so if the best available player for the next 6 years is a blueliner... you keep taking blueliners?

it's nothing close to a rule. 23 blueliners cant win a championship.
- joel878

You take the player with the most value. Value can be transferred to other positions through trades, so acquiring the most value possible in a draft pick is the best strategy.

Neither you nor I have any idea what this team looks like in two years. Maybe Phaneuf bails. Maybe (hopefully) Komisarek Bails. Maybe other defenseman are traded for forward help.

A position of strength can turn into a position of weakness very quickly.

accoring to who?

wasn't the same group who had grigorenko the consesus 2nd overall, since the beginning of the season, was it?

team needs high end offensive talent, you draft high end offensive talent.
- joel878

After Yaks and Galy there were no high end offensive talents.... Forsberg got praise for his size and defensive abilities, not offensive talents. Grigorenko clearly has work ethic issues, and doesnt have the best attitude, its not a good pick

That's very narrow minded. You understand the buy and demand of trading right? by acquiring Aulie we got a guy like Ashton.
- Boosinicka

at the end of the day.. it's trading.

am i to assume that ashton will be anything more than a 3rd liner?

am i to assume that a guy like franson who becomes expendable, will fetch a return equivalent to one of the top 3 forwards selected in a draft year? cool.

That's very narrow minded. You understand the buy and demand of trading right? by acquiring Aulie we got more help for our AHL team.
- Boosinicka

fixed

it really has nothing to do with being picked 14th. eberle was what 28th? lidstrom.. 53rd?

it's about drafting high end talent when it's available. you take one of the 3-4 most sparkling forwards in a draft year, odds are in your favour that they're going to pan out.

but hey, keep validating it because 8 other teams decided they wanted defenseman. FYI, forsberg was 11th. the 3rd forward selected.
- joel878

Cool, the Leafs decided to go with the Best Player Available, NOT NEEDS, that was Morgan Reilly.

At the draft(especially) you dont pick based on needs, you pick the best player

After Yaks and Galy there were no high end offensive talents.... Forsberg got praise for his size and defensive abilities, not offensive talents. Grigorenko clearly has work ethic issues, and doesnt have the best attitude, its not a good pick
- cor99

I am not convinced at all about the work ethic issues or poor attitude.

You take the player with the most value. Value can be transferred to other positions through trades, so acquiring the most value possible in a draft pick is the best strategy.

Neither you nor I have any idea what this team looks like in two years. Maybe Phaneuf bails. Maybe (hopefully) Komisarek Bails. Maybe other defenseman are traded for forward help.

A position of strength can turn into a position of weakness very quickly.
- Leafs43

but a position of weakness turns into a non existent position even quicker.

in my opinion, reilly wasnt the best player available either.

and according to the lists that people want to keep flinging in my face, alot of pro scouts agree.

i get that people are trying to validate it, but the logic isnt there

fixed
- GoneFullRetard

the example was to just show
Ashton = position of need

Well next year looks better for forwards really. Not winnin for Mackinnon?

You know what I meant.

Your not bashing the direction of the team, your bashing this pick, when he was the Best Player Available.

Its a key rule to drafting, take the Best Player Available, and if you fill a need at the same time, then bonus
- cor99

The Best Player Available for the Leafs was a Big Fast Center.. not an offensive dmen.. that we have in abundance.. take Gardiner for example untouchable in Burke's eyes... but was a minus most of the year.. at the end he made it closer.. a good player.. we like him.. but he could just be another career minus like Liles... that is the fear I have for Reilly.. he could be a good puck carrier and be a minus.. that does not help us.. offensive dmen you can get for low money a top center is huge bucks and huge payout to get..

I am not convinced at all about the work ethic issues or poor attitude.
- GoneFullRetard

Apparently plenty of NHL scouts were.......

Cool, the Leafs decided to go with the Best Player Available, NOT NEEDS, that was Morgan Reilly.

At the draft(especially) you dont pick based on needs, you pick the best player
- cor99

according to the consensus, in 3 more picks, reilly was the best player available.

but cool..

but a position of weakness turns into a non existent position even quicker.

in my opinion, reilly wasnt the best player available either.

and according to the lists that people want to keep flinging in my face, alot of pro scouts agree.

i get that people are trying to validate it, but the logic isnt there
- joel878

Im not trying to validate it at all. I was very shocked with the pick, but in the end I trust the leafs scouts who have seen these kids far more than you or I.

I like Burke's track record with D man, Ill trust him and his group. No one will know if this is a good pick for years, regardless of what you try to convince yourself.

according to the consensus, in 3 more picks, reilly was the best player available.

but cool..
- joel878

Reilly was the 3rd best available defenseman, the two better then him were gone, Reilly was the best d-man and the best player available, thats why they took him, I could care less if you would have rathered a player that was taken 11th overall.

