For every kid who plays hockey and has aspirations to play in the NHL, Christmas, is really in June. For all the early morning practices, the decision (for many) to leave home to play junior hockey, or for the European kids, to leave Europe to play North American junior hockey, the big day they've all worked for is Friday and Saturday, June 26, and 27th.

The stories are legend of families who have sacrificed for their child's opportunity to play at a high level for that chance to play professional hockey. All of those sacrifices will come to fruition for many kids, and for others, the dream may be delayed or derailed.

For many a hockey junkie, this is the 'best time of the year' not related to the actual playing season. This is the time where teams are made; lots of wheeling and dealing on the draft floor, lots of potential for teams to move up or move down to get the player(s) they want and to shore up their entire lineup.

The consensus among those in the know, is that this is a deep draft. Some have even dared to say that this draft is as deep as the now legendary 2003 draft, which saw teams draft the likes of Marc-Andre Fleury, Zach Parise, Mike Richards, Thomas Vanek, Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and of course our own Eric Staal. The Islanders, Tampa Bay and Colorado are picking 1,2,3. Nobody knows who NYI is selecting, even at this late date. At one point, the obvious pick was the phenom, John Tavares, who petitioned the Ontario Hockey League to allow him to play in the OHL as an under ager at 15;Hedman the big Swede flew under the radar and then gained steam, as did young Matt Duschene who is seen as a complete player at this early stage. The intrigue is fantastic for fans.

There are lots of pickings in this draft, even for our Hurricanes, who will pick at #27, the names that have been linked to the Canes pick, including the son of former NHLer and teammate of Ron Francis, Ray Ferraro's son Landon. Young Ferraro has some of his dad's edge, and was ranked by Central Scouting as one of the best North American skaters. Two other's to watch for, Kyle Palmeri from the US National Development Program, and the kid the Canes apparently have strong eyes on, Ashton Carter, a Western Canadian kid, who just so happened to play for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and played with Zach Boychuk, the Canes #1 pick in 2008. Ashton brings size, and that intangible grit to the table, and from the looks of the scouting reports, he'd be a player for the Canes.

So the big day is really only the beginning. Much will be talked about, the rumors have already started, the intrigue increases, and then the names get called. For all of us who were witness to the unbelieveable draft held here in Raleigh in 2004, and the chills that everyone got in the RBC Ctr when the trade was made by Jim Rutherford to move up to select Andrew Ladd 4th overall, there is nothing like seeing a kid and his family realize the dream.

No doubt that will happen Montreal on Friday night, and all of us draft geeks will enjoy every minute.