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Originally Posted by Parallex
So your saying that 61% were found outside of the first two rounds.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SinceDay1
Fair enough. I should have looked at that more closely. I think it's fair to say that 1/3 of NHL teams have starting goaltenders chosen in the first round.
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Goalie drafting is tougher than forwards, but you can get talent early. The key thing to watch over the next few years is how this trend changes/stays the same, with better scouting and development.
Anyway, back to Smith. You take a guy like that in the 2nd round as he is a tough to find player - his size is not common in the NHL, especially for a forward, and if he has the ability to check and score garbage goals, he is a useful commodity.
Outside of the 1st round, teams become more split on who is the BPA, as some teams look for physical gifts, hockey IQ, skating, etc. But all players beyond the elite group have some warts - it is about going with who your scouts think have potential and seeing if those warts will go away with development or can be coached away.
I think he is a good pick, as he has potential to fill a unique role. If he busts, he busts, that is why the team picks multiple players, to try to unearth good NHL players