Is there any word from the B1G or the NCAA on plans for the '20/21 season? I'd hope that things could start normally by college hockey season, so fingers crossed there.
I know that I just argued in another thread that the '21 group shouldn't affect our '20 draft strategy, and I stand by that, but it is true that the defensemen in '21 look really nice.
If we do take a Raymond or Perfetti this year, next year could be a good opportunity to either a) fill in another gap in our top 4 with a Lambos/Power/Hughes/Clarke/Edvisson/etc., or b) try and fill the 2C role with a Johnson/Raty/Beniers.
The thing with 2021 and 2020 for me is pretty clear.
You can project what's gonna happen. Team managements know these classes strengths and balances 1-2 years before we start thinking them just few months before drafts. They are so far ahead of any fan-based analyzes. Because they are professionals.
Like, this 2020 is very strong with forwards. Strongest for a while. If you tank and get that #4 secured, this draft offers so good forwards on that point that you can get equal guy at #4 than you get at #1 in a weak year.
4-5 teams are gonna get their #1 forward from this draft, just check it later.
Also, if you start now building up, and probably get few positions on next year, you draft like #6 again, and there's almost equal defencemen at #6 on that next draft. The draft position really doesn't matter when it's a group of defencemen. It's a harder group of preduct, and then the position means less. With great forward class it means more. They are easier to predict.
That draft with equal and harder to predict D offers us not to think too much of that draft position. Just because the drafts and our situation is what it is, you can start building your team on upswing, and not care about tanking, and keeping it still worse without any upgrades.
That has been the case in my analyzes for half year, when considering our actions before, and current situation. And how does this 2020 class does look like compared to others, and what that 2021 class been roumoured to be.