panoo

By Dan Galvin
ESPN The Magazine
May 25, 2007, 7:20 PM ET

In June, you'd think the NHL's toughest battles play out on the ice as the final two clubs fight it out for the Stanley Cup. In reality, some of the most intense action takes place in war rooms across North America as 30 teams prepare to draft 18-year-olds you've never heard of.

Yes, on June 22, NHL suits will be gambling on kids from Okotoks (Canada), Omsk (Russia) and Okene (Nigeria). And finding the next Alexander Ovechkin in such far-flung locales isn't easy.

"I'm not home very often," says Keith Gretzky, Wayne's younger brother and the director of scouting for the Coyotes, who have the third pick in this year's crapshoot. (The Blackhawks pick first.)

But landing the next NHL superstar is worth every bumped flight. Which is why, between now and the draft, scouts and GMs are on the clock to roll a seven -- and earn some serious job security.

Five players to watch

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