Don't think it so laughable at all. Players constantly elevate their buddies to levels they simply have not reached, totally understandable as these guys have actual history between each other and that impacts their input. Footballers for example all the time hype up their teammates, even when it's not deserved and of course they do, it's their friends after all. I'll give a random example. Nathan MacKinnon trained summers with Shane Bowers, as a result of that he went on to say he will be a star in the league. Completely ridiculous to anyone neutral, but MacKinnon obviously liked the guy and wanted to be nice.
For a neutral observer they evaluate players purely on what they bring on the ice, no extra factors just how they perform in game as athletes. There are no allegiances or reason to sugar-coat anything.
The only those who played at the highest level know what's up argument is so lame and simply false. If that was the case no scout should know how to do their job unless they were legit NHL players.