Quote:
Originally Posted by edslunch
I agree that most NHL ready is not the first criteria to consider and it is certainly possible to go too safe. But let's be honest, this is a very risky pick and IMO a team with so few prospects (then) shouldn't have made such a reach pick.
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I guess it all comes down to how everyone views Jankowski as a prospect (do people think he has that high of a ceiling? How big of a risk from busting?), what state the prospect base was at the time (could they support a possible bust, vs the need of adding a high-talent possible franchise type), vs how they view the competency of the Flames at the draft (historically atrocious, but was also one of the smallest scouting departments for years until the last 4 or 5).
I can understand why some feel he was a risk, and the Flames should have drafted a 'safer' pick (though anything can go wrong and safe picks bust too, or injuries derail them).
I myself see the risk as mitigated by having thoroughly scouted Jankowski (and literally Jankowski forcing 50+ scouts to every game in the second half of the season, when those games usually attract zero scouts total) I don't see him being a 'reach' pick since he was selected reasonably close to what people say 'consensus' was (though there is no board, most scouting resources had him anywhere from a late 1st to an early 2nd), and two other teams rumored to have had designs on drafting Jankowski after the Flames in the first.
I can, however, understand why people feel this way, after seeing someone like Maatta in the NHL and performing well. We will all just have to wait and see I guess.