So does that mean you don't think Marjamäki could handle second pairing minutes with Levo, with Mitchell-Salo as your third pairing?
I'm not convinced that Marjamäki is better than Salo. They both have a wicked slapshot, but honestly, there's not much information available about Marjamäki. But being named the best defenseman of the world championships in 1975 should tell everybody something about his capability. He competed against guys who have been selected long ago. All the Soviets, including Vasiliev for example. And Bubla and Rautakallio. Just to name a few. Marjamäki was one of the first world class defensemen Finland produced. But he might be too big of a question mark to play second pairing minutes.
Bykov is absolutely one of the top centers in the draft. Riley is one of the better LWs. Aside from that this team is made up of a variety of either solid players or unproven ones that I was happy to learn more about but ultimately not always convinced that they were great in an all-time context.
This is not true.
My whole first line is proven. Warwick was one of the best goalscorers left at the point I picked him. You said that yourself. And what I like about Warwick is that he's skilled enough to play with Bykov. I don't want my first line wingers to be woodhanded players with limited skill set. My first line, with the help from the Soviet defensemen, is probably the most dangerous in the draft.
You are also seriously undersestimating my second line. I've gone this through many times. Nisse Nilsson outscored Tumba in the 8 world championship tournaments they both played in. In 47 games, Nilsson scored 47 goals and added 17 assists, combining 64 points in total. Tumba scored 38 goals and added 22 assists (60 points) in 38 games. Nilsson also gathered more all-star selections in Swedish national league. All the all-star selections were from the time when Tumba was still going strong. I don't see how he's unproven at this level. He is MLD material just like Bykov.
The right winger on my second line, Vlastimil Bubnik, placed 6th in the Best Czech Hockey players of the Century voting. Only Hasek, Jagr, Zabrodsky, Martinec and Hlinka were above him. I'd call that elite company.
Oksanen might be unproven in your eyes. You don't have to take my word for him being the best Finnish player of his generation. For example, when Finland won Sweden in 1970 a Swedish coach went mad about it. He insulted basically everyone in Finland's lineup but finished saying (poor translation): "They've got three good players. Two goalies and Lasse Oksanen."
I also don't see how my third line is unproven. Sometimes good players don't get used to the new life style and culture of the NHL. The style of play is different. There are great deal of Europeans who are great hockey players but who simply can't translate their game to the new style.
Peltonen was in his prime during the so called dead puck era of the NHL. He had no chances to make a succesful transition to NHL because he was too small and weak. But somehow, at the age of 33, as a worse player than before, he managed to grab a spot on the Panthers' roster. He had tried before. Many times. The teams clearly saw there was something in him. His game just didn't translate into the clutch and grab style of play.
He's always done well at the international circles. Take a look at
this. There are no undrafted players in the top 30. Or the top 40. And Peltonen is at #24. And when you take into account his style of play, the hockey sense, the work ethic, the consistency, the reliability. He's not gonna let me down. He's played against much better players and he's always been there, played in the critical situations. That's why he's carrying the A on his sweater.