Re my pist above on the health concerns with Lindstron:
It seems Scott Wheelers is takingboutvofvboth sides of his mouth...He appeared on a Hawks fan YouTube podcast 5cdaysxagobextolling Demidov as 2bd best talent in the draft and saying whether with Brdardvo n same line or strategy lines but together forcthe pop the idea of that do together woukd be so great etc..etc...and completely quashibgcanyvideaxKDxwoukd take Lindstrommeven if a good medical and physio report is given to all 42 teams by his doctor and physiotherapist ..
However.. Wheeler is quoted in a n article I found dated Mat 21st 2024 waxing on how great Lindrstom is and how he just dlminatedcthecWHL before he got injured...a 12 game point stream in which he hadc21 piibtsxamd 14 goals and that he wax on track forc98bpiintsxandx240 penalty minutes in a physically dominating force out there that no top players ofvitgercteamsxwoukd want to pkaycahainst...That his mid -season rankibg was legit at #3 and a top 5 pick for sure...then thebinjury and short sample cast doubtvifvhe will go that hogh...unless the medical reports cone back aspiring...which he already reports by Lindstrom 's agent that the reports will say Lindstrom is expected to make gill recovery
..
So if hisxshentvis not lying andctge reports give tge will be 100% even if Lindstrom himself saysxhevisconlyv"almost yhere" but not quite 200% yet,will GMs restore that high (3rd best forward in the draft status ) and if so how can anyone really compare his value to a more showy value Denidov may have with hos talents?
Surely Center vs.RW should be a value proposition..there cannot be :BPA" determination because you are projecting not what the level is now,but more what a ceiling may be when in prime ofxage 23-.30..and of course the size and physicality difference which exists now and may getceven better in favour of Lindstrom (6'4 216 now...might still grow taller but certainly will add more weight and more muscle...coukd be 6'4+ 230lb skilled fast dominating monster out th..tgese are very rare in such a combination of alk he brings...So if thecrepirts from the doctor and physiotherapist cone back assuribgvhevwill be ok...then as "excitinh" as seeing a Brdard-Denidov duo might be or might seem,the better idea is always to build up the middle with Centers ...easier to find scoring wingers later in the draft or next draft than to pass on a potentially dominating Center.They are too rare..
So if the medical and physio reports say Lindstrom is on track for100% recovery ,I think KD should bypass "the show" and instead putt for "dough"...you take the Big physically dominant power Center over the showy dangler..
Look...not saying Demidov is a bad choice...Hawks will get good talent eitger way..Maybe Denidov is a reg. Season 90-100 piibtvguyvdown the road and maybe Lindstrom is only a 70-80points guy ..but Demidov is under- sized or average size at best (5'11)....and y out know that of Hawks get to pkayoffs,all small forwardsxwill get stymiedxand pushed around physically
..
So you cannot ignore a size advantage with that much difference...
So now let us wait and see what is in these medical and physio reports on Lindstrom..