People in this thread's logic: Lee = higher draft pick = better player.
I find it hard to believe that anyone arguing for Lee has ever seen him and Goli play. I am by no means saying Lee is a bad player. Of course he isn't, he is an elite player. All that I am saying is Goli is better. I would take him any day of the week. I have watched every game of each of their college careers, so I am not one of these yahoos that comment, but have never seen either play other than the WJC's.
I've seen plenty of both.
Whether or not Lee is better than Goli right now isn't the main concern. If this is on the Prospects Board, ideally it is comparing the two players' potential impact in the NHL. And when you take that into account, it IS a blowout. Goli doesn't have close to the NHL potential Lee does. If you are picking Goli because you believe he is a better NCAA player at the present moment, I disagree, but that's not the big issue here. That point is at least arguable. But the bigger picture is not.
Whether you and/or others realize it or not, Lee was picked #8 for a reason, and picked #8 by a team with a pretty solid drafting resume in recent years. People aren't picking Lee in this thread BECAUSE he was picked #8. People are picking Lee because he
belongs in the top half of the first round, and that his play and future DO warrant the attention we are giving him. He came into the toughest conference in the NCAA's without a full season in the USHL, and didn't exactly play at the highest level in Minnesota HS hockey, either. And he had a fantastic freshman season that should leave the Senators brass and their fans with a smile on their collective faces.
This part isn't directed at you, but I am really amazed on how much people are underrating Lee, and the problem is they are doing this almost purely because of the rapid development of Marc Staal and Luc Bourdon. Both of those guys are easily better than Lee right now and much more capable of making a run at an NHL roster. But when the Senators spent a high pick on Brian Lee, they were investing for the future (despite what Muckler said at the draft) and that it would be a while until Lee reaches the NHL. Lee won't make the NHL until at earliest the 2008-09 season. It is very possible that by the time we get into the next decade, Brian Lee is the best NHL defenseman from the 2005 draft.