Quote:
Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf
I have pointed this out before but I don't know how the Flames can pass on MacKinnon (or Barkov) for Jones or Drouin
Crosby (1st)
Stamkos (1st)
Tavares (1st)
Staal (2nd)
Malkin (2nd)
Sedin (3rd)
Toews (3rd)
Backstrom (4th)
Getzlaf (19th)
Giroux (22nd)
Datsyuk (171st)
Those are the top 10 scoring centers in the league (plus Malkin) and their draft position
arguably the 11 best centers in the league as well (Kopitar probably being the biggest omission)
Center is not the place where "Elite" gems fall through, sure you can get good 2nd line centers later on, or you may hit the jackpot with a Datsyuk in round 6 or 7
but generally the elite centers are gone by the 5th pick in the draft
the elite d men are not, it seems to be a harder position to scout
from a Canucks perspective, I hope the Flames end up with Drouin, wingers seem to be one of the easiest position to find top end guys later in the draft, through trade, or through FA
The guy I don't want to see with the Flames (or the Avs) is MacKinnon
no one gives up on top line centers easily, they will overpay to keep them so you need to draft them, everyone on that list I posted above is still with their original team, and have contracts to keep them that way through their prime
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I Agree with your logic completely, your list shows the best centers in the league are usually a top 3 pick with the exception usally being a 15 - 60 pick.
Currently the best D in the leauge
Subban43Chara56Karalsson15Doughty2Keith54Weber49Suter7Pietrangelo4Gonchar14Letang62OEL6
My list may be a little differnt than some, but make your own and the trend stands, the majority of them are 15 - 60 picks that improved allot in the two years after being drafted. The rare exceptions are the top 3 picks.
I'm not sure what numbers on this are, but I think alot of the top wingers in the league are guys who were drafted as Centermen in the mid first round and converted to wing. Not a list of the best current guys but off the top of my head, Iginla, Tanguay, Cammaleri, Pavelski, Marleau, Sharp, all have been/are 1st line wingers that were listed as centers in their draft years.
And Goalies take so long to develope you don't know what your getting until years after the draft.
For that reason, If we can I would take
Cgy 1st: MacKinnon
Stl 1st: Big, Strong Skating, Center Like Gauthier
Pit 1st: Big D-man, I don't know enough about the group to say which one. Morin looks interesting at 6'7'', but beening ranked so low for a guy that size, the scouts probably know something. (although they were obviously all wrong with Chara).