Why isn't Dylan Guenther RW in this poll?
When I look at the 2021 draft I don't see a big difference between the top 8 players, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the defencemen or forwards, picking the BPA will be very difficult depending on where Ottawa ends up drafting. Even Bob McKenzie says it's going to be one of those yrs, I assume he means anything can happen.
- I don't see a huge difference between Beniers, & Johnson both project to be excellent players & I don't see a huge difference between them & J. Norris. Ottawa also has L. Brown & White who could fill in the three top 9 centre spots not to mention Nick Paul or Stutzle at some future point, even Greig is looking like a good future player for this team maybe at centre.
- Eklund plays LW & this team has Tkachuk, Stutzle, Formenton & Paul playing LW, I doubt they need him.
- Owen Power is a left shot so is Edvinsson & Hughes & Ottawa has a young Chabot with Sanderson & Kleven coming who are all left shots. Clarke is a right shot & could be an interesting choice even though they have JBD & Thomson coming & Brannstrom who can play the right side. I would love to draft Power, but I'm not sure he would make a greater difference than a goal scoring winger. Would love to draft both Power & Schmidt in 2021 lol.
- Ottawa has Chabot running the PP & I don't see anyone else on this team or in future taking that job away from him unless he is injured or traded. Sanderson most likely would be next in line to QB the PP & Wolanin & Brannstrom have both shown they can QB a 2nd PP unit.
- IMO the weakness on this team will be at RW where Ottawa has very little depth & needs another goal scorer on the right side. Dadonov has two yrs left & most likely won't be resigning here, C. Brown is 27 yrs old & has shown some offence, but is better defensively. Pinto IMO is going to be a great player & should take a RW spot some day soon.
- I think Dylan Guenther is the missing piece & the best RWer in the 1st rd who can do everything well. He looks to be a better version of Batherson & he can put the puck in the net with or without any help. He's a very good skater, fast, skilled & tenacious on the forecheck stealing pucks & turning them into goals. When I look at the forwards at the top of this 2021 draft I don't see a clear difference in them which is why filling a need with a player who is as good as any other in that spot makes sense. This is not to say that picking them would be worse, they are all going to be goo players in the NHL, this IMO fills a need on this team woth a player who could easily be the BPA wherever they pick.