Quote:
Originally Posted by TheScorpion
In all fairness, I doubt the Flames as a drafting group felt this way about guys like Keegan Kanzig and Jake Boltmann at the time either. Obviously they liked Phillips, otherwise they wouldn't have taken him — I don't think that was ever in doubt. I think what some folks had concerns about was whether the Flames were right to like him as much as they clearly do.
In the case of a guy like Boltmann (or Cam Whynot, or a couple others), it was never all that clear whatsoever why the Flames felt he was worth any pick at all, let alone a third rounder. I think it's fair for people to have the memory of that pick in the back of their mind when the same team picks a guy with a somewhat similar profile in the same round. Certainly not to take anything away from Phillips, though, he looked great in the two games.
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I think we've seen a change in how they draft in recent years. Maybe not a huge change from Boltmann's draft year, but certainly a change from Kanzig.
They have altered their go to parameters, have drafted more skill, have drafted smaller players. Character seems to be huge.
So sure you want a monster defenseman, but I doubt that's all they had on the list when they selected him.