Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
Funny part is the teams have had a bit of a similar build path. Jets have done a better job of being patient, and getting young guys in on the bottom 6 / bottom pairing but it's pretty close.
There were 4 direct comparable points where the teams paths diverged though.
2012 Draft: Gillies vs. Hellebuck (Gillies was more heralded at a younger age, but Hellebuck developed better)
2014 Draft: Bennett vs. Ehlers (Clear win for the Jets)
2015 Draft: Hamilton vs. Connor (This one is close to a wash but edge to Jets due to ELC value)
2016 Draft: Laine vs. Tkachuk (Jets win the lottery and get an elite goal scorer)
The Ehlers/Laine vs. Bennett/Tkachuk gap is the biggest difference IMO. Those two drafts are the reason the Flames require a true top line forward still, while the Jets do not.
Outside of that the drafting since 2010 is pretty close.
Jets: Scheifele, Trouba, Morrissey, Copp, Roslevic
Flames: Gaudreau, Monahan, Jankowski, Kulak, Ferland
What the Flames need to do now though is have some patience and hope guys like Mangiapane, Dube, Valimaki, Andersson, Phillips, Kylington, and Fox continue to develop and can fill gaps like guys like Copp, Connor, Roselvic were able to do for the Jets this year.
Much like everyone wanted the Jets to blow it up last year the Flames need to have similar patience this year and let the process and young prospects come in an make a difference.
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The biggest thing for the Jets is that they mash their 1st round picks right out of the park. It also helps that they usually end up with at least one other solid NHLer from each draft to go along with the mashed 1st rounder.
2011 - Schiefele 7th OA, Lowry 67th OA
2012 - Trouba 9th OA, Hellebuyck 130th OA
2013 - Morrissey 13th OA, Copp 104th OA
2014 - Ehlers 9th OA
2015 - Connor 17th OA, Roslovic 25th OA
2016 - Laine 2nd OA
Even their 2017 1st rounder Vesalainen (24th OA) was the highest scoring U20 in a Finnish men's league last year and will likely come over and own the NHL.
Yeah, they drafted top 10 or 15 a lot, but they never missed, and they also did a good job at finding depth deeper in the draft too.
That Laine lottery win though was such a lucky break. Not often you get to add a sub 20 year old 40 goal scorer to your roster on an ELC.