DRAFT PREVIEW

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WHAT: 2009 NHL Draft

WHEN: First round is Friday with rounds two through seven Saturday

WHERE: Bell Centre in Montreal

TV: TSN and Versus will show Friday's first round starting at 7 p.m. The NHL Network will carry rounds two through seven Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

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LaSalle's Zack Kassian doesn't like the waiting game.

For nearly a year NHL scouts have talked about the hulking winger for the Peterborough Petes being a first-round prospect.

Friday, the Windsor Minor Hockey Association grad will see how that plays out when the first round of the NHL Draft is held at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

"I don't have a clue (what's going to happen) and that's what's killing me," the six-foot-three, 210-pound Kassian said.

His Petes were eliminated from the OHL playoffs nearly three months ago and that's left Kassian with plenty of time on his hands.

"You start to question yourself if there was something more you could have done to help (your ranking)," Kassian said.

He's managed to keep himself busy by doing interviews with 27 NHL clubs with another planned Thursday in Montreal with the Dallas Stars.

"It's actually keeping my mind off the draft," Kassian said. "If I was sitting here by myself, I think I'd go crazy."

The buzz started around Kassian back in January when his open-ice hit on John Tavares knocked the potential first overall pick of this year's draft out of the CHL Top Prospects game in Oshawa.

"I've still heard about that (hit) now and then, but I'm more than that single hit," Kassian said. "NHL teams have seen me."

Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill is one person who likes what he sees in Kassian, but knows his club isn't likely to have a shot at him with the 29th pick in the first round.

"He's along the Milan Lucic line," Nill said of the Boston Bruins' forward. "A power forward with good hands who'll fight anyone."

Ranked 24th among North American skaters in the mid-term rankings, Kassian saw his stock continue to rise and he finished 10th in the final rankings.

"He'll go in the top half of the first round," Nill said. "He has good hockey sense and handles the puck well."

Recently invited to this summer's Canadian national junior team camp, Kassian showed a scoring touch as well as toughness with the Petes this season.

In 61 games, he finished with 24 goals and 63 points along with 136 penalty minutes.

"I love that comparison," the 18-year-old Kassian said of the reference to Lucic.

"My first year, I fought and didn't get many points, but this year I can put up points and still be tough and an all-around player."

Kassian will have an entourage of 10 family members at Friday's draft and knows the final minutes will be the hardest.

"People are saying top 15 and I hope that happens," Kassian said. "I'm just hoping as early as possible.

"I've watched the draft the last three years and to be in the first round would be unbelievable.

I think it's something every kid has thought about."

jparker@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5784