Quote:
Originally Posted by Psytic
I think the speed of Mckinnon and the CHL factor. He has higher offensive upside to imo. I like Barkov though because this team really could use someone that knows how to take care of their own end to go with the offense and has size.
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Barkov was always third until Drouin rose and now the top 3 seem to be in their own group. He's easy to like in many ways, including his personality, but I'd have mixed feelings if the Flames took him over MacKinnon.
I don't think anyone needs to go digging for dirt on Barkov - he's great but there's a couple of guys who are even better. Very much doubt that leadership and work ethic are on scouts' mind when they rank MacKinnon ahead of him. Pretty sure it's just about how confidently they can project offensive upside.
Barkov's focus on being a complete player at his age when he could easily play the part of a flashy youngster and fish for highlight plays says a lot about his mentality. And he succeeds in it. His coach isn't putting him out on the PK because he's a crowd-pleasing hotshot rookie. You don't throw a kid out there on a 5-on-3 in a playoff game because he's going to get drafted high next summer. It shows his willingness to learn and more importantly his ability to learn.
He's a guy who still spends time at outdoor rinks playing with kids. No need to question his head or try to make MacKinnon sound like the Terminator in order to draw a distinction between the two.