not sure if Fata, but I just found this:
Quote:
Maybe it's reading into something that isn't there at this point, but when discussing Murray and his current standing on the Central Scouting rankings (he's second) Lowe called him the top player.
“He's played remarkably well for a young fellow and I've talked to the other GMs and scouts that are here [at the World Championships] and they all agree that he's going to play in the National Hockey League next year, no question," Lowe said.
”There's no surprise why Central Scouting has him rated second. He's the top player. And often with the top players, or occasionally with the top players, they're not ready to play in the National Hockey League, but I don't question his readiness for next year.”
Again, maybe it's nothing, but when the president of the team that owns the top pick in the draft calls a prospect "the top player" it might be worth paying attention to. Especially when it goes against the consensus. There's been a lot of speculation as to what Edmonton should do with the top pick due to Yakupov not really fitting a "need" for the Oilers.
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http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-...top-player/rss
that was about six weeks ahead of the draft. So the scouts wanted Murray, apparently Lowe wanted Murray too ... must have been either Katz or Tambellini who made the Yakupov decision. Or even some influence by MacTavish, who, if I remember correctly, joined the Oilers just a couple weeks prior to the draft as some sort of advisor.