Samo did appear to be the favoured piece. However my point would be that relative to Tippett, most of us clearly preferred Denisenko. Though a few posters like Magua did highlight the shortcomings.
I know I didn't want Denisenko as anything but a throw-in, but I think an important point is Tippett and Denisenko weren't wildly different profiles: great tools that can leave you wanting. Age + NHL games was also a factor. Sometimes, the coin lands on Denisenko (who is having a good AHL year; maybe his story isn't finished) and sometimes it lands on Tippett. People can re-write Tippett's history, but he was a #10 pick -- with insane tools, who was basically the same size he is now when drafted -- who didn't stick in the NHL until his D+6 year. There was a disconnect.
I hated Tippett in his draft year, and later when I scouted Harley. He did flatline in the OHL, and that's a fact. Now, his AHL instant production? Absolute blind spot (seemingly by Florida too) -- when you produce that fast, it's a good sign. It's not like I watched Springfield Thunderbirds games. I feel like I've been upfront coming around to his positive presence -- I like watching him now -- and realizing that I got his strengths/flaws right, but I under/overestimated each respectively. I also had Necas, Vilardi, Thomas, Robertson above him, and that still looks more than fine.
The same people who want to throw eggs are the guys who thought MacEwen was better offensively than noted bust Frost
last year. They have their own issues they're working through and god bless them.