Dread Clawz
LAWSonic Boom
Not good enough. So have a lot of other players who haven't dropped in the ratings as a result.
As arsmaster said, yes they have. A respected Isles blogger who used to be a beat writer for the team had the Isles taking Duchene right before the draft in 09, and we all know Tampa would have picked Hedman, so that would have made Tavares #3. The wide open nature of this draft just makes it easier for a top tier player to fall. You know there is always going to be one or two surprise guys at the top of lists, and usually they don't go as high as they are ranked.
If that was the problem, that should have hurt him just as much a year ago, and it didn't.
Then why is it perceived as weak
That's because he's has another year of scrutiny and so people have looked for something to question. Prospects are never picked apart in year 1 or 2. When they have been big names for a few years, however, they start to get picked apart. Example, like I just said...Couturier's skating is identical to Landeskog's and Huberdeau's. Huberdeau is maybe a little more agile, but that's it. Why is nobody getting on their case? Landeskog also plays a somewhat dull style, yet you never hear about it.
Also, care to explain how Couturier's team is 4th in the Q when it has no NHL prospects on it and no projected draft picks for this year? How is that possible while Couturier is also at the top of Q stat sheets, if he's so bad?
Sorry, but that's a circular argument. If there is more opportunity for 2nd tier players to move up, that's because the 1st tier isn't convincing - and the question here is why a particular 1st tier player is currently not convincing the scouts.
Thanks for weighing in, but these are mainly the sort of speculative and unconvincing generalisations that I made this thread in an attempt to get beyond.
There is simply more opportunity for players to move up this year because unlike most drafts, there is no clearly defined #1 or top 2, and even the first tier of the draft is in question according to most people. The first tier is also larger than in most years, which means the 2nd tier players lower in the top 10 will be closer rated to the top prospects.
You asked for answers, i gave them. Sorry if it was too unconvincing for you.