Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandman
I look at what the Stars have done- they kind of re-tooled on the fly, knowing they were stuck with Benn and Seguin. The Kings did the same, holding on to some of their aging stars.
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Drafting can change a lot of things in a hurry. Finding good players in later rounds can absolutely change a teams fortunes quick. Flames may have been in the McDavid mix if they hadn’t found Gaudreau in the 4th in 2011. Stars fortunes changed instantly with Oetinger and Wyatt Johnston as great late first round picks, with savvy second round picks in Robertson and Hintz. That talent turned Jamie Benn back into a near point per game player at age 33 after years of 50 point pace.
If there’s one thing I feel good about with the Flames it’s been their drafting over the last decade. Finding Pelletier and Zary in the late first round looks like great value so far, Coronato looks like he was picked in the right spot, Wolf looks like he should have been a top 10 pick and they may have found Andersson/Kylington type gold again with third round pick Poitier.