Personal preference is probably the biggest thing about why some don't see him as a top 6 option. Imo he has the talent to warrant being there depending on what you value. Some had Boqvist ahead of Dobson (like Chicago) or Zadina ahead of Tkachuck.
And this is why I bring up the BPA scenario because it really is in the eye of the beholder unless a kid is head & shoulders above everyone else in talent level. Then again we have to ask where did he play, what was the level of competition, how good or bad was the team he played on, what were his teammates, linemates & even coaches like? There are lots of questions that are answered by checking the player out by scouts many times, over yrs & getting to know the kid personally, when possible. And then try to forecast whether that kid can translate his skill set & talent into the NHL in a few yrs given some move pretty far from home & are still quite young. After the top 1 or 2 there could be a lot of movement in this draft & surprises where teams have guys ranked, there always is.
I wonder how many teams had Lodin as the BPA where the Sens drafted him? My guess ZERO. The Sens may have been the only team that had him ranked under 300 or 500 for that matter, maybe it was another favour, who knows? There are examples in every draft where a player picked later turns out to be better than a good number of the players drafted ahead of him & there can be a multitude of reasons for that as well. The kid picked is not always the BPA on everyone's list, but he might be to the team that drafted him at that moment. Drafting is not a perfect science, but a best guess scenario based on your own scouts biases/preferences (likes & dislikes), homework & what the team GM is looking for in general.
I'd guess that some team needs are also brought up depending on the player & what the requirements are likely after the 1st rd. I would imagine every team has exactly where they rank every player in the 1st rd & who they will draft where. BPA is the player they like & want at the position they have drafted him at, but doesn't necessarily mean every other team has the same ranking, most likely not. BPA is the guy they draft, but doesn't necessarily mean he was or was not until he reaches his potential & value. Sometimes they are right & sometimes not so much. Scouts can be praised or fired over their picks, they all make mistakes & sometimes get it right.
