Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
...I don't see any of the players in this draft as being franchise players TBQH.
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This really depends upon how one chooses to define a "franchise" player; a term that is rather fluid and differs considerably from one observer to the next.
There have been suggestions that this will be one of the best drafts since 2003, and that there could be "franchise" level talent all the way into the middle of the first round—again, depending upon how one chooses to define it. When there are this many highly-sought-after draftees available, we should actually be quite surprised to see at least two or three "franchise" players emerge from the whole group.
As for Jones, his lack of physicality and "meanness" does not preclude him from being a franchise defensemen, since not all franchise defensemen are physical defensemen (Lidstrom and Niedermyer come to mind. Not that Jones will be anything like these to HoF defensemen, only the point that the "franchise" label does not conform to a precisely determined set of criteria). I think you should look a little more closely at the comparison made to Bouwmeester in the article you cited. Notice that the writers were also very careful to point out that Bouwmeester never reached his full potential, but that in no way presumes that Jones will suffer the same lower margin of success in the NHL. Further to the point, the two Johnsons' and their failure to meet their potential does not suggest that Jones will follow suit. It's a silly argument.