Wheeler:
“You have to take their context another step further, too. You have to consider age. It cannot be stressed enough how important age is for me in projecting (which is ultimately what this is all about) a kid’s development curve.
“When the Rangers drafted Brett Berard, the 2020 NHL Draft’s fourth-youngest player, who was a week away from being eligible for the 2021 class, in the fifth round a year ago, they were making a calculated bet on the added runway he had versus, say, Ryder Rolston, who was taken five picks later, and had been developed through a similar path at the national development program, but was nearly a year older. When Berard progressed nicely at Providence and had a strong showing for Team USA at the world juniors, while Rolston’s development flatlined, part of what contributed to those things was that where Berard is today along his timeline is where Rolston was a year ago (not to mention the increased development that I’d bet, anecdotally, happens between 17 and 18 versus 18 and 19).”
so who are the youngest among the potential selections?
