As others have said, how do you know this for certain? I'm not adverse to picking Jones, but none of us know for sure where they rank. Burke would make that call anyway.
Do you honestly think Brian Burke will pass up Seth Jones? If he would, then he should be categorized with the idiotic general managers list that I have going (see last reply). However, I happen to think he's a smart guy, and will not make such a short-sided move.
Again the only reason people are against him appears to be because they feel there is a hole at the number 1 center position, which is this teams biggest need. However, 1) Barkov or whoever will not set step into this role at present. It should take at least 1-2 years, perhaps 3-4 to produce where expected. Who knows how the Leafs and their defense look in 4 years? 2) Goaltending is just as big a hole as the center position.
Take the sure thing, who at worst projects to be a top 4 pairing defender for the next ten years. When you have a significant amount of value at defense (which they will), then you can make a trade. Jones is also, arguably, NHL-ready. His size and intelligence along with skating is, at least.
Why? Is Jones really that far ahead of barkov/Lindholm? I don't thinkmso .
Is it really so set in stone that Jones is a lock for the 2nd spot? No.
Yes. The reasons that scouts have Jones as the number 2 pick is solely due to high-end potential along with hockey intelligence, mobility, size and physical gifts. This is not going to change if he stops putting up points, for example.
My point was that if he gets injured right now, then he's still getting selected or ranked as BPA because he truly can be the best defender in the NHL. There will be teams such as Edmonton (if they win the lottery), who would be glad to take him regardless of what happens from now until the draft. He is head and shoulders above the rest of the defense-men, to automatically be a top pick no matter what.
Basrkov has just as high potential. He also is likel y the safest prospect in the draft, being a physically dominant 2nd line two way defender at minimum.
Jones may be BPA come draft day but to say no one will pass him is idiotic.
I have no idea who you are talking about in the bolded. In fact, it seems like you have a completely different player in mind.
You're right. I should not have said no one will pass him; there are a lot of idiotic general managers along with franchises that are part of the reason we are in this lock-out. I should not doubt the fact that one of them will
not select Jones.
Great, another forum poster who thinks his knowledge and wisdom is greater than that of those who are hockey professionals, working in the industry.
Nice strawman.
If you honestly think that every general manager deserves to be a general manager, makes the correct decisions, and has not been a cause of this on-going lock-out, then you are completely naive.
I'm sorry, but how can you be so 100% sure about Jones? Nothing, I mean nothing, in this life is 100% certain. Jones, Barkov, MacKinnon, there are no ABSOLUTE guarantees that any of them will pan out as expected.
I never said Jones will be a sure-thing; the sure-thing of him would be one of, if not, the very best d-man in the NHL. The Rob Blake, Chris Pronger comparisons, are not randomly created out of thin air.
I have said that at worst, he becomes a top-4 pairing d-man. If you, or somebody else thinks he can be even worse, I would love to see why.
And how do you know how many years it takes for Barkov or whoever to step up for his role? How do you know Jones will?
How many years it will take Barkov to step in and be the Leafs number 1 center? Um. Okay. You're right that I don't know
for sure, however, the likeliness of him doing this in his rookie-season is incredibly unlikely. I'd have to think many scouts agree. If not, then I would love to hear why he's not being ranked ahead of Mackinnon.
So, I don't think there is anything wrong with my conservative prediction of Barkov taking 1-2 years. If he can take less longer, and be impactful straightway (i.e., putting up number 1 center numbers or being better than Grabovski), then awesome. I look forward to it.
I'm sorry, but you seem to be Jones-enthusiast to the extreme, who will not tolerate any different opinions.
Irrelevant.
However, I will address this by saying: I want the Leafs to do the
right thing.
