You don’t really understand how OHL hockey worlds, do you? Barlow is a 19 year old top 20 NHL pick who’s arguably the best goal scorer in the entire league, and you’d have him for almost an entire season. Yes Delisle is a solid young player and Bedkowski has potential, but let’s face it, Delisle is a third line C and ones everyone’s back from camp in time, he slots in as the 4C for Oshawa, and Costello has shown he can do that role well now. You have to give up quality to receive quality, that’s how it’s always worked. Nobody in their right mind would rather have Delisle and Bedkowski over Barlow, but they’re going to be nice pieces for a rebuilding Owen sound team. What would YOU be willing to give up? Including delisle keeps the amount of picks used down as well, giving Oshawa the ability to fill further holes as the season progresses. They’ll be getting a C at some point if Ritchie or Roobroeck don’t return.
I wish the Generals had that depth of talent up front, but there’s not a chance in hell that Delisle is a fourth line player for them this year.
Let’s try to think it through logically - - which NINE (9) forwards are better than Delisle?
Ritchie, Sennecke, Buckley, Griffin, Sinivouri, Torrance…that’s SIX (6). And then who? Certainly none of the other returnees are better than Delisle. Costello isn’t even remotely comparable. And, understandably, the two rookies don’t know if they’re on foot or on horseback. Even adding in Roobroeck and Barlow without subtracting any of the aforementioned and Delisle still plays as a top NINE (9) forward.
You need three good lines to have a realistic championship aspiration. If not, the top two lines get burnt out and the third line becomes a liability that gets exposed after the bottom feeders get eliminated and the competition amps up. Look at London and Saginaw last year. Three excellent lines on both teams.
Oshawa would be much better served to go after a couple of under-the-radar players like they did with getting Sandhu and Lockhart for some irrelevant middling draft picks last year.