Quote:
Originally Posted by Dagger
Do you have the figures on that? And what makes you say player development wasn't a problem? I count Brodie, Moss, Leopold, Phaneuf, Prust, Nystrom, Lombardi and Backlund as players that the Flames have drafted or acquired as a prospect(Leopold) that have become established NHLers since 2001. Nystrom was a bust for his top 10 status, and Phaneuf was found in a draft you couldn't miss in. Moss, Brodie and Lombardi were good finds and properly developed...but that's it.
I'd argue that Giordano's development isn't completely Calgary's to take credit for. He was a great signing for an undrafted free agent as he took himself all the way to fringe NHL player level...but it was only after he went to Russia because he wouldn't accept a 2 way deal(which we can say is how the Flames valued him at the time) that he really took off. What happens if he doesn't go to Russia? To me it comes down to this: does he reach his(now known) potential staying with the Flames his whole career? I say no, and player development by definition is about squeezing every ounce of productivity out of a player and the Flames had tapped some but not all and therefore do not deserve full credit.
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Firslty your list only includes draft years 2002 to 2008, which is 7years. So we have 8 players drafted and developed across 7 years. I wouldn't rule out Bouma yet, and yes Giordano counts. So that's 10 players in 7 years, which is solid.
Anything 2009 and later is still too early to tell.
Your logic that the Flames couldn't miss with Phaneuf is perplexing. When the Flames screw up a pick, it's totally there fault. When they hit one, it's because they "couldn't miss". Also, the Flames could most certainly have missed in 2003. Zherdev, Kostitsyn, Steve Bernier, Nilsson, and Jessiman all ended up as misses.