Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
I read all the scouting reports and realize that Drouin may have had the best hands in the draft but he's one of those guys that really rose quickly last season and wasn't picked apart like guys like Jones and MacKinnan that were top prospects before their draft season and have been watched closely for a longer period. At the end of the day I feel more confident that Jones could be the best player out of that draft than Druin as he's already logging big minutes in the NHL which is incredibly impressive as it's much harder for a defenseman to break in than a forward and as we've seen with Sven that gifted small players can take a while to hit their stride in the NHL and some never do.
|
Playing early in the NHL is highly dependent on how young the player develops into a man.
Jones has NHL size and strength - great. But it's not like he is going to be a whole bunch bigger 4 years from now. Stronger, yes, but not a lot bigger. Jones is similar to Phaneuf in that regard (being a man at a young age - yes Jones is a much better player)
Drouin is not physically ready for the NHL. That's fine, in 3 years or so he will be a man.
Once they are on a level playing field for the rest of their careers, that's when we can see who's better.
Personally, I don't care who matures first. I think guys like Barkov get over-rated somewhat because they are able to dominate because of their size. That size advantage will not always be there.
Not saying Jones (or Barkov) isn't a great player, they are. Just saying, let's wait until everyone catches up physically before we anoint anyone as best player in the draft.