Has Berggren played any center? I think Akil has some value because he has played a ton of center this year, and is actually a pretty complete player in addition to having some skill.
I also think a lot of it is about perception and past experience.
Take Kaut for example. I like him a lot. He is almost a year older than Berggren so it takes a little adjustment comparingthe two. But anyway, why will he be picked in the 1st round? Solid size. Good player, solid potential. RHS that fits well on a PP. Can compliment other top guys well. Will or even is a good player already.
My instinct say that he just is likely to become a good player with some upside, albeit not a ton of it.
But doesn’t the exact same thing apply to Berggren? Looking around the league, which player type is more likely to have success? 10 years ago it would have been Kaut over Berggren. When the smaller faster guys made it, they often had to be elite. But now, the smaller speedier guys are like having more success than any other type. Just look at the top 100 scorers in the NHL, these guys are all over the place.
I have Kaut higher than Berggren for sure. But my point is just that I really think you got to question your first instinct with these things, because the truths that applied just 3-5 years ago. Should a Kaut go top 20 and a Berggren top 60? Why?
I saw the WJSS this summer. Jesper Bratt was really good. Ask me then what I thought about him and I wouldn’t be that high on him. I probably would have asked — what will his ability amount to in the NHL? Is there room for that style? Now only 6 players from the 2016 draft has scored more than him. He has more pts than Puljujärvi. And it’s not about being a later bloomer, the kid is only 20 lol. He was right there at the biggest stage for all tournaments, we all saw him do well in the U18 and so forth. Why were guys like Tufte, Max Jones, Trent Frederick and everyone like that picked in the 1st and Bratt in the 6th? If a Joel Eriksson-Ek is solid he goes top 15 or whatever, if someone smaller, with tremendous wheels, but only solid sniping and playmaking abilities is about as good in juniors he can drop very late...