Quote:
Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe
Teams should never pick who they think is the most NHL ready prospect. That should be the least of their concerns. The most pressing need is to make each pick count, and have choose the best player available at each selection - which means who they think will become the best player down the line.
Flames intensively scouted Jankowski. He doesn't have the normal holes in his games where one expects such as size, skating ability or other apparent weakness. It was a matter of projection and thorough scouting based on his entire history. Flames scouted him enough to satisfy their questions around him. They feel he can project to be a #1 center (Weisbrod compared him to Nieuwendyk).
Why would the Flames have needed someone to step in and contribute right away? Were they 1 prospect away from challenging for the cup? No, they were on the precipice of being forced to rebuild. In hindsight, and from that standpoint, drafting a prospect who they feel has the highest upside left at 14 makes absolutely the most sense. They can afford to be patient. Flames will not be competing for a few years, right? Seems like just the right amount of time to allow a project to develop and see what they have in him.
If he never gets there, then the Flames wasted that pick. If he does, this was an awesome pick. Time will tell which side is proven right. However, making a pick just because he can step into the NHL right away (or asap) is always the wrong approach. Especially for a team like Calgary that was MANY players short of competing for the cup.
Pelech and Nemisz strike me as guys that were both 'closer' to making the NHL than other picks. Injuries derailed Pelech somewhat (part of the argument why he just never developed) and Nemisz doesn't ever look like a guy that will really make a big impact even if he does make the team. Jankowski has the size they both do (height, not frame) but has the skills none of them have. Either way, you don't see Pelech or Nemisz playing in the NHL right now (and I really believe Nemisz will be an everyday NHL'er, though a lower-line support player).
Give me the home-run 1st line talent player every time. Just back it up with reasonable scouting (which the Flames I think did).
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I agree that most NHL ready is not the first criteria to consider and it is certainly possible to go too safe. But let's be honest, this is a very risky pick and IMO a team with so few prospects (then) shouldn't have made such a reach pick.