If Grigorenko and Forsberg were seen as "great offensive talents" one would have went #4 and the other at #5 (us) or at #6

Teams passed on them for a reason

god, you're stupid.

the leafs need offensive talent wise.. is offensive talent in general.

if anything, kadri and colbourne are centers, and on top of the prospect chart.
- joel878

That is there team need, that isnt the best player available.....

Morgan Reilly and Tanner Pearson, you can take one of them at #5.... by your logic we take Pearson because we need forwards

Reilly was the 3rd best available defenseman, the two better then him were gone, Reilly was the best d-man and the best player available, thats why they took him, I could care less if you would have rathered a player that was taken 11th overall.

If Grigorenko and Forsberg were seen as "great offensive talents" one would have went #4 and the other at #5 (us) or at #6

Teams passed on them for a reason
- cor99

You believe Leaf scouts... they got Schenn & Kadri right...

Reilly was the 3rd best available defenseman, the two better then him were gone, Reilly was the best d-man and the best player available, thats why they took him, I could care less if you would have rathered a player that was taken 11th overall.

If Grigorenko and Forsberg were seen as "great offensive talents" one would have went #4 and the other at #5 (us) or at #6

Teams passed on them for a reason
- cor99

you keep saying that, but it doesn't change anything..

its the (frank)ing draft.. people go all over the place. the best odds lie in addressing your needs at the front of the draft.

i'll be sure to let edmonton know they (frank)ed up with eberle, he was still there at 28.

at the end of the day.. it's trading.

am i to assume that ashton will be anything more than a 3rd liner?

am i to assume that a guy like franson who becomes expendable, will fetch a return equivalent to one of the top 3 forwards selected in a draft year? cool.
- joel878

You honestly think that Forsberg has elite status? Grigorenko maaaayyyybe but that's a huge risk. Reilly hass elite potential. Doesn't matter he's a defensemen. Would you be pissed if we acquired Letang? We don't need him, but poop did our trading posture just get a lot stronger. Anaheim loses Schultz. We can trade them some nice blue liners for Getz or Ryan. Our blue line is now

Phaneuf
Schenn
Liles
Franson
Komisarek
Gardiner
Gunnarsson
Reilly
Holzer
Blacker
Percy
with the potential of Schultz.

Sweet Jesus that's good blueline

How is this a bad thing? Faksa would be great to have, Forsberg will probably be just the same as a big 3rd liner. And Grigs could be a 1C or lifer in the KHL.

You believe Leaf scouts... they got Schenn & Kadri right...
- DoctorNHL

I dont just believe the Leafs, I believe the 6 other teams that passed over them as well.

That is there team need, that isnt the best player available.....

Morgan Reilly and Tanner Pearson, you can take one of them at #5.... by your logic we take Pearson because we need forwards
- cor99

Best player available was Forsberg or Grigorenko.. no other choices for the Leafs.. at that point..

That is there team need, that isnt the best player available.....

Morgan Reilly and Tanner Pearson, you can take one of them at #5.... by your logic we take Pearson because we need forwards
- cor99

what?

you take the other 15 forwards who are ahead of pearson and give you the best chance to land a high end talent.

are you (frank)ing new at this?

You believe Leaf scouts... they got Schenn & Kadri right...
- DoctorNHL

That's not really a fair argument. 22 teams passed on Giroux and 14 passed on Karlsson. And I'm sure you wouldn't say they're all wrong.

you keep saying that, but it doesn't change anything..

its the (frank)ing draft.. people go all over the place. the best odds lie in addressing your needs at the front of the draft.

i'll be sure to let edmonton know they (frank)ed up with eberle, he was still there at 28.
- joel878

No you dont draft by needs at the draft. All the experts, all the scouts say you take the best player available, and that was a defenseman.

If you drafted by needs then Oilers would have taken Murray

Reilly was the 3rd best available defenseman, the two better then him were gone, Reilly was the best d-man and the best player available, thats why they took him, I could care less if you would have rathered a player that was taken 11th overall.

If Grigorenko and Forsberg were seen as "great offensive talents" one would have went #4 and the other at #5 (us) or at #6

Teams passed on them for a reason
- cor99

I agree with all this, but what's to consider is he may be the best. Just his injury held him back. His ceiling is higher than Murray's.

you keep saying that, but it doesn't change anything..

its the (frank)ing draft.. people go all over the place. the best odds lie in addressing your needs at the front of the draft.

i'll be sure to let edmonton know they (frank)ed up with eberle, he was still there at 28.
- joel878

Speaking of Eberle, you may want to tell them they (frank)ed up getting Yakupov too b/c they got Eberle already, and they have Hall.