonder if he really wants stardom. Caution: disappointing in international competition.

2. Atlanta -- RICK NASH, LW (London, OHL). Wowed scouts at the Under-18 tournament last summer. At 6'3", 188, he can play power or finesse. Some feel he's got a higher ceiling than Bouwmeester. But the Thrashers already have talented young forwards in Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley. They might trade the pick for an established player.

3. Columbus -- JONI PITKANEN, D (Karpat, Finland). Smooth skater glides like a young Nicklas Lidstrom. Played lights out for Team Finland at the World Junior Championships last winter. He'll fit nicely alongside Rostislav Klesla, Columbus' first-ever selection (fourth overall) in the 2000 entry draft. MJ alert: Pitkanen sticks out his tongue during games.

4. Tampa Bay -- KARI LEHTONEN, G (Jokerit, Finland). The tall, lean Finn (6'3", 189) is the top-rated goaltender in this draft. He rounds out a group of four (with Bouwmeester, Nash and Pitkanen) who stand above the rest of their class. Lehtonen uses a hybrid butterfly style but, because of his size, he can still cover the top part of the net with his upper torso. Impressed scouts with his poise in major international competitions.

5. Pittsburgh -- RYAN WHITNEY, D (Boston U., Hockey East). The big defenseman (6'3", 200) enjoyed a strong freshman year at BU. Like Bouwmeester and Pitkanen, Whitney is an effective offensive player. Hockey teams need quality defensemen like baseball teams need top pitching. Good building block for the Penguins.

6. Nashville -- JOFFREY LUPUL, RW (Medicine Hat, WHL). Offensively challenged Predators hope this goal-scoring wing is still available when they step to the podium. Lupul, a junior teammate of Bouwmeester's, posted a WHL-best 56 goals and ranked second in scoring with 106 points. Scouts say Lupul possesses a quick first stride and excellent hockey sense.

7. Anaheim -- PETR TATICEK, C (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL). New GM Bryan Murray likely will settle on Taticek, who's viewed by many scouts as the smartest player in the draft. True, Einstein never won a Stanley Cup. But the 6'2", 188-pound, Czech-born pivot impressed junior coach Craig Hartsburg not only with his ice smarts but with his skills and his ability to fit in during his first season in tough North American hockey.

8. Minnesota -- STEVE EMINGER, D (Kitchener, OHL). A solid all-around defender with good offensive tools. Totaled 59 points in 65 games for Kitchener. If the Wild don't share our take on Eminger, look for them to go for Chicoutimi G Jeff Deslauriers.

This article appears in the June 24 issue of ESPN The Magazine.