This is a very fascinating thread, one I believe we can all look at and learn from.
I remembered not being thrilled with the pick, so I was expecting to find an embarrassingly hot take or two from myself. Instead I only had one brief, unexpected exchange. Can't quote these older threads but here's the copy/paste version:
They're not building for '19-20. They're building for '19-20 to '29-30. This is a very, very young team that is gaining a sustainable influx of talent through the draft.
I was very against the Dubois pick, but have warmed up to it. Clearly they thought that Puljujarvi's attitude wasn't in line with our philosophy, for the same reasons as Johansen, who is also an undiably talented player.
Instead of drafting an extremely talented player who may not fit the mold and ergo may lose value to the organization, they went with a kid who fits the mold, who is unselfish, and wants to get better, who also happens to be a very coveted player in his own right. I get it, and I see nothing wrong with sticking to your philosophy. It's just simply not the philosophy that everyone shares.
We can all glean something from this, I believe. When you stick to your guns, don't question yourself, and go against the grain, not for the sake of going against the grain, but because you trust your work, there are massive dividends that can be paid. Puljujarvi didn't fit with our philosophy, and the whole league thought we were crazy.
Imagine right now if we had drafted JP. That would mean we'd have lost all of the guys we just did
and whiffed on a top pick again
and had a 6'3" 210lb. hole on the top line. Jesus, I thought this board couldn't get any worse! This place would literally be on fire.
Unnamed Poster, in response:
What I'm saying is we had 15 years to make a roster that is able to make the playoffs/compete.
5 years ago we started the "rebuild" with Jarmo and Co, look how far we have gotten.
My reply:
So say we fire Jarmo. This team will still be slated to hit its stride 2-3 years from now regardless of who replaces him.
Turns out, it had only been 3 years into Jarmo's tenure, and the team set a points record the following season.
If you thumb through that PLD thread, you'll find a ton of people who are hungry for results and cannot fathom why we would pick a player (or at least, why not trade down, you dumb idiot?!) who might need a dash of development over a guy who
is definitely NHL ready. We had just finished 27th, the fanbase was dying for a superstar, and this was supposedly a 3-man draft at the top. But you know what? Jesse Puljujarvi is a clearly not cut out for the NHL, and honestly, his personality should have been an indicator from the start. It's insane how much draft hype this kid got and how little people talked about his drive and personality. I'd be willing to bet we had him on a Do Not Draft list
I know it's easy to question the FO for the way the past year has gone. For the record, I'm not upset about anything they did and appreciate the effort during the trade deadline and the decision to give this city the experience of a potential Cup run. Obviously, we're thinner today than we were yesterday and for the love of god
we don't even have draft picks to ease the pain, so I understand the frustration.
However, I think this FO might actually be good at their jobs. The St. Louis Blues just won a Cup with plenty of talent acquired by Jarmo & JD, after years of the right philosophies being adhered to along the way. I believe we have a good, young team that may take a step back, but will ultimately be a perennial contender.
