Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
But we're aren't necessarily talking about top of the roster players, are we? Blue chip, high draft picks usually make the NHL early. They also tend to be the guys who fill up the top of the roster.
But the depth guys, the 3rd and 4th liners and 4-6 D, are usually drafted outside the top 20. And they usually take years to develop.
I wouldn't expect an Oilers fan to understand this, but you can't just draft your high picks, and then fill out your roster with veteran depth players. In a capped league, teams need a steady intake of guys they drafted to fill out their depth positions. That takes time. And patience.
And I counter with the Ducks.
Vatanen: NHL regular at Draft +4
Silfverberg: Draft +4
Montour: (assuming he cracks the lineup next year) Draft +4
Theodore: " " Draft +4
Manson: Draft +4
Or how about the Predators.
Josi: Draft +5
Ellis: Draft +4
Sissons: Draft +4
Ekholm: Draft +4
Watson: Draft +5
And heck, why not look at the back-to-back Cup winners.
Guentzel: Draft +4
Sheary: Draft +5
Rust: Draft +6
Dumoulin: Draft +6
Cole: Draft +5
And we've gone this far, here's the other conference finalist.
Methot: Draft +5
Stone: Draft +4
Hoffman: Draft +5
Pageau: Draft +4
Dzingel: Draft +5
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Ironic, then, that Detroit is cited for this model. [emoji38]
So a lot of our prospects are right on that draft +3/4/5 cusp or later.
Jankowski: next year is draft +6
Andersson: draft +3
Wotherspoon: draft +7
Klimchuk / Poirier: draft +4
Kulak: draft +5