No one would be complaining about Mercer if he didn't have 56 points in his 2nd season. That season set unrealistic expectations (I distinctly remember a certain poster saying that Mercer made Hischier expendable). If this is all he ends up being then he's certainly not a bust, he will have a long NHL career as a valuable player and that's a very good thing to get from the 18th overall pick.
That being said, I am increasingly growing concerned at our development process. Nearly all of these top picks were taken right around where people expected them to go pre-draft, but I'm struggling to think of one that has exceeded expectations.
With Nemec it's a little puzzling because I feel as though every decision regarding him was the right one - let him learn in the AHL for a year, when he filled in for Dougie he looked good, slow start this year due to injury but he turned it around, but now suddenly he doesn't remember how to play hockey? Very weird. He was not jerked around in the way that Holtz or Daws were, he straight up lost his spot.
That said, Fitz's inability to get us adequate NHL depth has forced some of these young players into positions they shouldn't be in early in their careers. I can't help but feel like that for at least some of these players it's related to them failing to exceed or sometimes even meet expectations.
