How tf was this guy a first round pick? Just looking at this draft year stats, he wasn’t even a ppg in the WHL ffs. I understand stats don’t mean everything, but 61 pts in 72 games is extremely pedestrian.
Bo Horvat put up similar numbers that season as well. Sometimes guys won't put up big numbers on Memorial Cup caliber squads if they're lower on the totem pole for PP time. It's part of the projection I suppose. I remember when the Devils originally had their first rounder, I argued with quite a few Devils fans who felt more comfortable with Hunter Shinkaruk over Horvat simply because of the stat sheet.
Plus there were quite a few misses after Lazar as well. Cautionary tale that it's not a given you're gonna hit on a top 6 F / top 4 D with a mid to late first round pick.