How is this conventional wisdom? Lets take a look at the 2008 draft shall we
1. Stamkos 2. Doughty 3. Bogosian 4. Pietrangelo 5. Schenn 6. Filatov 7. Wilson 8. Boedker 9. Bailey 10. Hodgson
Seems to me that other than the blatant 1st overall pick the next 4 were all defensemen and all have thus far been the correct choices to make. I wouldnt rather have any of the following 5 picks who were all forwards. So much for your conventional wisdom
- Ihatebrianburke

I think Bogosian was a miss (considering he was picked #3 overall) - Pietrangelo and Schenn are both going to be IMO better players all around. But even so, the 2008 draft was 4 years ago. Even if we manage to pick the d-man who becomes the next Schenn instead of Bogosian (poor ATL, did they ever guess wrong!) we can expect a 4 year wait before he is playing serious minutes/making a contribution.
Some of us are tired of sucking ass.
Also, in four years, our defense won't suck any more! We have lots of D-men ~2-4 years away.
We need strong, skilled players up front just as badly as we need defense - and we have almost no prospect depth left on forward (lol they keep making the NHL team). Grigs would be contributing right from the first game.
Finally, in a couple years if we are one D-man away from being Cup contenders, we can trade for a top 4 defender (we won't like the price, but it can be done). It will not be possible to trade for a big, skilled #2 center unless he comes with lots of baggage and question marks (coughJeffCartercough).

Reply to above...

Carter is not a 2nd line center. He is a 1st so it should be tough to get him...baggage and all.

Reply to above...

Carter is not a 2nd line center. He is a 1st so it should be tough to get him...baggage and all.
- OilHorse

Sorry, typo - I meant to say teams won't trade big skilled #1Cs, not #2Cs. I confused myself due to Grigs (who should become good enough to be a #1C on any team) will likely be behind Nuge and thus will be our #2C. My bad.

Sorry, typo - I meant to say teams won't trade big skilled #1Cs, not #2Cs. I confused myself due to Grigs (who should become good enough to be a #1C on any team) will likely be behind Nuge and thus will be our #2C. My bad.
- thefullnelson

gotcha



Grig and Nuge and Top 2 centers will legitimately give the team a 1a/1b set of lines for the Top 6, but if Gags has the chemistry with Hall and Ebs then Nuge becomes 1b center while Grigs (which I have heard he has done) can go winger across from PRV.

I wold rather not have to find out...I hope the team moves out of 2nd pick, gets to a littel lower and can draft the Dman they like, andI have no opinion on them and there is a case to be made for the top 3 dmen in the draft.

[...]I wold rather not have to find out...I hope the team moves out of 2nd pick, gets to a littel lower and can draft the Dman they like, andI have no opinion on them and there is a case to be made for the top 3 dmen in the draft.
- OilHorse

Even high-end D-men are hard to predict. In 2008, Bogosian went 3rd. Bogosian has yet to bring the kind of game that you want from a #3 overall draft pick, and he may never. Granted Bogosian would make us better, but when the trade market is more favourable it will be easy to pick up an equivalent talent. Give me one pick that's a sure thing instead of three maybe's.