Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierre "Monster" McGuire
I was able to catch that small report on Brandon Gaunce on TSN last night. According to many of the rankings and mock drafts, he should be landing in the 12-15 range. I wouldn't mind at all if Feaster and co. drafted him. Seems like a real team guy and is big and physical. We need a big centerman who can score in the Flames system.
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Honestly, he really doesn't strike me as "high end skills" type of guy. It's great that he's got size and character and intangibles but these are qualities that you can trade for cheaply. To me Gaunce sounds an awful lot like a Nemiecz, which I guess is fine, if you are drafting in the bottom half of the first round, but if you are in the top half, I think you have to go with the most skilled guy available.
The Flames' problem over the years is that they have gone too often to the prospect with "character and intangibles" and really they should just be looking at skill. If a high skill guy has character and intangibles as well, ala Bartschi, then perfect.
Emphasis should be on skill, always. That's the most valuable currency in the trade market. You can usually a trade top 6 skilled guy for 2 bottom six "character" guys.