Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
Well it's not like every scouting service has Bennett #1. Only Redline and CSS do.
ISS has Reinhart #1, Bennett #4. FC has Reinhart #2, Bennett #3. Bob Mackenzie has Reinhart #2, Bennett #3. Craig Button has Reinhart #1, Bennett #3.
So out of the rankings I look at Reinhart is favoured by more.
It's such a toss up that it could go any way. All 3 centres are fairly close. Any teams that have hockey sense as their #1 attribute would take Reinhart. Any teams looking for size will probably favour Draisaitl. Any teams that highly value competitiveness, grit and skating will probably favour Bennett. The centres are so close that teams may look at the makeup of their roster in tiebreaking.
What will Buffalo do? That's the real question. I think they do value the competitiveness of Bennett but a lot of scouts just like Reinhart slightly better and BUF might as well. BUF may have seen more of Bennett than Reinhart/Draisaitl, could that factor in? EDM needs size and needs someone who can help earlier plus tons of rumours that they like Draisaitl so he makes a ton of sense there. Plus they've likely seen more of Draisaitl/Reinhart with them watching the Oil Kings all the time and being based in a WHL city.
It's really easy to see any of Reinhart, Bennett and Draisaitl falling to us in certain scenarios. I personally think Draisaitl might be the least likely to fall to us. I think the Flames might rank Bennett highest of the 3 because of our emphasis on grit, competitiveness, work ethic and skating. Not every team may see it that way.
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Certainly, I'd be happy if we got Bennett. However, I just don't expect him to be available at the #4 spot.
As I understand them the talking heads seem to be saying the three centers are all fairly close (all are good playmakers, have good hockey sense, good teammates, etc.), but what significantly distinguishes Bennett from the other two is his competitiveness and drive. Each of Buff, Edm, and Cgy desperately need this in spades, so why wouldn't one of the teams above us draft him if available?
It would be different if Reinhart's hockey IQ was incomparable or Draisatl was impossibly larger, because then predicting picks would simply be a valuation of distinguishable traits. But if the players are "fairly close" and play the same position, wouldn't the gritty, win-at-all costs guy be taken first if it's a trait all three teams need?
All speculation of course and anything can happen. I would be thrilled with any of the three so I'm going to be a happy camper either way!
