Draft has evolved a lot since then. Mainly since advancement in analytics. Plus the combine, interviews. What happened in 70s doesn't hold today. I wouldn't go further back than rule changes. When they started the u18 furthest for sure.
When making draft decisions I only back to rule changes. Around 20 years. That way I stay in modern times and still have wide database to work with. Most I ever went back was when u18 started. That was only once. I try hard to study in analytics era.
The poster was talking in their respective D+1, all 3 were 2022 draftees and played in the HockeyAllsvenskan in their D+1 like Eriksson did as a 2023 draftee last year.
Awesome, that's what I wanted to hear
We will have a pretty good idea of what he could be after this season. If he can impose himself in the SHL and produce over 0,5ppg as a 19yo, then yes, NHL top 6 is possible.
Good post , nobody should care how you get there as long as you get there. They did the same thing with the Florian pick , clearly they saw the upside was possible even without the production
In Xhekaj's case his draft year was his first year in the OHL and he was probably still growing. As you said they have to be able to evaluate a players skills and hockey sense. In those cases 19 year old seasons tell a lot about the player. It was obvious when Wyatt Johnston put up 124 pts at 19 that he was going to be a valuable player. In many cases suddenly putting up more pts at 19 or 20 is just a result of being 3 or 4 years older than a lot of their opposition.
