After an extended period of bad drafts Canada could really use a player or two breaking out next year, along the lines of Iginla in 2002.
I’ve said it before, but the only reason we’re riding a razor thin margin over the US right now is we have next to no help from the 2016-2021 drafts so far (unlike other nations) despite truly dominating the first round, due in large part to a horrific mix of injuries, poor development paths, and simple busts. Not even taking into consideration the near-statistical impossibility that nobody taken later in the drafts have broken into the league’s elite, and looking to top~15 selections alone:
Dubois - disappointing
Jost - bust
McLeod - disappointing + criminal
Bean - near-bust
Chychrun - injuries + disappointing
Patrick - devastating injuries
Glass - injuries and mis-development
Rasmussen - near-bust
Tippett - meh
Vilardi - severe injuries held him back
Foote - disappointing + criminal
Hayton - severely disappointing
Bouchard - game hasn’t evolved enough
Dellandrea - bust
Smith - bust
Dach - severe injuries held him back
Cozens -disappointing
Newhook - disappointing
Krebs - near-bust
Lafreniere - shocking mis-development
Byfield - injuries + mis-development
Drysdale - constant severe injuries
Quinn - constant severe injuries
Perfetti - meh, hopefully turning a corner
Guhle - constant severe injuries
Power - frustrating, refuses to play angry
It is truly baffling stuff. No goalie help either. Guys like Wright and McTavish being denied proper opportunities despite turning it on.
The good thing is that these guys are still young, and there’s always a few who suddenly figure it out and join the league’s elite later in their careers. I would love if luck could finally turn our way here, and one or two really break out next year.