Is Aaron Ekblad a disappointment?

[WarriorofTime]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he the most hyped Defenseman of a decade long stretch or so (maybe since Hedman... and possibly until Power?) Former 'exceptional player', wire to wire 1st overall draft pick. You look at why the Florida Core has never really been able to live up to the expectations, and you have to wonder if "he just isn't that level of defenseman they needed him to be" isn't a major reason. What went wrong?

 

[Peasy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he the most hyped Defenseman of a decade long stretch or so (maybe since Hedman... and possibly until Power?) Former 'exceptional player', wire to wire 1st overall draft pick. You look at why the Florida Core has never really been able to live up to the expectations, and you have to wonder if "he just isn't that level of defenseman they needed him to be" isn't a major reason. What went wrong?

Think youre forgetting about this guy named Dahlin. Dahlin was definitely more hyped than Ekblad. Dont think anyone expected Ekblad to become some dominate offensive force. Just a great all around D man. And the exceptional status is more probably due to his early maturity (similar to Wright).

 

[WarriorofTime]

Think youre forgetting about this guy named Dahlin. Dahlin was definitely more hyped than Ekblad. Dont think anyone expected Ekblad to become some dominate offensive force. Just a great all around D man.

Dahlin is better but I think Ekblad was more "hyped"

 

[A1LeafNation]

Pomo's deployment of Ekblad is criminal.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Yeah I think so. Not a bust but certainly didn't live up to the billing. He matured really early which set expectations way too high. He was still a very good dman before his injuries.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Yes, he's a relative disappointment.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I dunno tbh , sometimes he seems on par other times a disappointment. It depends where you draw the line for his expectations. Even with his pedigree of ES and #1 OA I don't think that many people really saw him as a future Norris winner, but after his rookie season many did - I remember at that time he was winning polls over MacKinnon in regards to who you would rather build around (MacKinnon had a fantastic rookie seasons but regressed in his sophomore year ).

I think he's right about where I thought he would be, he's not going to carry a team or be a dynamic offensive wizard, but he's solid and steady, and can definitely be a top pairing guy on a good team , although maybe a little inconsistent year to year.

 

[93LEAFS]

Both Seth Jones before and Dahlin after were more hyped. 2014 wasn't viewed as a strong draft. Ekblad was more hyped after his rookie season than he was entering it.

 

[Peasy]

Dahlin is better but I think Ekblad was more "hyped"

Yeah I dont agree... Dahlin was talked about as a defencemen equivalent McDavid.

 

[wintersej]

Dahlin is better but I think Ekblad was more "hyped"

I don’t agree, but don’t think us all going off on that tangent is the point of this thread.

I think Ekblad came into the league at the wrong time where skating and transition play really has been emphasized. He also never really became a very good defender despite looking the part. He has also been on really lack luster defensive teams so maybe that part wasn’t really his fault. In the offensive zone, I think he is what folks wanted him to be. You hoped he would be Shea Weber but he hasn’t pulled together the non offensive zone parts of his game enough to get there.

 

[Quinntessential]

He was supposed to be the next Chris Pronger so yes

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Dahlin is better but I think Ekblad was more "hyped"

He wasn't at all, he was hyped longer but by their draft years it was Dahlin by a lot

 

[Gurglesons]

No. Injury prone. But likely has two Norris finalist finishes if healthy.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Dahlin was talked about as a defencemen equivalent McDavid.

Disagree

 

[Satoru Gojo]

He keeps getting injured

 

[lomiller1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he the most hyped Defenseman of a decade long stretch or so (maybe since Hedman... and possibly until Power?) Former 'exceptional player', wire to wire 1st overall draft pick. You look at why the Florida Core has never really been able to live up to the expectations, and you have to wonder if "he just isn't that level of defenseman they needed him to be" isn't a major reason. What went wrong?

My recollection is that in spite of his exceptional player status in the OHL, by the time his draft year rolled around he projected as a low end #1D or maybe even a #2D. I think he's exceeded the expectations from the draft.

 

[93LEAFS]

He was supposed to be the next Chris Pronger so yes

I saw just as many Brent Seabrook comparisons as Pronger.

 

[Zman5778]

Dahlin is better but I think Ekblad was more "hyped"

No way. Dahlin was WAY more hyped than Ekblad. Ekblad, IMO, had similar hype to Owen Power. Dahlin was hyped as the best prospect since McDavid or Matthews and was widely viewed as someone who could be the next Lidstrom or prime Karlsson.


As far as the question goes -- maybe a slight disappointment, but he's still a legit top pair defenseman whose career has occasionally gotten off track due to injuries. There are far, far worse #1 picks out there......but there are also better ones.

 

[Dabeast]

No, and I don't get why you're so obsessed with him

 

[Peasy]

Disagree

Enjoy it on your island i guess.

A snippet from Craig's final rankings.

From McKenzie's list.

Unfortunately can't find anything on the 2014 draft. IIRC Ekblad wasn't even the unanimous 1st overall choice.

 

[Beezeral]

Yea, Ekblad wasn't hyped as generational at all. That season was considered a down year at the top of the draft.

 

[WarriorofTime]

A snippet from Craig's final rankings.

Ah well, there's your first issue. I don't take anything Craig Button says seriously. He's a Skip Bayless level "analyst"

 

[Quinntessential]

I saw just as many Brent Seabrook comparisons as Pronger.

Even Brent Seabrook in his prime, when that comparison was made, was really good defensively and also a 40-50 point guy which is better than what Ekblad is today.

 

[Peasy]

Ah well, there's your first issue. I don't take anything Craig Button says seriously. He's a Skip Bayless level "analyst"

Yeah man, just look at the Craig part and completely ignore everything Bob McKenzie wrote. You still have literally provided no material for Ekblad being more hyped than Dahlin except for "Disagree".

Edit: For even more evidence that I'm sure you'll turn a blind eye to. Here is a list of various rankings before the drafts.

2014 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

2014 NHL draft prospect rankings. Throughout the year we will continue to update our 2014 NHL prospect rankings page with rankings from various NHL draft scouting sites.

www.mynhldraft.com

2018 NHL Draft Rankings

2018 NHL draft rankings. A compilation of the top NHL draft prospects rankings for the 2018 draft from a variety of NHL scouting service and media outlets.

www.mynhldraft.com

One player sits at the top of the list a lot more than the other... But yeah, keep sayin Ekblad was more hyped for whatever reason.

 

[Zman5778]

Unfortunately can't find anything on the 2014 draft. IIRC Ekblad wasn't even the unanimous 1st overall choice.

The narrative ahead of the 2014 draft was basically "The two Sams and Ekblad....but does Draisaitl deserve a place at that table?"