Well, Mancari played the latter half of the year with Locke, but it wasn't exclusive the way Foy and Locke were. They weren't going steady so to speak. :lol
Mancari's not fast, that's for sure. But he's also not painfully slow. He's reasonably smooth as a skater, and considering he's 6'3" and very well built, I wouldn't say his speed is a major problem. He's faster than Matt Zultek ever was, yet he was a first rounder of course. He's not ever going to be a scorer, but I truly think he could be a solid third liner.
His versatility is a plus. This isn't a defenceman turned forward. It's more of a Sami Kapanen situation, they needed some size on the blueline at one point when Wharton was hurt last year, and it kind of stuck. The guy alternated for much of last year and then it carried over. But eventually he ended up playing forward. I don't see him playing forward as a professional, at least not much. What it says to me though is that he's smart, works well with coach's (Killer will make most player's a coach's dream), and can take on different responsibilities. For a guy destined to be at most a grinder in the NHL, that's a major plus.
As for Bickell, I'll be the first to admit I love the guy. Not for what he did this year, but for what I think he can become. He's big, fast, strong, an enthusiastic hitter and his hands are oh so soft and his shot very powerful. That being said, he's as inconsistent as they come. The reason opinions on him are so varied is that people can go and see him five, six, seven times in a year, and never see him. That's not meant at a shot at you, or anybody else or anything, just that Bickell can dominate at times. For that reason, I'd take him if I had a late first or early second in this year's draft.