Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
Still too much reliance on draft position in your argument IMO. Would you have used that argument against Erik Karlsson? He went 15th. Would you have used that argument against Brent Burns? He went after 16. I'm not saying Valimaki is those guys but I'm using those examples to show that draft position is fairly irrelevant to blue chip status or not. Endless all stars and top pairing dmen went after 15. Shea Weber and Duncan Keith went in the 2nd. So I don't see why Valimaki going 16th means he cannot be a blue chipper. Especially when the Flames said they had him higher. IMO his draft position argues FOR blue chip status not against it. Flames had him top 11 in a decent draft year. Are you trying to suggest only defencemen taken top 5 are blue chip? Cause that is silly and we both know it. I dunno I really don't understand your argument that him going 16th means he isn't a bluechipper. I think most defencemen taken top 20 in decent draft years are blue chippers until they show bust trends.
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I think you're missing my point ...
I doubt I would have had Burns or Karlsson as a blue chip prospect three months after they were drafted either ... as I don't with Valimaki.
However Karlsson progressed and progressed and became a complete stud. Ottawa fans would know better but a year after the draft they probably started getting pretty excited, two years after he had a NHL season under his belt and all bets were off.
I'm not eliminating Valimaki from EVER being a blue chip prospect, I'm just saying he's isn't one 90 days after his draft day as not enough has happened to help or hurt his stature. He went 16th for a reason, the Flames have him higher as you say, which is a great sign for the scouting staff, but they didn't move assets to move up and get him at 10 or 11 or 12.
If he was a blue chip prospect now he would have gone higher in this year's draft.
I hope he's a blue chip prospect by next summer though!