Herschel
Registered User
- Dec 8, 2009
- 1,385
- 435
We have not even had a single one of his draft picks play in the NHL yet, and considering the draft is the most important factor for whether this rebuild is going to be a smashing success or not, I fail to see why it would be deemed as such already.
This more so a flaw of when the question is being asked.
2022 Draft - only two players taken 11th or later that have played more than 20 games in the NHL and only one of them was drafted after Bystedt.
2023 Draft - after the top 3 picks, the remaining drafted players have played a combined 73 NHL games and 71 of those are by Benson.
At this point, evaluating the drafts has to be done primarily by how those pick look outside of the NHL or by the volume/quality of acquired picks.
For me, what I like why I voted Yes is based on the approach. He is doing all of the staple things associated with an effective teardown while adding a number of older prospects (22-24 years of age). If he can find 2-3 players that fit into either the middle six or top four they are going to move the needle in 3-4 seasons when they are in their physical prime and the blue-chip prospects are starting to have an impact.