ALAMEDA, Calif. New York Mets Pro Shop . - For a general manager who preaches building through the draft, Reggie McKenzie has struggled to find impact players his first two years in Oakland. With all of his picks on the first two days for the first time in three drafts with the Raiders, McKenzie is looking to add players who can be part of the foundation of the rebuilding project in Oakland. "Its my goal and the Raiders goal to hit on my picks, and to be right in everything we do," he said. "This year, Im more excited. I cant call it pressure. Im more excited because of the foundation that weve built this off-season." The Raiders enter the draft with the fifth overall pick and also have choices near the top of the second, third and fourth rounds. Oakland has traded its fifth- and sixth-round picks away but does have three selections in the seventh round. The Raiders didnt pick until 95th overall in 2012 because of previous deals. But McKenzie was unable to find any hidden gems as none of the six players selected started a single game last season. Oakland had premium picks a year ago, but first-round cornerback D.J. Hayden was hampered as he recovered from heart surgery and struggled in his limited playing time. Second-round offensive lineman Menelik Watson barely made it on the field because of injuries. "I want to get it right every year, with every pick," McKenzie said. "Will you be 100 per cent right? Absolutely not." Here are five things to watch with the Raiders when the draft starts Thursday night: QUARTERBACK QUANDARY: The Raiders entered the off-season in need of finding a starting quarterback. After trading a sixth-round pick for Matt Schaub in March, McKenzie no longer needs to fill that hole through the draft. "Thats still a position that well look at, but I think what it does is, you dont feel that pressure that you have to go out there and try and draft a quarterback," coach Dennis Allen said. "You kind of let everything fall to you now." WIN NOW: The Raiders have spent the first two years under the leadership of McKenzie and Allen tearing down the franchise after years of poor management under late owner Al Davis. Now they are in the rebuild mode, but owner Mark Davis is losing patience after consecutive four-win seasons. McKenzie said that does not put pressure on him to find players who can contribute immediately. "You draft for the future," McKenzie said. "You dont draft for right now. Thats not the way I do it." GOING DEEP: One of the deepest positions in this draft is receiver, where more than a dozen players are projected to go in the first three rounds. Even after adding veteran James Jones in free agency, the Raiders could look for a playmaker in the draft. Clemsons Sammy Watkins is considered the best of the group, but the Raiders also could wait to get a quality receiver in the second or third round. "If I feel like this guy is an impact player, Im not going to bypass him just because theres some other good, solid receivers," McKenzie said. "When youre comparing great to good, Id rather have great." DRAFT DEALINGS: McKenzie has not been shy about making draft-day trades. He has moved down in the draft four times in his first two years to add additional picks, including dropping nine spots in the first round last year to take Hayden 12th overall and add the pick for Watson in the second round. "Thats what makes it fun — the uncertainty," he said. "But I cannot plan that at all. I can just be hardheaded and stubborn and say, Im not moving. But thats not my style." UNDRAFTED GEMS: A GMs work is not done once Mr. Irrelevant is picked. McKenzie has done a good job finding some gems in the undrafted free agent market with receiver Rod Streater, quarterback Matt McGloin, punter Marquette King and offensive lineman Lucas Nix all making contributions the past two years after joining Oakland as undrafted free agents. Stitched Mets Jerseys .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. New York Mets Store . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ . The Wild, playing their first game since leading scorer Mikko Koivu broke his ankle Saturday at Washington, have won three straight for the first time since Nov. 1-5. Koivu underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss at least four weeks.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Calgary Flames are spoilers once again. With losses in three straight and seven of their last 10 games, the Nashville Predators have seriously damaged their already slim playoff chances. The Predators hope to boost their fading postseason hopes when they visit the Flames for Fridays clash at the Saddledome. Calgary is one of only two teams behind the Predators in the Western Conference standings. With only 12 games left in its regular-season schedule, Nashville is 11 points behind Phoenix for the last wild card berth in the West. The Flames, who trail Nashville by five points in the standings, can win the season series against the Preds on Friday. Nashville earned a 4-2 home win on Jan. 14, but Calgary responded 10 days later with a 5-4 shootout victory at the Saddledome. Nashville has won six of nine in the series overall, but the Flames have claimed three straight and five of the last six encounters in Calgary. Although the Flames are headed for a fifth straight year out of the playoffs, the club has played solid hockey of late, picking up their third win in four games with Tuesdays home victory over Buffalo. Mike Cammalleri and Paul Byron scored in the third period to help the Flames earn the 3-1 decision, while Calgarys Joni Ortio, in his eighth NHL start, outdueled Buffalos Nathan Lieuwen. Ortio gave up one goal on four shots in the first period -- Drew Staffords wraparound after a Calgary turnover behind the net -- and only needed to record 13 saves for the win. Joe Colborne scored the other goal for the Flames in the second period. "The boys regrouped between the first and second and we skated so much better. We saw our team working and making great plays," Flames head coach Bob Hartley said. The win pushed Calgarys record on home ice this season to 16-16-3. The Flames will visit Edmonton on Saturday before returning to the Saddledome for a thrree-game homestand against San Jose, Anaheim and the New York Rangers. Mets Jerseys China. With an average of 2.34 goals per game, the Predators offence has been a sore spot for the club all season long. The problem has been magnified of late, as Nashville has been held to one goal or less in seven of its past 10 games. The Preds have notched a total of two goals during their current three-game slide and the club was shut out Wednesday night in Vancouver, dropping a 2-0 decision against the Canucks. That setback came one day after Nashville opened a four-game road trip with a 5-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, the bottom team in the Western Conference. Rookie goaltender Eddie Lack of the Canucks made 30 saves to frustrate the Predators on Wednesday. Nashville failed to score despite having four power- play opportunities, including two in the third period. Carter Hutton turned aside 20-of-22 shots for the Predators to take a tough- luck loss. "Weve got to get some goals for our goaltender," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "Carter Hutton had a good game for us. We need some production from our forwards. Weve got virtually zero. If our defense arent scoring, were not scoring it seems like." Nashville lost forward Paul Gaustad to an upper-body injury on Wednesday and he expects to miss tonights contest. Gaustad has nine goals and seven assists in 70 games this season. The Preds recalled Calle Jarnkrok from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL and the forward is set to make his NHL debut on Friday. Jarnkrok was acquired from Detroit before the trade deadline in the deal that sent David Legwand to the Red Wings. The 22-year-old Swede has compiled 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists) in 62 total AHL games with Milwaukee and the Grand Rapids Griffins this season. Nashville, which will complete its current swing this Sunday in Chicago, is 14-14-6 as the road team this season. ' ' '