Transported Upstater
Guest
While the idea that scouting doesnt matter is
I personally think that it is as or even more important how a franchise develops its talent pool.
Agreed.
While the idea that scouting doesnt matter is
I personally think that it is as or even more important how a franchise develops its talent pool.
How much of a factor is a player's post-draft development environment in how he turns out? It could be that Team A ends up with the best draft results not because they had the best scouts and drafted the best 18-year old players, but instead because they had the best development program.
QFT
We take this fact for granted so much as fans. People seem to delight in identifying busts and superstars in a draft, and seem to forget how much else is involved.
I've always found that it is no coincidence that winning teams also seem to develop a lot of great players, like Detroit, Colorado and New Jersey. It becomes a chicken or the egg scenario, as to which has lead to which, but, I firmly believe that having guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Stevens, Niedermayer, Lidstrom, etc. be in a position to mentor and teach these younger players plays a massive role in their development. Plus, the issue of knowing when to thrust a player into a bigger role, and when to break them in slowly is a major area as well, often dictated by team needs more than anything (especially in a capped world, where more teams seem to be relying on rookies in major roles, while contending for the cup).