Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
BPA isn't (or shouldn't be) the player who is best at the time, BPA is who you think will become the best player.
This is such a silly argument: 'we couldn't afford the risk of a project'.
Drafting isn't about who will be the first player to make the NHL, it's about developing the best NHLers.
Risk isn't a 'time' thing, risk (IMO) refers to likelihood of busting. Strome is a risky pick. Russians are risky.
Jankowski wasn't risky because he actually has a very strong and complete set of tools. He is big (or will be when he fills out), he can skate, he has hands, he has a high hockey IQ, he is good at draws.
A guy like that isn't risky, as the chances of him making the NHL are actually pretty good.
What he was was a project, simply because getting him to NHL-ready was going to take time.
The draft - especially first round picks - isn't about filling holes in next year's lineup. It's about acquiring and developing players for the future.
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To add to this, teams that try to pick an 18 yr old to fill a hole in the next season are the ones that typically reach. Plugging holes in a roster from the draft for the up and coming season works in the NFL not the NHL.