hbk said:
The size and skill quotes about Wheeler seem to draw those Daze comparisons. One quote that I heard after he was drafted was "Vanek with better speed" which is high praise considering Vanek's outstanding play this year.
A lot of people were so surprised and as you said the real test is coming, next season.
About Vanek comparision, you have posted this on Blake Wheeler theme on 09-17-2004:
"goes back to my other comments about getting informed about Wheeler and his potential by asking people who have seen him play. again, those people that I spoke to indicated that they thought Wheeler was "Vanek, with better skating". Throw in the comments that came forward from the Phoenix camp after the selection regarding where they had him on the list, the surge that Wheeler had in the draft rankings as the season progressed, and the comments regarding the overall quality of the draft itself (a weak draft where like in 2002, the long shots prevail).
My initial reaction is based upon an uninformed opinion. Phoenix was widely beleived to be selecting Montoya at #5 which was a pick I could accept but given the presence of LeNeveu wasn't exactly doing summersaults over. Like most posters, I hadn't done much reading on guys projected to go later in the draft so I was as surprised as anybody."
Less than a year after he's not Vanek anymore but Dazé.
Finally, someone in Phoenix' organization recognize that Olesz could have made a better pick than Wheeler.
Hope that he won't be Hugh Jessiman next year.
And about Phoenix management on HF Board on 09-14-2004:
hbk
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 2,615 As one Coyote fan I am happy that the Coyotes drafted according to their scouting lists and not that compiled by so called experts who mainly form opinions based upon the two or three commercially available lists.
Don't get me wrong. I was leading the charge on poor asset management on draft day but several pieces of information have come forward since that day.
Phoenix loved this kid. They scouted him more heavily than any other team in the NHL. They even met with him and his parents at their house prior to draft day. Someone on the Phoenix Board has it right when it comes to their avatar. It's a picture of Dave Draper and Vaughn Karpan with the caption "reputations at stake" or something to that effect. That nails everything. These guys are risking their very repuations by selecting this kid. They wouldn't do that if they weren't sure. Is risking getting the guy they had ranked third on their list (both Ovechkin and Malkin were rated higher) for a third round pick worth having to settle for somebody 3 - 4 slots further on your list? When the difference is in their mind selecting an impact player and selecting a second or third line player than forgoing that extra pick isn't exactly going to make or break your team. It would seriously harm relationships with your scouts if you make the deal only to have your guy scooped on you just before you go to call out his name. That happened to Phoenix back in 1999 and the infamous Tverdovsky deal. Also keep in mind, Phoenix doesn't know how many teams have seen this kid and to what extent. If they have seen him then they certainly have to make decisions under the assumption that they have seen what they have seen in this kid. The rise of Wheeler in many draft publications would indicate that their was somewhat of a buzz about this kid so they would be nieve to beleive that he was going to last as far as their second round pick and could very likely be a first round selection by another team. I have managed to talk to someone who has a University hockey background who has seen Wheeler play more than once and he spoke very highly about him. His comparison was "Vanek with better skating" which to me indicates the type of potential that Wheeler posesses and why Phoenix didn't want to risk losing him.