DanielBriere48 said:
Homer alert
Eric Staal had a 31 point season as a rookie.He's played exactly 1 season.For players this young,it's all about long term potential.Staal played early on a horrible Hurricanes team,while Phaneuf and Vanek couldn't because of depth.So what if Bergeron had a great 1st season?People know that guys like Malkin and Vanek will have higher point totals when they actually play a season.
It's Brad
Nowell if you're talking about the lead singer of Sublime, in your avatar. If you already knew that, please disregard that.
However, I don't feel that i'm being a homer by saying that. Vanek was drafted lower, has higher bust potential, and didn't even play in the NHL last season. How could one justify putting him above players like Horton and Staal is a little beyond me. Phaneuf in all likelyhood is going to be a fantastic defenseman at this level, but he doesn't have franchise player potential. Not a whole lot of defenseman prospects do. Very rarely do you come across a Chris Pronger, Rob Blake, or a Scott Stevens. Phaneuf is going to be fantastic, but i'd draft him in the 5-7 range in this combined draft that is so full of franchise players. Suter, while still great, is a step below Phaneuf in my opinion so that makes him around 6-8 on my list probably. The reason that Bergeron isn't being considered in these discussions is the fact that he was a 2nd round selection, and people don't think he has a considerable amount of upside. Staal was selected 2nd overall. To make the comparison between the two in terms of pre-draft value based on potential is a little ridiculous to me.
One season does not a career make, that's true. However, when you're dealing with a player who has already fairly established the fact that he's going to be a player at the NHL level at the tender age of 19 years old, you can't rank him below could-be's and might be's.
