Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - How hard is it to draft a blue-chip D-Man?

Bingo · 01-06-2015, 12:36 PM

I think you pretty much arrived at your answer ...

select a balance of players at all positions and how your surprises even out positionally.

Duhatchek pointed out recently that the "bust" seems to be less common in the last ten years that in previous draft regimes because the world has become smaller, scouting better, and ways to rank players more sophisticated.

So you see the 2013 and 2012 lists as pretty much spot on in order.

The biggest thing with dmen though is their time to become a stud is about twice as long as a forward, so too many teams give up on them and move them to other organizations

Look at Hedman, ... shame he got hurt this year because he was looking all world. Either way well worth the wait.

The Oilers are the poster boys for how bad things fall when you don't find players deeper in the draft, and defensemen are no different.

The Flames have Wotherspoon and Sieloff on the radar (2nd rounders), but also have Brodie, Rafikov, and Culkin from deeper in the draft.

01-06-2015, 12:36 PM	#7
Bingo Owner Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Calgary Exp:	I think you pretty much arrived at your answer ... select a balance of players at all positions and how your surprises even out positionally. Duhatchek pointed out recently that the "bust" seems to be less common in the last ten years that in previous draft regimes because the world has become smaller, scouting better, and ways to rank players more sophisticated. So you see the 2013 and 2012 lists as pretty much spot on in order. The biggest thing with dmen though is their time to become a stud is about twice as long as a forward, so too many teams give up on them and move them to other organizations Look at Hedman, ... shame he got hurt this year because he was looking all world. Either way well worth the wait. The Oilers are the poster boys for how bad things fall when you don't find players deeper in the draft, and defensemen are no different. The Flames have Wotherspoon and Sieloff on the radar (2nd rounders), but also have Brodie, Rafikov, and Culkin from deeper in the draft.