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4th Overall the Senators Take Brady Tkachuk

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h2 said:
You can't find the mix of character and skill that Tkachuk possesses later in the 1st/2nd/3rd round. Skilled powerforwards are the hardest types to acquire, there's a reason we've never had one in our entire existence of a franchise - they're hard to get. This was not an off the board pick, he was rated above Zadina on many lists. Fans that freaked out about the selection have probably never seen Zadina or Tkachuk play and just bought the popular opinion. We need a goalscorer but that's something we can acquire via other means.
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The best analaogy I can make off the top of my head is the Bruins taking Jake DeBrusk over Mat Barzal. Is DeBrusk a good player with an impressive power forward skill set and intangibles? Yes. Would I like him on my team? Yes. Would I rather have him than Barzal? No, I'll take Barzal and his offensive upside over DeBrusk.

I'm not freaking out about the pick. I like Tkachuk as a player. I just like Zadina better. I think Ottawa has a desperate need for high end skill and scoring especially with Hoffman gone. They also have a handful of good
character guys already with Duchene, Pageau, Stone, Smith, Paajarvi, Pyatt, and even a veteran like Burrows who is allegedly good in the room. Zadina has a higher ceiling and fits the profile of a scorer better while also being solid in the two way game. That doesn't mean I think Tkachuk is an awful pick or a bust in the making. I just preferred Zadina.

Power forwards are hard to acquire - they always have been - and we thought we were getting one of the better ones with Bobby Ryan years ago. But they're also being phased out of the NHL as the league becomes more centered around speed/skill/skating. Lots of these power forward types start declining/depreciating as they approach 30. Guys like Lucic, Bobby Ryan, and Perry have become a cap burden for their teams and do not impact the game like they did 5 years ago. Guys like Toews and Kesler have slowed considerably. Mike Richards burned out rather quickly as he approached 30. Wayne Simmonds is not nearly as effective as he once was. Teams built on power forward types who play heavy hockey like the Ducks and Kings were swept in the first round by teams with more speed and skill.

I also think it's easier to add character through free agency/other avenues than scoring. You can find a guy like Paajarvi or Thompson or Pyatt to come in and add character and leadership to a room. Same on defense. The cost of adding skill/scoring is much greater in terms of cost, whether that's dollars in free agency or assets in a trade.
 
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BondraTime said:
Bergeron has 734 points

Chris Kelly has bricks for hands, for one...his shot is awful for two

No clue what you're getting at here, because you seem to be off the mark
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Not meaning any disrespect to Kelly, but his biggest contribution to the Sens was lending Alfie his skates.
 
Sensung said:
His hockey IQ makes him a star. The rest of his skills are underwhelming.

Glad he's on the team, but people act like he's one of the best players in the league.
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Nothing Stone does is elite, aside from his smarts and his stick. But he's good at everything and just has that extra something that makes him more than the sum of his parts.

Kinda like Alfredsson was in a way. And I'd argue that he is one of the top right wingers in the league.
 
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BondraTime said:
Less than a 30 goal, 60 point power forward.

His floor is high, he's basically guaranteed to be an effective 3rd liner at minimum. His floor is that, a 3rd line 30 point energy guy.

His ceiling is also low, in my opinion. Simmonds is basically what I see as his likely career.

Tkachuk is a Sen, here's hoping he becomes a premiere guy.
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f***ing awesome
 
Benjamin said:
Isles may have had a franchise changing draft, while drafting out of the top 10. Crazy.
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They got 2 really good picks.. especially Dobson and Barzal is perfect for Wahlstrom.. Barzal can hang on to it and Wahlstrom can get open and use that great shot. Dobson will be excellent
 
GuyBoucherEvilGenius said:
The best analaogy I can make off the top of my head is the Bruins taking Jake DeBrusk over Mat Barzal. Is DeBrusk a good player with an impressive power forward skill set and intangibles? Yes. Would I like him on my team? Yes. Would I rather have him than Barzal? No, I'll take Barzal and his offensive upside over DeBrusk.
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Barzal is one of the more impressive rookies in the modern NHL and the Bruins are still finding out what DeBrusk can do. I'd probably take Barzal as well, but it's pretty early to be comparing the two before we know how they pan out. Similarly I feel the same way with Tkachuk vs Zadina. For the record, I posted on these forums that I was fine with drafting either of the two wingers or Dobson. They all filled needs that Ottawa has.

GuyBoucherEvilGenius said:
I'm not freaking out about the pick. I like Tkachuk as a player. I just like Zadina better. I think Ottawa has a desperate need for high end skill and scoring especially with Hoffman gone. They also have a handful of good
character guys already with Duchene, Pageau, Stone, Smith, Paajarvi, Pyatt, and even a veteran like Burrows who is allegedly good in the room. Zadina has a higher ceiling and fits the profile of a scorer better while also being solid in the two way game. That doesn't mean I think Tkachuk is an awful pick or a bust in the making. I just preferred Zadina.
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Agreed that Ottawa has a need for high end skill. We also have a need to be harder in the top six. We're ridiculously easy to play against despite having those character players you mentioned. That's been a problem for years. Hopefully BT can help in both areas if he pans out.

GuyBoucherEvilGenius said:
Power forwards are hard to acquire - they always have been - and we thought we were getting one of the better ones with Bobby Ryan years ago. But they're also being phased out of the NHL as the league becomes more centered around speed/skill/skating. Lots of these power forward types start declining/depreciating as they approach 30. Guys like Lucic, Bobby Ryan, and Perry have become a cap burden for their teams and do not impact the game like they did 5 years ago. Guys like Toews and Kesler have slowed considerably. Mike Richards burned out rather quickly as he approached 30. Wayne Simmonds is not nearly as effective as he once was. Teams built on power forward types who play heavy hockey like the Ducks and Kings were swept in the first round by teams with more speed and skill.
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I don't think Bobby Ryan was ever considered a true powerforward, he does possess a large frame and can play that way on occasion but it's not very often. I don't agree that powerforwards are being phased out of the NHL, at least the premiere ones aren't. There will always be a place in the game for players like Jamie Benn, Wayne Simmonds, Gabriel Landeskog, etc.

The Ducks and Kings have also won multiple cups, losing is going to happen. Those franchises are also considered perennial contenders.

GuyBoucherEvilGenius said:
I also think it's easier to add character through free agency/other avenues than scoring. You can find a guy like Paajarvi or Thompson or Pyatt to come in and add character and leadership to a room. Same on defense. The cost of adding skill/scoring is much greater in terms of cost, whether that's dollars in free agency or assets in a trade.
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It is easier to add character players through the means you listed, but not character players with top 6 skill. That's been the missing ingredient for the last 20+ years for this franchise. There's a big difference between what we hope Brady Tkachuk can become vs guys like Pyatt, Paajarvi, and Thompson.
 
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