Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteMoss
I prefer not to take goalies until the 3rd round or later. Just not sure there's a ton of benefit to taking one earlier since they end up having a long development curve.
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I tend to agree. Goalies like Murray and Gillies can be found in the 3rd round and they are both the top prospects in their organizations.
But if not goalies, which position is the best for second round picks? Not of a lot of forwards taken in the second round will ever have the offensive potential to be top 6 forwards. There are exceptions, like Saad and Kucherov. A chance for a bottom 6 forward doesn't seem to be worth a second round pick. Bottom 6 forwards are relatively easy to get.
There are quite a few second liners that were drafted in the second round, but again, are second liners worth a high second round pick? Usually yes, but it is important to remember than second liners are fairly easy to obtain through trade, development, or free agency. There's a fairly sizeable difference between a 55 point second liner and a 35 point second liner.
In my opinion, the best type of prospects to take in the second round are skilled forwards with second line potential, and defenseman. A lot of blue chip defense prospects are former second rounders.
If the flames took 1 forward and 2 defensemen with their 3 second round picks, I think would be pretty good draft management in terms of positions. I realize that drafting based on need is not optimal, but the value of 2nd round picks seems to be obtained on defensemen and skilled forwards.