Speculation: I think 2021 draft picks are less valuable due to covid restrictions.

[ottomaddox]

Yes and no. It will be harder to see as many players as in previous years, we could see a lot more kids slip through the proverbial cracks. It also might be trickier to see development with a shorter season. Scouts will still have reports on the top prospects of course, just not ones that are as thorough as in other years.

Ok sure. But then there were times when there was no Covid-19 and Oilers drafted Yakupov, Leafs drafted Biggs, etc. Bad draft choices happen at the best of times.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Ok sure. But then there were times when there was no Covid-19 and Oilers drafted Yakupov, Leafs drafted Biggs, etc. Bad draft choices happen at the best of times.

Sure, but bad draft choices because the scouts got it wrong is different than bad draft choices because of limited viewing.

 

[Ninjadude]

True, but the Expansion Draft and the flat cap make picks more valuable.

 

[Chayos]

Not only the scouts limited time the limited icetime of the young players make this a crap shoot. Even in the better years outside a top 5 pick your just hoping. So many put such emphasis on picks it is puzzling. With each expansion the talent pool in the league is watered down more and more. The youth movement has bit a number of teams in the ass. But it is not going to change, the quality of the game has suffered for going on 20 years now.

I disagree with this. I have watched hockey from 21 team days as an adult and hockey has gotten better and more talented during the last 20 years. The speed and talent around today is much greater than in the 90's. The slow defensemen and forwards have fallen by the wayside and puck moving defenseman and forwards with speed are the new wave.

 

[ottomaddox]

Sure, but bad draft choices because the scouts got it wrong is different than bad draft choices because of limited viewing.

I would argue that they are not mutually exclusive.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I would argue that they are not mutually exclusive.

That's a fair statement, although I do still feel that there is probably less scouting going on this year, which will lead to more uncertainty over picks for the teams at the draft.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

It might be the first draft where we see the odd bust and the odd successor within the later rounds and each of the picks.