Love seeing the compete level of the vets showing the kids how to play and compete at the nhl level.
We will finish middle of the pack realistically at best,and still get a middle of the pack pick where most stud defenseman are taken.10-20.
So yes I will take the wins and the gloating of beating teams we shouldn't be for now.
- Dewey8
Most stud defensemen are not taken in the middle of the round. Doughty, Pietrangelo, Hedman, Jones, Ekblad, Heiskanen, Makar, Dahlin and Byram were all top 5 picks. A lot of good ones have been taken 6-9, as well. There have been good defensemen taken 10-20, but not so many outright studs and also plenty of underwhelming ones. It's a lot more of a dice roll.
On top of that, this year, there aren't as many eye-watering forwards to garner attention and cause some of the top handful of defensemen to slip towards the middle of the round. The defensemen will get extra scrutiny and all of the best ones will be taken early. Picking in the middle of the round will mean that Blake and his team will have to settle for the 6th, 7th or 8th defenseman on their list, rather than land one of their 3 favorites.