mikeyg here with another one of his famous hot takes
More potential: draft aged bracco or draft aged SDA?
Bracco. Bracco while not explosive had elite edge work which allowed him to avoid getting hit. A better question is SDA vs a draft eligible Timoshov.
The big question with SDA, is how is he going to create separation at the next level to give him time on the puck to be the playmaker he needs to be to play in an NHL top 9. The biggest question I always have when it comes to playmakers after realizing they have good vision and high-iq is how are they going to create time on the puck at the NHL level to enable them to open passing windows to exploit. This can vary. A guy like Jack Eichel has everything. Someone like Joe Thornton or Jason Spezza use their size to be able to hold someone off. Someone like Marner uses elite edge work and good top speed, combined with his hands. Now, all those guys were top 5 picks, so expecting SDA to be like that is unfair to him. A very high-iq player at the NHL level who has trouble creating time on the puck to use his strengths is someone like Sam Reinhart, who if he had the ability to create time on the puck like the aftermentioned player would be elite. SDA has amazing hands, which helps, but hands without size or skating still doesn't get you much time at the NHL level (unless you are talking of hands like Datsyuk), as NHL defenders will just close the gap, pin you against the boards and dispossess you.
Now, the big hope is that with our player development, we can help SDA take the next step forward in regards to skating.
on the PP.
