Why Did Pittsburgh Draft Jordan Staal in 2006?

[kilowatt]

I honestly believe that if Pittsburgh had drafted Toews instead of Staal, we would be saying the same things about Toews that we do about Staal. "Toews is a beast but he is stuck behind Crosby and Malkin." I feel that after Staal's rookie season, he really buckled down and started to take over the third line defensive shut down role. He does it very well. I remember the year they won the cup, how often I found myself saying, "Wow, Staal is a beast!"

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Jiri Tlusty at 6th overall .

Yeah, for the Blue Jackets. It would have been no surprise to see them go off the board and pick a bust. It's what they do.

 

[Mancini0518]

Kind of OT but when you look at that TSN mock draft it makes you think how one pick can change everything. If toews had fallen to the Bruins would they still have signed Savard? Would Krejci have been given a chance?

Toronto would not have Kessel and would still most likely have their draft picks. crazy to think

 

[gifted88]

He was hyped as being as good as if not better than Eric. So #2 was not a stretch at all.

 

[Ozamataz Buckshank]

Also, I still cant believe people say Staal is a third line centre, one of the most uninformed statements in the history of HF. Hes a third line centre in title alone. Staal has not only produced at the rate of a quality second line centre for three seasons (on pace for that again this season), hes regularly in the Top 40 for centre icetime (this year his average puts him 6th, which would be less with a healthy lineup, but still, 6th among all NHL centres). At the moment, he should be considered one of the best second line centres in the league. Obviously hes not a 1st line centre yet, but the idea that hes "just a quality third line centre" is not just an overused tagline here, its flat out wrong.

I don't think people call him a 3rd line center disparagingly - rather it's moreso, why use a 2nd overall pick on someone who's third on the depth chart for years?

 

[JTG]

He was the BPA at the time. Toews started gaining steam leading up to the draft, but I'm pretty sure if the Pens picked anyone but Kessel instead of Staal, people would have been pretty upset.

Jordan at the time was said to be the biggest project, the guy who was going to take the longest to develop, but had the potential to be the best player in that draft. It's obviously still way too early to determine who is the best because all of the guys concerned are still in their very early 20's.

I don't think Jordan was picked that high because of Eric, I think he was picked that high because of the things you can't teach or get better at. 6'4 and 200+ lbs at that stage in the game is something that can't be taught, and the size factor fit right into what Ray Shero wanted.

Had the Pens drafted Toews, I think he would have undoubtedly been a top 6 winger right now because going into the draft, that is what he was regarded as. A guy who can play all forward positions.

 

[wej20]

I don't think people call him a 3rd line center disparagingly - rather it's moreso, why use a 2nd overall pick on someone who's third on the depth chart for years?

The Malkin situation was up in the air and even though Staal's 3rd on the depth chart he's still logging 1st line ice time.

 

[93LEAFS]

The top of the 2006 draft was all in the eye of the beholder. You had pretty solid arguments for any of the top 5 to go #1. Staal was among the youngest for his draft class, and was viewed as on a very similar trajectory to his older brother who was just the best player on a team that won the Stanley Cup. While he may not have lived up to expectations, he's still been a very good player, and pretty much a single for a 2nd overall pick. I mean, in retrospect, obviously it seems Backstrom and Toews should have been 1 and 2 in that draft looking at the top 5 players. But, drafts sometimes play out like that.

 

[Seachd]

Probably the second worst bump in history.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Pittsburgh is not good at drafting they need the nhl to gift them top lottery picks to get good players

 

[lakai17]

He was hyped as being as good as if not better than Eric. So #2 was not a stretch at all.

As Eric Staal just won the Stanley cup 5 days before the draft and Eric also led the playoffs in scoring.

Hard not to gamble by the Penguins and they'd do it again.

 

[theicebox]

Just saying...

It worked out with either Staal or Kessel

 

[Soundwave]

If his name was Jordan Stoollie or something instead of Staal, I think the Pens pick Toews. Which wouldn't have been fair at all to the rest of the league.

 

[Cheddabombs]

one day we'll remember this few day period when, in the tail-end of summer, everyone decided to question why the Pens took Jordan Staal

 

[lakai17]

And hf reminisced on the 4 great Staal brothers.

Jared Staal recently named an echl assistant coach.

 

[Tweed]

 

[kilowatt]

wtf

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Probably the second worst bump in history.

I cant believe nobody asked yet...

Whats the first??!

 

[Seachd]

I cant believe nobody asked yet...

Whats the first??!

It was the other Staal thread that was bumped from 2006. Looks like all the new posts in it were deleted though.