I’m still kind of amazed (amused maybe?) at Montreal’s draft day. I give them credit for not playing it safe but the way they went about it invites a ton of criticism if several scenarios happen.
Were they too influenced by Bobs ranking and worried Wright might blow up in their face because of it? It’s weird because in certain ways Wright is safest. He plays the more valuable position, he has an elite shot, his perceived slide could be overscouting while also ignoring his previous two years. If Wright struggles and Slafkovsky thrives, Montreal can at least defend it because Wright is a center - if nothing else.
So there’s that. If they had simply chosen Slafkovsky and Wright has more success, they can defend it by going for perceived upside. But then they go and trade for Kirby Dach.
So now, if Dach struggles, everyone’s mind goes to, “and they chose Dach over Wright?” Thats even if Slafkovsky does well. It’s like Montreal said, “yes, we need a center but we’ll do anything to avoid Wright.” And because they e done this, it’s almost as if both Slafkovsky and Dach must be better than Wright for it to be considered a success.
And where Gordon is concerned, Lafreniere - Stützle enters the discussion. If both Stützle and Wright end up being better than their draft day counterparts, Gordon’s rep has to take a hit.
