Have to echo what you're saying here. For the past few years it's been well known that 2023 was going to be a great draft followed by very weak draft in 2024 and then a very average draft in 2025. Mark Edwards from hockeyprospects.com has called 2024 the worst draft in 20 years. The draft has one top end talent - NOT a franchise player - and then another half dozen players to be top line/pair players. After that more of gamble than other drafts. More quality on the blue line than any other position. Few top end options at center after Celibrini and Lindstom, and the latter is a step down. This is one where the scouts will have to do some magic and find players that are overperformers post draft. It's always better to have more picks in a draft but this draft is one where you're not likely to come out of it with the "haul" some people are hoping for. This sounds like it will be more 2013 and you're going to draft guys that will play down the lineup rather than up the lineup.
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