Western conference. (NHL).

Central Division

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Needed: With Tony Amonte a free agent, the Blackhawks needed to draft size up front to help make room for the skilled Europeans who are projected to make the team in the next few years. The defensive corps also needed a puck mover.

Got: D Anton Babchuk's biggest asset is his size (6-4, 194). He has a good work ethic and will make an average NHL defenseman. Small (6-0, 168) D Duncan Keith was taken in the second round, but he wasn't what the club needed.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Needed: The Jackets have G Pascal Leclaire and D Rostislav Klesla, so they should be set at two key spots for a while. That means scoring was a huge need and should have been addressed with at least one of the club's picks in the first three rounds.

Got: By trading for the No. 1 overall pick and giving up very little in the short term, the Blue Jackets were able to gobble up Rick Nash, the power forward they desperately needed. Some say Nash has a bigger upside than No. 1-ranked Jay Bouwmeester. Next year's pick will tell the tale of whether the Blue Jackets made a good deal.

DETROIT RED WINGS Needed: This team will evolve through the summer as key players decide upon their futures, so any kind of youth was important. The Wings had one pick in the first three rounds, so there wasn't much help on the way for the aging defense.

Got: Without a pick until late in the second round, the Wings weren't hoping for any short-term solutions. Their first pick was C Jiri Hudler, the No. 3-ranked European who slipped several positions, mostly because of his size (5-9, 176).