Relax, I called him a schmuck because he called himself a schmuck in the post I quoted.
but yeah, if you want to criticize the scouts for being wrong on their assessment, fine. But the consensus around here seems to be "I don't care if he goes to the hall of fame because he was the best net front guy in the history of the NHL, I want fancy stick handling because that's how IIII say you win games"
I don't criticize the scouts.
I criticize the Wings draft philosophy.
They had their highest and most draft picks in years and they wasted it on "grit."
And then say they're going to "draft for skill" next year?
That's plain stupid.
There were a lot of guys I wanted over Rasmussen.
Vilardi
Robert Thomas.
Martin Necas.
Timothy Liljegren.
Eric Brannstrom.
Klim Kostin.
I think the Blues knocked it out of the park with Thomas and Kostin at 20 and 31
Thomas, after a very slow start, now has 15G and 10A in 25 points. He's small, but he's a great defensive center, great on faceoffs, skates very well, has some of that Datsyuk skill and Datsyuk steal ability.
Liljegren had looks like an Erik Karlsson clone. I wonder if that case of Mono that made Liljegren struggle all year just helped the Leafs luck into a franchise defenseman.
I was at the World Junior Showcase and Babcock was smiling and laughing every time Liljegren skated the puck up the ice.
Meanwhile, Gustav Lindstrom and Kasper Kotkansalo looked mediocre as mediocre gets. Neither guy showed much in the way of skating, defense, playmaking or puck moving.
I truly can't understand the Red Wings' last draft.
I think Rasmussen makes it at some level in the NHL.
But I honestly felt like the Wings completely wasted their best drafting opportunity in 20+ years.