deadhead
Registered User
- Feb 26, 2014
- 50,931
- 22,193
The odds of hitting on a player after pick #100 or so is so low you're essentially drafting for your AHL team and hope that lightning strikes. There is nothing wrong in drafting a mobile, defense first defenseman after pick #150, you're more likely to get lucky with a good athlete who might improve skills as he physically matures.The Flyers have gone back to taking junior level defenders who are essentially zeros or close to it offensively & transitionally at those levels. They are somehow not expecting that to be an issue at the highest level if they somehow ever get there or they’re just hoping for a complete statistical oddity that they develop these areas as they move up against tougher competition. As even bottom of the barrel NHL defensemen show higher levels of all around ability at the levels before the NHL whether it be CHL, USHL/NCAA, or non-NHL pro leagues.
I think they somehow think a guy getting typecasted in for a defensive role at the lower level is a good thing because they think the player will really be polished in that role going forward. Not realizing most NHL defensive defensemen were often played in all around situations at the lower levels & were good at it.
We’ve gotten guys like Myers & Zamula undrafted so it’s not impossible to get taller defensemen with plausible upside that late opposed to the Zanetti, Murchinson, McDonald, etc. of the world.
While there was a "moneyball" advantage for a few year gambling on undersized but quick skilled players later in the draft, I think that vein has been exhausted as the league absorbed the lesson of the rule changes and starting drafting these players higher - now the undersized skill players at the back of the draft tend to be mediocre skaters where you're gambling they'll improve.
