Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Yakupov was ranked #1 on most draft lists (according to the reports McKenzie and others provide). We can sneer at Edmonton now for the pick, but there's no reason to believe the other teams who could have picked 1st overall wouldn't have taken Yakupov too. He was the BPA. And he was also the wrong player for Edmonton to take.
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Actually there's lot of reasons.
Article 1: Leafs Behind the Scenes Draft Video. Burke whispers to Bettman they had Morgan Rielly rated #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-hErRQleag
Article 2: Newspaper Article on the Draft. I believe Tod Button is quoted as saying they had Galchenyuk rated #1. Not sure where to find it archived.
Article 3: Strong rumblings from EDM that their scouts liked Murray best and two of their higher ups like G. Reinhart best.
I think the reason is people think Yakupov was a consensus #1 is because two of the best prospects that year in Rielly and Galchenyuk missed almost the entire season. Not every team is going to let Bob Mackenzie know that he should have those guys ahead of Yakupov, because they are trying to get those guys later.
I'd be shocked if more than half the teams in the league would've taken Yakupov #1. Wouldn't surprise me if it was significantly less than half.
There was no consensus #1 that year, I don't care what the rankings say. The teams quite clearly did not believe in a consensus #1 and that is reflected in what's come out since that draft. Basically all the behinds the scenes stuff after that draft indicates Yakupov was not a consensus #1.